text:
What is the Harris Center?
The Harris World Ecology Center (HWEC), through a unique set of partnerships, promotes research and training in basic ecology and biodiversity conservation across the globe, and increases public awareness and interest in issues relating to global natural resource conservation. The center is housed within the Department of Biology at the University of Missouri St. Louis, and works closely with The Missouri Botanical Garden and the Saint Louis Zoo.
Follow us on social media:
Student Support
The Harris Center offers fellowships and scholarships to students whose studies relate to conservation. These include fully-funded Christensen and St. Louis Zoo Fellowships for Ph.D. or masters students who plan to take on decision-making positions in order to protect biodiversity. The center also provides training in conservation implementation via undergraduate and graduate certificate programs that place students with local, national, and international conservation NGOs and government agencies.
Awards and Events
The Harris Center presents the World Ecology Award to eminent individuals who have made significant contributions to the protection of the global environment and to a better understanding of the balance between human habitation and the Earth's biodiversity. The first World Ecology Award was presented in 1990 to recording artist, film star and activist John Denver, who accepted the award at the Center's first major event, a World Ecology Day held on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. Since that time, the Harris Center has presented the award to twenty-two individuals.
|World Ecology Award Winners
In addition to the presentations of the World Ecology Award, the Harris Center hosts outreach events in Saint Louis, including the Jane and Whitney Harris Lecture Series and the Whitney and Anna Harris Conservation Forum.


text:
Item description: This Misc Oxygen Sensor product is by AC Delco - ACDELCO - 4-WIRE OE REPLACEMENT OXYGEN SENSORS. The Factory-original Fit And Lasting Function Of ACDelco's 4-wire OE Replacement Oxygen Sensors Provide The Perfect Repair Without Breaking Your Budget. Established In 1899, ACDelco Manufactures Original GM Parts And Premium OE Replacement Parts For Other Brands In The Automotive Aftermarket. High-grade Design Delivers Extended Lifespan Carefully Formed To Suit Your Specific Vehicle Engineered To Exact OE Standards Has Undergone Stringent Evaluation To Guarantee Proper Fit And Performance... Learn More
Manufacturer: AC Delco
Category: Oxygen Sensor
You may also consider:
Copyright © 2019 - http://www.centraltrucksales.com/ All Rights Reserved.
Website design by Business Edge

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Find us on:
The ERIC database uses the latest search and retrieval methods to cull education literature and give high-quality access to educators, researchers, and the general public.
Review Date: Friday, June 26, 2015
List reviewed web resources
Recognizing that high-quality maternal and child health (MCH) services are vital to the health of the nation, NCEMCH was established in 1982 at Georgetown University as a national resource to the MCH community. NCEMCH's multidisciplinary staff collaborates with a broad range of federal agencies, corporate and philanthropic partners, professional organizations, and academic institutions.
Review Date: Monday, May 09, 2016
The purpose of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine network (NN/LM) is to provide health science practitioners, investigators, educators, and administrators in the United States with timely, convenient access to biomedical and health care information resources. The NN/LM is the outreach arm of the National Library of Medicine and consists of eight Regional Medical Libraries, more than 140 Resource Libraries and some 4,500 Primary Access Libraries (primarily at hospitals). The Regional Medical Libraries administer and coordinate services in the network's eight geographical regions.
Review Date: Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Bureau of the Census is the pre-eminent collector and provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. The Bureau plans to achieve its goals by "Valuing our employees, Innovating in our work, and Responding to our customers."
Review Date: Monday, December 08, 2008
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) was founded in 1861 for the production of U.S. Government documents. GPO was assigned the additional duties of sales and distribution in 1895. Yearly sales today exceed 25 million publications. GPO Access is a service of the U.S. Government Printing Office that provides free electronic access to a wealth of important information products produced by the Federal Government. The information provided on this site is the official, published version and the information retrieved from GPO Access can be used without restriction, unless specifically noted. This free service is funded by the Federal Depository Library Program and has grown out of Public Law 103-40, known as the Government Printing Office Electronic Information Enhancement Act of 1993.
Review Date: Monday, October 05, 2015
The Bioethics Research Library at Georgetown University (BRL) is a specialized, non-circulating collection of over 300,000 books, legal publications, regulations, codes, government documents, and other relevant materials related to biomedical and professional ethics written in over 20 languages. This collection functions both as a reference library for the public and as a research resource for scholars world-wide. The library's databases on bioethics literature, organizations, and syllabi are accessible on the library web site and contain many links to full-text materials. Other sources of full-text documents on this site include the digital archives of U.S. Bioethics Commissions, and historical documents on genetics and ethics.
Review Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015
The mission of CenterWatch is to be the leading source of clinical trials information for both clinical research professionals and patients. CenterWatch offers several services and resources specifically to patients. The Clinical Trial Listing Service offers patients unbiased information on clinical trials, with a clinical trial database that contains thousands of currently enrolling trials. Information on drugs and new medical therapies are available to review. CenterWatch also provides patients with health and educational resources about clinical trials.
Review Date: Thursday, April 05, 2012
Healthy Roads Media maintains on-line materials in print (audio, web-video, mobile video) in 25 languages and on hundreds of topics.
Review Date: Tuesday, February 19, 2013
MLA, a nonprofit, educational organization, is comprised of health sciences information professionals with more than 4,500 members worldwide. Through its programs and services, MLA provides lifelong educational opportunities, supports a knowledge base of health information research, and works with a global network of partners to promote the importance of quality information for improved health to the health care community and the public.
PlaneTree Health Information Centers provide in-depth health and medical information services, individualized to the specific needs of each patron. Most PlaneTree services are offered free of charge and are open to the public. PlaneTree Health Information Centers are located in hospitals, public libraries, and in freestanding facilities throughout the United States. Some Planetree Health Resource Centers offer a medical research service to their local communities. They will prepare (typically for a fee) a literature search or information packet on specific topics, selecting from medical library materials, databases, and Internet resources. For inquires about Planetree services, programs, products, and consultation, contact the national administrative office by phone at 203-732-7500.
Review Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Note: Documents in PDF format require the Adobe Acrobat Reader®. If you experience problems with PDF documents, please download the latest version of the Reader®.
Language Assistance Available


text:
When Barack Obama ran for president in 2008, he pledged to end the war in Iraq responsibly, if elected. Tuesday night, the young president — who, in his first two years in office, has also faced an economic crisis not seen since the Great Depression and has had to work mightily to restore the nation's financial industry and auto industry, as well as making significant steps to reforming health care — declared America's military action in Iraq officially over.
And, as an opponent of the Iraq invasion from the start, he was gracious in his comments.


text:
IT security and data protection firm Sophos has published its latest 'Dirty Dozen' report of spam-relaying countries for the third quarter of 2012. Since the previous quarter, India has grown its lead at the top of the hall of shame, and now relays 16.1 percent of all spam captured in SophosLabs' global network of spam traps.
The U.S., which was once a permanent fixture as the leading superpower in the spam stakes and last topped the table in the same period a year ago, has risen one place since last quarter and now relays one in 15 of all spam emails.
The UK, which has managed to remain out of the top 12 spam-relaying countries for the last four consecutive quarters (having last appeared in April - June 2011), makes a return to the list, in twelfth place.
This slideshow features the top 12 spam-relaying countries for July to September 2012, according to Sophos.
Related Topics : Unisys, Stimulus Package, Security Breaches, Symantec, Electronic Surveillance
To protect the company from those insiders who abuse their privileged access and from hackers with stolen credentials, many companies are turning to a privileged access management (PAM) solution. ... More >>
Is fake news a security issue? Some say yes, as it can be used as a social engineering tool to spread disinformation and conceivably to get unsuspecting users to click on malicious links. ... More >>
Blockchain comes with many costs and is surrounded by confusion. Here, we examine realistic use cases, drawbacks and the potential of blockchain. ... More >>


text:
Two men arrested in a pair of robberies in Beaumont's Oaks Historic District, North End
Two men are in the Jefferson County jail after a pair of robberies in Beaumont's Oaks Historic District and the North End.
On April 15, police say Raphiel D. Boyd, 19, of Beaumont, robbed a 43-year-old man about 7:30 p.m. in the 2200 block of Angelina in the Oaks Historic District. Brandishing a handgun, BPD Detective Jesus Tamayo said Boyd was after electronics.
"The victim had been forced at gunpoint to put a lot of electronics in the victim's car," he said. "This went on for about 15-20 minutes. We understand that the victim was pleading with the suspect not to kill him because he had his nephew with him."
After taking the man's electronics, police say Boyd and another suspect, Nestor S. Castillo, 21, of Beaumont, drove the stolen car to the 4600 block of Magnolia where they robbed another 29-year-old male some two hours later.
Police were able to respond to the scene and eventually found the Angelina Street victim's car with some of the man's items still inside.
After capturing Boyd, victims identified the two men as the culprits and they were each jailed with a $300,000 bond.
While being escorted to the Jefferson County Jail, Boyd told reporters why he robbed the two men.
"Feed my daughter. That's it," he said. "Nothing else."


text:
Very much so, if Tennessee can right the ship next week. Houston looks like they could beat anybody right now. I think they lose to the Vikings either way, as the Vikes gain win number two.
Very much so, if Tennessee can right the ship next week. Houston looks like they could beat anybody right now. I think they lose to the Vikings either way, as the Vikes gain win number two.
I can see Dallas at 2-3 easier then at 1-4 or 0-5. They're not as bad as people are making out, they were in both games. They should have won in Washington, but had something like 14 penalities, including one that cost them the game. And, as was said Jay Cutler played a rare perfect game for Chicago. I expect them to lose to Houston, then win the next two.
BTW, Jay Cutler's stat line from Sunday's game is as follows: 21-29, 277 yds, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 136.7 rating -- I couldn't tell you the last time he was that good, nor can I tell you the NEXT time he'll be that good.
There's an interesting twist to those stats, though. 21 of the 29 pass plays were short-yardage calls (10 yards or less). Cutler went 18-21 in that situation and got all 3 TDs that way. What this shows me is that the Cowboys defense got nickel-and-dimed for most of the game. They weren't getting burned on deep bombs. And perhaps because of the easy passing game, Dallas held Chicago's running to a very small amount. You would have thought, though, that with so many short-yardage plays being called, the defense should have adjusted for it. I imagine that a lot of the problems Dallas is dealing with right now stems from coaching, and I'll be curious to see if anyone gets fired midway through the season.
For their upcoming games, here's my take:
HOUSTON -- They're going to lose this. They have a lot of kinks to work out in just one week, and with the way the Texans are playing, it won't be enough. The Dallas faithful can only pray it isn't a blowout.
TENNESSEE -- I consider this a toss-up. Tennessee had a very bad day with the Steelers, but that happens now and again. They should be able to rebound, and if they keep their wits about them, they have a chance to win. But don't count out the Boys in this one.
MINNESOTA -- If ever Dallas had a chance to beat the Vikings, it's now. Favre had a dismal performance against the Dolphins, and it's clear that team misses Sidney Rice. In that light, it's been said Minnesota is in talks to trade for Vincent Jackson, which might give the offense a much-needed jolt. That game is several weeks away and a lot could happen between now and then, so for now I'll leave it open.
Bottom line: Realistically, Dallas will either be 2-3, 1-4, or 0-5, but not 3-2. That just doesn't seem plausible. They need to be 2-3 to keep their season alive. I wouldn't be surprised with any of those records, but to me, I think it will be 1-4 or 0-5.
A note on Vincent Jackson and Minnesota- Peter King wrote about why this trade doesn't make sense for Minnesota to do in his Monday Morning Quarterback column, and I gotta say he convinced me. Basically it would amount to Minnesota paying a lot of money and giving up draft picks to rent a guy for 10-11 games, tops. Ziggy may not want to shell out another $7M after giving Favre an extra $6M to return this season, especially since they have several core players whose contract extensions were put off until after the season.
Here's what I didn't understand about the game Sunday. Here in Chicago, we all know most of the team is hit or miss...Cutler a GREAT example of that. After the first 2-3 possessions, Cutler was on his butt after every single passing play. I understand they got burned by the 2 quick passes in a row, however, they just stopped bringing pressure, against a makeshift line. Chris Williams was out of the game, I believe Louis was the one who got moved to the left side...just, no pressure, at all, the rest of the game. Can a Dallas fan please explain? I understand they got burnt, but that was on one series, and just don't send all of your linebackers on a blitz then.
2010 Chicago Bears: NFC North Champions
"Panic" is a strong word, but given the difficulty of the Cowboys' schedule on paper, they could not afford to start off 0-2 in two very winnable games.
But, if you're a realistic Dallas fan, you probably accept that going 6-10 this season and getting rid of Wade Phillips is in the best long-term interests for the franchise. If you came into this season expecting to be playing in the Super Bowl at home, then yes, by all means panic...
I find that the hype surrounding the Cowboys had everything to do with the players, and as fans we're naturally inclined to think that way. This leads me to belief that the real issue right now has to do with the coaches. In the Washington game, Jason Garrett looked like a fool at OC. In Chicago, the DC (whose name I don't know) looked completely inept against Mike Martz's offensive gameplan. So I think, GBPKS, you are right in saying that removing Wade Phillips as well as the rest of the staff will help the Cowboys down the road. I would have thought that after a couple disappointing years, Wade would have already been shown the door, but if this season goes belly-up, it will take more than a miracle for him to keep his job.
Wade has come back from a more dire situation then 0-2. In 1998 we (Bills) started out 0-3 and were facing the 3-0 high flying 49ers. Wade rallied our team, he got everyone to believe that we were going to beat the undefeated 49ers by playing as a team, and executing the offensive/defensive game plans. We went out and beat SF 38-24, and it kick started us onto the playoffs that year. Wade is very capable of getting his team back on track. It's up to the coaches to put together the best plan. The players need to believe in each other, work hard, and then go out and execute their respective O/D game plans. It worked for us back in 1998.


text:
Should We Care About Art?
During my time at art school, I took part in many group critiques of student artwork. Twenty or so of us would tack our best efforts on the wall, and then everyone would take turns criticizing them. At one such …Read More
The Witness of Love and Forgiveness
As Christians, how we treat other people speaks louder to the world regarding the authenticity and validity of our beliefs than the doctrines we teach, the creeds we confess, or even the moral and good lives we try to live …Read More
Inheritance and Intervention
This Sunday, I will bring my fifth child in front of the church for baptism. While my son is the one being baptized, it is my wife, myself, and our church who will be taking vows. We will be promising …Read More
Geoff Stevens
Geoff Stevens served as the creative director for Tabletalk magazine for five years.


text:
Sport Injuries
Here you can find a complete guide for sport injuries and its description www.sportsinjuryclinic.net
The ABC of the CPR
The first step of CPR is to assess the victim and check responsiveness. Gently shake the victim and shout, "Are you OK?" If the person answers, CPR is not needed. If the person is unresponsive or conscious and showing signs of a stroke or heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately and initiate the ABC's which include:
A-Airway: If the person is unresponsive, open the airway as soon as you've called 911. If the victim has no head or neck injuries, gently tilt the head back by lifting the chin with one hand and pushing down on the forehead with the other. Place your ear near the mouth and listen and feel for breath while looking at the chest to see if it is rising and falling.
B-Breaths: If the person is not breathing normally, give two rescue breaths. Keeping the victim's head tilted, pinch the nose closed and place your mouth around their mouth. Give two slow, full breaths (about two seconds each), while watching to see that the chest rises with each breath. After delivering two breaths, check for signs of circulation, such as breathing, coughing, movement or responsiveness. Keeping the head tilted, once again place your ear near the mouth and listen, feel, and look for signs of breathing while you watch for movement. The American Heart Association does not recommend trying to find a pulse, which can be difficult for lay people and delay chest compressions.
C-Chest Compressions: If no circulation is detected, begin chest compressions. Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest (right between the nipples), with the heel of the second hand on top. Position your body directly over your hands, elbows locked. Give 15 compressions by pushing the breastbone down about two inches, allowing the chest to return to normal between compressions. Use the full weight of your body and DO NOT bend your elbows. After 15 compressions, make sure the victim's head is tilted, and give two more rescue breaths. Repeat this "pump and blow" cycle three more times, for a total of 60 compressions.
Re-check for signs of circulation
If no signs of circulation, repeat the pump-and-blow cycle until circulation resumes or help arrives.
When performing CPR, keep in mind that the person you are working on is clinically dead: You cannot make the situation any worse. Don't be afraid to put your whole weight behind each compression - a cracked rib can be repaired, dead brain cells cannot.
Head Injury
Someone is lofted or dragged to impact, often enough they may try to convince you and themselves that they are OK. This from personal experience and other stories I have heard about. The simple solution is to call for medical attention and have them evaluate the guy properly. This approach isn't used all the time, victims sometimes just want to walk it off (concussion and perhaps brain hemorrhage?!). There was at least one lofting victim who may well have suffered paralysis from this course of action.
So what to do? Call the EMTs, even if it means overruling the victim in what may be a serious case. . If that isn't going to happen for whatever reason, good one or not, carefully consider the following from the CDC. btw, the victim should be immobile until help arrives with his neck held motionless along with other first aid as indicated
"One method to categorize victims of head injury is to consider them to be divided into two groups, according to whether or not they have lost consciousness. If a victim has not lost consciousness, this implies a lesser injury, but like everything in medicine, is not infallible. If someone has lost consciousness, even for a few seconds, the red flag is up for a potentially serious injury. Always be aware that the dazed or unconscious victim cannot protect his airway; you must be vigilant in your observation. The most common dangerous complication of head injury is obstruction of the airway with the tongue, blood, or vomitus. The most common associated serious injury is a broken neck.
Loss of Consciousness
If a person struck in the head has lost consciousness, he has suffered at least a concussion. The following signs and symptoms are commonly associated with a concussion: unaware of what happened; confusion; loss of memory; loss of consciousness; headache or sensation of pressure in the head; dizziness; balance problems; nausea; vomiting; feeling "foggy," "dazed," or "stunned;" visual problems (e.g., seeing stars or flashing lights, or seeing double); hearing problems (e.g., ringing in the ears); irritability or emotional changes; slowness or fatigue; inability to follow directions or slow to answer questions; easily distracted or poor concentration; inappropriate emotioinal behavior; glassy-eyed or vacant starting; slurred speech; seizure.
1. Protect the airway and cervical spine.
2. If the victim wakes up after no more than a minute or two and quickly regains his normal mental status and physical abilities, he has probably suffered a minor injury—so long as there is no relapse into unconsciousness or persistent lethargy, nausea or vomiting, or severe headache. If the victim is far from help, he should undertake no vigorous activity and be kept under close observation for at least 24 hours. Normal sleep should be interrupted every 2 to 3 hours to briefly ensure that his condition has not deteriorated. Confusion or amnesia for the event that caused the blackout is not uncommon and not necessarily serious, so long as the confusion does not persist for more than 30 minutes. Because a serious brain injury may not become apparent for hours, the wilderness traveler who has been "knocked out" should not venture farther from civilization for 24 hours. If headache and/or nausea persist beyond 2 to 3 hours, or if the victim seems in any way altered with respect to mental status, the victim should begin to make his way (assisted by rescuers) to medical care.
If the injury is minor and evacuation is not undertaken, advance the victim's activity as follows: no activity and complete rest until without symptoms; next, light walking without any heavy lifting or resistance activity; next, mild exercise with slight resistance; finally, full activity. Do not progress beyond one "level" each 24 hour period.
3. If the victim wakes up and is at first completely normal, only to become drowsy or disoriented, or lapses back into unconsciousness (typically, after 30 to 60 minutes of normal behavior), he should be evacuated and rushed to a hospital. This may indicate bleeding from an artery inside the skull, causing an expanding blood clot (epidural hematoma) that compresses the brain. Frequently, the unconscious victim with an epidural hematoma will be noted to have one pupil significantly larger than the other.
4. If the victim awakens but has a severe headache, bleeding from the ears or nose with no obvious external injury to those organs, clear fluid draining from the ear or nose, unequal-sized or poorly reactive (do not constrict promptly upon exposure to bright light) pupils, weakness, bruising behind the ears or under the eyes, vomiting, or persistent drowsiness, he might have a skull fracture. Such signs mandate immediate evacuation to a medical facility.
5. If the victim suffers a seizure after a head injury, no matter how brief, he should be transported to a medical facility.
6. If the victim does not wake up promptly after a head injury (unconscious for more than 10 minutes), has bleeding from an ear, has unequal or nonreactive (do not constrict to bright light) pupils, has clear fluid from the nose, has a profound headache, is weak in an arm or leg, is disoriented, or has a fluctuating level of consciousness (normal one minute, drowsy the next), he may have suffered a significant brain injury and should be immediately rushed to a medical facility. Because there is a high incidence of associated neck injuries, any person with a serious head injury should have his cervical spine immobilized. Head injuries often cause vomiting. Therefore, be prepared to turn the victim on his side so that he doesn't choke."
From: http://tinyurl.com/5kvvrk
Kiteboarding & Travel Medicine
Take it as given that when it comes to travel medicine you need to consult with your own physician although a lot of good ideas for consideration are given in the article. A version of the article carried by SBC Kiteboard before final editing appears below with active links:
The is a whole world of wind and Kiteboarding adventure out there just waiting to be explored and savored. The goal is to grab all the stoke in your travels and return with great memories fired up to head out on another voyage. NOT to deal with medical treatment and rehab for injury and/or disease picked up along the way. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) based in the USA reports 3,000,000 to 6,000,000 of the approximate 10,000,000 Americans who travel out of the USA, become ill as a result of their travels. That is a lot of diarrhea among other disorders, some quite serious such as malaria, hepatitis and HIV. Some of the risks are considered below and were adapted from (1):
Food and Water Precautions
90% of travelers' diarrhea stems from food- and water-borne sources, many cases can be prevented by taking adequate precautions. Be careful what you eat and drink including tap water in many locales and wash your hands frequently. Not all cooked food is safe as it may not be fresh, particularly in buffets. Only accept bottled water with a sealed lid. Use bottled water to brush your teeth and don't use ice made from tap water. Avoid raw food such as salads, uncooked vegetables, unpasteurized milk and milk products, such as cheese. Eat food that has been cooked and is still hot, and fruit that you have peeled. Don't eat undercooked or raw meat, fish or shellfish. Don't consume food or drinks from street vendors. Be wary of food on your homebound flight. Some suggest carrying Imodium and request an antibiotic prescription before they leave their home country to treat diarrhea.
Years ago the author was on a diving/drilling expedition seeking Columbus' vessel the Santa Maria presumed to be entombed within a coral reef off the north coast of Haiti. Everyone succumbed to particularly nasty travelers' diarrhea, including our expedition leader. Over-the-counter morphium based medication combined with sleep depravation, dehydration and an advanced dose of the "Christophes, the local nickname for diarrhea" had him hallucinating a detailed interview with Christopher Columbus, Admiral of the Ocean Sea. Sadly, despite bringing back lots of interesting conversation, our man failed to remember details about where the Santa Maria lay.
Hepatitis A
Before leaving for any destination potentially excluding, the USA, Canada, Europe, Japan or Australia, some recommend that travelers be immunized against Hepatitis A, which is typically spread through fecal contaminated food and water. (1) It can also be contracted by close contact with someone who is already infected. Twinrix is a popular Hepatitis vaccine which is recommended to be administered at least 6 months on a sequential injection schedule prior to travel. More about vaccinations below.
Yellow Fever Card
Yellow fever is a serious disease caused by the yellow fever virus spread by the bite of infected mosquitos in parts of Africa and South America. It can result in a variety illnesses and can lead to death. Vaccination is required to enter certain countries. After receiving the vaccine, you should receive an International Certificate of Vaccination (Yellow Card) that has been validated by the vaccination center. This Certificate becomes valid 10 days after vaccination and lasts for 10 years. Consult your health department or visit CDC's travel information website for more information on which countries this is required for.
Malaria has been a threat to mankind for millennia and was identified as far back as 1600 B.C.. Although virtually eliminated in temperate parts of the world, malaria is still a threat in subtropical and tropical areas of Africa, Asia, Central and South America. (2). Developing drug and pesticide resistance have contributed to the resurgence of malaria in these areas. Malaria is transmitted to humans by the anopheles mosquito which through its bite introduces a parasitic protozoa that manifests the disease. Malaria has reportedly claimed more lives than all wars and other diseases combined through time.
Some malaria vaccines are reportedly NO LONGER effective against some resistant protozoa strains. The emergence of drug resistant protozoa and increased travel to exotic locales (like quite a few Kiteboarding destinations), have put travelers at greater risk. This risk can be reduced by working to avoid insect bites through bed netting, proper clothing (On the beach? Whoops!) and applying DEET insect repellents. If pregnant, avoid travel to malaria prone areas. (4) (5) Avoiding swampy and other areas with abundant mosquitoes while Kiteboarding makes good sense.
Contact with Polluted Water (Kiteboarders take note!)
Don't swim in stagnant or polluted water or after a heavy rainfall. Riding near stream and river mouths or in coastal areas in some regions may carry health hazards. Be particularly cautious if the stream discharging to the ocean is often dry but is flowing due to recent rainfall. Shower before and after, and wash cuts and scrapes with clean water, soap and apply antibiotics and sterile dressings.
Vaccinations In General
The CDC has an excellent Internet reference site that explores travel medicine and precautions in detail. (3) Including: What You Need to Know About Vaccinations and Travel: A Checklist If you haven't looked up the CDC health information for destinations, do so now.
First Aid Kit
Bring proper first aid kit along to deal with cuts, scrapes, routine jellyfish stings, diarrhea, pain relief and the like. Things to consider packing include but are not limited to personal prescription medication more than sufficient for the entire trip, Benadryl, aspirin/analgesics, antibiotics, alcohol, sterile dressings, etc.. The more remote and exotic your destination the more complete and exotic your first aid kit should be. Don't count upon being readily able to buy this stuff in many wind destinations.
Medical Insurance
Check your medical coverage. Most private insurers and Medicare don't cover hospital or medical costs outside the United States or pay for emergency medical evacuation. Consider purchasing travel insurance for this that DOESN'T have an extreme sports or Kiteboarding exclusion. Such insurance often doesn't cost that much but can be a God sent in an emergency.
Some examples
It would be good to look over some travel information produced by the CDC (3) to put travel precautions for some destinations in perspective, like:
- The Caribbean … http://www.cdc.gov/travel/caribean.htm
- Mexico and Central America … http://www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm
- Northern part of South America (Brazil) … http://www.cdc.gov/travel/tropsam.htm
- Australia and the South Pacific … http://www.cdc.gov/travel/austspac.htm
Further reading
For more information there is a general travel medicine that covers 21 useful categories. (5) in addition to the CDC o the other references cited throughout this article. Various countries also have Department of Health information on related matters.
The Yellow Book Health Information for International Travel, 2005-2006 prepared by the CDC provides a lot of this information in a portable book format, more at: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/yb/
NOTE: This article has been prepared for general informational purposes only. Evaluate potential travel risks and appropriate preventative measures with qualified medical experts before travel to risk areas.
(1) http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002363.html (2) http://www.aafp.org/afp/990501ap/2523.html (3) http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm (4) http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00475.html (5) http://www.travmed.com
Kiteboarding Travel Safety
Kiteboarders would be well advised to consider the following precautions and other appropriate factors when riding abroad:
1. Research probable weather, wind, wave and temperature conditions at the lauches you will be visiting. Make sure you have appropriate gear (kite size, exposure clothing, etc. for actual conditions).
2. Become acquainted with local restrictions, guidelines and other advise through kitebeaches.com, local associations (consider joining), shops and schools. Visitors should not threaten local access!
3. When you first arrive speak to locals at the launch about conditions and other considerations before rigging up and going out. LISTEN to what they have to say. Don't be like that guy that visited Oz sometime back, who ignored repeated warnings from locals about extreme gusty conditions for a couple of days until he was lofted into the second story wall of a building, ouch! If there are no locals to ask, think carefully about riding in the first place.
4. Be conservative in kite selection, weather and riding area particularly when you first arrive. Travel fatigue can sneak up on you. Use appropriate safety gear.
5. If you are traveling alone, make sure someone knows where you are, when you expect to be back and whom to contact if you fail to show on time. At the same time, NEVER KITEBOARD ALONE particularly out of the country.
6. Carry waterproof ID and proof of insurance whenever you ride. Receipt of complete rapid medical care may rely upon this.
7. Just like back home, continuously stay aware of your surroundings and changes in the weather. If things appear to deteriorate, don't wait, depower early and fully secure your kite.
8. Hydrate regularly with bottle water and wear appropriate sunblock.
9. Avoid excessive partying combined with Kiteboarding, worse aggravated by travel fatigue. Accidents will happen, this practice only pumps the odds up more.
10. Some launch areas warrant securing chaseboats for emergency pickup service. If this is needed and available ARRANGE for it. Remember something about the islands, once you leave the island and are drifting away with the wind and current … there you are.
Be an informed traveler. Good winds and bring home some great stories!
FKA, Inc., transcribed by: Rick Iossi


text:
here is a list of top private engineering colleges in tamilnadu compiled for the benifits of students of tamilnadu mainly those who are facing the anna university counselling 2009 (tnea 2009), the list of top private engineering colleges in tamilnadu are ranked by taking into account various aspects of the engineering colleges in tamilnadu like college infrastucture ,engineering college placements,engineering college academics ect , below you can find the list of top private engineering colleges in tamilnadu
anna university rank list 2011
Earn from home upto Rs.20000 monthly ! click here
list of top 25 private engineering colleges in tamilnadu
1) PSG College of Technology Coimbatore (govt aided)
2) Sri Sivasubramaniya nadar College of Engineering Kanchipuram
3) Sri Venkateswara college of Engineering Sriperumbudur
4) R.M.K Engineering College chennai
5) Kumaraguru college of Technology Coimbatore
6) St. Joseph's College of Engineering Chennai
7) Velammal Engineering College Chennai
8) Sri Krishna college of Engineering and Technology Coimbatore
9) Sri Sairam Engineering College Chennai Chennai
10) Sona College of Technology Salem
11) MNM jain engineering college Chennai
12) MEPCO SCHLENK Engineering College Viruthanagar
13) Meenakshi Sundararajan Engineering College Chennai
14) RMD Engineering College chennai
15) Jeppiaar Engineering College Chennai
16) Easwari Engineering College Chennai
17) Panimalar Engineering College Chennai
18) K.L.N. College of Engineering Pottapalayam
19) Bannari amman institute of technology Sathyamangalam
20) R.M.K. College of Engineering and Technology
21) Velammal College of Engineering and Technology Madhurai
22) Valliammai Engineering college Kancheepuram
23) kongu engineering college coimbatore
24) PSNA College of Engineering and Technology,Dindigul
25) Rajalakshmi Engineering College chennai
related questions : List of engineering colleges at madras? Tamil nadu top 25 private engineering colleges? Tamil nadu engineering colleges ranking? Tamil nadu top 200 engineering colleges? Top 100 engineering college in tamil nadu? Top 30 engineering colleges in tamil nadu? Top 10 engineering colleges in tamil nadu?


text:
Improperly sized grips, grips that aren't suited for certain weather conditions, grips that don't enhance playing ability and grips that are simply worn-out and slick will negatively impact your game and cost you strokes. Comfort, consistency, shot dispersion and shot distance can all be improved with new golf grips.
Lamkin Grips is proud to offer a wide variety of size, material and style options to suit the needs of all golfers, regardless of age, gender, playing conditions (weather), handicap or rounds played. Learn more about the different types of Lamkin grips.


text:
Helpful Information
To Save or Register for this event, first login with your CWL.
Event Details
- Graduate Student Writing Community
- Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 at 2:00PM - 4:00PM - This event is now over
- Type: Workshop
- Series:
Research Commons Workshops
Graduate Student Workshop Series
Graduate Student Writing Support
Graduate Student Writing Community
- Location: RM216
- Koerner Building-Event Facilities & Labs
- Point Grey Campus
- Description: Participating in a writing community can help to keep you motivated whether you are working on your thesis, dissertation or another intensive graduate level writing project.
Join fellow graduate students to work on your writing goals, share best practices and get feedback on your writing (if you wish). Our Graduate Student Writing Communities are facilitated by graduate students from the Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication and the UBC Research Commons and are hosted weekly in Koerner Library. Each meeting will include discussion and focused writing time.
Note: Graduate Student Writing Communities are most beneficial if you commit to participating regularly and are able to attend the weekly meetings for the duration of the term.
- Facilitator(s): Patty Kelly, Miles Bruce


text:
The educational imagination: on the design and evaluation of school programs
Macmillan, May 3, 1979 - Education - 293 pages
This paperback reprint of the 1994 edition is a highly regarded curriculum development book by one of the most prominent figures in the field. It is designed to help readers understand the major approaches to curriculum planning and the formation of educational goals. In this edition, Eisner provides a conceptual framework that shows learners the different ways in which the aims of education can be regarded...and, describes their implications for curriculum planning and teaching practices. Coverage is grounded in the belief that the appropriateness of any given educational practice is dependent upon the characteristics and context of the school program, and the values of the community that program serves. Chapter titles include: Schooling in America: Where Are We Headed; Some Concepts, Distinctions, and Definitions; Curriculum Ideologies; The Three Curricula That All Schools Teach; Educational Aims, Objectives, and Other Aspirations; Dimensions of Curriculum Planning; On the Art of Teaching; The Functions and Forms of Evaluation; Reshaping Assessment in Education; Some Examples of Educational Criticism; and A Criticism of an Educational Criticism. For teachers and anyone else involved in planning educational curriculums.
From inside the book
47 pages matching images in this book
Where's the rest of this book?
Results 1-3 of 47
What people are saying - Write a review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - kijabi1 - LibraryThing
On the design and evaluation of School Programs Read full review
Where We Are Where We Were Where We Are Going
Social Forces Influencing the Curriculum
Some Concepts Distinctions and Definitions
12 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
ability achievement activities aims appraisal artistic aspects B. F. Skinner behavior believe Benjamin Bloom Brach's cational classroom conception course create criteria Criterion-referenced tests curriculum development curriculum materials curriculum planning deal decisions defined Dewey discussion E. E. Cummings educa educational criticism educational evaluation educational practice educational programs educational research educationally example experience expression field forms formulated function goals human ideas identify images important individuals inquiry instruction intellectual interests J. P. Guilford John Dewey kind language learning Lee Cronbach Leo Steinberg lessons math means Miss Hill mode objectives organization orientation to curriculum particular performance problems professional questions rationality regard requires riculum school administrators school districts school programs scientific sense skills social society specific Stanford University structure subject matter task taught teachers teaching theory tion tional understand values visual Williams writing


text:
Connect with us:
Yesterday in New York, the Sports Legacy Institute announced a certification program for head impact sensors to track the number of hits a player sustains above 20 g's of linear force.
It wasn't exactly what I had expected, but, nevertheless, a move that I wholeheartedly support.
Most of the buzz about the commercials that aired during this
Sunday's Super Bowl was about the Chrysler ad featuring Clint Eastwood,
but, for me, the one commercial I won't forget was the 60-second spot by
the N.F.L. at the end of the third quarter touting the league's progress
since its founding to make the game safer.
The N.F.L.'s Super Bowl commercial touting the league's progress
since its founding to make the game safer obscured the
reality that league has not done enough to protect its current players from the dangers of
head injuries and left too many of its former players
struggling in retirement with symptoms of early dementia, depression,
and thoughts of suicide.


text:
For a picture-perfect refined collegiate look, pick up an officially licensed College Polo from the assortment at FansEdge. Whether you're searching for NCAA Performance Polos, Golf Shirts or Striped Pique Polos for a sophisticated style, FansEdge.com is here with all the best options in NCAA apparel. Regardless of your chosen sport, we've got polos appropriate for every game and school event. Don't miss out on special releases like College Coaches' Polos and Early Season Polos for your favorite team. Whether you're heading to the office or headed to the links, you'll be proud to sport an authentic College Sideline Polo. With a variety of looks for men, women and kids, our College Polo Shop is fully-stocked with polo shirts for the entire family.
Anytime there's a historic game on the way, you can be sure FansEdge will receive an official College Polo specific to the event. Keep an eye on our Polo Collection for special items like Game Polos and more for Men, Women and Kids. Find College Champs Polos to help you commemorate some of your team's finest moments. Check back for the newest Champs styles and newly-released College Polo Shirts from respected brands like Nike, Nike Golf, Under Armour and adidas.


text:
Choose The Right Place To Go For Care
Family Status Change Guidelines
HuskyCare Health Plans
Michigan Tech provides two medical insurance choices: HuskyCare PPO and HuskyCare High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). New employees select their choices during Human Resource's New Employee Orientation. Each November, current employees can modify their selections during the open enrollment period. The benefit plan year is January 1 through December 31.
- HuskyCare Plan Comparison
- HuskyCare PPO Plan Design
- HuskyCare HDHP Plan Design
- HuskyCare HDHP2 Plan Design
- Required Documentation for Dependents Health/Dental/Vision Plans
Summary of Benefits and Coverage
Blue Cross Online Visits
Health Savings Account (HSA) Information
- How does an HSA work?
- Employee HSA Contribution Change Form
- HSA Deposit Slip
- HSA Frequently Asked Questions
- Qualified Medical Expenses
- HSA Fee Schedule
- HSA Website Overview
HSA Banweb Assistance Video
This four-minute video is designed to assist you in setting up your HSA through Banweb. If you have trouble viewing this video, click on the 'Youtube' button in the bottom right of the video playback bar.
Medical Information
Designated Eligible Individual (DEI) Program
Michigan Tech offers a competitive benefit package to its employees in order to recruit and retain the very best faculty and staff. In 2008, we implemented the Designated Eligible Individual (DEI) program to expand health benefits to individuals for whom coverage may not traditionally have been available.
To learn more about the DEI program criteria and to enroll, please download the DEI enrollment form. To view the current costs and taxes associated with this program, please view the DEI costs and taxes chart.
The DEI enrollment form must be completed during the benefits open enrollment period each fall or no more than 30 days after the above criteria are met.
Massage Therapy Claims
Michigan Tech's health insurance covers massage therapy when prescribed by a physician. The prescription must state the number of sessions prescribed and the diagnosis. Services must be by an independent, licensed massage therapist who is not practicing with, or in business with the physician prescribing the massage therapy. Massage therapy is covered under the Outpatient Short-Term Rehabilitation umbrella which includes a combined 60 visit maximum per year.
Please follow these guidelines to file a claim for massage therapy:
- Complete a BCBSM claim form
- Write "Michigan Tech Massage Therapy" at the top of the form
- Include with your claim (make sure these are new and legible copies):
- a copy of your BCBSM member card
- a copy of the prescription which includes the diagnosis
- a copy of the itemized receipt from the provider that includes the procedure code (97124) and the code for the specific diagnosis (or the name of the diagnosis)
- Claims may be faxed to 866-392-6519. For your convenience and faster processing use
the massage therapy fax cover sheet.
or mailed to:
ATTN Michigan Tech Claims
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
PO Box 230555
Grand Rapids MI 49523-0555
- For claim questions please contact BCBSM at 877-760-8575
Pharmacy Information
Michigan Tech provides prescription coverage with the HuskyCare Health Plans through Express Scripts. Express Scripts offers in-store pick up, as well as home delivery for prescriptions. To learn more about Express Scripts and prescription coverage, please check out the information below, visit the Express Scripts website, or download the Express Scripts Mobile App.
- Home Delivery Brochure
- Home Delivery Checklist
- Your Guide to Generic Medications
- Express Scripts Mobile App
- Express Scripts Frequently Asked Questions
International Coverage
If you are traveling abroad, your healthcare benefits go with you. Use these helpful links to learn more about the BlueCard Worldwide Program before you travel.
The Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is a law that allows eligible former employees the option to continue health insurance coverage under their previous group plan at the termination of employment. Former employees who elect COBRA coverage assume the full responsibility for the cost of the premiums. For more information on COBRA see the COBRA Continuation Coverage Election Notice or contact the Benefits Office.


text:
If you follow me on Instagram and Snapchat (@muchloveilly), you would have seen all these bright, colorful sneak peeks for my newest collab with Sprout HP. (Some of you guys might remember my past posts with Sprout HP. Click HERE for a flashback!) These guys rock at the coolest technology, taking all of our creative juices to a whole other level - and when I a whole other level, I am NOT exaggerating.
This all in one desk top allows Sprout HP to showcase their 3D technology, producing a 3D scanner to scan objects into 3D design to mold and to shape into whatever is your creative heart's desire. I experimented from my favorite orange troll (yay, 80's!) to a conch shell from Turks and Caicos.
Once you've scanned the project, you are able to play and shape and stretch the 3D image to produce whatever you want. And that's where the 3D Dremel Dream Maker Printer comes into play.
Watch the video for a sneak peek of how that works! {Disclaimer: Yes, I talk fast and move hands a million miles an hour when I'm giddy. *Insert monkey covering mouth emoji here* And yes, why does Youtube always choose the most awkward thumbnail. Getting over myself now.}
Be sure to stayed tuned on Instagram and on the blog for the result of my 3D Design. I'll be playing with my new toy for many, many days to come! With the holidays just around the corner, the opportunities are endless!
You can also check out this sweet Sprout Gallery for more sweet creations, as well as where to find the nearest Sprout retailer for YOU, my friend to get your hands on one!
This post was sponsored by HP. Thanks for letting me review sponsored post. All of the opinion listed here are my own. Literally this 3d awesomeness is what it is...awesome!


text:
Like the Age of Copernicus, the Kepler space telescope's survey of one small swath of the Milky Way is changing mankind's view of the Universe: dramatically increasing popular awareness of the likelihood that life exits beyond our Solar System.
On December 5, NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed its first planet in the "habitable zone," the region around a star where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. The newly confirmed planet, Kepler-22b, is the smallest yet found to orbit in the middle of the habitable zone of a star similar to our sun. The planet is about 2.4 times the radius of Earth. Scientists don't yet know if Kepler-22b has a predominantly rocky, gaseous or liquid composition, but its discovery is a step closer to finding Earth-like planets.
Previous research hinted at the existence of near-Earth-size planets in habitable zones, but clear confirmation proved elusive. Two other small planets orbiting stars smaller and cooler than our sun recently were confirmed on the very edges of the habitable zone, with orbits more closely resembling those of Venus and Mars.
Kepler also has discovered more than 1,000 new planet candidates, nearly doubling its previously known count. Ten of these candidates are near-Earth-size and orbit in the habitable zone of their host star. Candidates require follow-up observations to verify they are actual planets.
"This is a major milestone on the road to finding Earth's twin," said Douglas Hudgins, Kepler program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Kepler discovers planets and planet candidates by measuring dips in the brightness of more than 150,000 stars to search for planets that cross in front, or "transit," the stars. Kepler requires at least three transits to verify a signal as a planet.
"Fortune smiled upon us with the detection of this planet," said William Borucki, Kepler principal investigator at NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., who led the team that discovered Kepler-22b. "The first transit was captured just three days after we declared the spacecraft operationally ready. We witnessed the defining third transit over the 2010 holiday season."
The Kepler science team uses ground-based telescopes and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to review observations on planet candidates the spacecraft finds. The star field that Kepler observes in the constellations Cygnus and Lyra can only be seen from ground-based observatories in spring through early fall. The data from these other observations help determine which candidates can be validated as planets.
Kepler-22b is located 600 light-years away. While the planet is larger than Earth, its orbit of 290 days around a sun-like star resembles that of our world. The planet's host star belongs to the same class as our sun, called G-type, although it is slightly smaller and cooler. Of the 54 habitable zone planet candidates reported in February 2011, Kepler-22b is the first to be confirmed.
Congressional funding for Kepler — which has identified 1,235 candidate alien planets to date and recently discovered the first exoplanet with two suns in its sky — is due to run out in November 2012, but an extension may be approved is the new mission proposal is approved. The NASA Kepler team will know by next spring whether it's approved.
Here are a few of Kepler's 2011 headline discoveries:
Space Alert: Kepler Mission Discovers 1st Rocky Exo Planet
Search for Earth's Twin: Kepler Zeroes in on Milky Way's Sun-Like Stars
Search for Earth's Twin Turbo Charged: Kepler Space Observatory Pinpoints 5 New Exo Planets
Space Alert: Kepler Mission Discovers 1st Rocky Exo Planet
Search for Earth's Twin Turbo Charged: Kepler Space Observatory Pinpoints 5 New Exo Planets
Search for Earth's Twin: Kepler Zeroes in on Milky Way's Sun-Like Stars
Kepler Spacecraft Discovers 'Invisible Planet'
Alien Solar System Disk Reveals Birth of a Planet –1st Ever Observed
Kepler Discover "Star Wars" Planet –Orbits Two Stars
Is Discovery of Earth's Twin Imminent? Kepler Mission Finds Numerous Small, Rocky Planets
Kepler Spacecraft Penetrates Secrets of Red Giant Stars -Habitable Zones for Life
"I think the discoveries we're making are showing what could be done if we continue to extend it," said Charlie Sobeck, Kepler deputy project manager at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. "So we're hopeful, but there's no guarantee."
When Kepler launched in 2009, the telescope's science mission was set to run through November 2012 — a lifetime of 3.5 years. But the instrument could operate for six years, or perhaps longer, if it receives more funding, team members have said.
It would cost about $20 million per year to keep the Kepler mission running at its current level of activity beyond November 2012, Sobeck added. The $600 million Kepler observatory launched in March 2009. Its mission is to find roughly Earth-size planets in or near the habitable zones of their parent stars — a just-right range of distances that could support liquid water and, perhaps, life as we know it on the alien worlds.Kepler's overall goal is to help scientists determine just how common such planets may be throughout our galaxy.
In its search for extraterrestrial life, NASA's Kepler space telescope has found two new planets orbiting a distant sun-like star, and the researchers who made the find say these two are the first ever the size of Earth or smaller –a critical factor in the search for life elsewhere in the universe. Until now, scientists said their instruments were not sensitive enough to detect them.
Two newly-found planets, called Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f –announced on December 20– orbiting a star about 950 light-years away, are too distant to be seen directly. Scientists measured the faint dimming of their host star as they passed in front of it to estimate their size.
Kepler-20e and f are probably too hot to be friendly to life — one of them circles its sun in just six Earth days, and the other does it in 19. This newest Kepler find increases the odds that some day soon we will find a planet of just the right size and temperature to have at least a chance of being a habitable.
In less than 20 years, astronomers have gone from not knowing if other planets exist in the universe, to our current Kepler catalog on almost 2000 planets. Our Milky Way galaxy may be home to at least two billion Earthlike planets, a recent study based on initial data from from Kepler space telescope shows — a number that is actually far lower than many scientists anticipated.
Based on what Kepler's found so far, the study authors think that up to 2.7 percent of all sunlike stars in the Milky Way host so-called Earth analogs. As of this February, Kepler has confirmed 15 new planets and found an additional 1,235 planet candidates, including the smallest planet yet spied outside our solar system. Kepler will collect transit data for a minimum of three and a half years, allowing for a more complete planetary census at a later date.
"There are about a hundred billion sunlike stars within the Milky Way," said study co-author Joe Catanzarite, a scientist with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). "Two percent of those might have Earth analogs, so you have two billion Earth analog planets in the galaxy," he added. "Then you start thinking about other galaxies. There are something like 50 billion, and if each one has two billion Earthlike planets, it's mind boggling."
Although the figure seems large, Catanzarite and co-author Michael Shao, also of JPL, say their results actually show that Earths are "relatively scarce," which means a substantial effort will be needed to identify suitable target stars for followup missions designed to study the chemical signatures of Earth-size worlds. The chemical signals may hint whether the planets have oxygen atmospheres, liquid water — or even signs of life.
The Kepler telescope has been scanning a patch of sky near the constellation Cygnus which can be considered a representative sample of what exists throughout the Milky Way. The Kepler space telescope analyze the light from the 156,000 stars in its field of view searching for stars that dim periodically—signs that significant objects are orbiting these stars.
To extrapolate the number of possible Earths in the Milky Way, Catanzarite and Shao started by defining an Earth analog based on a transiting planet's size and the distance at which the planet orbits its star.
"A famous 1993 paper calculated the inner and outer distance of the so-called Goldilocks zone"—not too hot, not too cold — "where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface," Catanzarite observed.
"But more recently people have been saying those boundaries are conservative. Maybe you could go closer or farther. For instance, because of greenhouse gases a planet could be farther away and still be warm, or because of clouds, which the previous models didn't take into account, you could be closer but keep the surface cool."
In general, though, an orbit similar to Earth's seems ideal: "Closer than Earth and you'll fry; water would turn to steam. If you're too far, water would freeze into ice."
"People generally agreed that the smallest habitable planet would be 0.8 Earth radii … or roughly half of Earth's mass. The reason is that a lower mass planet wouldn't be able to hold on to an oxygen atmosphere," Catanzarite said. "Out to two Earth radii is the largest planet we'd call Earthlike. More massive planets start to accumulate thick hydrogen atmospheres, like Neptune or Uranus," with unbearable atmospheric pressures.
Other planets may exist that we can't see because of their orbital inclination, so the team used previous exoplanet data to make mathematical estimates for the probabilities of these unseen worlds.
The results published online this month on arXiv.org showed that, according to the traditional boundaries of the Goldilocks zone, 1.4 percent of sunlike stars should have Earth analogs.
If you accept the wider, more modern version of the habitable zone, 2.7 percent of sunlike stars likely host Earths. The study authors predict that Kepler will eventually find 12 Earth analog planets in its field of view — and may have already found 4 such worlds among its initial candidates.
"This study completely underestimates the frequency of Earths," according to MIT planetary scientist Sara Seager, a member of the Kepler science team who noted that Kepler's just getting started, so its data is far from complete. "Say you're doing a census of the United States," she said. "If you go to California and knock on every door, you can then extrapolate out to the rest of the country. That's what Kepler's doing."
"If Kepler's really going to find the answer in a few years, I'm happy to just wait rather than speculate", Seager said. The other big concern is that, with the data Kepler can collect, it's impossible to say whether a given planet is truly Earthlike. Size alone, for example, doesn't say enough about habitability. "Earth and Venus are about the same mass and size," she said — and by some definitions both worlds fall in our sun's habitable zone.
"To me, for a planet to be called an Earth analog you have to have Earth's mass, size, orbit, and know whether there's liquid water on the surface. But you can't know that until we do atmosphere studies," she said. "Kepler can find only Earth-size planets — we'd never use the term 'Earth analog.' Some people are expecting the number of Earths to be higher," Catanzarite said, adding that Seager "may be right" and the new estimate is too low, "but it's still unclear."
"We're assuming that for all 156,000 stars, it's possible to detect all small planets of Earthlike radii and orbital distance. If [Kepler] can't, that would make our number an underestimate."
What about the possibility of life not only in the Milky Way, but also in the 50 billion galaxies beyond our galactic home-base? New findings from diverse fields are are being brought to bear regarding the central question of the 21st century: How common is life in the Universe? Where can it survive, Will it leave a fossil record, How complex is it.
For decades, scientists have been debating the conditions that are needed to replicate an Earth-like probablility of complexity beyond the microbial level. There's not much doubt in the minds of most astrobiologists that based on extremophile life we've discovered recently on Earth (see prior posts below), that life on the microbial level will be discovered sometime in the next twenty years on Mars or on one of Jupiter or Saturn's moons.
The three recent key findings for astrobiology are extremophiles, extrasolar planets, and a sense that water may be more ubiquitous even in our own solar neighborhood (in meteors like the Mars' Lafayette, Europa, and the ice frost on polar Mars). This picture has evolved quite suddenly with 1000-plus extrasolar planets found in just the last decade (and none known before around 1995).
Even in the oldest globular cluster star systems in our Milky Way galaxy — choked with stars that were born more than 10 billion years ago — there are enough "metals" to make earth-like worlds.
According to models of planet formation developed by Harvard's Dimitar Sasselov, a member of the Kepler team, such a planet should be about half again as large as the Earth and composed of rock and water, what the astronomers now call a "super Earth."for evolved animal life to be present we need to find that sweet "Goldilocks" planet with an exceedingly complex host of conditions present that have given rise the "Rare Earth" hypothesis.
Kepler finds alien planets using what's called the transit method. The telescope detects the telltale dips in brightness caused when an alien planet crosses in front of, or transits, its star from Kepler's perspective. Kepler needs to witness three of these transits to firmly identify a planet candidate.
This technique has been extremely effective. In just its first four months of operation, Kepler discovered 1,235 exoplanet candidates. So far, two dozen of them have been confirmed by follow-up observations — including Kepler-16b, a world with two suns that was announced recently.Kepler team members have estimated that 80 percent or so of the telescope's candidates will probably end up being the real deal. If that's the case, Kepler's finds to date would more than double the number of known alien planets, which currently stands at about 685.
"What we're seeing is this trend — the smaller the planet, the more of them there are," Sobeck told Space.com. "That's great news for the idea of finding Earth-like planets, or Earth-size planets. Once you have Earth-size planets, all it has to do is be in the right orbit, and it's habitable."
We've come to expect the unexpected," said Sara Seager, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology exoplanet specialist also on the Kepler science team. So, who knows what 2012 may bring.
As Arthur C. Clarke, physicist and author of 2001: A Space Odyssey wrote, "The idea that we are the only intelligent creatures in a cosmos of a hundred billion galaxies is so preposterous that there are very few astronomers today who would take it seriously. It is safest to assume therefore, that they are out there and to consider the manner in which this may impinge upon human society."
The Daily Galaxy via NASA and washingtonpost.com
Image credit: Exo planet Glise 581 ESO
A CalTech analysis appears on arXiv.org. The Kepler science mission data, collected between May 2 and September 16, 2009, will be published in The Astrophysical Journal.


text:
Megan Smith, DrPH, MPH
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and in the Child Study Center; Director, Mental health Outreach for MotherS (MOMS) Partnership; Director, Yale Child Study Center Parent and Family Development Program
Departments & Organizations
Psychiatry: Center for Wellbeing of Women and Mothers | Elevate: A Policy Lab to Elevate Mental Health and Disrupt Poverty. | Psychology Section | Psychotherapy Development Center | The New Haven Mental Health Outreach for MotherS (MOMS) Partnership
Child Study Center - Scholastic Collaboration
Office of Cooperative Research
Megan Smith is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and in the Child Study Center in the Yale School of Medicine and in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the Yale School of Public Health. Smith is the Founder and Director of the nationally acclaimed Mental health Outreach for MotherS (MOMS) Partnership, a community-academic partnership to improve maternal mental health among low-income women through a community-driven, place-based approach. Smith is currently working to transform systems of mental health care for low-income women with a particular focus on reducing mental health inequities related to race, ethnicity and poverty. Smith has numerous publications related to poverty, mental health and gender, and serves as Principal Investigator on studies ranging from the epidemiology of depressive and anxiety disorders in the perinatal period to the utilization of mobile health technology to reduce depression in mothers.
Education & Training
|Boston University (2007)
|Amherst College
|Yale University School of Public Health
|Post-Doctoral Fellow
|Yale University
Honors & Recognition
Young Investigator AwardNARSAD Brain and Behavior Research Fund (2011)
McKern Scholar Award for Junior Faculty, Yale University
North American Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics & Gynecology, Young Investigator Award
NIDA Women & Sex/Gender Travel Award


text:
Posts Tagged "confused"
A Curmudgeon is a Little Confused by the 2009 DBIR
by Brooke on April 16, 2009
I've given Vz's DBIR a quick perusal. The data are interesting indeed and the recommendations are obvious. There is little new here in the way of recommendations – I guess nobody is listening or the controls are ineffective (or a (…)


text:
Yesterday, a billboard in support of the late Joe Paterno's legacy was erected in State College. Well, we think that it's trying to support the former football coach's legacy.
The billboard reads, "You can't cover up 61 years of success with honor." (For the unaware, Paterno's slogan was "Success With Honor.") Due to the awkward wording, though, the billboard can be interpreted in two very different ways: you can't cover up 61 years of Paterno's traditions (what the billboard's creators intended to convey), or you can't honorably cover up 61 years of Paterno's success.
Either way, the highlighting of the phrase "cover up" is even more poorly thought out, since it would remind many of the scandal itself, which involved an extensive cover-up to maintain the program's image. A poor effort all around.
Billboard supporting Joe Paterno goes up at Penn State (Picture) [Larry Brown Sports]
Photo via Onward State.