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Invasive species can wreak havoc on ecosystems. Most research has focused on how introduced species negatively impact biodiversity through predation, competition for food and shelter, and disease transmission. But invasives can harm native species in a less obvious way: edging them out of their acoustic space. Acoustic space is the environment in which a sound is sent and received. It’s made up of many different parameters, including the time of day or year, pitch, loudness, duration, and call rate. “Acoustic space is a limited resource, just like shelter or food,” says Jennifer Tennessen of Western Washington University. “Just as species compete for shelter or food, they compete for acoustic space.” In established ecosystems, species divvy up the acoustic space so they can all be heard. For instance, birds tend to call at dusk and dawn, while frog choruses tend to be nighttime affairs. But if an invasive species is introduced into an ecosystem, its calls can modify the soundscape and interfere with the ability of native species to send and receive signals. Native and non-native animals may end up competing acoustically for their signals to be heard. Since many animals use acoustic signals to attract mates and assess rivals, the effects of such acoustic invasions could be dire for survival. Many species modify their calls in the presence of noise. In response to increased noise from human activities such as traffic, animals such as frogs have demonstrated the ability to compensate by altering the duration, loudness, pitch, or rate of their calls. But can the noise made by another animal also prompt such changes? Acoustic Space Invaders Tennessen, along with colleagues from Syracuse University and Pennsylvania State University, investigated the effect of acoustic invaders on native frog calls. The Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) is an invasive species that arrived in southern Florida by the 1930s and spread rapidly throughout the southeastern U.S. Its mating call has been described as a “grating squawk.” Tennessen and colleagues conducted a field playback experiment with two native frog species, one whose calls are similar in pitch and timing to Cuban treefrogs (green treefrogs, Hyla cinerea) and one whose calls are dissimilar (pine woods treefrogs, Hyla femoralis). The researchers found evidence that the invasive treefrogs compete acoustically with native treefrogs with similar calls: Green treefrogs modified their calls in response to playback of Cuban treefrog calls, but pine woods treefrogs did not. Green treefrogs made shorter, louder, and more frequent calls during Cuban treefrog call playback. By modifying their calls, green treefrogs may be able to up the chances that potential mates can detect them amidst the noise. However, there may also be costs to changing their mating calls. “Modifying calls could be bad for native frogs,” says Tennessen. “Certainly, altering the signal with which you attract mates could have some negative effects on mate attraction. But on the flip side, the benefits could outweigh the costs – if, by modifying their calls, green treefrogs are able to convey their calls more effectively so they are not masked by Cuban treefrog noise, it could be the lesser of two evils.” Tennessen and her colleagues say more research on the effects of acoustic competition between native and invasive species is needed. At this early stage in the research, not much is known about the consequences of call modification. But these results suggest that competition for acoustic space is yet another way invasive species are putting pressure on native species.
Segment 9, which consists of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan, abuts the Canadian border in the upper Midwest and lies adjacent to or surrounds four of the Great Lakes-Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie. Thousands of small to large lakes similar to the one shown in figure 1 dot the landscape, which is drained by numerous rivers and streams tributary primarily to the Mississippi River in the west and to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River system in the east. These abundant surface-water sources represent an ample supply of water to large users, such as the cities of Milwaukee, Wis., and Detroit, Mich. However, water stored in unconsolidated and consolidated sedimentary-rock aquifers that underlie the four States also is in abundant supply and is an economical source that can be used for nearly any purpose, usually with little or no treatment. In more than 95 percent of the four-State area, these aquifers supply water to a broad spectrum of consumers-from individual households to cities, such as St. Paul, Minn., Madison, Wis., and Lansing, Mich. These aquifers are the subject of this chapter. The geology and the hydrology of each of the principal aquifers are illustrated and discussed insofar as information was available from the literature. Hydrogeology, ground-water flow, availability and quality of water, and freshwater withdrawals from each of the aquifers are the principal subjects of discussion. Population in the four States is concentrated in the cities and is thinly dispersed in the broad agricultural areas of the States (fig. 2). Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., Des Moines, Iowa, Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., and Detroit and Lansing, Mich., are a few of the principal cities. Many of these cities and other large population centers represent areas of concentrated ground-water withdrawals. Precipitation is the source of all water in Segment 9. Average annual precipitation ranges from about 20 to 40 inches across the segment and generally increases from northwest to southeast (fig. 3). Precipitation is least in the northwestern part of the segment because of the orographic effect of the Rocky Mountains, which are hundreds of miles to the west. Annual precipitation in excess of 36 inches that falls south and east of Lakes Superior and Michigan (fig. 3) is a result of the prevailing westerly winds that evaporate moisture from the lakes; this moisture subsequently condenses and falls as precipitation over the land. Average annual runoff in rivers and streams (fig. 4) generally reflects average annual precipitation patterns (fig. 3). Runoff generally increases from less than 1 to more than 20 inches. Runoff also tends to be substantial downwind from Lakes Superior and Michigan. However, in no part of the segment does runoff exceed precipitation. Much of the water from precipitation is returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration-evaporation from the land and water surfaces, and transpiration by plants. Some of the water is stored in aquifers through ground-water recharge or is stored on the land surface in lakes, marshes, and reservoirs. Runoff represents water from precipitation that runs directly off the land surface to streams and water discharged to streams that was stored in lakes, marshes, reservoirs, or aquifers. LOCATION AND EXTENT OF MAJOR AQUIFER SYSTEMS AND AQUIFERS There are two major aquifer systems and seven major aquifers in Segment 9 consisting of rock types that range in composition from unconsolidated glacial deposits to hard crystalline rocks. An aquifer system consists of two or more aquifers that are hydraulically connected, and that function similarly in response to changes in hydrologic conditions. Because rock types generally correlate with geologic age in the segment, most aquifer systems and aquifers have been designated by age, according to local usage. The major aquifer systems and aquifers in Segment 9 are, in descending order: the surficial aquifer system, which is generally present throughout the segment; the Cretaceous aquifer in southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa; the Pennsylvanian aquifer in central Michigan; the Mississippian aquifer in central and southeastern Iowa and central Michigan; the Silurian-Devonian aquifer in eastern Iowa, eastern Wisconsin, and northern and southeastern Michigan; the upper carbonate aquifer in southeastern Minnesota and northern Iowa; the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system in Iowa, most of southeastern Minnesota, much of Wisconsin, and northern Michigan; the Jacobsville aquifer principally in northern Michigan; and crystalline-rock aquifers in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and northwestern Michigan. The surficial aquifer system is the uppermost, and most widespread, aquifer system in the four-State area. This system consists primarily of material deposited during multiple advances of continental glaciers from the north (fig. 5) during the Pleistocene and, possibly, Pliocene Epochs. The massive ice sheets planed off and incorporated soil and rock fragments during advances and redistributed these materials on the eroded land surface as water- or ice-contact deposits or both during retreats. Glaciofluvial or meltwater deposits, such as outwash, lake sand, kames, and eskers, are sorted and generally stratified deposits of sand or sand and gravel. These deposits, mapped in figure 6, generally form permeable bodies of sand and gravel that are exposed at the land surface and that readily receive, store, transmit, and discharge water. They are a primary source of water for wells throughout the four-State area and supply much of the base flow (fair-weather flow) of streams. Ground and terminal moraines, which are the dominant type of ice-contact deposit, normally are poorly sorted, unstratified deposits of clay, silt, sand, gravel, and boulders called glacial till. Major bedrock aquifers that form the bedrock surface in Segment 9, including those that comprise the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system, are shown in figure 7, and all aquifer systems and aquifers are listed in figure 8. The surficial aquifer, for the most part, is present over the entire area. The bedrock surface of Segment 9 is obscured by thin to extremely thick unconsolidated glacial deposits (representing the surficial aquifer system) except in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin and adjacent parts of Minnesota and Iowa (fig. 7), which have not been glaciated; in smaller areas, primarily in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin; and in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where the glacial deposits have been removed by erosion. The surficial aquifer system is generally hydraulically connected with each of the major bedrock aquifers in their area of outcrop. All major bedrock aquifers, including those comprising the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system in Segment 9, crop out at the bedrock surface, but also extend into the subsurface and yield usable quantities of water in a much larger area than their outcrop, as in, for example, southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa. Many of the aquifers do not end at the four-State border, but extend into adjacent segments (fig. 7). For example, the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system extends into Illinois (part of Segment 10). That part of the aquifer system is discussed in Chapter K of this Atlas. IMPORTANCE OF MAJOR AQUIFER SYSTEMS AND AQUIFERS The surficial aquifer system is the most widespread, extensively used, and easily accessible source of water in Segment 9. It consists chiefly of stratified sand and gravel, ice-contact deposits, and alluvium. Water is withdrawn from easily installed shallow wells for domestic and stock-watering uses throughout much of the segment and from deeper and larger wells for public supply, agricultural, and industrial uses. The aquifer system stores water and transmits it either along short flow paths to streams, thus sustaining base flow, or downward to underlying aquifers, thus providing recharge to the underlying aquifers where they subcrop at the bedrock surface. Because the surficial aquifer system is highly permeable throughout much of its area and is present at the land surface, it is vulnerable to contamination from human activities. The Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system underlies parts of each of the four States of Segment 9 (figs. 7, 8) and is the second largest source of ground water for public supply, agricultural, and industrial uses in the segment. The aquifer system consists of a sandstone and dolomite aquifer and two sandstone aquifers, which are separated by less-permeable confining units. The Maquoketa confining unit caps the aquifer system where it is overlain by younger bedrock. The Silurian-Devonian aquifer, which is the third largest source of ground water in the segment, underlies the eastern one-half of Iowa, eastern Wisconsin, and parts of the Upper and the Lower Peninsulas of Michigan (figs. 7, 8). This aquifer is primarily a dolomite or limestone that yields water from solutionally enlarged fractures and karst features. The Pennsylvanian aquifer is present only in the central part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (figs. 7, 8); however, this aquifer is the fourth largest source of ground water in Segment 9. The aquifer consists primarily of sandstone and is the principal bedrock aquifer in the Lower Peninsula. The Cretaceous aquifer, which is present only in western Minnesota and Iowa (figs. 7, 8), is the fifth largest source of ground water in the segment and yields nearly as much water as the Pennsylvanian aquifer. The Cretaceous aquifer, which consists primarily of sandstone, yields moderate quantities of water of marginal quality; however, the aquifer is the only source of ground water in parts of its extent and, therefore, is considered to be a major aquifer. The Mississippian aquifer (figs. 7, 8), which is present only in Iowa and Michigan, is the sixth largest source of ground water in the segment. The aquifer is dolomitic in Iowa where it is present in the southern part of the State. This aquifer consists of sandstone in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and is a major aquifer in that area. In southeastern Minnesota, the locally important upper carbonate aquifer (figs. 7, 8) is the seventh largest source of ground water in the segment. Karst development in a carbonate-rich part of the upper Maquoketa Formation and the Galena Dolomite (of the Maquoketa confining unit) has made these rocks extremely porous. These rocks and an overlying dolomitic Devonian formation form the upper carbonate aquifer, which is a large-yielding aquifer used for municipal and industrial supplies. The Jacobsville aquifer in rocks of Precambrian age is adjacent to Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (figs. 7, 8) and extends into Iron County, Wisconsin. The well-hardened sandstone aquifer is the eighth largest source of ground water in the segment and yields small quantities of water adequate for domestic and small-community uses. Because the aquifer is the only source of ground water where it is present, it is considered to be a major aquifer. The crystalline-rock aquifer (figs. 7, 8), which forms the bedrock surface throughout a large area in northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, is the ninth largest source of ground water in the segment. The aquifer consists predominantly of crystalline rocks that yield small to moderate quantities of water from joints and fractures. Although the aquifer is the least productive major aquifer in the segment, it is the only source of ground water in many parts of its extent and, thus, is considered to be a major aquifer. The geologic and hydrogeologic nomenclature used in this report differs from State to State because of independent geologic interpretations and varied distribution and lithology of rock units. A fairly consistent set of nomenclature, however, can be derived from the most commonly used rock names. Therefore, the nomenclature used in this report is basically a synthesis of that of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Iowa Geological Survey Bureau, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Geological Survey, and the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. Individual sources for nomenclature are listed with each correlation chart prepared for this report. Segment 9 lies on the periphery of the Canadian Shield, which is a vast province of extremely old (Precambrian) and predominantly crystalline rocks in central Canada, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The surface formed by the Precambrian crystalline rocks is present throughout the segment as a floor or basement for the overlying Cambrian and younger sedimentary-rock sequence (fig. 9). The crystalline-rock surface is an ancient erosional surface that yielded vast quantities of sediments through geologic time. The sediments derived from the weathering of the crystalline rocks were transported into multiple ancient seas that periodically encroached onto the crystalline-rock surface during the Precambrian and the Paleozoic. The sediments were deposited as extensive sequences of sandstone, shale, and limestone or dolomite that comprise the present-day sedimentary rock aquifers and confining beds. Because the crystalline-rock surface in Segment 9 slopes generally southward and eastward from its highest areas in Minnesota and Wisconsin, as shown in figure 9, the overlying sedimentary-rock sequence similarly dips and also thickens southward and eastward. Several structural features, which are shown in figure 9, controlled sedimentation in the segment. In northeastern Minnesota and north-central Wisconsin, the crystalline-rock surface rises to about 1,800 feet on the Transcontinental Arch and to about 1,500 feet above sea level on the Wisconsin Dome. These were the areas of erosion that produced the sediments. Areas of greatest sediment accumulation were the basins or low-lying areas on the crystalline-rock surface. The Hollandale Embayment of southeastern Minnesota, the Forest City Basin of southwestern Iowa, and the Michigan Basin in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (fig. 9) are the principal basin areas; for example, sediments are about 14,000 feet thick in the circular Michigan Basin, and rocks in the segment dip into the basin from eastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Although not shown in figure 9, the Illinois Basin, which is centered in south-central Illinois, has affected sedimentation in Segment 9. Rocks in southern Wisconsin and southeastern Iowa dip toward the Illinois Basin. The Illinois Basin is discussed in greater detail in Chapter K (Segment 10) of this Atlas. Rocks in western Wisconsin and south-central Minnesota dip and thicken toward the center of the Hollandale Embayment. They continue to dip and thicken southwestward toward the Forest City Basin in southwestern Iowa. Postdepositional erosion of the sedimentary-rock sequence in Segment 9 has beveled off the sediments, especially in the topographically higher areas. As a consequence, successively younger rocks form the bedrock surface downdip from the Transcontinental Arch and Wisconsin Dome toward the Forest City, the Michigan, and the Illinois Basins (figs. 9, 10). A comparison of the hydrogeologic map in figure 7 and the geologic map in figure 10 shows this effect of geology on the occurrence and the distribution of bedrock aquifers. Sectional views in Iowa (fig. 11), Minnesota (fig. 12), and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (fig. 13) emphasize the attitude of the rocks. The eroded bedrock surface of crystalline and sedimentary rocks in Segment 9 was subjected to continental glaciation as recently as 10,000 years ago. Multiple glacial incursions into the area sculpted the bedrock surface, planed off loose and weathered rock, and deposited vast quantities of rock debris on the scoured bedrock surface. The unconsolidated glacial material was deposited as sorted and stratified water-laid material and as unsorted and unstratified ice-laid material. The sorted and stratified water-laid deposits are the most permeable materials and, therefore, are the most productive aquifers. These materials were deposited by meltwater streams flowing from the glacier or were laid down in glacial lakes. Some of the meltwater streams flowed through deep bedrock valleys and deposited thick beds of sand and gravel (valley-train deposits) along the valleys. In many places, multiple meltwater streams deposited broad sheets of sand and gravel (outwash deposits) at the glacier front. In some places, stratified deposits that consist of thin layers of principally fine-grained material were laid down in glacial lakes. Stratified deposits also consist of mounds, hummocks, or terraces of sand and gravel (kame or kame-terrace deposits) deposited by meltwater along an ice margin or through an opening in the ice. Kame deposits tend to be extremely permeable and commonly have collapse features that are the result of the melting of remnants of glacial ice beneath the deposits. Some sorted and stratified deposits, especially those in deep bedrock valleys, were overridden by later glaciation and covered by till or glacial-lake deposits. Many of these buried deposits form productive aquifers; however, they are difficult to locate in the subsurface. Till is unsorted and unstratified material that was deposited by the ice under and in front of the glacier. Till consists of unsorted clay, silt, sand, gravel, and boulders. Because of the heterogenous nature of till, it tends to have minimal permeability and yields only small quantities of water to wells. VERTICAL SEQUENCE OF AQUIFERS The vertical sequence of aquifer systems, aquifers, and confining units in Segment 9 varies from State to State; consequently, no one location has a total representation. They are discussed in descending order from geologically youngest to oldest. The vertical sequence of aquifer systems, aquifers, and confining units in each of the four States of Segment 9 is shown in the correlation chart (fig. 8), and the sequence of aquifers in consolidated rocks is shown in figures 14-18. The surficial aquifer system consists of permeable, sorted and stratified sand and gravel deposits of glacial origin (aquifers) that commonly are interbedded with less permeable till (confining units). Because of its permeability and extent throughout most of the segment, the surficial aquifer system is hydraulically connected with nearly all bedrock aquifers. The bedrock aquifers are exposed at the land surface only in small areas; generally, they are covered by the surficial aquifer system, which provides an important component of storage from which water percolates downward to the underlying aquifers. The Cretaceous aquifer is a sandstone unit in Cretaceous rocks and is present primarily in western and southwestern Minnesota and in northwestern Iowa (fig. 14). The aquifer is underlain by Precambrian crystalline rocks throughout much of its extent but overlaps onto rocks of Pennsylvanian through Cambrian age toward the south. The Cretaceous aquifer is hydraulically connected with many of the older bedrock aquifers where they subcrop under the Cretaceous rocks. In parts of northwestern Iowa, the Cretaceous aquifer is underlain by a confining unit of Pennsylvanian shale (fig. 8). The Pennsylvanian aquifer is a sandstone unit in Pennsylvanian rocks, and is present only in the central part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (figs. 7 and 14). In places, the aquifer is overlain and confined by red shale of Jurassic age (red beds confining unit, fig. 8). The aquifer is underlain by a confining unit that consists mostly of limestone and shale of Pennsylvanian and Mississippian ages (Bayport-Michigan confining unit, fig. 8). The Pennsylvanian aquifer is most productive where it is overlain by the surficial aquifer system. The Mississippian aquifer in Iowa consists of dolomite and forms the bedrock surface in the central and the southeastern parts of the State (figs. 7 and 15). In southwestern Iowa, the aquifer is overlain and underlain by shale confining units (fig. 8). In the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, the Mississippian aquifer consists of sandstone and forms the bedrock surface in a circular pattern that reflects the structural basin (fig. 15). In most places, the aquifer is overlain by the Bayport-Michigan confining unit (fig. 8), which consists mostly of limestone and shale of Mississippian and Pennsylvanian ages and which hydraulically separates the aquifer from the overlying Pennsylvanian aquifer. The Mississippian aquifer is underlain by the Coldwater Shale confining unit, which consists of shale of Devonian and Mississippian ages. The contact between the Mississippian aquifer and the Coldwater Shale confining unit generally marks the base of freshwater in bedrock aquifers underlying the Lower Peninsula. The Silurian-Devonian aquifer consists mostly of dolomite and limestone in which fracture permeability has been enhanced by solution and extensive karst development. The aquifer is present in eastern Iowa, the eastern part of Wisconsin, the southern part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (figs. 7 and 16). In Iowa, the aquifer forms the bedrock surface in the northeastern part of the State; in the southern and western parts, the aquifer is overlain by a confining unit of Devonian-age shale (fig. 8). The aquifer forms the bedrock surface throughout the area of eastern Wisconsin adjacent to Lake Michigan, in the southern part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and in the northern and the southeastern parts of the Lower Peninsula. In these parts of Michigan, the aquifer only yields water adequate for domestic and small community supplies. In the rest of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, the aquifer generally contains saltwater where it is overlain by the Coldwater Shale confining unit (fig. 8) and, therefore, is not developed. The upper carbonate aquifer, which consists of Ordovician dolomitic shale and dolomite and overlying Devonian dolomite in southeastern Minnesota, is an extremely productive aquifer that extends a short distance into northern Iowa (figs. 7 and 17). The permeability of the aquifer has been substantially enhanced by extensive karst development. The aquifer is underlain by shaly dolomite of Ordovician age that forms the lower part of the Maquoketa confining unit (fig. 8). This confining unit also underlies the Silurian-Devonian aquifer. The Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system consists of three aquifers separated by two leaky confining units and is capped by the Maquoketa confining unit (fig. 8). This aquifer system is present in parts of each of the four States (figs. 7 and 18). In Minnesota and Michigan, the aquifer system is called the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer (fig. 8). In Iowa, the upper part is called the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system, and the lower part is called the Dresbach aquifer (fig. 8). In Wisconsin, the aquifer system is called the sandstone aquifer (fig. 8). In parts of Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system crops out at the land surface in the Driftless Area (fig. 7). Elsewhere, the aquifer system crops out at the land surface only in small areas; it is generally overlain by either the surficial aquifer system or younger bedrock aquifers. The Maquoketa confining unit, which is the uppermost confining unit of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system (fig. 8), consists of shale and dolomite of Ordovician age. Only the lower part of the confining unit is present in southeastern Minnesota and northern Iowa where the Maquoketa Shale and the underlying Galena Dolomite form the lower part of the upper carbonate aquifer (fig. 8). In Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Galena-Platteville aquifer (fig. 8), which consists of dolomite of Ordovician age, is areally extensive but generally yields water only in small quantities and is not considered to be a major aquifer. The St. Peter-Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer consists of an upper sandstone unit of Ordovician age (St. Peter Sandstone), a middle dolomite unit of Ordovician age (Prairie du Chien Group), and a lower sandstone unit of Cambrian age (Jordan Formation) and forms a major aquifer in southeastern Minnesota, northern Iowa, southern and eastern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Although the three units generally function as one aquifer, geologic conditions cause the significance and the relation of the units to change areally. For example, in Minnesota, the upper sandstone unit is locally separated by the shaly basal St. Peter confining unit from the underlying dolomite. In Iowa, rocks that are stratigraphically equivalent to the upper unit of the Prairie du Chien Group form a confining unit that separates the St. Peter aquifer from the lower part of the Prairie du Chien Group and the underlying sandstone. In Michigan, the upper sandstone unit is thin (fig. 8) and not permeable. Where either all three units are in direct contact, as in Wisconsin, or the middle and the lower units are in direct contact, as in Iowa, the aquifer is extremely productive. The St. Peter-Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer is underlain and confined by the St. Lawrence-Franconia confining unit throughout its area of occurrence. The St. Lawrence-Franconia confining unit, which is present in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin (fig. 7), consists of a dolomite and a fine-grained sandstone of Cambrian age (fig. 8). In Michigan, some of the rocks that comprise the confining unit in the other three States are absent, and the remaining sandstone is sufficiently permeable to be included in either the St. Peter-Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer [called the Prairie du Chien and the Trempealeau aquifers in Michigan (fig. 8)] or the Ironton-Galesville aquifer [called the Munising aquifer in Michigan (fig. 8)]. Where present, the St. Lawrence-Franconia confining unit functions as a leaky confining unit. The Ironton-Galesville aquifer (figs. 7, 8) consists of medium- to fine-grained sandstone of Cambrian age and is present in all four States; in Michigan, the aquifer is equivalent to the upper part of the Munising aquifer (fig. 8). In Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, the Ironton-Galesville aquifer is overlain by the St. Lawrence-Franconia confining unit, and, except in Michigan, the aquifer is underlain by the Eau Claire confining unit. The Eau Claire confining unit, which is present in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin (fig. 8), consists of a shaly sandstone of Cambrian age; in Michigan, the sandstone is sufficiently permeable to be considered part of the Munising aquifer. Where present, the confining unit functions as a leaky confining unit between the overlying Ironton-Galesville aquifer and the underlying Mount Simon aquifer. The Mount Simon aquifer consists of a medium- to fine-grained sandstone of Cambrian age and is the lowermost aquifer of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system (fig. 8). The aquifer is present in all four States, although in Michigan, the aquifer is equivalent to the lower part of the Munising aquifer. In Minnesota, the aquifer includes the underlying Hinckley Sandstone of Precambrian age and the aquifer is called the Mount Simon-Hinckley aquifer. Also, in all four States, the aquifer overlies the crystalline-rock aquifer. The Jacobsville aquifer consists of a sandstone of Precambrian age adjacent to Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (figs. 7 and 18). A small part of the aquifer extends inland as far as Iron County, in Wisconsin. The aquifer is underlain by the crystalline-rock aquifer (fig. 8). The crystalline-rock aquifer (fig. 7), which is the lowermost aquifer in the segment, consists of fractured crystalline rocks of Precambrian age. Although the crystalline rocks extend throughout the segment, they are not considered to be an aquifer except in northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where they are not deeply buried (fig. 18). Although the crystalline rocks yield small to moderate quantities of water from fractures in the upper part of the rocks, few fractures are at depth; thus, the rocks form an impermeable boundary at the base of the aquifer sequence. The natural chemical quality of water from the principal surficial and bedrock aquifers in the four-State area generally is suitable for most uses. The quality, however, is variable as indicated by the broad range of concentrations of a given dissolved constituent; for example, maximum and minimum dissolved-solids concentrations for 152 analyses of ground-water samples in Michigan differed by a factor of 100. Freshwater in each of the aquifers is predominantly a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type; that is, calcium and magnesium ions constitute more than 50 percent of the cations, and bicarbonate ions constitute more than 50 percent of the anions. In areas or aquifers or both where dissolved-solids concentrations are greater than normal, the proportions of sodium, sulfate, and chloride ions also are large. Aluminum, boron, iron, fluoride, titanium, radium-226, and hydrogen sulfide also are present in large concentrations in some parts of the four States. Saltwater (water with dissolved-solids concentrations in excess of 1,000 milligrams per liter) underlies much of western and extreme northeastern Minnesota, nearly all of Iowa, small parts of eastern Wisconsin, and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Much of this saltwater is present at depths of less than 1,000 feet. The chemical quality of natural ground water is primarily affected by the mineralogy of aquifer materials and the length of time that the water is in contact with these materials; for example, a plot of the relation of boron and sodium to rock types in Michigan (fig. 19) shows the differences that occur from contact of the water with various aquifer materials. Water deep within an aquifer, as well as that near the end of a long flow path, has generally been in contact with aquifer materials for a long time, which results in large concentrations of dissolved constituents. In general, water in outcrop and recharge areas of aquifers is the least mineralized, but water in deep, confined parts of aquifers where the water movement is sluggish tends to be the most mineralized. The chemical nature of ground water is characteristically related to dissolved-solids concentrations, as illustrated by data from Michigan in figure 20. As dissolved-solids concentrations increase, the percentages of sulfate, chloride, and sodium ions increase, the percentages of calcium and bicarbonate decrease, and the percentage of magnesium ions is about the same. Because ion concentrations increase along flow paths, a progressive change that occurs in the water chemistry can be mapped as hydrochemical facies, or classification of waters based on their dominant cations and anions. A hydrochemical-facies map of water in the combined St. Peter-Prairie du Chien-Jordan and Mount Simon aquifers of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system for the western part of Segment 9 is shown in figure 21. In unconfined recharge areas of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system in southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and most of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, calcium magnesium bicarbonate water prevails due to the short flow paths and the carbonate-rich minerals in the aquifer system. In southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, a calcium sodium sulfate bicarbonate water is present in the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system. It probably has its source as recharge from the overlying Cretaceous aquifer where the oxidation of pyrite might be the source of the sulfate. The water chemistry evolves from a calcium sodium sulfate bicarbonate water to a sodium calcium sulfate bicarbonate water (fig. 21) farther downgradient, possibly due to ion exchange of sodium for calcium by clay minerals in the aquifer system. In east-central and southern Iowa, the water further evolves to a sodium-mixed anion water, again possibly due to a continued ion exchange (sodium for calcium). Calcium sodium sulfate chloride water in east-central Wisconsin (fig. 21) might be the result of updip migration of brines derived from evaporite deposits in the Michigan Basin during Pleistocene glaciation. The updip migration might have resulted from the depressing of the aquifer system by glacial ice. Farther downgradient toward Michigan, the water evolves to a sodium sulfate chloride water, which possibly is due to ion exchange (sodium for calcium). FRESH GROUND-WATER WITHDRAWALS Ground water is a reliable source of water for nearly 13 million people (table 1), or nearly 61 percent of the population of Segment 9. Water systems are approximately evenly divided between public water-supply systems and private (domestic) water-supply systems. Ground water is the source for nearly all public water-supply systems in small cities (less than 10,000 population) and supplies nearly 100 percent of the unincorporated rural areas. Total fresh ground-water withdrawals, by county, during 1985 in the four States of Segment 9 are illustrated in figure 22. Large withdrawals in counties of each State are related to large population centers or concentrations of industry or both. Many large cities located adjacent to major rivers or the Great Lakes (for example, Milwaukee, Wis.) withdraw surface water for public supply; their effect is not indicated on the map. A trend of increasing withdrawal of ground water for all use categories in the four-State area is indicated by data from the seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota (fig. 23) and from Wisconsin (fig. 24). The trend toward increasing withdrawals has been confirmed by a 1987 compilation of water-use data throughout the country by the U.S. Geological Survey. The freshwater withdrawn from principal aquifers in the four-State area during 1985 is shown in figure 25. The diameters of the circles are proportional to the rate of freshwater withdrawal from each aquifer. The surficial aquifer system, which is present throughout most of the four-State area, supplied water at a rate of about 2.5 times as much as the next largest producing aquifer and nearly 1.5 times as much as all other aquifers combined during 1985. The Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system is the next largest producer and supplied water at a rate of about 2.5 times the third largest producer, the Silurian-Devonian aquifer. The lesser producing Cretaceous, Pennsylvanian, Mississippian, upper carbonate, and combined Jacobsville and crystalline-rock aquifers are limited in areal extent or do not underlie population or industrial centers or both with large water demands. Total withdrawal from all aquifers during 1985 was 2,545 million gallons
--Does your child follow verbal instructions better than written instructions? --Does your child prefer to have someone read to him/her rather than reading it for himself/herself? --Does your child sometimes talk to himself/herself or sing or hum aloud? --Does your child often require someone to help him/her interpret things like maps, graphs or diagrams? --Does your child have good language skills but have a harder time with spelling and/or math? --Does your child always seem to remember and quote lines from movies he/she has heard in the past, but not things read from a book? If so, you may have an auditory learner! Now that doesn't mean that others can't benefit from the songs,the story tapes and audio books. But if you have a strongly auditory learner, discovering this fact can help you and your child tremendously.
Diagnosis of thyroid cancer In addition to a complete medical history and medical examination, diagnostic procedures for thyroid cancer may include: - Blood tests – to evaluate the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), calcium, calcitonin (a hormone produced by normal C cells of the thyroid gland) and other substances in the blood. - Thyroid scan – a type of nuclear scan that examines the thyroid after a person is given (by mouth or intravenously) a small amount of radioactive material that contains iodine or technetium. For a short period, the radioactive material emits radiation. A special camera, called a gamma camera, is used to determine the amount of radiation that has been absorbed by thyroid nodules. Cold nodules are nodules that absorb less radioactive material than the surrounding thyroid tissue, whereas hot nodules are nodules that absorb more radioactive material. - Ultrasound (also called sonography) – a diagnostic imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves and a computer to create images of blood vessels, tissues and organs. Ultrasounds are used to view internal organs as they function and to assess blood flow through various vessels. - Biopsy – a procedure in which tissue samples are removed (with a needle or during surgery) from the body for examination under a microscope to determine if cancer or other abnormal cells are present.
Hyolitha are enigmatic animals with small conical shells known from the Palaeozoic Era. The calcareous shells have a cover (operculum) and two curved supports known as helens. Most are one to four centimeters in length and are triangular or elliptical in cross section. Some species have rings or stripes. Because hyoliths are extinct and do not obviously resemble any extant group, it is unclear which living group they are most closely related to. They may be molluscs; authors who suggest that they deserve their own phylum do not comment on the position of this phylum in the tree of life.Fossil traces showing a twisted, looped, intestine bear some resemblance to the gut of sipunculan worms. Despite the fact that hyolithid shells are common as fossils, little is known about their ancestry, internal structures, and life mode. They were probably benthic (bottom-dwellers). The first hyolith fossils appeared about 540 million years ago in the Purella antiqua Zone of the Nemakit-Daldynian Stage of Siberia and in its analogue the Paragloborilus subglobosus–Purella squamulosa Zone of the Meishucunian Stage of China. Hyolith abundance and diversity attain a maximum in the Cambrian, followed by a progressive decline up to their Permian extinction. In the Virtual Museum there are total 677 samples
The coding scheme or ethogram is a key step in measuring observed behaviours and will determine what you can do with your data later. Often it can be tempting to log everything, however a more targeted approach towards answering your research question(s) can mean a smaller amount of behaviours to score giving a more reliable outcome and making data collection much quicker. - Each group of behaviours should be clearly defined, so that anyone could code the observation and get the same result. - Behaviours within groups should be mutually exclusive and exhaustive, meaning that 2 behaviours within a group cannot occur at the same time, and all the behaviours within that group are included. If there are a numerous possible behaviours within a group but you are only interested in 2, then label the rest as ‘other’ or equivalent. For example if you are interested in how much time students spend looking at their phone in a study session, you may have a ‘Looking’ behaviour group that includes: ‘phone’, ‘lecturer’, ‘board’ and ‘other’. Despite what the student says you cannot be looking at the phone and lecturer! The Observer Process - Start with a template or draft your own coding scheme. - Add subjects – people or animals that you intend to score. Note that this only applies if you are scoring interactions between individuals during an observation – e.g. a parent and child interacting. Do not confuse this with independent variables such as the name of a subject, their age or gender etc. The Observer allows you to include independent variables and use these to select sets of data. - Add behaviour groups and behaviours. Each group should be a vital part of answering your research question(s). - Add modifiers – these add more detail to specific behaviours. For example, in an infant study, the behaviour shaking a rattle may be in a behaviour group named ‘interaction with toys’. A modifier might include the intensity of the shake, such as ‘vigorously’ or ‘delicate’. Modifiers can be nominal or numerical. - Define behaviours as ‘state’ or ‘point events’. Some of your behaviours will have a duration, such as talking/not talking and will be defined as a state. Others will not, such as a hand clap or blink and these are defined as point events. Most people find that they need to know the duration and frequency of behaviours and score states most of the time. This is vital for analysis since it not possible to use point events to find out how much time other state behaviours are also co-occurring. - Pilot your scheme – at this point you may spot behaviours that aren’t covered by your coding scheme or want to simplify others. Make sure you are able to create data profiles for each of your questions and look at the results. This is the single most ignored part of learning The Observer! - Scoring can be done live, from video or from both. If your coding scheme is not too complex, then live scoring is practical; you are also able to go back and check scoring on video later and make any appropriate modifications. - Up to 4 videos can be used in Observer for scoring behaviours from different angles, particularly useful if there is are many individuals/animals to score. - One of The Observer’s greatest strengths is that you can import and analyse time-stamped data from many other sources such as eyetrackers, physiological measurement equipment, FaceReader etc. If you think your project would benefit from these other measures we can help! With a well-defined coding scheme, The Observer XT allows you to score your behaviours easily, enabling you to answer your research questions. We are here to help you every step of the way – and it’s a free service so please do make use of it!
At the end of this activity, students will be able to explain what a political cartoon source reveals about World War 1 in 1915. They will study the source closely and match events of 1915 from a timeline to particular aspects of the cartoon. By doing this, they will be applying knowledge to use the cartoon as evidence for the war in 1915. They will see that the cartoonist has been selective in what he/she has chosen to include. They will discuss the perspective of the cartoonist on the events of his/her time and how this perspective was shaped. As a plenary activity, they will persuade an author that this political cartoon should be included in a textbook.
Since 2004, when the instruments aboard NASA’s Cassini spacecraft began peering through Titan’s dense nitrogen- and methane-rich atmosphere, scientists have discovered a surprisingly Earth-like world; stable liquid hydrocarbons evaporate, condense, rain, and flow along its surface in a pattern akin to our planet’s hydrologic cycle. Although observations from Cassini’s Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) have offered tantalizing clues about the moon’s surface composition, which is needed to unravel potential interactions between Titan’s atmosphere, surface, and interior, interpretations depend upon accurately correcting for the interfering effects of the moon’s murky atmosphere. Now Brossier et al. have developed an advanced processing method to glean more information about Titan’s equatorial belt from the VIMS data. Using their different infrared signatures, the team first remapped the moon’s three primary surficial units: infrared (IR) bright, IR blue, and IR brown. Next, the researchers selected five areas that display transitions between these surficial units and applied models to extract their albedo—a proxy for grain size—and composition on the basis of a range of possible mixtures of water ice and organic aerosols, the two substances believed to be the major components of the moon’s surface. Finally, the scientists correlated the results with morphological terrains identified from Cassini’s radar data. The results indicate that the IR-bright surficial unit consists of upland hills and plains that are covered with organic material and incised by stream networks. As these areas erode, their debris is transported downstream to IR-blue areas, which appear to be outwash plains that are enriched in large grains of water ice that may result from ice bed erosion following the precipitation of hydrocarbons upstream. Farthest from the uplands, the IR-brown surficial unit, which comprises 18.6% of Titan’s surface, consists of windblown dunes composed of dust- to sand-sized hydrocarbon grains derived from the highlands. Because the topographic and geographic distribution of these three units resembles the progression of sediment from mountains to deserts on our planet, these findings suggest that the locations of the infrared-derived surficial units observed in Titan’s equatorial belt may, like their counterparts on Earth, be linked by geological processes. (Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JE005399, 2018) —Terri Cook, Freelance Writer
Simple Steps Towards A Sustainable & Nutritious Diet Is it possible to consume nutritious and delicious food while not harming the planet with manufacturing and packaging processes? Sustainable farming and food production is the answer. Americans are more concerned about food production and that information influences their grocery purchases. As many as 40 percent of grocery shoppers no longer enjoy food due to quality and safety concerns, which is twice as many people as in 2010. Consumers worry about bacteria, pesticides, improper food handling, high arsenic levels, high mercury levels, contamination and food poisoning. You don’t need a science or agriculture degree to understand why you should follow these suggestions to include more whole and organic foods into your diet on a daily basis. 1. Eat More of a Plant-Based Diet You can reduce deforestation and stop contributions to greenhouse gas emissions by choosing a plant-based diet over a meat-based diet. This may not be a welcome full-time change to your family, however swapping out one dinner a week for a meatless supper can make a difference without causing tension at the table. Going meatless one day a week can contribute to better health for you and make a positive environmental impact by: - Reducing heart disease and stroke - Limiting cancer risks - Fighting diabetes - Avoiding obesity - Minimizing livestock water usage - Reducing greenhouse gases - Reducing fossil fuel energy during production Depending on the amount of meal planning you do before a grocery shopping trip, meatless meals may make a positive impact on your budget as well. 2. Go Local To ensure your organic fruits and vegetables are grown using sustainable practices, consider shopping at your local farmer’s market. These marketplaces allow you to meet the farmers and ask questions about fresh produce. The foods tend to be less expensive, fresher, safer, organic and in season. The produce shipped to your local grocery store requires the burning of fossil fuels for shipping and transportation as well as the use of fertilizers and pesticides during the commercial agriculture process that may prove harmful. You also contribute to a boost in your local economy by supporting small farming businesses. 3. Choose Beans and Lentils Beans and lentils are an inexpensive way to eat meatless at least once a week. Beans are valuable sources of micronutrients that our bodies need such as iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, manganese, copper and nickel. Legumes are also high in soluble and insoluble fiber, low in fat, and contain 20 to 25 percent protein and 45 to 50 percent of slowly digestible starch. These crops do not require nitrogen-based fertilizers to grow, which reduces fossil fuel usage and you can avoid packaging pitfalls if you purchase your beans and lentils from bulk bins. 4. Switch to a Different Meat If meat is a staple in your household, consider switching from beef and lamb to poultry or fish. Chicken, turkey and fish contain less saturated fat than red meat. The fat found in fish can actually be beneficial to your health, according to the American Heart Association. The omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, whereas beef, pork and lamb can be high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Beef, pork and lamb leave the highest carbon footprint of all of the meats, according to the Environmental Working Group. Organic cooked and skinless turkey and chicken are better meat choices. Try to purchase pasture-raised and/or antibiotic-free poultry whenever possible. 5. When You Have to Have a Steak, Choose Grass Fed Sometimes you just have to have a steak or someone in your family is a die-hard fan. Choose grass-fed options when you purchase beef to ensure you are receiving the best nutrients. Grain-fed cows are sometimes given hormones to grow at a rapid pace to keep up with the demand for red meat. Grass-fed cows are never fed the soy and corn feed and graze on grassland. The composition of the fatty acids found in the cows varies between grain-fed and grass-fed cows. This includes saturated and monounsaturated fats, omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). 6. Give in to Clean Packaged Foods You may find that packaged foods offer a convenience factor, but you want foods that are nutritious and sustainable. Consider choosing fresh fruits, dried fruits and nuts as portable snacks. While shopping for clean packaged foods, look for items: - Low in sugar or less than 10 grams of sugar - Containing no artificial ingredients or synthetic ingredients - Containing organic, sustainably sourced and non-GMO ingredients - Packaged inside of toxin-free or eco-friendly containers - Containing no excess sodium These foods can include sprouted bread products, quinoa, pasta, oatmeal and more. Read the labels to ensure you are receiving the best quality. As you search for additional ways to add sustainable foods to your family’s dinner table, look for whole and organic foods, check for biodegradable packaging and research the farming practices of each brand. Once you have a list of nutritious foods your family loves, you will know what to purchase on your next shopping trip.
We have an atom of sodium, but I really don't understand this homework. Could anyone help? A. We are told that the atom is sodium. Sodium has the atomic number of 11, which means that it has 11 protons. As an atom (as opposed to an ion) sodium also has 11 electrons. The diagram represents a nucleus with 11 electrons around it. Since protons have a charge of +1 and electrons have a charge of -1, the same number of protons and electrons results in a net charge of zero. B. You are told that this is an atom, which means it hasn't gained or lost electrons. The diagram shows that it has 2 electrons. The element that has 2 electrons as a neutral atom is helium, atomic number 2. Helium is unreactive because it has a full outer level of electrons so it doesn't react to gain or lose electrons. (The first energy level holds two electrons.) C. The two atoms that have similar chemical properties are B and C. We can tell that they're both Alkali Metals (Group 1) because they both have one electron in the outer level or valence level. An elements' chemical properties are largely determined by its number of valence electrons. Elements in the same group (vertical column) on the periodic table have similar chemical properties. The other two elements are: Atom A - helium, in Group 18 (noble gases). It has 2 electrons therefore it's element number 2. Atom D - nitrogen, in Group 15 (also called V-A). It has 7 electrons therefore it's element number 7.
Superconductivity: footballs with no resistance Indications of light-induced lossless electricity transmission in fullerenes contribute to the search for superconducting materials for practical applications Superconductors have long been confined to niche applications, due to the fact that the highest temperature at which even the best of these materials becomes resistance-free is minus 70 degrees Celsius. Nowadays they are mainly used in magnets for nuclear magnetic resonance tomographs, fusion devices and particle accelerators. Physicists from the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter at the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL) in Hamburg shone laser pulses at a material made up from potassium atoms and carbon atoms arranged in bucky ball structures. For a small fraction of a second, they found it to become superconducting at more than 100 degrees Kelvin – around minus 170 degrees Celsius. A similar effect was already discovered in 2013 by scientists of the same group in a different material, a ceramic oxide belonging to the family of so-called “cuprates”. As fullerenes have a relatively simple chemical structure, the researchers hope to be able to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon of light-induced superconductivity at high temperatures through their new experiments. Such insights could help in the development of a material which conducts electricity at room temperature without losses, and without optical excitation. All hopes for superconductivity at room temperature have been riding on ceramic materials known as cuprates. These materials lose their electrical resistance at relatively high temperatures, which can be as high as minus 120 degrees Celsius. For this reason, physicists refer to these materials as high-temperature superconductors. Andrea Cavalleri, Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, and his colleagues aim at paving the way for the development of materials that lose their electrical resistance at room temperature. Their observation that fullerenes, when excited with laser pulses, can become superconductive at minus 170 degrees Celsius, takes them a step closer to achieving this goal. This discovery could contribute to establishing a more comprehensive understanding of light-induced superconductivity, because it is easier to formulate a theoretical explanation for fullerenes than for cuprates. A complete explanation of this effect could, in turn, help the scientists to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon of high-temperature superconductivity and provide a recipe for an artificial superconductor that conducts electricity without resistance losses at room temperature. Structural change clears the way for the electrons In 2013, researchers from Cavalleri’s group demostrated that under certain conditions it may be possible for a material to conduct electricity at room temperature without resistance loss. A ceramic oxide belonging to the family of cuprates was shown to become superconductive without any cooling for a few trillionths of a second when the scientists excited it using an infrared laser pulse. One year later, the Hamburg-based scientists presented a possible explanation for this effect. They observed that, following excitation with the flash of light, the atoms in the crystal lattice change position. This shift in position persists as does the superconducting state of the material. Broadly speaking, the light-induced change in the structure clears the way for the electrons so that they can move through the ceramic without losses. However, the explanation is very dependent on the highly specific crystalline structure of cuprates. As the process was understood at the time, it could have involved a phenomenon that only arises in this kind of materials. The team headed by Cavalleri therefore asked themselves whether light could also break the electrical resistance of more traditional superconductors, the physics of which is better understood. The researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, among which Daniele Nicoletti and Matteo Mitrano, have now hit the jackpot using a substance that is very different to cuprates: the fulleride K3C60, a metal composed of so-called Buckminster fullerenes. These hollow molecules consist of 60 carbon atoms which bond in the shape of a football: a sphere comprising pentagons and hexagons. With the help of intercalated positively charged potassium ions, which work like a kind of cement, the negatively charged fullerenes stick to each other to form a solid. This so-called alkali fulleride is a metal which becomes superconductive below a critical temperature of around minus 250 degrees Celsius. One of the highest critical temperatures apart from cuprates The researchers then irradiated the alkali fulleride with infrared light pulses of just a few billionths of a microsecond and repeated their experiment for a range of temperatures between the critical temperature and room temperature. They set the frequency of the light source so that it excited the fullerenes to produce vibrations. This causes the carbon atoms to oscillate in such a way that the pentagons in the football expand and contract. It was hoped that this change in the structure could generate transient superconductivity at high temperatures in a similar way to the process in cuprates. To test this, the scientists irradiated the sample with a second light pulse at the same time as the infrared pulse, albeit at a frequency in the terahertz range. The strength at which this pulse is reflected indicates the conductivity of the material to the researchers, meaning how easily electrons move through the alkali fulleride. The result here was an extremely high conductivity. “We are pretty confident that we have induced superconductivity at temperatures at least as high as minus 170 degrees Celsius,” says Daniele Nicoletti. This means that the experiment in Hamburg presents one of the highest ever-observed critical temperatures outside of the material class of cuprates. “We are now planning to carry out other experiments which should enable us to reach a more detailed understanding of the processes at work here,” says Nicoletti. What they would like to do next is analyze the crystal structure during excitation with the infrared light. As was previously the case with the cuprate, this should help to explain the phenomenon. The researchers would then like to irradiate the material with light pulses that last much longer. “Although this is technically very complicated, it could extend the lifetime of superconductivity, making it potentially relevant for applications,” concludes Nicoletti.
‘Discovery ultimately could lead to better climate understanding and prediction’ Is Earth really a sort of giant living organism as the Gaia hypothesis predicts? A new discovery made at the University of Maryland may provide a key to answering this question. This key of sulfur could allow scientists to unlock heretofore hidden interactions between ocean organisms, atmosphere, and land — interactions that might provide evidence supporting this famous theory. The Gaia hypothesis — first articulated by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis in the 1970s — holds that Earth’s physical and biological processes are inextricably connected to form a self-regulating, essentially sentient, system. One of the early predictions of this hypothesis was that there should be a sulfur compound made by organisms in the oceans that was stable enough against oxidation in water to allow its transfer to the air. Either the sulfur compound itself, or its atmospheric oxidation product, would have to return sulfur from the sea to the land surfaces. The most likely candidate for this role was deemed to be dimethylsulfide. Newly published work done at the University of Maryland by first author Harry Oduro, together with UMD geochemist James Farquhar and marine biologist Kathryn Van Alstyne of Western Washington University, provides a tool for tracing and measuring the movement of sulfur through ocean organisms, the atmosphere and the land in ways that may help prove or disprove the controversial Gaia theory. Their study appears in this week’s Online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
In Python, the * (asterisk) character is not only used for multiplication and replication, but also for unpacking. There does not seem to be any name for this kind of * operator and thus searching for it online is difficult. But, it is commonly called as the unpack or splat operator in this role. * on any iterable object, by placing it to the left of the object, produces the individual elements of the iterable. I imagine this operator as shattering the container that holds the items together, so they are now free and individual. The look of the asterisk character helps bolster this imagination. def foo( x, y, z ): print( "First is ", x, " then ", y, " lastly ", z ) a = [ 1, 50, 99 ] foo( a ) # TypeError: foo() takes exactly 3 arguments (1 given) foo( a ) # First is 1 then 50 lastly 99 b = [ [55,66,77], 88, 99 ] foo( b ) # First is [55,66,77] then 88 lastly 99 For more info, see More Control Flow Tools. Tried with: Python 3.2.2
How long will it take to construct a 170 meters long pipe bridge carrying 800mmØ pipeline? Just an estimate. Thanks. Learn something new every day More Info... by email A pipe bridge is a specially constructed bridge that allows a pipeline to run over rivers, highway overpasses, deep ravines, or geologically or ecologically unstable or vulnerable land areas. The pipelines traversing these bridges may be to supply a town with water from a river or reservoir, or to irrigation stations on large farming plantations. Additionally, pipelines may carry effluent from mining operations to loading areas for trucking or railway transport. Sometimes they carry liquefied natural gas from the processing area of a plant to railway lines or harbors for loading upon tankers. There are sometimes pedestrian or maintenance pathways next to pipe bridges as well. The design of a pipe bridge must take into account the weight of the pipes when carrying a full load and the effects of weather conditions on both the pipes themselves and the bridges that hold them. Engineers do materials testing of the materials that are used in pipe bridge construction, and structural and dynamic stress testing of the completed designs for the climate and weather patterns expected in the region where the bridge is to be constructed. Some designs create bridges that protect valued natural resources and leave as little footprint in a wilderness areas as possible. Whenever possible, suspension bridges are designed to carry pipelines above the ecosystems below; this often involves designs that are both practical and visually appealing. Many suspension bridges over rivers or ravines are constructed on site and carefully built to withstand extreme weather and wind conditions. Bridges that are constructed out of steel and prestressed concrete are often built nearby in segments and then pieced together over abutments and pillared supports. One such bridge in South Africa was pieced together just off site. Then, the entire bridge, weighing 156.5 short tons (142 metric tons), was lowered into place using a heavy loading crane. After the completed bridge was fully applied over its support system, more than 441 short tons (400 metric tons) were added in concrete pedestrian pathway and hand railings. Pipe bridges that transport water pipelines in northern countries must consider winter effects as well. Therefore, these bridges can be built that clad iron pipes in what are called mechanical pipe bridge crossings. These mechanical crossings include aluminum sheathing around the iron pipes, with a heated source inside that keeps the water at a constant temperature, regardless of how cold the weather. These insulated pipeline designs help ensure a town's water supplies are not jeopardized by the freezing of the pipelines. One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!
Discover the key principles necessary to develop structured program logic with Farrell's PROGRAMMING LOGIC AND DESIGN, INTRODUCTORY, 7E. This popular introductory book takes a unique, language-independent approach to programming with a clear, concise approach that eliminates highly technical jargon while emphasizing universal programming concepts and encouraging a strong programming style and logical thinking. Clear revised explanations utilize flowcharts, pseudocode, and diagrams to ensure even readers with no prior programming experience fully understand modern programming and design concepts. Farrell's proven learning features help students gain a better understanding of the scope of programming today while common business examples help illustrate key points. Readers can use this proven book alone or paired with a language-specific companion text that emphasizes C++, Java or Visual Basic. \|Edition description:\|\|Older Edition\| \|Product dimensions:\|\|7.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)\| Table of Contents 1. An Overview of Computers and Programming. 2. Elements of High-Quality Programs. 3. Understanding Structure. 4. Making Decisions. 5. Looping. 6. Arrays. 7. File Handling and Applications. Appendices: A. Understanding Numbering Systems and Computer Codes. B. Flowchart Symbols. C. Structures. D. Solving Difficult Structuring Problems. E. Creating Print Charts. F. Two Variations on the Basic Structures--case and do-while.
Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Calcium deficiency can lead to disorders like osteoporosis (brittle bones). Good sources of calcium include dairy foods and calcium-fortified products, such as soymilk and breakfast cereals. Calcium is especially important for young children, teenagers and older women. The average adult’s weight is made up of about two per cent calcium. Most of this is found in the skeleton and teeth – the rest is stored in the tissues or blood. Calcium is vital for healthy teeth and bones. It also plays a crucial role in other systems of the body, such as the health and functioning of nerves and muscle tissue. Good sources of calcium include dairy foods and calcium-fortified products, such as soymilk and breakfast cereals. People at different life stages need different amounts of calcium – young children, teenagers and older women all have greater than average requirements. According to the most recent Australian Nutrition Survey data published in 1995, about 90 per cent of women and 70 per cent of children do not achieve the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for calcium. It is much better to get calcium from foods than from calcium supplements. Be guided by your doctor about whether you need additional supplements. Too much calcium (2,000 mg or more) from supplements may cause other health problems. The role of calcium Calcium plays a role in: - strengthening bones and teeth - regulating muscle functioning, such as contraction and relaxation - regulating heart functioning - blood clotting - transmission of nervous system messages - enzyme function. Calcium and dairy food Australians receive most of their calcium from dairy foods. If milk is removed from the diet, it can lead to an inadequate intake of calcium. This is of particular concern for children and adolescents, who have high calcium needs. Calcium deficiency may lead to disorders like osteoporosis (a disease of both men and women in which bones become fragile and brittle later in life). Too little calcium can weaken bones If the body notices that not enough calcium is circulating in the blood, it will use hormones to reduce the amount put out by the kidneys in the urine. If not enough calcium is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, calcium will be taken from the bones. If your dietary intake of calcium is constantly low, your body will eventually remove so much calcium from the skeleton that your bones will become weak and brittle. Calcium needs vary throughout life The recommended dietary intake of calcium is different for people of different ages and life stages, including: \|Babies 0–6 months\|\|approx. 210 mg (if breastfed)\| approx. 350 mg (if bottle fed) \|Babies 7–12 months\|\|270 mg\| \|Children 1–3 years\|\|500 mg\| \|Children 4–8 years\|\|700 mg\| \|Children 9–11 years\|\|1,000 mg\| \|Adolescents 12–18 years (including pregnant and breastfeeding young women)\|\|1,300 mg\| \|Women 19–50 (including pregnant and breastfeeding women)\|\|1,000 mg\| \|Women 51–70\|\|1,300 mg\| \|Men 19–70\|\|1,000 mg\| \|Adults over 70\|\|1,300 mg\| People with special calcium needs It is important that people from these groups meet their calcium needs: - Babies – bottle-fed babies are estimated to need more than babies that are breastfed because the calcium in infant formula may not be absorbed as efficiently as that found in breastmilk. - Young children – skeletal tissue is constantly growing so young children have high calcium requirements. - Pre-teens and teenagers – puberty prompts a growth spurt. This group also needs more calcium to build peak bone mass. If the skeleton is strengthened with enough calcium during these years, diseases like osteoporosis in the later years are thought to be less likely. - Early 20s to mid-life – sufficient dietary calcium is required to maintain bone mass, although the amount of calcium required is less than during growth stages of life. - Pregnant women – a developing baby needs a lot of calcium and this is taken from the mother’s bones. However, most women rapidly replace this bone loss once the baby has stopped breastfeeding. There is no need for adult women to take additional dietary calcium during pregnancy, but pregnant adolescents require more calcium to meet the requirements of both their own growth and the fetus. - Breastfeeding women – there is no increased requirement for calcium during breastfeeding, except for breastfeeding adolescents. - Elderly people – as we age, the skeleton loses calcium. Women lose more calcium from their bones in the five to 10 years around the age of menopause. However, both men and women lose bone mass as they grow older and need to make sure they get enough calcium in their diet to offset these losses. While a diet high in calcium cannot reverse age-related bone loss, it can slow down the process. - Caucasian (white) people – have larger frame sizes and generally have higher intakes of animal foods, caffeine and salt. It is thought they may need more calcium than non-Caucasian people who often have smaller frame sizes. Good sources of calcium Good dietary sources of calcium include: - milk and milk products – milk, yoghurt, cheese and buttermilk. One cup of milk, a 200g tub of yoghurt or 200ml of calcium fortified soymilk provides around 300mg calcium. Calcium fortified milks can provide larger amounts of calcium in a smaller volume of milk – ranging from 280mg to 400mg per 200ml milk. - leafy green vegetables – broccoli, collards (cabbage family), bok choy, Chinese cabbage and spinach. One cup of cooked spinach contains 100mg, although only five per cent of this may be absorbed. This is due to the high concentration of oxalate, a compound in spinach that reduces calcium absorption. By contrast, one cup of cooked broccoli contains about 45mg of calcium, but the absorption from broccoli is much higher at around 50–60 per cent. - soy and tofu – tofu (depending on type) or tempeh and calcium fortified soy drinks. - fish – sardines and salmon (with bones). Half a cup of canned salmon contains 402mg of calcium. - nuts and seeds – brazil nuts, almonds and sesame seed paste (tahini). Fifteen almonds contain about 40mg of calcium. - calcium fortified foods – including breakfast cereals, fruit juices and bread: - 1 cup of calcium-fortified breakfast cereal (40 g) contains up to 200 mg of calcium - ½ cup of calcium-fortified orange juice (100 ml) contains up to 80 mg of calcium - 2 slices of bread (30 g) provides 200 mg of calcium. It is much better to get calcium from foods (which also provide other nutrients) than from calcium supplements. If you have difficulty eating enough foods rich in calcium, you might need to consider a calcium supplement, especially if you are at risk of developing osteoporosis. It’s a good idea to discuss this with your doctor or other registered healthcare professional. If you do take calcium supplements, make sure you don’t take more than the amount recommended on the bottle. Too much calcium may cause gastrointestinal upsets, such as bloating and constipation. Calcium supplements and heart disease risk A report published in 2010, and widely reported in the media, found a possible link between calcium supplements and an increased risk of heart disease – particularly in older women. The levels of calcium intake of participants in the trials reviewed were up to 2,400 mg a day, achieved by taking supplements. (The RDI is between 1,000 and 1,300 mg per day for adults depending on age.) Calcium intake at levels of 2,000 mg or more through supplementation may be of concern. This area requires further research, but currently associations such as Osteoporosis Australia and the British Heart Foundation recommend continuing calcium supplementation if recommended by your doctor, and suggest that you discuss any concerns you may have with your registered healthcare professional. Lifestyle can affect bone strength Some of the factors that can reduce calcium in your bones and lower bone density (weaken bones) include: - high-salt diet - more than six drinks per day of caffeine-containing drinks – for example, coffee, cola and tea (although tea has less caffeine) - excessive alcohol intake - very low body weight - very high intakes of fibre (more than 50 g per day, from wheat bran) - low levels of physical activity - low levels of vitamin D – people who are housebound or cover their bodies completely when they are outside are at increased risk Where to get help - Your doctor - Dietitians Association of Australia Tel. 1800 812 942 - Nutrition Australia. Things to remember - The average adult’s weight is made up of about two per cent calcium. - Good sources of calcium include dairy foods, calcium fortified foods (such as soy products) and, to a lesser degree, some leafy green vegetables. - If you don’t have enough calcium in your diet, you may be at increased risk of developing osteoporosis. You might also be interested in: - Food and your life stages. - Healthy eating tips. - Milk - facts and fallacies. - Nutrition - women's extra needs. - Osteoporosis and exercise. - Vitamin D. Want to know more? Go to More information for support groups, related links and references. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by: (Logo links to further information) Deakin University - School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Last reviewed: July 2013 Content on this website is provided for education and information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. Content has been prepared for Victorian residents and wider Australian audiences, and was accurate at the time of publication. Readers should note that, over time, currency and completeness of the information may change. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions. Content on this website is provided for education and information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your qualified health professional. Content has been prepared for Victorian residence and wider Australian audiences, and was accurate at the time of publication. 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Cheddar Man, the 10,000-year-old skeleton of ancient Briton found in Somerset, England, had his face revealed. A group of scientists from the London Natural History Museums carried out the work of reconstructing the face. Cheddar Man was found in Cheddar Gorge in Somerset more than a century ago in 1903. Cheddar Man died about 10,000 years ago, during the time when the first settlers arrived from mainland Europe to Britain. This was at the end of the last ice age. The most noticeable difference between Cheddar Man and modern British people is that the former has a darker skin tone. Upon discovering the fossil, it was thought that his appearance would have fair hair and pale skin. After the DNA analysis on the remains was done it was revealed that he actually had blue eyes, a dark skin complexion, and dark curly hair. This shows that the genes for light skin became widespread in Europe later than previously believed. This discovery shows that skin color doesn't dictate geographic origin. Racial categories come under attack with these findings and show that people just started differentiating each other recently. "It really shows up that these imaginary racial categories that we have are really very modern constructions or very recent constructions, that really [is] not applicable to the past at all," said Tom Booth, an archaeologist from the Natural History Museum who worked on the reconstruction. To extract Cheddar Man's entire genome, a 2mm hole had to be drilled into the skull to collect bone powder. By sequencing the genome, they were able to get details about his life like the appearance and lifestyle of the man. Results show that Cheddar Man originally came from the Middle East. This shows the path that Cheddar Man used to get to Britain. Following ancient humans migration pattern, it can be seen how they ended up in Britain. They started in Africa then headed to the Middle East, and eventually made their way into Europe before crossing the ancient land bridge called Doggerland into Britain. To find Cheddar Man's appearance, the team used genes that are linked to skin color, hair color and texture, and eye color. Cheddar Man had ancestral versions of genes found in modern European populations. That would mean that he had a darker skin tone with blue eyes. A hi-tech scanner was used to render the skull into a three-dimensional model. Adrie and Alfons Kennis were able to recreate Cheddar Man's appearance using scientific research. "I first studied 'Cheddar Man' more than 40 years ago, but could never have believed that we would one day have his whole genome - the oldest British one to date!" said Chris Stringer, a research leader at the Natural History Museum. "To go beyond what the bones tell us and get a scientifically-based picture of what he actually looked like is a remarkable (and from the results quite surprising!) achievement." This was revealed in advance of a documentary about Cheddar Man. The documentary is set to be released on Feb. 18.
Can you design a new shape for the twenty-eight squares and arrange the numbers in a logical way? What patterns do you notice? This challenge asks you to investigate the total number of cards that would be sent if four children send one to all three others. How many would be sent if there were five children? Six? Well now, what would happen if we lost all the nines in our number system? Have a go at writing the numbers out in this way and have a look at the multiplications table. Suppose we allow ourselves to use three numbers less than 10 and multiply them together. How many different products can you find? How do you know you've got them all? If the answer's 2010, what could the question be? Zumf makes spectacles for the residents of the planet Zargon, who have either 3 eyes or 4 eyes. How many lenses will Zumf need to make all the different orders for 9 families? This magic square has operations written in it, to make it into a maze. Start wherever you like, go through every cell and go out a total of 15! Find the product of the numbers on the routes from A to B. Which route has the smallest product? Which the largest? On my calculator I divided one whole number by another whole number and got the answer 3.125. If the numbers are both under 50, what are they? There is a clock-face where the numbers have become all mixed up. Can you find out where all the numbers have got to from these ten statements? Using the statements, can you work out how many of each type of rabbit there are in these pens? How would you count the number of fingers in these pictures? Number problems at primary level that may require resilience. There are 44 people coming to a dinner party. There are 15 square tables that seat 4 people. Find a way to seat the 44 people using all 15 tables, with no empty places. This problem is based on the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Investigate the different numbers of people and rats there could have been if you know how many legs there are altogether! Look on the back of any modern book and you will find an ISBN code. Take this code and calculate this sum in the way shown. Can you see what the answers always have in common? Can you arrange 5 different digits (from 0 - 9) in the cross in the way described? In a Magic Square all the rows, columns and diagonals add to the 'Magic Constant'. How would you change the magic constant of this square? Cherri, Saxon, Mel and Paul are friends. They are all different ages. Can you find out the age of each friend using the information? Ben’s class were cutting up number tracks. First they cut them into twos and added up the numbers on each piece. What patterns could they see? A game for 2 people. Use your skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to blast the asteroids. Go through the maze, collecting and losing your money as you go. Which route gives you the highest return? And the lowest? If the numbers 5, 7 and 4 go into this function machine, what numbers will come out? Use your logical-thinking skills to deduce how much Dan's crisps and ice-cream cost altogether. Here is a picnic that Petros and Michael are going to share equally. Can you tell us what each of them will have? Here are the prices for 1st and 2nd class mail within the UK. You have an unlimited number of each of these stamps. Which stamps would you need to post a parcel weighing 825g? What is happening at each box in these machines? EWWNP means Exploring Wild and Wonderful Number Patterns Created by Yourself! Investigate what happens if we create number patterns using some simple rules. Take the number 6 469 693 230 and divide it by the first ten prime numbers and you'll find the most beautiful, most magic of all numbers. What is it? This article for teachers looks at how teachers can use problems from the NRICH site to help them teach division. In the multiplication calculation, some of the digits have been replaced by letters and others by asterisks. Can you reconstruct the original multiplication? Put a number at the top of the machine and collect a number at the bottom. What do you get? Which numbers get back to themselves? Use your logical reasoning to work out how many cows and how many sheep there are in each field. After training hard, these two children have improved their results. Can you work out the length or height of their first jumps? Skippy and Anna are locked in a room in a large castle. The key to that room, and all the other rooms, is a number. The numbers are locked away in a problem. Can you help them to get out? I'm thinking of a number. When my number is divided by 5 the remainder is 4. When my number is divided by 3 the remainder is 2. Can you find my number? In November, Liz was interviewed for an article on a parents' website about learning times tables. Read the article here. This task combines spatial awareness with addition and multiplication. Can you find which shapes you need to put into the grid to make the totals at the end of each row and the bottom of each column? We can arrange dots in a similar way to the 5 on a dice and they usually sit quite well into a rectangular shape. How many altogether in this 3 by 5? What happens for other sizes? Using the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 once and only once, and the operations x and ÷ once and only once, what is the smallest whole number you can make? This number has 903 digits. What is the sum of all 903 digits? Amy has a box containing domino pieces but she does not think it is a complete set. She has 24 dominoes in her box and there are 125 spots on them altogether. Which of her domino pieces are missing? What do you notice about the date 03.06.09? Or 08.01.09? This challenge invites you to investigate some interesting dates yourself. Find the next number in this pattern: 3, 7, 19, 55 ... There were chews for 2p, mini eggs for 3p, Chocko bars for 5p and lollypops for 7p in the sweet shop. What could each of the children buy with their money? The Scot, John Napier, invented these strips about 400 years ago to help calculate multiplication and division. Can you work out how to use Napier's bones to find the answer to these multiplications? There are over sixty different ways of making 24 by adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing all four numbers 4, 6, 6 and 8 (using each number only once). How many can you find? On a calculator, make 15 by using only the 2 key and any of the four operations keys. How many ways can you find to do it? Find out what a Deca Tree is and then work out how many leaves there will be after the woodcutter has cut off a trunk, a branch, a twig and a leaf.
What does the aye-aye remind you of? - Aye-ayes are a species of primate, the largest extant nocturnal one on earth, and they are endemic to rainforests and other forest areas on the island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa. - The scientific name of the aye-aye is Daubentonia madagascariensis and it is a type of lemur from the family Daubentoniidae, of which it is the only living member. - Aye-ayes grow to be 36 to 44 centimetres (14 to 17 inches) in height, with a tail of even greater length, and they weigh from 2 to 2.7 kilograms (4.4 to 6 pounds). - The long fingers of aye-ayes are quite fragile and cannot hold much weight, with the third finger being particularly thin and used specifically for feeding purposes. - The diet of an aye-aye consists primarily of fruit and grubs, the latter retrieved by tapping trees to find a cavity, then gnawing into the tree with its teeth and collecting prey using its third finger. Image courtesy of Frank Vassen/Flickr - The colour of the hair of an aye-aye ranges from brown to black, with a partially white to grey head and orange or yellow eyes. - Aye-ayes seldom descend to the forest floor, rather resting and foraging among the treetops; and they typically sleep in covered nests during the day, made from leaves and tree branches, though they will generally move to a different nest each day. - Aye-ayes are listed as an endangered species, threatened by deforestation as well as locals killing the animal, as they believe the primate can cause misfortune. - Sounds produced by aye-ayes include eerie screeches, hisses and the noise ‘hai-hai’; and it is thought that the mammal is named for the latter sound. - The aye-aye has been – and still is- compared to a rodent primarily due to its teeth, and it was mistakenly classified as one for a significant time after its discovery.
1.2a Important levels of organization for structure and function include organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and whole organisms. 1.2b Humans are complex organisms. They require multiple systems for digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excretion, movement, coordination, and immunity. The systems interact to perform the life functions. 1.2c The components of the human body, from organ systems to cell organelles, interact to maintain a balanced internal environment. To successfully accomplish this, organisms possess a diversity of control mechanisms that detect deviations and make corrective 1.2d If there is a disruption in any human system, there may be a corresponding imbalance in homeostasis. 1.2e The organs and systems of the body help to provide all the cells with their basic needs. The cells of the body are of different kinds and are grouped in ways that enhance how they function together. 1.2f Cells have particular structures that perform specific jobs. These structures per- form the actual work of the cell. Just as systems are coordinated and work together, cell parts must also be coordinated and work together. 1.2g Each cell is covered by a membrane that performs a number of important functions for the cell. These include: separation from its outside environment, controlling which molecules enter and leave the cell, and recognition of chemical signals. The processes of diffusion and active transport are important in the movement of materials in and out of cells. 1.2h Many organic and inorganic substances dissolved in cells allow necessary chemical reactions to take place in order to maintain life. Large organic food molecules such as proteins and starches must initially be broken down (digested to amino acids and simple sugars respectively), in order to enter cells. Once nutrients enter a cell, the cell will use them as building blocks in the synthesis of compounds necessary for life. 1.2i Inside the cell a variety of specialized structures, formed from many different molecules, carry out the transport of materials (cytoplasm), extraction of energy from nutrients (mitochondria), protein building (ribosomes), waste disposal (cell membrane), storage (vacuole), and information storage (nucleus). 1.2j Receptor molecules play an important role in the interactions between cells. Two primary agents of cellular communication are hormones and chemicals produced by nerve cells. If nerve or hormone signals are blocked, cellular communication is disrupted and the organisms stability is affected.
Fragments of Earth’s earliest rock, preserved unchanged deep in the mantle until they were coughed up by volcanic eruptions, suggest that our planet has had water from the very beginning. If so, that raises the likelihood that water – one of the key prerequisites for life – could be native to other planets, too. The origin of Earth’s water has long been a mystery to planetary scientists, because the young sun would have burned hot enough to vaporise any ice that was present as dust coalesced to form our planet. Geologists can track where water comes from within the solar system by studying the ratio of deuterium, also known as heavy hydrogen, to normal hydrogen in the water molecules, because different sources have different ratios. To measure the ratios from early Earth’s water, a team led by Lydia Hallis, a planetary scientist now at the University of Glasgow, UK, turned to volcanic basalt rocks on Baffin Island in the Canadian arctic. These rocks contain tiny glassy inclusions that appear to have been preserved deep in the mantle for about 4.5 billion years, making them almost as old as the planet itself. The hydrogen in them originated from water molecules that were present very early in Earth’s history. But we didn’t know if they came from bombardment by meteorites soon after Earth’s formation, or from the dust that formed the planet. These early rocks contained surprisingly little deuterium: a ratio nearly 22 per cent less than in seawater today. This points to a source that’s very deuterium-poor, says Hallis. That probably rules out bombardment by meteorites as the source of the water, since their hydrogen isotope ratio is usually higher than that found in the ancient inclusions, Hallis says. Instead, the ratio suggests that the water must have originated in the dust cloud from which the sun and planets originally condensed. Recent theoretical studies have found that some water molecules could have clung tightly to the coalescing dust particles even in the hot conditions of Earth’s formation, but Hallis’s study is the first to provide firm factual evidence. Some room for doubt remains because of the mixing in Hallis’s ancient inclusions, says Horst Marschall, a geoscientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. But if Hallis is correct, then other planets in our solar system – and elsewhere in the galaxy – are likely to have formed with water present from the beginning. “That would make habitable worlds much more likely,” says Marschall. Journal reference: Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.aac4834 (Image credit: H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty) More on these topics:
Hydrogen, the most common element in the universe, is normally an insulating gas, but at high pressures it may turn into a superconductor. Now, scientists at the Carnegie Institution in Washington D.C., US, have discovered a hydrogen-based compound that could be helpful in the search for metallic and superconducting forms of hydrogen. The results are reported in Physical Review Letters and highlighted in the August 3rd issue of APS’s on-line journal Physics. Hydrogen is the simplest of the elements: it contains one proton and one neutron. Because hydrogen is so light, quantum theory says that it will have a significant energy even when it is cooled to very low temperatures. This is why hydrogen only solidifies at just 14 degrees above absolute zero. Scientists predicted that it should be possible to form a metal from hydrogen, but the pressure that would be required to do so — some 4 million atmospheres — exceeds that at the center of the earth. By forming compounds of hydrogen with another element like Si it is possible to make fairly dense forms of hydrogen that do become metals at more experimentally accessible pressures. In fact, SiH4 becomes a metal at about one tenth the pressure needed to make pure hydrogen metallic, and a superconductor at about 1 million atmospheres. In their paper, Timothy Strobel, Maddury Somayazulu, and Russell Hemley present extensive high-pressure experiments on a mixture of SiH4 and H2. At pressures of only ~ 7.5 GPa, they discovered a new compound — SiH4(H2)2 — in which the hydrogen bonds are unusually weak and which may become a metal at higher pressures. The ultimate goal of such studies is to generate conditions under which hydrogen effectively becomes metallic, and hopefully superconducting, at pressures lower than those required for pure solid hydrogen. [James Riordon @ American Physical Society]
The stereo microscope is a specialised form of optical microscope. The stereo microscope uses two separate eyepieces which provide slightly different viewing angles for the left and right eyes. In this way it produces a three-dimensional view of the area being examined. It can provide a magnification of up to about 80x. Reflected illumination (light reflected from the surface of the sample) is usually used with the stereo microscope. It can be adapted to produce varied effects such as raking light. Stereo microscopes generally have a long working distance and a good depth of field, making them ideal for use in the scientific examination of paintings.
Fossil Found in Taiwan is Evidence of New Species of Early Humans A possible new variety of human has been discovered in a fossil found near Taiwan. The fossil, marked by large teeth and found on a seabed, might even represent a new species of human ancestor. Paleontologists believe this new finding could represent one of many varieties of humans that roamed Asia before the arrival of modern humans roughly 40,000 years ago. Hominins, the group of human relatives that include a range of species that evolved after the genetic split with chimpanzees, were diverse in the region long ago. Among the creatures which have been found in Asia are members of Homo erectus, as well as Neanderthals, which are the most similar extinct predecessor to our own species. Homo floresiensis, a type of hominin first discovered in 2003, walked the lands of Indonesia, and fossils of Denisovans have also been found in the region. "Then modern humans dispersed into this region around 50,000 to 40,000 years ago and came across a diverse group of hominins. This is a very different, complex and exciting story compared to what I was taught in school," Yousuke Kaifu, a paleoanthropologist from the National Museum of Nature and Science in Japan, said. Analysis of the fossil revealed the creature likely lived between 10,000 and 190,000 years in the past. At this time, most early humans and similar primates were developing smaller teeth over the course of many generations. The large structures within the jaw of the fossils give the creature a primitive look to the paleontologists who have studied the artifact. A complete right jaw of the ancient creature was found after the fossil was dredged up by a fishing net, from between 200 and 400 feet beneath the water, and more than 15 miles offshore. The fisherman who discovered the fossil sold the relic to a local antique shop. After purchase, the item was donated to the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Taiwan. Penghu Channel, where the object was resting, was once dry land during the latest ice age, when sea levels were lower than they are in the modern age. The Penghu 1 fossil appears to have some similarities to fossils discovered from 400,000 years ago. Those artifacts were found in southern China, almost 600 miles away from Penghu Channel. Researchers will need to carry out additional research on the fossil to determine if the creature that formed the artifact represents a new species of human relative. Discovery and analysis of the new early human fossil was detailed in the journal Nature Communications.
A character set defines the way a sequence of bytes is converted into a sequence of characters. This particular character set is known as Latin-1, or ISO-8859-1. Of the 256 characters in Latin-1, 128 are the characters in the ASCII, the characters that typically appear on a standard U.S. English keyboard (and accompanying nonprinting special characters such as ASCII BEL). The remaining 128 consist of special and accented characters that are used regularly in the Western European languages. To specify these characters in an HTML document (or on StackExchange), you can enter the character entity (if one is defined) or the numeric entity. For example, to cause Æ to appear in a document, you could enter either Æ or Æ. Note that the case of character entities is significant. Specifying æ causes æ to be displayed.
the assumption of responsibility for the welfare of the world Language is the most important form of communication, the use of symbols. We observe the world, and attempt to notice patterns. We generalize from these patterns, and over time learn to connect the generalized patterns with meaning. A sign is a generalized pattern that we associate with a meaning. Most signs are direct interpretations of the way the world works: smoke is a sign for fire. Communication in general is an attempt by one person to elicit a certain interpretation by another. A symbol is a sign whose association between observed pattern and meaning is one of convention, where a particular pattern — a sound or a shape, for instance — could mean anything, but we choose for it to have a particular meaning. Language also involves ordering rules, in which additional meaning comes from the arrangement of symbols. Taken together, the total of symbols and ordering rules understood by an individual is that individual’s idiolect. The intersection of the idiolects of a group of persons, the symbols and ordering rules they understand in common, is that group’s dialect. Dialects also include what are conventionally called “languages”. For all hearing humans, speech is the primary form of language; it is learned first and becomes an organizing structure of our thought, as well as our communication. Speech involves symbols formed from sounds we make with our mouths. Written language, while important in literate societies, is subordinate to spoken language. We mostly use writing to represent language that exists primarily as speech. Language evolves over time. Changes are introduced in small ways, by one or a few speakers, through exposure to new environments, development of new technologies, interaction with speakers of other dialects, individual preferences, and even sometimes as errors. Some of these changes become broadly adopted and eventually are typical for a dialect. An observable example of this is slang; slang emerges within a subgroup, creating new words or giving new meaning to old words; most slang dies out, but some catches on, becoming standard. This is normal for all language and happens continually. And if there were only one language group in the world, and if its speakers lived in constant communication, in a single village for instance, then there would only be one dialect in the world, albeit one that gradually changed over time. However, language groups do not always stay intact, do not always keep in constant communication. When a group speaking a particular dialect splits into two groups, each of them will speak that same dialect in the beginning. But each dialect will change, as usual. The difference is that now each change will not be communicated throughout the larger original group, but only through one of the new smaller groups. Eventually those changes will add up, and the two dialects will have changed so much that the groups cannot understand each other very well, or at all. In traditional linguistics, a distinction is made between ‘a language’ and ‘a dialect’. In this usage, dialects of a single language are mutually intelligible, meaning that their speakers can understand each other, while speech varieties that are not mutually intelligible are separate languages. In reality, linguists have long recognized that mutual intelligibility is a matter of degree. No two persons understand each other perfectly. Many symbols are borrowed so widely that billions of people can understand them, even while understanding very little else in common. Linguists can only distinguish between “languages” and “dialects” by setting an arbitrary threshold for mutual intelligibility. Moreover, the distinction between “languages” and “dialects” is often made (occasionally even in linguistics) for non-linguistic reasons, particularly related to political power or national identity. Favored dialects are always “languages”; in a famous unattributed statement, “A language is a dialect with an army and navy.” (אַ שפּראַך איז אַ דיאַלעקט מיט אַן אַרמיי און פֿלאָט. « Ɔa šprɔak ɔīz ɔa dīɔalceqt mīt ɔan ɔarmīj ɔūn Dialects that evolved from the same source are said to be related; a group of related dialects is a language family. Typically the term is applied to the broadest known grouping, a grouping which is itself not known to be related to any other dialects. Smaller groupings within the family are then known as branches; each branch must have evolved from a single dialect which itself evolved from the original dialect of the entire family. While some of this evolution happened in the historical period (as Latin evolved into the Romance dialects, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and the like), most of it is reconstructed by linguists through comparison of dialects as they are spoken or have been recorded. The language families with the largest number of speakers: Indo-European dialects are spoken by nearly half the world. The family was originally identified through a comparison of Latin, Ancient Greek, and Sanskrit, and the study of Indo-European led to the basic methods of linguistic reconstruction. It must be noted that these families are based on the current state of the field; while Indo-European is widely accepted, some families are controversial, some internal relationships are uncertain, and there are proposals to group some of these families (including Indo-European) into even-larger families, and at least some of those proposals are sure to be accepted in time. The basic unit — the smallest symbol — of human language is often taken by its users to be the word, but many conventional words can be analyzed into smaller symbols, morphemes, which are the smallest possible meaningful units of language; the /s/ that marks a plural in English is an example. These morphemes are then assembled according to ordering rules to make longer symbols, which can be assembled according to further ordering rules, and so on. Conventional words are classified as parts of speech — noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, pronoun, conjunction. Fundamentally, though, there are only five basic functional classes through which ideas are expressed: nouns, which refer to things, verbs, which refer to actions (in a form analogous to ‘do’), modifiers, which describe things, actions, or other modifiers, dependent particles, which establish logical relationships among the other parts of speech, and independent particles, which convey complete thoughts without resort to the other four. Adjectives, adverbs, and articles are all modifiers, most pronouns are of course nouns, conjunctions and prepositions (and the conceptually-identical postpositions) are dependent particles, many interjections are independent particles. (So-called “possessive pronouns” are actually modifiers; many interjections are nouns, verbs, or modifiers.) These functional elements can be conventional words, but they can also be conventional phrases; there are ordering rules that allow complex nouns to be composed from other nouns, modifiers, and particles, or complex modifiers to be composed from nouns and verbs. A prepositional phrase, for example, is a modifier composed of a dependent particle and a noun. Other important concepts: — dialect continuum — a geographical phenomenon in which two or more related dialects, spoken in adjoining areas, blend into each other. While conventionally we imagine the world divided up into discreet languages, the continuum is actually the norm. The map at the right shows the South Slavic dialect continuum. Traditionally it has been divided conventionally into Slovenian, Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, and Bulgarian; more recently Serbo-Croatian has been further divided on political grounds into Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian. From a linguistic point of view, though, none of these distinctions is reliable, as there is no clear line between any of the vernaculars. — native dialect — the dialect an individual learns from birth, in its home, from its family. It is possible to learn more than one dialect from birth, and thus have more than one native dialect; but native dialects by definition cannot be changed, or acquired later in life. Native dialect is not racially or ethnically determined; it is not the original dialect of one’s group. — vernacular dialect — the dialect used for everyday, casual communication, in the home, among family and friends. — standard dialect — a dialect developed as a common form among many similar dialects, and for education and literature. Typically a standard dialect is simply the local dialect of an important place within a dialect continuum, such as the seat of government. It can also be a compromise among features present at different locations within the continuum. — lingua franca — a dialect used to communicate between two persons or communities that do not share the same native dialect. Typically linguae francae are regionally or functionally based, so that, in a particular area or in a particular field of activity, a particular dialect will be used as the lingua franca. Linguae francae have historically been chosen based on two criteria: governmental power (the dialect of the seat of government or the ruling group) and trade (the dialect of an important trading location or population). — official dialect — a dialect actually used in a state’s official business. This is not a matter of declaration, but observable fact. — promoted dialect — a dialect which a government is attempting to spread, generally as an act of political nationalism. This is typically done through state education and through restrictions on other dialects. — language isolate — a dialect with no known relatives. Basque, spoken on opposite sides of the Pyrenees in Europe, is a frequent example. It is highly unlikely that there are genuine isolates; more likely is that we have not yet established relationships that will eventually be known. © O.T. FORD Home of the Stewardship Project and O.T. Ford
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION The Assynt region has been a Mecca for geologists for over a century. There are many reasons which make it a classic area in British geology, and even in world geology. The rock formations here are so important that the area is part of the NORTH-WEST HIGHLANDS GEOPARK. Some of the oldest rocks in the world occur in Assynt; there is one of the best exposed sedimentary formations in Britain, and great fault structures can be easily observed. Rock exposure is very good largely because the landscape was stripped of soil and vegetation by the movement of ice sheets, which melted only 10,000 years ago. There is still much bare rock exposed today. The geological history of Assynt was originally worked out by Professors Peach and Horne and their team of geologists in the early years of the last century. They saw in the rocks of Assynt structures which rivalled those to be found in the Alps, where great masses of older rock have been thrust above younger formations. This model in the Assynt Visitor Centre depicts Assynt during and after the Ice Age, demonstrating the contribution of glacial activity to the creation of this stunning landscape The Lewisian rocks The oldest rocks in Assynt, which are also among the oldest in the world, belong to a group of rocks called, the Lewisian complex . This name comes from the largest Hebridian island, Lewis , which has extensive areas of this rock formation. The Lewisian rocks can be well seen around Lochinver The main rock type is highly metamorphosed gneiss (pronounced ‘nice’). Metamorphism, caused by burial at great depth where pressures and temperatures are extreme, has formed the gneiss from whatever it may have been originally. It is thought that some of the gneiss was initially sedimentary rock, possibly sandstones and limestones. Some of it may have been igneous rocks, such as granite or basalt. Essentially the gneiss is a hard, greyish rock, with alternating dark and light bands. This banding is the result of segregation of low and high density minerals during metamorphism. The pale bands contain much quartz and feldspar; the darker bands are made of denser minerals including, biotite mica . Sometimes the bands are twisted and bent, suggesting that the rock must at one time have been plastic. This Lewisian gneiss forms most of the lower ground in Assynt. Its landscape is one of hummocky low hills and water-filled hollows. It is part of the original crust of the Earth, and is similar to the oldest rocks in the great continental masses such as the Canadian shield. By studying the radio-active breakdown of minerals in the gneiss, its age has been estimated at over 2,700 million years, and that is a date for the rock being metamorphosed, so the original rocks must have been far older. Other, younger, dates have also been obtained, and these, 2,400 and 1,800 million years, are thought to represent times when the rocks were involved in periods of mountain formation. The Lewisian rocks thus belong to what geologists call the Pre-Cambrian part of geological time, which dates back from 545 million years ago to the formation of the earth 4,500 million years ago. Many other rock types occur within the Lewisian complex. There are intrusions of basic and ultra-basic rocks, which form very dark patches and sheets running across the gneiss. Around 1,000 million years ago the Lewisian rocks seem to have been subjected to large-scale erosion. Indeed, the landscape which the gneiss forms today may be much the same as that resulting from this ancient period of erosion. Sedimentary rocks are those formed by the deposition of particles eroded and weathered from older rocks. Around 900 million years ago, a range of mountains existed to the west, roughly where the Western Isles are today. This mountain range was actively eroded, and great river systems flowed eastwards, depositing boulders, sand and mud onto the eroded Lewisian landscape, over what is now north-western Scotland. Thousands of metres of this sediment were deposited. The sandstones tend to have a reddish-brown colour. This is partly because they contain iron oxides, and also because, in places, they are rich in pinkish feldspar, derived from the erosion of the Lewisian gneiss. Feldspar breaks down readily during weathering, and the fresh-looking feldspar in the sandstones suggests rapid deposition. In places there are layers of boulders and pebbles, possibly the result of turbulent flash-floods. On the surfaces of some of the strata are the ripples left on the original wet sand and mud by water currents, and some surfaces have patterns of cracks where the mud dried out over 800 million years ago. is a remarkable volcanic mud flow which occurs within the reddish Torridonian strata. This mud flow contains angular rock fragments and greenish mineralised patches. Some of the earliest fossils occur in mudstones within the Torridonian strata. These are small, domed, algal structures, which probably developed in shallow lagoons. Today, the Torridonian sediments form the isolated mountains of Assynt, and the strata can be clearly seen, on sides of Suilven , rising above the irregular gneiss platform. These sediments also form striking sea cliffs, as at Stoer Head where caves and stacks have been eroded through the strata. The surface separating the gneiss from the overlying Torridonian rocks is called an unconformity. It represents a gap in time, where millions of years are not represented by any rocks. It is remarkable that the Torridonian sedimentary rocks have existed for over 800 million years without being involved in metamorphism or folding. On the tops of some of the Assynt mountains, such as Cul Mor , there is a patch of pale grey rock which shimmers and sparkles in the sunlight. This rock is quartzite, and, as its name suggests it is made almost entirely of the mineral quartz. This is sand from the margins of a long lost sea that covered the area around 550 million years ago. An unconformity separates it from the underlying brownish Torridonian strata, much of which was eroded before Cambrian time. In places all the Torridonian layers were eroded, so the Cambrian rocks rest here directly on the Lewisian gneiss.The quartzite also occurs at lower levels, and is beside Loch Assynt , not far from Skiag Bridge Within some of the quartzite strata are the fossilised burrows of worms. The ‘pipe rock’ is a pinkish quartzite full of these vertical burrows. As the Cambrian sea spread, rusty-weathering shales and mudstones formed on the sea bed. These contain fossil trilobiteS – a genus called Olenellus . In Britain this trilobite occurs only in western Scotland, but it is found in Cambrian rocks in North America. This suggests that at this time Scotland was joined to North America, and a wide, deep ocean, across which Olenellus could not migrate, separated it from the rest of Britain. Cambrian limestones were deposited above the quartzites and shales. These form massive cliffs near Inchnadamph . The limestones produce a landscape with many classic features such as caves, potholes and limestone pavements. Here limestone soils give rise to a rare flora, visited each year by many botanists. The Moine Rocks and the Great Thrusts Further to the east is another group of metamorphosed Pre-Cambrian rocks, which are not as old as the Lewisian rocks, but older than the Torridonian. These are the Moine group. They are schists and other metamorphic rocks, which originally formed deep in the Earth’s crust. These rocks are associated with a series of large thrust faults, which have carried them many kilometres from the east to ride over younger rocks in the west. The Moine Thrust is the most easterly of these thrusts, and below it are others, which bring huge slices of older rock westwards. Possibly the most spectacular and most visible of the thrusts is that at Loch Glencoul , to the north of the Assynt region. Here, Lewisian gneiss has been thrust over younger rocks. For more details the following may be consulted: Geological Excursion Guide to the Assynt District of Sutherland, Johnson and Parsons, Edinburgh Geological Society. Geologists’ Association Guide No 21: The Lewisian and Torridonian Rocks of North-West Scotland, Barber et al. Geologists’ Association Guide The Late Pre Cambrian Geology of the Scottish Highlands and Islands, Hambrey et al.
Children and youth who experience hunger appear more likely to have health problems, and repeated episodes of hunger may be particularly toxic, according to a report in Archives of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Food insecurity - a lack of adequate access to food for financial reasons - affected approximately 15% of American households in 2008, and many millions of families in the developing world. Child hunger is an extreme manifestation of food insecurity, defined as a period of time when children experience being hungry because their family has run out of food or the money to buy food. Sharon I. Kirkpatrick, from the National Cancer Institute in the US, and colleagues analysed data from a Canadian survey of 5,809 children age 10 to 15 years and 3,333 youth age 16 to 21 years over a 10-year period, from 1994 to 2004-2005. During this time, 3.3% of children and 3.9% of youth had ever experienced hunger and 1.1% of children and 1.4% of youth were hungry at two or more time points. Overall, more than one in 10 children (13.5%) and one in four youth (28.6%) reported poor health in the final round of the survey. Rates of poor health were higher among those who were hungry at any time than among those who had never experienced hunger (32.9% vs. 12.8% for children and 47.3% vs. 27.9% for youth). The association between hunger and poor health among children persisted after adjustment for baseline health and for other household markers of disadvantage, including low income and lack of home ownership. Hunger ups chronic illness, asthma Although one episode of hunger was not associated with chronic conditions or with asthma, youth who were hungry more than once during the survey were more likely to have asthma or any chronic illness than those who had never been hungry. "The mechanism by which childhood hunger negatively affects health is not well understood. Food insecurity has been associated with emotional and psychological stress among children, which could exert a negative effect on general health and contribute to heightened risk of chronic diseases," the authors write. "While abnormal body weight may also negatively influence health and increase vulnerability to a range of chronic conditions, the existing research has not confirmed an association between food insecurity and body weight among children." "The findings of this study add to the literature showing that hunger is a serious risk factor for long-term poor health among children and youth, pointing to the relevance of severe food insecurity as an identifiable marker of vulnerability," the authors conclude. "Clinicians should familiarise themselves with risk factors for household food insecurity, which are largely related to economic disadvantage, and take steps to ensure that potentially vulnerable families receive available support. The findings also reinforce the need for advocacy for policy interventions to eliminate problems of poverty and food insecurity, which pose an unacceptable but remediable risk to children." - (EurekAlert!, August 2010)
Microprocessor and IC programmers, compilers and debuggers are programs that translate high-level language codes into assembly (machine) code, or track and correct errors (bugs) in program code. Many different types of microprocessor and IC programmers, compilers and debuggers are available. Major suppliers include Microsoft, Borland, and Intel. Most microprocessor manufacturers provide in-circuit emulators for their products. Others providers include application companies that develop customizable microprocessor compiler and microprocessor debugger solutions. Developers use microprocessor and IC programmers, compilers and debuggers to build the machine language components that assemble bit patterns, or the linked bits necessary to deliver binary instructions directly to the microprocessor. Because the high-level programming languages used to create software applications are not capable of communicating directly with computer microprocessors, data is transmitted through sequenced bits of data controlled by fixed functions within transistor gates. Microprocessor and IC programmers, compilers and debuggers are capable of a process called linking, since bitwise operations aren't normally confined to those functions within applications. Most microprocessor and IC programmers, compilers and debuggers require related bitwise operations to be contained within libraries. Like library calls within high-level programming languages, a microprocessor compiler must have the ability to link to those libraries that are typically contained within an operating system (OS). One example are the *.dll (dynamic link Library) files in Microsoft Windows. Writing embedded systems applications also requires developers to use microprocessor debuggers. Most chips are equipped with diagnostic plugs that microprocessor engineers and programmers can use to detect and repair errors in their hardware and software. Microprocessor and IC programmers, compilers and debuggers are critical to producing sound computing circuitry since there is typically no way to code embedded systems to record actual functions or display the results. One example of a microprocessor debugger is the in-circuit emulator. An emulator can run programs on a "virtual" microprocessor to produce input/output and memory allocation hardware functions based on the actual microprocessor specifications and programs. It can also send commands to stop, start, or interrupt programs at given points to see the impact of sudden loss in processing power.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a broad diagnostic term used to describe a problem with movement and posture that makes certain activities difficult. Although someone who has cerebral palsy may have problems moving his or her muscles, this is not because there is something wrong with the muscles or nerves. These difficulties are caused because of problems in the brain. CP can be the result of an injury to the brain during gestation or in the first year of life, or it occur when the brain does not develop properly during gestation. The injured or abnormal brain is unable to optimally control movement and posture. Simply stated, “cerebral” refers to the brain, and “palsy” refers to muscle weakness and poor control. Although the brain itself will not get worse, people who have CP will usually change over time. Sometimes they will get better, and some patients will stay the same. Occasionally they will get worse, usually because of changing muscle tone or development of joint contractures. There is currently no cure for CP; however there are different treatment options for people who have it. These options include therapy, medications, surgery, education and support. By taking advantage of these treatments, people with CP can . . .
If you consume excess calories, your body stores them in the form of fat, specifically something called white adipose tissue. But lately you may have been hearing about another kind of body fat, called brown fat (or brown adipose tissue), which is more metabolically active than white fat. Typically found in small patches in the neck area and along the spine and upper back, brown fat contains a high concentration of energy-producing mitochondria. Rather than storing calories, it assists in calorie burning. Another type of brown fat, referred to as beige fat, is found marbled among white fat cells. This beige fat seems to have the ability to switch between energy storage and energy burning. Research into brown fat has accelerated in recent years as scientists look for better ways to treat obesity. The hope is that stimulating brown fat—perhaps through drugs or environmental or nutritional changes—will increase calorie burning. But there are still many unknowns. The body uses brown fat as a way to produce heat under cold conditions without shivering (shivering is another mechanism that burns calories). Not surprisingly, infants, who can’t shiver, have a lot of brown fat, which helps them maintain normal body temperature. It was thought that this fat vanishes with age, but recent studies have shown that, though it does diminish over time (especially in obese people, unfortunately for them), adults do retain varying amounts of brown fat, which can be activated to different degrees. If brown fat does play a significant role in energy expenditure, it may help explain some of the differences in people’s tendencies to gain weight (or not), even if they eat and exercise the same amount and are the same height and weight. Studies in animals, as well as a few in people, have linked increased brown fat to reduced obesity. Still, other factors—notably overeating, lack of exercise, and genetics—play far greater roles in obesity. Can you boost your brown fat? As hypothesized in a 2011 paper in Obesity Reviews, the rise in indoor home temperatures in developed countries, thanks to central heating, along with increased time spent indoors and in heated cars, may be contributing to the rise in obesity by causing a loss of brown fat and reduced energy expenditure.
If left to worsen, a child's anxiety disorder can also interfere with developing friendships and relationships and with school and career success. And unchecked anxieties have been linked to substance abuse and risk for other mental health issues, like depression, eating disorders, and suicide. The good news is that treatments are available to help children cope better with their anxiety symptoms. Therapy for children's anxiety disorders The most common type of therapy used to treat childhood anxiety disorders is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT is considered a form of "talk therapy," in which a child and their therapist have conversations meant to identify and replace negative, unrealistic thinking patterns and behaviours. It sets itself apart from other "talk therapies" by focusing on learning and applying cognitive and behavioural strategies to manage anxiety. In addition, unlike other "talk therapies" that may be more focused on providing support, CBT is more problem-focused and goal-oriented, aimed at teaching concrete skills that people can apply in their day-to-day lives. Over the course of therapy, children learn skills, strategies, and techniques to relax and to recognize and reduce their own anxiety. Family therapy might also be an option, providing a safe dialogue about the child's anxiety and how it relates to parents and siblings. Family therapy will often be focused on identifying and modifying family interactions and dynamics that serve to reinforce or worsen the child's anxiety symptoms. A child's anxiety may in fact be caused by overall family stress factors that may need to be addressed. When a family undergoes therapy together, recovery becomes a family effort rather than solely the child's burden to bear. Parents and siblings can learn constructive, helpful ways to interact with a child who has anxiety so as not to reinforce negative behaviour or worsen symptoms. Therapists may use a play-oriented approach, using art, toys, and games to engage children in discussion. Role-playing with puppets or modelling positive behaviours can also help to reinforce anxiety-coping techniques. Medication treatments for anxiety disorders The decision to have a child take anxiety medication will depend on the severity of their symptoms as well as how they respond to such things as therapy and lifestyle changes. Sometimes, in cases of severe anxiety symptoms or when the child is not benefitting from psychological treatments, medications may help ease anxiety enough so that the child may actually be better able to engage in psychological treatments and benefit from them more. Not all medications for anxiety can be prescribed to children, and parents will need to monitor the child closely for changes in behaviour. If you are unsure about medication to treat your child's anxiety disorder, speak to your doctor about your concerns and questions. Some good questions to ask include: - How will this medication help my child? - How long will my child need to take this medication? - What are the risks of taking (or not taking) the medication? - How long will it take to see results? - What are the most common side effects of medication?
Presentation on theme: "Social Studies Acceleration Grade 8"— Presentation transcript: 1 Social Studies Acceleration Grade 8 Spring Intervention 2009 2 Georgia Performance Standards SSCG1 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the political philosophies that shaped the development of United States constitutional government.a. Analyze key ideas of limited government and the rule of law as seen in the Magna Carta, the Petition of Rights, and the English Bill of Rights.b. Analyze the writings of Hobbes (Leviathan), Locke (Second Treatise on Government), and Montesquieu (The Spirit of Laws) as they affect our concept of government.SSCG2 The student will analyze the natural rights philosophy and the nature of government expressed in the Declaration of Independence.a. Compare and contrast the Declaration of Independence and the Social Contract Theory.b. Evaluate the Declaration of Independence as a persuasive argument.SSCG3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the United States Constitution.a. Explain the main ideas in debate over ratification; include those in The Federalist.b. Analyze the purpose of government stated in the Preamble of the United States Constitution.c. Explain the fundamental principles upon which the United States Constitution is based; include the rule of law, popular sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism. 3 Rule of LawThe rule of law requires both citizens and governments to be subject to known and standing laws. 4 Do you agree or disagree with former President Nixon Do you agree or disagree with former President Nixon? (Defend Your Position-Discussion)President Richard NixonDavid Frost (reporter) “So what in a sense, you're saying is that there are certain situations, and the Huston Plan or that part of it was one of them, where the president can decide that it's in the best interests of the nation or something, and do something illegal.”Richard Nixon:“Well, when the president does it that means that it is not illegal.” 5 Limited Government (Discussion) Why should government power be limited?How can we limit government power? 6 Limited GovernmentGovernment can be limited by dividing power horizontally among different governing units, each with its own geographical and functional interests, as among national, regional, and local or municipal governments.Government can be limited by delegating powers to it for explicit purposes and reserving all remaining power to the people and, in this case, the communities.Power may also be limited by balancing it within the federal government, as among its legislative, executive, and judicial functions. 7 Magna CartaKing John of England agreed, in 1215, to the demands of his barons and authorized that handwritten copies of Magna Carta be prepared on parchment, affixed with his seal, and publicly read throughout the realm. Thus he bound not only himself but his "heirs, for ever" to grant "to all freemen of our kingdom" the rights and liberties the great charter described. With Magna Carta, King John placed himself and England's future sovereigns and magistrates within the rule of law. 8 Plain English Please!Students will read and discuss the highlighted sections of the Magna Carta.Students will re-write the highlighted passages in modern English. 9 Petition of RightsPetition of Right, a statute of the English Parliament passed in 1628 and accepted by Charles I. This petition stated several fundamental principles of the English constitution.Parliament passed the petition as a reaction against the arbitrary rule of King Charles. The petition restated some of the ancient rights and privileges of Englishmen, and reaffirmed four great principles: no taxes should be levied without the consent of Parliament; no freeman should be imprisoned except by the law of the land; no soldiers should be billeted in citizens' homes without payment; and martial law should not be proclaimed in time of peace. Charles accepted the petition to get the taxes he wanted, but he continued his arbitrary rule. Eventually he was defeated in the Civil War and was put to death. 10 English Bill of RightsThe English Bill of Rights was designed to control the power of kings and queens and to make them subject to laws passed by Parliament.This bill was a precursor to the American Bill of Rights, and set out strict limits on the Royal Family's legal prerogatives such as a prohibition against arbitrary suspension of Parliament's laws. More importantly, it limited the right to raise money through taxation to Parliament.Students will read and discuss the highlighted sections of this document. 11 View Lesson 2 English and Enlightenment Traditions (lesson time: about 15 minutes)click on: the above link to open the websiteclick on: Lesson 2,click on: play button for the first presentationclick on: second top Enlightenment Political Philosophiesclick on: Glossary (top of the page) 12 Limited Government & Rule of Law Did you see evidence of limited government and the rule of law in the Magna Carta, the Petition of Rights, and the English Bill of Rights? 14 HobbesLeviathanHobbes depicts the natural condition of mankind--known as the state of nature--as inherently violent and awash with fear. The state of nature is the "war of every man against every man," in which people constantly seek to destroy one another. This state is so horrible that human beings naturally seek peace, and the best way to achieve peace is to construct the Leviathan through social contract. 15 Social Contract Theory Social Contract Theory, nearly as old as philosophy itself, is the view that persons' moral and/or political obligations are dependent upon a contract or agreement between them to form society.After Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are the best known proponents of this enormously influential theory, which has been one of the most dominant theories within moral and political theory throughout the history of the modern West. 16 LockeSecond Treatise on GovernmentThe Second Treatise of Government places sovereignty into the hands of the people. Locke's fundamental argument is that people are equal and invested with natural rights in a state of nature in which they live free from outside rule. In the state of nature, natural law governs behavior, and each person has license to execute that law against someone who wrongs them by infringing on their rights. 17 Montesquieu The Spirit of Laws Montesquieu advocates constitutionalism and the separation of powers, the abolition of slavery, the preservation of civil liberties and the rule of law, and the idea that political and legal institutions ought to reflect the social and geographical character of each particular community. 18 The Big Thinkers: Mini-assessment HobbesLockeMontesquieuA. The Second Treatise of Government places sovereignty into the hands of the people.B. He advocates for constitutionalism and the separation of powers.C. The best way to achieve peace is to construct the Leviathan through social contract. 19 King George III & Great Britain need more $ French and Indian War This war between Britain and France ended with the victorious British deeply in debt and demanding more revenue from the colonies. With the defeat of the French, the colonies became less dependent on Britain for protection.The British increase taxes on the 13 American colonies. 20 Revolutionary WarThe American Revolution began in 1775 as open conflict between the united thirteen colonies and Great Britain. By the Treaty of Paris that ended the war in 1783, the colonies had won their independence.While no one event can be pointed to as the actual cause of the revolution, the war began as a disagreement over the way in which Great Britain treated the colonies versus the way the colonies felt they should be treated. Americans felt they deserved all the rights of Englishmen. The British, on the other hand, felt that the colonies were created to be used in the way that best suited the crown and parliament. This conflict is embodied in one of the rallying cries of the American Revolution: No Taxation Without Representation. 21 View Revolutionary War Lesson 13 click on: the above link to open the websiteclick on: Lesson 13,click on: play button for the first presentationclick on: second top (some lessons have three presentations)click on: Glossary or Timeline (top of the page) 22 July 4thWhy do Americans celebrate the 4th of July? 23 The first painting that Trumbull completed for the Rotunda shows the presentation of the Declaration of Independence in what is now called Independence Hall, Philadelphia. 24 Declaration of Independence Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument. Here, in exalted and unforgettable phrases, Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. The political philosophy of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the Continental philosophers. What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy in "self-evident truths" and set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify before the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country. 25 Primary Source Analysis: The Declaration Of Independence What is a primary source? autobiographies, diaries, , interviews, letters, minutes, news film footage, official records, photographs, raw research data, speeches, art, drama, films, music, novels, poetry, buildings, clothing, DNA, furniture, jewelry, potteryUsing a copy of the Declaration of Independence, students will analyze the highlighted sections by responding to the primary source handout. 26 View Lesson 12 Declaration of Independence View Declaration of Independenceclick on: the above link to open the websiteclick on: Lesson 12click on: play button for the first presentationclick on: second top (some lessons have more than 2 presentations)click on: Glossary or Timeline (top of the page) 27 Loyalist or RebelBrainstorm a list of the advantages and disadvantages of independence. 28 The Founding Fathers The signers of the Declaration of Independence. Read and Discuss 29 Franklin v. FranklinAssignment: After reading the biography of Benjamin Franklin and “My Son My Enemy”, write a response to the question below.Loyalist or Patriot Benjamin Franklin and his son William took different sides in the American Revolution. They did not speak to each other after the war began. How do you think your relationship would be affected if you disagreed with a member of your family about politics? 30 The U.S. Constitution What is a constitution? A document that outlines the structure and function of government. 31 Articles of Confederation The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, on November 15, However, ratification of the Articles of Confederation by all thirteen states did not occur until March 1, The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. 32 Problems With The “Articles” 1) Under the Articles there was only a unicameral legislature so that there was no separation of powers.2) The central government under the Articles was too weak since the majority of the power rested with the states.3) Congress, under the Articles, did not have the power to tax which meant that they could never put their finances in order.4) In order to change or amend the Articles, unanimous approval of the states was required which essentially meant that changes to the Articles were impossible.5) For any major laws to pass they had to be approved by 9 or the 13 states which proved difficult to do so that even the normal business of running a government was difficult.6) Under the Articles, Congress did not have the power to regulate commerce which will cause competition between states as well as diplomatic issues, 33 U.S. ConstitutionThe Constitution was written in Yes, it is over 200 years old. We actually have old copies of what was created. The master copies are stored at the National Archives in Washington D.C 34 Writing the U.S. Constitution From May to September 1787 a group of men known as the Framers met. The Framers talked about what should be in the Constitution. The United States was a brand new country. The United States had a government that did not work very well. The Framers met to find a new way of running the country. This meeting is called The Convention. Some of the Framers are famous to us today. They include James Madison, Ben Franklin, and George Washington. 35 The Constitutional Convention When the Constitution was written, the Framers knew their creation was not perfect. They knew that other people would have good ideas for the Constitution. They wanted to be sure that it wasn't too hard to make changes. They also wanted to be sure that it wasn't too easy.The Framers added an amendment process. An amendment to the Constitution is a change that can add to the Constitution or change an older part of it.Originally, some people did not want to ratify the Constitution. One big reason was that it did not have a bill of rights. A bill of rights is a list of rights that belong to the people. The government is not allowed to break these rights. Some of these rights might sound familiar: the right of free speech; the right to practice your own religion; the right to be silent if you are arrested. The original Constitution had no bill of rights. Many of the Framers did not think it was needed. But many people wanted one. So, promises were made to add one, using the amendment process.Soon, the new government started meeting. Congress proposed the Bill of Rights. A list of twelve changes was sent to the states. In 1791, ten of those changes were agreed to by the states. The ten changes were added to the Constitution. These ten changes are called the "Bill of Rights." 36 US Constitution: The Framers Conflict: Framers did not always agreeCompromise 37 Conflict The VIRGINIA PLAN A bicameral legislature (two houses) Both house's membership determined proportionatelyThe lower house was elected by the peopleThe upper house was elected by the lower houseThe legislature was very powerfulAn executive was planned, but would exist to ensure the will of the legislature was carried out, and so was chosen by the legislatureFormation of a judiciary, with life-terms of serviceThe executive and some of the national judiciary would have the power to veto legislation, subject to overrideNational veto power over any state legislationThe NEW JERSEY PLANThe current Congress was maintained, but granted new powers - for example, the Congress could set taxes and force their collectionAn executive, elected by Congress, was created - the Plan allowed for a multi-person executiveThe executives served a single term and were subject to recall based on the request of state governorsA judiciary appointed by the executives, with life-terms of serviceLaws set by the Congress took precedence over state law 38 The GREAT Compromise A bicameral legislature The lower house, the House of Delegates, was elected by the people, with proportional representationThe upper house, the Senate, elected by the House of Delegates, four from each of four districts, with four year termsAn executive called the President, elected by the legislatureA Council of Revision consisting of the President and some or all of his Cabinet, with a veto over billsNational veto power over any state legislationA judiciary was established 39 The Framers & SlaverySlavery is referred to in a couple of places. For one thing, there was the 3/5 Compromise where every 5 slaves counted as 3 people in terms of apportionment for the House of Representatives. Further, the government was given the power to restrict the slave trade. Finally, there was a section where it says that if people held to service or labor (slavery) in one state escape them must not be freed by the laws of another state. 40 The Federalist & Anti-Federalist Generally speaking, the federalists were in favor of ratification of the Constitution.John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison coordinated their efforts and wrote a series of 85 letters under the name "Publius." These letters both explained the new Constitution and answered the charges of the Anti-Federalists. The letters were collected into a volume called "The Federalist," or "The Federalist Papers."Anti-FederalistThose who opposed the Constitution actually wanted a more purely federal system, they were more or less forced into taking the name "Anti-Federalists." These men had many reasons to oppose the Constitution. They did not feel that a republican form of government could work on a national scale. They also did not feel that the rights of the individual were properly or sufficiently protected by the new Constitution. They saw themselves as the true heirs of the spirit of the Revolution. Some very notable persons in United States history counted themselves Anti-Federalists, like Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, George Mason, George Clinton, and Luther Martin."The Anti-Federalist Papers“ wrote letters and speeches in support of their point of view. 43 View Lesson 17 Federalist v. Anti-Federalists View Federalist v. Anti-Federalistclick on: the above link to open the websiteclick on: Lesson 17click on: play button for the first presentationclick on: second top (some lessons have more than 2 presentations)click on: Glossary or Timeline (top of the page) 44 The Federalist Papers Federalist No. 10 The Federalist no. 10 show Madison's understanding of the primary threats to government and, even more importantly, present a logical counter to such threats. From the very beginning of this paper, Madison expresses the need of government to break and control the potential problems created by faction. He points out how the current government under the Articles of Confederation has many problems, problems created only by ourselves. Indeed it is also said that faction is what these problems can be traced toFederalist No. 51The Federalist no. 51 goes on to explain more of the advantages of the new government. His first area to hit on are the separation of powers, the three branches of government which each are independent of one another. He defines how the separation of powers, by having three branches with none being dependent on another and each with defined powers, offers the best security for the people who are being represented through this government. 45 Primary Source Analysis (Point of View) Students pretend to be Anti-Federalists and will write a rebuttal paragraph to the highlighted sections of Federalist No. 10 and Federalist No.51. 46 U.S. Constitution: Structure PreambleArticle I. Legislative Department (Congress)Article II. Executive Department (President)Article III. Judicial Department (Courts)Article IV. States' RelationsArticle V. Mode of AmendmentArticle VI. Prior Debts, National Supremacy, Oaths of OfficeArticle VII. Ratification 47 View Lesson 5-The Constitution click on: the above link to open the websiteclick on: Lesson 5,click on: play button for the presentationclick on: second top Structure of the Constitutionclick on: Glossary (top of the page) 48 U.S. Constitution: Functions (Separation of Powers) Legislative(Congress)Executive (President)Judicial(Courts)make the lawscarries out federal laws and recommends new onesinterpreting the Constitution (Supreme Court)Are laws constitutional?originating spending bills (House of Representatives)directs national defense (commander-in-chief)foreign policySupreme Court may decide if a convicted person received a fair trial (the Supreme Court picks which cases it wants to hear and rule on)approving treaties(Senate).vetoing lawsimpeaching officials(House-charges)(Senate-trial)Appointments (some require senate approval) 49 View Lesson 19 & 20: The President (follow the same steps from the previous lessons) 50 Checks & BalancesFor example: The President may veto a law passed by Congress.For example: Congress can override that veto with a vote of two-thirds of both houses.For example: The Supreme Court may check Congress by declaring a law unconstitutional. The power is balanced by the fact that members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president. Those appointments have to be approved by Congress. 51 View Lessons 16 & 17: House and Senate (follow the same steps from the previous lessons) 52 View Lessons 30 & 31: Supreme Court (follow the same steps from the previous lessons) 53 Assessment Suggestions Students may create a power point in support (federalist) or opposition (anti-federalist) of the US Constitution.Students may design their own US Constitution.Students may rewrite the Declaration of Independence in their own words (modern translation).Students may design a newspaper reporting on Loyalist and Rebels in 1775 or 1776. 54 Vocabulary (Commonly Used In the 9th Government Course-Discussion) preeminentaristocracyinalienableratificationstatus quoadvocatebarredaggregationirreligiousgubernatorialpluralityrespondentenumeratenon-partisanaffiliationdemographicinherentsubsequentdissent 55 “Academic Writing” : AP Social Studies What is a thesis statement?A thesis statement declares what you believe and what you intend to prove. 56 Thesis Statement: TIPS It avoids the first person. ("I believe," "In my opinion")It anticipates and refutes the counter-arguments.It avoids vague language (like "it seems"). 57 Thesis SamplesThe Simpsons represents the greatest animated show in the history of television. The ability to purchase television advertising is essential for any candidate's bid for election to the Senate because television reaches millions of people and thus has the ability to dramatically increase name recognition.A young person in the Middle Ages had very different expectations about marriage, family, and personal freedom than do young adults today. 58 Practice Writing Good Thesis Statements Students will write a thesis statement about the following:Rule of LawSeparation of PowersChecks and Balances 59 Teacher Resources Power Point Vocabulary Lessons-Presentations website (2 presentations & glossary per lesson)Assessment RecommendationsMagna Carta, (slide 8, Plain English Please activity –primary source)Petition of RightsEnglish Bill of Rights (slide 10,Read & Discuss highlighted sections)Declaration of Independence (slide 23, primary source analysis-handout)Federalists Papers No. 10 & No. 51(slide 39, pretend you are an anti-Federalist: write a rebuttal to the highlighted section of each Federalist Paper)The signers of the Declaration of Independence (slide 25, reading selection)Benjamin Franklin (biography), My Son My Enemy (slide 26, reading & writing prompt)
What Is It? Thyroid cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly. It is located under the Adam's apple in the front of the neck. Most cases of thyroid cancer can be cured. One of the functions of the thyroid gland is to make thyroid hormone, which requires iodine. The gland collects iodine from foods, concentrates it, and produces thyroid hormone. Doctors often exploit this important function when treating thyroid cancer. Thyroid hormone helps regulate the body's metabolism and energy level. An overactive thyroid can lead to hyperactivity, the "jitters," and an irregular heart rhythm; an underactive thyroid, fatigue and sluggishness. Cancer can affect the thyroid and cause these changes. Nestled against the thyroid gland are four very small glands called parathyroid glands. They play a role in regulating the body's use of calcium. The nerve that controls the voice box is also very close to the thyroid. If you need a thyroid operation, your surgeon needs to identify and avoid damaging these structures. If the voice box nerve is damaged, for example, your voice may sound hoarse permanently. The thyroid has two types of cells. They produce hormones that help regulate body functions: There are five types of thyroid cancers: Rarely, tumors arising from connective tissue (sarcomas) and lymph nodes (lymphomas) can start in the thyroid gland. They are treated differently than other thyroid cancers. Although scientists have not identified the exact cause of thyroid cancer, some studies have shown that people exposed to nuclear fallout or nuclear power plant accidents have a higher risk of developing thyroid cancer. In part, this is due to the presence of radioactive iodine. Because the thyroid has an attraction for iodine, the thyroid tissue accumulates this radioactive substance. Over time, it may cause cancer. Others who have a higher risk of thyroid cancer include people who Individuals who have received radiation therapy to the chest (to treat Hodgkin's disease, for example) have an increased incidence of thyroid abnormalities, including cancer. This is even more likely if the thyroid was included in the radiation field. Such people will need life-long follow up to assess thyroid function and check for cancer. Some forms of thyroid cancer are inherited. These occur alone (inherited MTC) or as part of a familial cancer syndrome known as multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2. Patients with MEN-2 develop tumors in other parts of the body, such as the adrenal gland and peripheral nervous system. Some forms of thyroid cancer may be caused by genetic changes (mutations) that occur after birth. Thyroid cancer is rare, accounting for only a small percentage of all cancers. However, it does strike more women than men. Page 1 of 9 Next Page: Thyroid Cancer Symptoms From Health A-Z, Harvard Health Publications. Copyright 2007 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Written permission is required to reproduce, in any manner, in whole or in part, the material contained herein. To make a reprint request, contact Harvard Health Publications. Used with permission of StayWell. You can find more great health information on the Harvard Health Publications website.
One of the primary goals of INDOEX is to determine the role that aerosols play in global climate change. Early results indicate that the pollutants play a dual role in that they have both warming and cooling effects. The tiny particles produce a cooling effect in that they scatter sunlight back to space. By acting as seeds for cloud condensation, they also produce an indirect cooling effect by increasing both the longevity and reflectivity, or albedo, of clouds. The pollutants have a warming effect, however, in that they absorb a large amount of sunlight. The airborne particles over the northern Indian Ocean are unusually dark because they contain large amounts of soot and other materials from incompletely burned fuels and wastes. Dark aerosols lead to the increased absorption of solar radiation. "The soot contributes a substantial amount of heating of the atmosphere, but it also reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the ocean," Ramanathan said. "So, it is just too early to say at this point whether the net effect is one of cooling or warming." The dark airborne particles over the Indian Ocean appear to be markedly different from those over North America and Europe, where advanced pollution control technologies remove much of the dark material and yield particles that are relatively brighter. Thus, the impact on climate processes of pollution particles stemming from Asia appears to be fundamentally different from those originating in the United States and Europe. The measurements taken in the Indian Ocean are also important because they characterize emissions from the rapidly emerging economies in this region. Emissions of pollutants are expected to increase over the Indian Ocean and in other parts of the globe as similar economies grow. The INDOEX scientists were surprised to find that such a dense pollution layer in the Indian Ocean was caused by sources at least a th Contact: Cheryl Dybas National Science Foundation
World Migratory Bird Day 2022 is focusing on the impacts of light pollution on our shared birds. Artificial light is increasing globally by at least two percent a year, presenting a problem for birds. Here are a few simple actions everyone can take to help birds a night. 1. Reduce the amount of light outside your home or place of business. Turn off all non-essential nighttime lights. For essential lights, use timers or motion detectors to keep usage to a minimum. And always use the minimum wattage necessary for the task at hand. (This helps save energy and money too!) 2. Change the color of your lights from cool to warm. Studies suggest that green and blue light attracts more birds than red, orange, or yellow light. Use light bulbs that emit warm lighting to minimize disturbance to birds. (Light color is measured in kelvins—the lower the number, the warmer the light.) 3. Direct all lighting downward. Place lights to illuminate the floor or ground and use lighting shields to prevent shining into the sky. 4. Advocate for bird-friendly lighting in your town. Consider working with your local government to create a lighting ordinance in your community or to enforce or improve existing guidelines. 5. Become a community scientist. Measure your night sky brightness and submit your observations to the Globe at Night program at globeatnight.org.
Ethernet cards or network interface cards are commonly supplied with all newly manufactured PC’s and are the interface between the computer and the transmission medium or cable. The Ethernet card controls the data being transmitted and received from the computer, Some of its many functions include fragmenting the data into manageable chunks called frames, to prepare it for transmission and to reassemble the received frames upon arrival. The card holds a unique address so that computers can locate each other on the network. Data carried on an Ethernet network conforms to a protocol called Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD). Older Ethernet networks would conform to a standard known as 10 Base 5 – which consisted of a half inch 50 -ohm coaxial cable sometimes referred to as ‘thick’ Ethernet. The 10 indicated the 10Mbps data transfer rate, Base refers to the Baseband transmission mode and 2 indicates a 185 (rounded to 200) metre recommended bus segment length or cable run. It was possible to add additional length to an Ethernet bus, simply by adding a device called a repeater, which amplifies the signal, allowing the it to reach greater distances and prevent attenuation or weakening. Also, separate networks could be linked together by connecting a device called a Bridge. A Bridge would hold a small database of computers and their corresponding addresses, which after examination of the frame would determine whether or not the data is transmitted onto the linked network or stay on the source network. There were many problems with this older style network configuration, mainly because each computer on the network had to contend with every other computer to send its data, as a result many collisions would occur and the network would become extremely slow. Today, most Ethernet installations conform to a standard known as 100/1000 Base T. The numbers refer to the maximum data transfer rate – 100 Mbps or 1000Mbps (1 Gbps). The Base is the Baseband signal and T refers to the Twisted pair medium or wire that carries the data. When using twisted pair cabling, a star topology is commonly used. Instead of each computer having to contend with other devices to send its signal, each computer can have a direct connection with a device called a switch (smaller networks may use a hub) which creates a virtual circuit with the destination device. In the above configuration each each computer can potentially achieve its maximum data rate of 100 or 1000 Mbps.
While appearing as a delicate and light veil draped across the sky, this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope actually depicts a small section of the Cygnus supernova blast wave, located around 2400 light-years away. The name of the supernova remnant comes from its position in the northern constellation of Cygnus (The Swan), where it covers an area 36 times larger than the full moon. The original supernova explosion blasted apart a dying star about 20 times more massive than our Sun between 10 000 and 20 000 years ago. Since then, the remnant has expanded 60 light-years from its centre. The shockwave marks the outer edge of the supernova remnant and continues to expand at around 350 kilometres per second. The interaction of the ejected material and the low-density interstellar material swept up by the shockwave forms the distinctive veil-like structure seen in this image.
We all know that the vaccines being delivered around the world right now work by protecting us from getting Covid. But what we still don’t know is whether they’ll also prevent us transmitting the virus to others. We simply don’t have enough public health data to answer the important question of transmission yet. In fact the way a vaccine generates antibodies in the body is so complex it could take years to answer that. Vaccines actually trick the immune system into making antibodies for an infection before you get it. Antibodies can then attack the actual virus when it enters your body before it has a chance to multiply into a full-blown infection. It would seem Covid-19 vaccines stimulate the body to produce a class of antibodies called immunoglobulinG, or IgG antibodies, explains Matthew Woodruff, an immunologist at Emory University, Atlanta, US. He describes IgG antibodies as thugs that react swiftly to all kinds of bacteria and viruses. But while they make up the bulk of our antibodies, they’re confined to our inner organs, such as muscles, blood and the lungs. But we also have another kind of antibody produced by our immune system, antibodies that deal with invaders as they enter the body from the outside and it could be even more important. Spaces like the nose, the throat, the lungs and digestive tract rely on another antibody, immunoglobulin A, or IgA antibodies. As yet, we don’t know how vaccines incite IgA antibodies that protect you as you breathe, eat, drink and touch your face. As the result of a Covid infection, your body manufactures huge amounts of these more-specialised IgA antibodies. Because they’re on the same respiratory surfaces that transmit coronavirus, it’s logical to assume people who recover from Covid aren’t spreading it any more. It will probably take years for research to reveal how well vaccines can prevent Covid transmission. But there’s another yardstick to tell if a vaccine is stopping a person from transmitting it. Community spread – the number of new cases. If numbers are rising, the virus is being passed on, if they’re falling, it isn’t spreading. Vaccines are working. As Woodruff says: “I can’t imagine how the vaccine would prevent symptomatic infection at the efficacies that trials reported and have no impact on transmission.” So we’ll have to wait to know for certain if people who got the vaccine can still transmit the virus. And it’s vital that, even after receiving both doses of the vaccine, everyone wears masks, practices social distancing and washes their hands when around those who haven’t been vaccinated – just in case.
Lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells and many other devices depend on the high mobility of ions in order to work properly. But there a large number of obstacles to such mobility. A research team led by Jennifer L. M. Rupp of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Harry L. Tuller of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have now shown for the first time that light can be used to increase the mobility of ions and improve the performance of such devices. A charge can be transported by a material in a number of different ways. The most familiar is the electrical conductivity of metals, where the charge is borne by electrons. In many devices, however, ions transport the charge. One example is lithium-ion batteries in which lithium ions move during charging and discharging. Similarly, fuel cells rely on the transport of hydrogen and oxygen ions in order to conduct electricity. Ceramics are currently being investigated as solid electrolytes for transporting oxygen ions. But: "What we find is that the ionic conductivity -- the rate at which the ions can move and, therefore, how efficient the resulting device can be -- is often markedly degraded by the fact that the ions get blocked at grain boundaries," says Prof. Harry L. Tuller of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Light puts ions on the go In their current publication Tuller and his colleague Jennifer L. M. Rupp, Professor for solid-state electrolyte chemistry at the Technical University of Munich, show how light can be used to reduce the barriers encountered by ions at ceramic grain boundaries. Many devices based on ion conductivity, such as solid-oxide fuel cells, have to operate at very high temperatures in order for the ions to be able to overcome the grain boundary barriers. Operating temperatures of up to 700° Celsius, however, present their own challenges: Materials age faster and the infrastructure for maintaining these high temperatures is costly. "Our dream was to see if we could overcome the barriers using something that doesn't require heat. Could we get the same conductivities with another tool?" says lead author and PhD student Thomas Defferriere. This tool turned out to be light, which had never been investigated in this context before. Higher efficiency levels in energy conversion and storage "Our research shows that illumination of ceramic materials for fuel cells and possibly for batteries in the future can significantly increase ion mobility," says Rupp. "In gadolinium-doped cerium oxide, a ceramic used as a solid-state electrolyte in fuel cells, illumination increased conductivity at the grain boundaries by a factor of 3.5." This newly discovered "opto-ionic effect" could find a wide range of applications in the future. For example, it could improve the performance of solid-state electrolytes in tomorrow's lithium-ion batteries and thus facilitate higher charging speeds, or could pave the way to the development of new electrochemical storage and conversion technologies that work at lower temperatures and achieve higher efficiency levels. Light can also be precisely focused, making it possible to spatially control the ion flow at exactly defined points or to switch conductivity in ceramic materials. The research was supported by the US Department of Energy as a part of the Basic Energy Services program, the National Science Foundation of the USA, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science as a part of the Core-to-Core program, the Swiss National Science Foundation, two Kakenhi Grants-In-Aid for young scientists and Equinor ASA. Part of the research was conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, and another part at the Center for Nanoscale Systems, which belongs to the National Science Foundation's National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure Network. Cite This Page:
Image of the day Strong impact of the drought on the Danube River Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery These images, acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B satellites on 20 August 2021 and 20 August 2022, provide evidence of the water scarcity which is affecting the Danube River in a segment which delineates the border between Bulgaria and Romania. The Danube River is one of the most important trade routes in Western Europe. Along with all other major European rivers, it has been strongly affected by the consequences of the extreme drought conditions ongoing in Europe. In some parts of western Europe, in fact, the Danube is unnavigable. On 12 August, the water level at Tulcea, in Romania, stood at 51 cm (data from the Danube Fairway Information Service Portal), a value which is 6 cm lower than the minimum value required for navigation, and dredging is currently being performed to allow the river circulation. With an average revisit time of five days at the equator, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites provide free and open data that can be used to monitor drought and its impact on ecosystems or infrastructure.
False uniqueness bias is a phenomenon in which people have a tendency to underestimate the extent to which others share their abilities, experiences, or characteristics. This can happen when people see their own abilities or experiences as being more rare or special than they really are, and assume that others do not have the same abilities or experiences. For example, if you are good at a particular skill, you may assume that you are the only one who has that skill, even if many other people also have that skill. False uniqueness bias can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, as people may not realize that their abilities or experiences are not as unique as they think. To avoid false uniqueness bias, it is important to be aware of our own biases and to make an effort to consider the perspectives of others, even if they differ from our own.
Past events and situations We use the past simple to talk about: - something that happened once in the past: The film started at seven thirty. We arrived home before dark. - something that was true for some time in the past: Everybody worked hard through the winter. We stayed with our friends in London. When we talk about something that happened several times in the past, we use the past simple: Most evenings, we stayed at home and watched DVDs. Sometimes they went out for a meal. or used to: Most evenings, we used to stay at home and watch DVDs. We used to go for a swim every morning. Most evenings, he would take the dog for a walk. They would often visit friends in Europe. We do not normally use would with stative verbs. We use the past simple or used to instead: wouldlooked much older than he does now. (NOT would look) wouldused to feel very cold in winter. (NOT would feel) - Past simple, used to and would 1 - Past simple, used to and would 2 We use the past continuous: - for something that happened before and after a specific time in the past: It was just after ten. I was watching the news on TV. At half-time we were losing 1–0. - for something that happened before and after another action in the past: He broke his leg when he was playing rugby. She saw Jim as he was driving away. - Past simple and past continuous 1 - Past simple and past continuous 2 The past in the past We use the past perfect when we are looking back from a point in the past to something earlier in the past: Helen suddenly remembered she had left her keys in the car. When we had done all our shopping, we caught the bus home. They wanted to buy a new computer, but they hadn't saved enough money. They would have bought a new computer if they had saved enough money. - Past simple, continuous and perfect 1 - Past simple, continuous and perfect 2 The past and the present We use the present perfect: - for something that started in the past and continues in the present: We have lived here since 2017. [and we still live here] I have been working at the university for over ten years. - for something that happened in the past but is important in the present: I can't open the door. I've left my keys in the car. Jenny has found a new job. She works in a supermarket now. \|We do not use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a finished past time: but we can use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a time which is not yet finished: - Present perfect and past simple 1 - Present perfect and past simple 2 The future in the past When we talk about the future from a time in the past we use: - would as the past tense of will: He thought he would buy one the next day. Everyone was excited. The party would be fun. - was/were going to: John was going to drive and Mary was going to follow on her bicycle. It was Friday. We were going to set off the next day. - the past continuous: It was September. Mary was starting school the next week. We were very busy. Our guests were arriving soon and we had to get their room ready. The past with modal verbs could is the past tense of can: You could get a good meal for a pound when I was a boy. would is the past tense of will: He said he would come but he forgot. We use may have, might have and could have to show that something has possibly happened in the past: I'll telephone him. He might have got home early. She's very late. She could have missed her train. We use should have as the past form of should: I didn't know he was ill. He should have told me. You shouldn't have spent so much money. We use would have and could have to talk about something that was possible in the past but did not happen: I could have gone to Mexico for my holiday but it was too expensive. I would have called you, but I had forgotten my phone. They would have gone out if the weather had been better.
In this chapter Create tables that make your content clear Format and use table content Make tables look the way you want Work with cells, rows, and columns to make your information shine Tables, along with charts, which we will explore in Chapter 4, "Using Charts," are mainstays of presentation. After all, a table can be a great way to show your audience members information and help them understand some concept or idea you are trying to get across. The good news is that you won't have to spend a lot of sweat and tears with tables in Keynote. As with most things in Keynote, the software does most of the hard work for you so that you can focus on your presentation's content. In this chapter you'll learn how to create, customize, and manage tables in presentations. The Wonderful World of Tables Okay, maybe tables aren't like flashy graphics or cool multimedia that will dazzle your audience, but let's also face the facts: Depending on the kind of presentation you are tackling, tables can be very helpful in a number of ways. The purpose of a table is to display information to your audience. The table gives the audience members an organized, systematic look at some content you are presenting, and in reality, content presented as a table is easier than text information for audience members to remember later because it gives what might be boring content a visual impact. For example, take a look at the table in Figure 3.1. Figure 3.1 Tables present information in a clear and concise manner. This table takes a simple three-column and two-row approach that gives sales figures for different periods of the year. The table is very basic in nature, but it makes otherwise bland information more interesting and easy to understand. You could jazz this table up a bit by using more colors and even marking the low period (summer) in red or using a graphic, which you'll see how to do later in this chapter. When should you use a table? Here are some quick tips to remember: Use tables to present numbers and figuresThe table format naturally lends itself to numbers and figures and keeps audience members from getting lost in a jumble of numeric information. If you use numbers and figures in a presentation, you should think in terms of tables. Use tables to show contrasting informationTables work great when you have different pieces of information that fit together or contrast in some way. The table format helps show relationships between pieces of data in a memorable way. Use tables to show time line issuesIf you are talking about different periods of the year or even periods of different years, you can use a table to show the information. Tables can help audience members establish a mental time line that gives greater meaning to information. Can you overuse tables? Sure. As with any presentation element, you should question yourself if you have table after table in your presentation. Use tables when needed, but use them sparingly, or they start to lose their impact. Keep it simple, keep it clear, and make sure the table has a solid purpose before using it in your presentation.
Main Page Content What is cryptosporidiosis (crypto)? Cryptosporidiosis (crypto) is an infection caused by a group of parasites (germs), called cryptosporidium. Most infections occur in a person’s stomach and intestines (gastrointestinal tract). Infections can occur in other parts of the body, such as the lungs. These germs can infect humans, cattle, and other animals. What are the symptoms of cryptosporidiosis? - Diarrhea (loose poop) that may be watery - Cramping and abdominal pain - Nausea and vomiting - Loss of appetite - Feeling unwell Some people infected do not show any symptoms at all, but can still spread the germs to others. It takes about 1 to 12 days after the germs enter your body before you feel sick. Symptoms may come and go, but often completely go away within 30 days for most healthy people. It may last longer for those with a weakened immune system (how well your body fights infections). How does cryptosporidiosis spread? Crypto passes through the stool of an infected person or animal. Crypto can spread directly or indirectly from person or animal to person through the “fecal-oral route” (poop to mouth) by: - Drinking and eating contaminated water and food. - Touching your mouth with unclean hands. - Putting anything in your mouth that may be contaminated (e.g., toys). - Oral-anal sexual activity. Children under 2 years, animal handlers, travellers, and people who take part in oral-anal sexual activity are at a higher risk of infection. How long is it contagious? A person can spread the germ as soon as symptoms begin and up to 2 months after. The germ can survive on wet surfaces for up to 6 months. It has a very strong outer shell that makes it very resistant to most disinfectants. How is cryptosporidiosis treated? If you or your child has these symptoms, see a health care provider. Diagnosis involves providing a sample of your stool for testing. - For mild symptoms, most people are able to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. - For more severe cases, your health care provider might prescribe medications to help with the diarrhea and treat the infection. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. How do I prevent the spread of cryptosporidiosis? Ways to lower your risk for infection include: - Washing your hands often with warm water and soap, especially before and after preparing foods, before eating, and after changing diapers and using the washroom. Alcohol-based hand rubs (hand sanitizers) do not work against these germs. - Practicing safe food handling, including washing all uncooked fruits and vegetables in clean water, and cooking your food properly. Avoid preparing food if you are sick. - Avoiding drinking untreated water. Travelers, campers, and hikers should use water treatment methods, including boiling the water for 1 full minute. Consider using filters designed to remove these germs. The germs are resistant to chlorine. - Only drinking pasteurized (treated) milk and milk products. - Babies and toddlers should wear special swim diapers or pants when using public waters, such as splash pads and swimming pools. Avoid using these facilities until 2 weeks after diarrhea-free. - Wash contaminated linens, clothing and dryer-safe soft toys as soon as possible. Use laundry detergent and wash with hot water (45oC/113oF) for at least 20 minutes. Machine dry on the highest heat setting. For more information contact the Health Unit or speak to your health care provider. - Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – Cryptosporidiosis: - Government of Canada – Cryptosporidiosis: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/cryptosporidiosis.html Heymann, D.L. (Ed.). (2015). Control of communicable diseases manual (20th ed.). Washington, DC: American Public Health Association. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. (2015). Infectious Diseases Protocol: Appendix A – Cryptosporidiosis. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
2.4.3 Ordinary Interpolation Methodology We now formalize the interpolation procedure illustrated in our two examples. The examples used polynomials as interpolation functions f. The following discussion extends the procedure to a broader range of interpolating functions. Consider m points (x[k], y[k]) where x[k] n, y[k] , and the x[k] are distinct. We wish to interpolate a function f : n → of the form in such a manner that f intercepts each of the points. Functions fj : n → can take any form. In our quadratic example, they were: - f1(x) = 1 - f2(x) = x2 - f3(x) = x1 - f4(x) = - f5(x) = but exponentials, roots, logarithms, and other functions are permissible. Let’s express our problem with matrices. Define This is unknown. It is what we want to solve for. Define f as the m × m matrix comprising values of each function fj evaluated at each point x[k]. Define the vector Both the matrix f and vector y are constants. They are known. Our requirement that the function f intercept each point (x[k], y[k]) yields the equation If the matrix f is invertible, this has the unique solution Consider three points (x[k], y[k]) = (1, 2), (4, 2) and (5, 3). Interpolate a quadratic polynomial of the form Interpolate a function f : 2 → of the form such that f (1, 0) = 1 and f (1, 1) = 1.
Buckaroos in Paradise: Ranching Culture in Northern Nevada contains nearly 70 sound recordings and films, along with two essays that provide context for collection users. Teachers will find that this collection especially rich for teaching listening and interviewing skills to students at all grade levels. (NOTE: you may need special "viewers" on your computer to access the sound and film recordings; see Viewer Information if you run into problems.) 1) Expository Writing The Special Presentation Buckaroos: Views of a Western Way of Life is a good example of expository writing that integrates research, evidence, and description in essay form. See, for instance, the section on Working, which draws on interviews to portray the culture of work on the ranch, or the section on Irons, which uses detailed description to depict one facet of "buckarooing." Students can search the sound recordings on working (make sure that "Search on Audio Collections ONLY" is selected from the first pull-down menu) to find two or three recordings of people describing their own work experiences (for instance, "I just Needed a Job" and "I Was Born in Kermit, Texas," both of which are interviews with workers on the Ninety-Six Ranch). Then have them write short essays contrasting the content of the recordings and the Working section of Buckaroos: Views of a Western Way of Life. Have students read Carl Fleishauer's essay discussing the circumstances of one of the folklife research team's interviews of rancher Les Stewart, from which many selections in the collection are drawn, in "Interviewing Leslie Stewart." Then have them search on 81/05/09 Leslie Stewart for video recordings of Stewart from that interview. (May 9, 1981 is the date it took place.) Ask students to perform half-hour tape-recorded (or video-recorded) interviews of people close to them, such as a teacher, a parent or a friend. Then have them write short essays on the circumstances of the interview, much like Fleishauer's. The essay should briefly describe the setting, including its significance to the person being interviewed and any thoughts on the interview itself. For instance: - Was the person at ease while being interviewed? - Did any interruptions come up during the interview? - What did the student learn from the interviewee, or from the experiencing of conducting the interview? After the exercise, students should be able to discuss such questions as: - What makes a good interview? - What preparation on the interviewer's part was helpful to making the interview go well? - What are some of the problems that come up while interviewing? - Did you learn anything that surprised you? What? Finally, students can use the guidelines in Folklife and Fieldwork: A Layman's Introduction to Field Techniques to create a classroom archive for their tapes, essays and any other documentation, such as photographs or hand-written notes. 3) Spoken Word and Regionalism The interviews in this collection all took place at the Ninety-Six Ranch, and what we know about regionalism suggests that the people there would all sound similar. And yet in fact when listening to the recordings, several distinctive accents emerge: Martha Arriola, born in Germany, sounds very different from Stanley Smart, a Northern Paiute Indian. Smart in turn has a different accent than Les Stewart, a white man who was born in Nevada. Do a search on any of the individual names above to find sound recordings and photographs. Is there anything similar in the ways these people talk? What's different? What are some of the similarities and differences in the ways people talk in your own school, town or city? Make tape recordings (video or audio) of people speaking in your school. Analyze the differences and similarities in their accents, and in the words (or language) they use. What causes differences (for instance, age/generation, place of birth)? Have students come up with a list of words that they think of as regionalisms: things said in your part of the country that are not used commonly other places.
Using the TI 73 and CBL™ to collect samples of water for temp, pH, etc connecting math and science curriculums in the middle school. Before the Activity Students need to understand how to graph using the TI-73 as well as a thorough understanding of the procedures for taking the measurements. Students will also discuss predictions about the temperature readings they will receive. During the Activity See attached lesson plan. Make transparencies of key steps so that students may practice and become familiar with technology used prior to experimenting outside in a lake, river or creek. After the Activity Students are able to incorporate pre-algebra by discussing linear regression and line of best fit. Extensions could include water quality, etc. Discuss the students original predictions. How do the graphs of the data support the predictions?
Our immune systems are beautiful things, refined through millions of years of evolution. The immune system’s complexity is testament to the “arms race” that has been taking place between our species and the harmful pathogens that surround us. Last century, a virus called human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) emerged, and it found a weak spot in our immune system’s armor. HIV has been exploiting this weakness ever since, and an HIV infection can eventually progress to a disease called AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. AIDS is a condition that disables our immune system’s ability to function properly, rendering us vulnerable to a host of opportunistic infections and cancers. Even if you don’t think you’ve been exposed, HIV testing can be a good idea. HIV is transmitted via bodily fluids: blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid (which can be present without ejaculation), breast milk, vaginal fluids, and rectal mucus. (It can also be present in bodily fluids like amniotic fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, and synovial fluid, to which health-care workers might be exposed.) The virus is not transmitted by fluids like snot, saliva, sweat, tears, and urine — unless blood is present. Activities that can bring you into contact with HIV-infected bodily fluids include injection drug use and sexual activities like anal, vaginal, or oral sex. It can also be transmitted to a fetus or baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. In the early days of HIV, many infections occurred as a result of blood transfusions or organ transplants — though nowadays this is a rarity thanks to tissue screening. Lastly, health-care workers might be exposed to HIV through accidents involving needlesticks or cuts. Continue reading
Apush 1993 DBQ - Pages: 5 - Word count: 1048 - Category: Slavery A limited time offer! Get a custom sample essay written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteedOrder Now During the 1600s, British citizens left England and began settling in the Chesapeake and New England regions, yet these regions developed differently. Migrants came to the New World with distinct motives that, in effect made the regions develop differently; the New Englanders came in search of religious freedom while the Chesapeake settlers came in search of economic prosperity. The New Englanders search for religious freedom caused them to develop a diverse economy, societies with tightly bound communities that stressed education and finally a political system based on church membership; meanwhile in the Chesapeake settlers search for economic prosperity helped them to develop a farming and trading economy, a society with spread out plantations whose owners ruled over the black slaves and a political system with all the power in the hands of wealthy, land-owning, white men. Thus, New England and Chesapeake regions developed different socially, politically and economically primarily because of their motives. The primary factor in why the New England and Chesapeake regions developed into two distinct societies were their initial motives. The colonist that settled in New England went in search of religious freedom and to flee persecution by King Charles I and Arch Bishop Laud. As preacher John Winthrop stated in A Model of Christian Charity in 1630, the Puritans wanted to become “a city upon a hill”(A). By becoming this “city” the Puritans wanted everyone to look at them as a model for a perfect society. In contrast, the Chesapeake colonists’ motives were money and land. Initially all the colonist came with gold tests instead of supplies with the thought of striking it rich, as John Smith said onboard the Arbela, “There was no talk…but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold load gold…”(F). This obsession for gold was the main reason for the “starving time,” where all the gentlemen refused to hunt or gather, thus starving and dying. Eventually, as a result of the lack of gold, the Chesapeake colonists developed a strong economy based on cash crops such a tobacco. Hence, the primary factor why the New England and Chesapeake regions developed distinctly was their motives. The New Englanders developed a very distinct society unlike any of the other colonies. The New England colonist’s main goal was to develop a perfect society. As shown in the ship’s list of emigrants bound for New England in 1635, the majority of people participating in the Great Puritan Migration were families with men who had diverse professions (B). Therefore, these emigrants came with the thought of permanent settlements. This settlement would later develop into communities with tightly bound communities that stressed education; so all the children could read the Bible. The Puritans also spent the majority of their life in the colonies trying to prove that they were part of “the elect,” that they were favored in Gods eyes. The New England colonist also developed a distinct political system, based on church membership. In the articles of agreement of 1636, it states that the “town shall be composed of forty families,…rich and poor” (D). The Puritans Christian charity and family based society showed through their political system. Due to the New Englanders geography they developed a diverse economy in addition to their diverse social and political systems. In the Wage and Price regulations in Connecticut it’s shown that in Puritan communities religion is placed above profit (E). The Puritans thought it was their responsibility to make sure everyone in their community was prospering. All in all, the New England settlers developed and economy based on diverse professions and “the Puritan work ethic”; a society with tightly bound communities that stress education; and finally a political system with town meetings and congresses based on church membership. The Chesapeake settler’s economic motives caused them to develop a society like no other. In the Chesapeake society, there were many men coming initially in search of gold, but eventually switching gold for cash crops. The first group of settlers of the Chesapeake were employees of a joint stock company called the Virginia Company. In the ships list of emigrants bound for Virginia of 1635, the record shows that there were very few women and that the majority of the men were in their twenties (C). A majority of these men were the younger sons that suffered from the effects of primogeniture, a law that said that the eldest son should inherit all of the family’s wealth and land. These young men eventually came to the new world instead of staying in England mainly because of the head right system, where anyone who paid for the journey to America they would be granted fifty acres of land. These men needed people to work on their plantations, originally they used indentured servants, but after Bacon’s Rebellion the work force shifted to slavery. In Bacon’s “Manifesto,” Bacon justified his rebellion against Governor Berkeley in 1676; he showed the corruptness of the House of Burgesses (H). Before this rebellion there was always fear of a servant uprising. In 1673 Governor Berkeley and his council talked their inability to defend Virginia against Dutch attack because the rich were unwilling to “leave their estates…while they were drawn…to defend the borders”(G), because of their fear of servant uprising (G). The economy of the Chesapeake region was based off of slave labor on large plantations that produced cash crops. Conclusively, the Chesapeake settlers established a society with spread out plantation’s owners ruling over black slave, a political system with all the power in the hands of wealthy, land-owning white men, and an economy based on farming and trading. In conclusion, motives were the primary factor in why the New England and Chesapeake regions developed differently. As a result of the Puritans fleeing religious persecution, New England developed into a very strict Puritan society. New England had tightly bound communities, diverse economy and a political system based on church membership. As for the Chesapeake region, As for the Chesapeake region, the settlers want for economic prosperity caused them to develop a society with the main focus of making money on cash crops. The Chesapeake settlers were mainly white men whose slaves worked on their tobacco plantations. Thus, Motives were the primary reason for the difference in development between New England and the Chesapeake.
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (1913 – 2005) was an African American civil rights activist who in 1955 famously refused to give up her bus seat launching the influential Montgomery bus boycott. Parks began her career as an activist in the early 1930s. She served as secretary in the Montgomery division of NAACP for 14 years from 1943 to 1957 during which she played a key role in mobilizing support for the rape victim Recy Taylor and bringing the incident to national notice. After the Montgomery bus boycott, Rosa Parks became an international icon of resistance to racial segregation. She has been called by the US Congress as “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement”. Rosa Parks received many awards and honors during her life including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Know about her various contributions through her 10 major accomplishments. #1 SHE HELPED ORGANIZe THE DEFENSE OF THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS Rosa Parks began her activism in opposition to injustices committed against African Americans in the 1930s. Her first major involvement was in organizing the defense of the Scottsboro Boys, nine African American teenagers falsely accused of raping two White American women on a train in 1931. Rosa Parks and her husband Raymond, along with other black activists, organized secret meetings to raise money for the defense of the Scottsboro Boys. However, despite medical evidence to suggest that they had not committed the crime, four of the nine defendants were convicted of rape and all but two served prison sentences. The Scottsboro Boys case is now considered a gross miscarriage of justice. #2 SHE SERVED AS SECRETARY TO EDGAR NIXON IN NAACP In 1943, Rosa Parks joined the Montgomery division of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the leading African-American civil rights organization of the 20th century. The same year, she was elected secretary to the local NAACP leader Edgar Nixon. She served in this position for 14 years till 1957. As NAACP member, among other things, Parks and her allies used the networks they had stitched together during the Scottsboro case to protect black women from sexual assaults perpetrated by white men. #3 She PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN MOBILIZING PEOPLE TO SUPPORT RECY TAYLOR In September 1944, an African American woman named Recy Taylor was kidnapped while leaving church and brutally gang-raped by six white men. Rosa Parks, in her capacity as secretary, investigated the incident. Rosa Parks played a leading role in spreading Recy Taylor’s story and in creating the Committee for Equal Justice for Mrs. Recy Taylor (CEJRT). The committee gathered national support with local chapters springing up across the United States. The Chicago Defender called it “the strongest campaign for equal justice to be seen in a decade” and it provided an early organizational spark for the African America civil rights movement. However, despite the men admitting the rape to authorities, the two all white male juries declined to indict the men, meaning no charges were ever brought against them. #4 HER REFUSAL TO GIVE UP HER BUS SEAT LED TO THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT In 1900, Montgomery had passed a city ordinance to segregate bus passengers by race. The blacks were generally assigned the back rows. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus and sat in an empty seat in the first row of back seats reserved for blacks. The bus was soon crowded and as some white passengers were standing, the driver James F. Blake ordered blacks to leave their seat for the white passengers. Three black men complied but Rosa Parks refused. Police was called and Parks was arrested and charged with a violation of the segregation laws. Four days after the incident, African Americans in Montgomery boycotted the bus service of the city in a protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation in the public transit system of the city. The Montgomery bus boycott is regarded as the first large-scale demonstration against segregation in the United States. #5 She IS REGARDED AS MOTHER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT African Americans constituted at least 75 percent of Montgomery’s bus ridership and the Montgomery bus boycott caused enough financial damage to the city transit system. It lasted from December 5, 1955 to December 20, 1956, when the US Supreme Court ruled Alabama and Montgomery laws requiring segregated buses to be unconstitutional. In 1956, the year of the boycott, Parks traveled throughout the country, raising awareness and funds for the movement. The Montgomery bus boycott was the earliest mass protest on behalf of civil rights in US and it was during the boycott that Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as a prominent national leader of the movement. For her role in the movement, Rosa Parks is called the “the mother of the civil rights movement” and the “the first lady of civil rights”. #6 SHE WAS INDUCTED INTO MICHIGAN WOMEN’S HALL OF FAME In 1957, Rosa Parks moved to Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan. She spent most of her remaining life there fighting against racial inequality. By 1968, Parks had also expanded her activism to include women’s equality. She joined the Detroit branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and, by 1971, she was serving as one of the six vice-presidents of the group. WILPF aims to unite women worldwide to oppose oppression and exploitation; and to achieve permanent peace. 1983, Rosa Parks was inducted into Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame for her achievements in civil rights. #7 SHE WROTE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY TITLED ROSA PARKS: MY STORY Rosa Parks served as a secretary and receptionist of congressman John Conyers for more than 20 years from 1965 until her retirement in 1988. In this capacity, she focused on socio-economic issues including welfare, education, job discrimination and affordable housing. As an activist, she continued to work on issues such as reparations, black history, anti-police brutality, freedom for black political prisoners, independent black political power and economic justice. After her retirement, Parks wrote two books: Rosa Parks: My Story (1992), an autobiography which recounts her life leading to her decision to keep her seat on the bus; and Quiet Strength (1995), a memoir which focuses on her faith. #8 SHE CO-FOUNDED ROSA AND RAYMOND PARKS INSTITUTE FOR SELF DEVELOPMENT In 1980, Rosa Parks co-founded the Rosa L. Parks Scholarship Foundation, which awards scholarships to Michigan high school seniors. Since its foundation, it has benefited more than 900 applicants with over $1.8 million in scholarship money. In February 1987, along with Elaine Eason Steele, Parks co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development for youth development; and civil rights education and advocacy. The institute has various programs including the Pathways to Freedom which teaches the youth about every thing on the struggle of African Americans from the underground railroad to the civil rights movement. #9 She WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM IN 1996 In 1979, the NAACP awarded Rosa Parks the Spingarn Medal, their highest honor, and the following year, they presented her with the Martin Luther King Jr. Award. In 1996, President Bill Clinton presented Rosa Parks with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and in 1999, she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal are the highest civilian awards in the United States. Parks received many other awards including the Candace Award (1984), the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award (1992) and the International Freedom Conductor Award (1999). #10 SHE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FIGURES OF 20TH CENTURY Due to the Montgomery bus boycott, Rosa Parks became an international icon of resistance to racial segregation. She fought through her life for racial equality and women’s rights; and she is considered one of the most important figures of the African American civil rights movement. In 1999, Time magazine named Rosa Parks as one of the 100 most influential and iconic figures of the 20th century. Also, in 2002, African American scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed her on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans. Due to her contributions, Parks has been honored numerous times, both during her life and after her death in 2005. 21 thoughts on “10 Major Accomplishments of Rosa Parks” ikr i love rosa parks and everything she did for us
What Is Metabolism? Metabolism (pronounced: meh-TAB-uh-liz-um) is the chemical reactions in the body's cells that change food into energy. Our bodies need this energy to do everything from moving to thinking to growing. Specific proteins in the body control the chemical reactions of metabolism. Thousands of metabolic reactions happen at the same time — all regulated by the body — to keep our cells healthy and working. How Does Metabolism Work? After we eat food, the digestive system uses enzymes to: - break proteins down into amino acids - turn fats into fatty acids - turn carbohydrates into simple sugars (for example, glucose) The body can use sugar, amino acids, and fatty acids as energy sources when needed. These compounds are absorbed into the blood, which carries them to the cells. After they enter the cells, other enzymes act to speed up or regulate the chemical reactions involved with "metabolizing" these compounds. During these processes, the energy from these compounds can be released for use by the body or stored in body tissues, especially the liver, muscles, and body fat. Metabolism is a balancing act involving two kinds of activities that go on at the same time: - building up body tissues and energy stores (called anabolism) - breaking down body tissues and energy stores to get more fuel for body functions (called catabolism) Anabolism (pronounced: uh-NAB-uh-liz-um), or constructive metabolism, is all about building and storing. It supports the growth of new cells, the maintenance of body tissues, and the storage of energy for future use. In anabolism, small molecules change into larger, more complex molecules of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Catabolism (pronounced: kuh-TAB-uh-liz-um), or destructive metabolism, is the process that produces the energy needed for all activity in the cells. Cells break down large molecules (mostly carbs and fats) to release energy. This provides fuel for anabolism, heats the body, and enables the muscles to contract and the body to move. As complex chemical units break down into more simple substances, the body releases the waste products through the skin, kidneys, lungs, and intestines. What Controls Metabolism? Several hormones of the endocrine system help control the rate and direction of metabolism. Thyroxine, a hormone made and released by the thyroid gland, plays a key role in determining how fast or slow the chemical reactions of metabolism go in a person's body. Another gland, the pancreas, secretes hormones that help determine whether the body's main metabolic activity at any one time are anabolic (pronounced: an-uh-BOL-ik) or catabolic (pronounced: kat-uh-BOL-ik). For example, more anabolic activity usually happens after you eat a meal. That's because eating increases the blood's level of glucose — the body's most important fuel. The pancreas senses this increased glucose level and releases the hormone insulin, which signals cells to increase their anabolic activities. Metabolism is a complicated chemical process. So it's not surprising that many people think of it in its simplest sense: as something that influences how easily our bodies gain or lose weight. That's where calories come in. A calorie is a unit that measures how much energy a particular food provides to the body. A chocolate bar has more calories than an apple, so it provides the body with more energy — and sometimes that can be too much of a good thing. Just as a car stores gas in the gas tank until it is needed to fuel the engine, the body stores calories — primarily as fat. If you overfill a car's gas tank, it spills over onto the pavement. Likewise, if a person eats too many calories, they "spill over" in the form of excess body fat. The number of calories someone burns in a day is affected by how much that person exercises, the amount of fat and muscle in his or her body, and the person's basal metabolic rate (BMR). BMR is a measure of the rate at which a person's body "burns" energy, in the form of calories, while at rest. The BMR can play a role in a person's tendency to gain weight. For example, someone with a low BMR (who therefore burns fewer calories while at rest or sleeping) will tend to gain more pounds of body fat over time than a similar-sized person with an average BMR who eats the same amount of food and gets the same amount of exercise. BMR can be affected by a person's genes and by some health problems. It's also influenced by body composition — people with more muscle and less fat generally have higher BMRs. But people can change their BMR in certain ways. For example, a person who exercises more not only burns more calories, but becomes more physically fit, which increases his or her BMR.
As a focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores continues to grow, many industries are seeking increased opportunity for sustainable and low carbon initiatives. One major player that can help reduce carbon footprint comes in the form of hydrogen — particularly, when it is produced through methods that either capture or do not emit carbon dioxide. Traditional hydrogen production methods used today can be carbon-intensive, driving heightened awareness of decarbonization methods throughout the hydrogen production process. Hydrogen offers several benefits in the ever-changing power and industrial markets as an alternative, clean, reliable fuel source when produced using technologies purposed for decarbonization. Budding market opportunities like rising transportation penetration, elevated production of hydrogen-intensive renewable fuels, emerging long-term energy storage capabilities, and growing integrated or hybrid energy systems increase the need for hydrogen production. Despite most hydrogen production utilizing steam methane reforming (SMR) at this time, hydrogen can be created many ways, using a variety of inputs or sources, which each have a different impact on the environment. Production methods can include gasification plants, SMR, pyrolysis and electrolysis. The inputs that go into production vary from oil, coal or biomass to natural gas or methane, and finally, water with renewable power or nuclear input. This can be more easily shown and understood by analyzing the “hydrogen rainbow,” which is divided into color categories based on energy sources, production processes and carbon dioxide emissions: Figure 1: Industry is adopting a "color rainbow" to easily distinguish the sources of hydrogen the its renewable credentials. - Green — In the green category, hydrogen is made from renewable sources. Electrolyzers are paired with renewable assets that are frequently curtailed, creating hydrogen by splitting the water into hydrogen and oxygen. This category emits zero carbon dioxide emissions. Once the hydrogen is collected from the electrolyzer, it can be used to power homes, cars, planes, ships and factories, and can also be safely stored for future applications. - Red — Also referred to as pink, this category features hydrogen when it’s produced with nuclear power sources. Like green, it is also generated through electrolysis. There are no carbon dioxide emissions associated with this process. - Turquoise — In this grouping, hydrogen is made via pyrolysis using natural gas. There are no carbon dioxide emissions using this method, but it does produce a solid carbon byproduct that must be handled. - Blue — In the blue category, hydrogen is made from methane using SMR. The carbon dioxide emissions that are generated are trapped through carbon capture. - Gray — This grouping is similar to blue, except the carbon dioxide emissions are emitted into the atmosphere and are not captured. By adding carbon capture technology, this category can be shifted from gray to blue. - Brown — For the brown category, coal is used to produce hydrogen through gasification. The carbon dioxide emissions are released into the atmosphere. This is not an ideal solution when discussing how to use hydrogen to decarbonize. While the colors of the hydrogen rainbow aren’t officially standardized across the industry yet, sustainable and low-carbon energy initiatives are in development and being implemented across the globe, each targeting carbon emission reductions. The viability of hydrogen as a high-energy-capacity storage medium with no-carbon potential makes investment in the hydrogen rainbow attractive in this context. Trends indicate continued growth in hydrogen demand as new markets develop and existing user demand expands, requiring investment in a sustainable transition to a reduced-carbon future. As trends toward decarbonization and renewable generation gain steam, interest in hydrogen has reemerged as a potentially key technology in the evolution of the power industry.
Legionella is natural bacteria found in water and water systems. It can cause different illnesses such as Pontiac Fever, Lochgoilhead Fever and Legionnaires’ disease. Although it is very rare, it is possible to catch these through a domestic water system. The risk increases with age but some people are at higher risk, including: - People over 45 years of age - Smokers and heavy drinkers - People with an impaired immune system or suffering from chronic respiratory or kidney disease, diabetes, lung and heart disease. - You cannot catch legionella by drinking water. - The biggest risk is by breathing in contaminated water droplets. - The risks are higher where water has been sat in the hot/cold water tank for a long time and is warm enough for the bacteria to breed. - Breeding bacteria takes place between 20°C and 45°C. - There is an increased risk if there are any deposits in the water, for example sludge, rust, scale or dirt on taps/shower heads. What can I do? There are a few simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching a legionella-linked illness, including: - If you have been away for a week or more, turn your hot and cold taps on in your sink(s), wash basin(s) and bath. Slowly run the water for one minute and then run the water quickly for at least two minutes. Flush your toilet(s) twice, with the lid closed, to clear the water system. - Wash through the shower - remove the shower head and run the water for at least two minutes. Where it is not possible to remove the shower head, put the shower head down in the bath or shower tray or cover it with a towel or plastic bag to stop water droplets getting into the air. - Set the hot water temperature at 60°C. If you have a bathroom that is rarely used, run the water through all the taps (including the sink, bath, shower and toilet) on a weekly basis or before somebody uses the room, following the steps above. - Regularly use, clean and disinfect all taps, toilets and shower heads and keep them scale free. - Keep the lid on your water tank/toilet cistern. You need to contact us if: - The water coming out of your taps, shower or toilet contains any debris or is discoloured. - Your boiler or hot water tank is not working properly, especially if the water temperature is lower than 50°C after running for two minutes. - The cold water is still running warm i.e. above 20°C after two minutes. What is Longhurst Group doing? As part of our obligation as your landlord, we are carrying out water hygiene risk assessments. If we contact you to carry out a water hygiene risk assessment, you can help by letting our assessor into your home to check your water. The check takes between 30 minutes to one hour. For more information about legionella, visit: hse.gov.uk/legionnaires Most importantly, make sure that: - hot water in the system remains hot - cold water remains cold - the water is kept circulated - taps and shower heads are kept clean and free of scale. Updated: 17 July 2020 Review date: July 2021
Classrooms consist of a broad array of diverse learners. Each student comes to school with diverse learning needs, and teachers are being asked to satisfy those needs based on various factors: a student’s home language and culture, student prerequisite skills and knowledge, and learning styles. To support teachers in delivering a high-quality instructional program that meets the needs of all learners, educators are turning to differentiated instruction. At its core, differentiated instruction blends research-based practices and strategies of learning theory, higher-order thinking, and traditional methods of teaching and learning. Developed and put into practice by Dr. Virgil Ward, differentiated instruction was originally conceived to accommodate proper levels of rigor and instruction for students in Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) and Special Education. His research indicates that student growth is best supported by having a broader understanding of a student’s academic standing and delivering the appropriate level of instruction for a student to reach his or her highest potential (Ward, 1961). At the time, Dr. Ward’s research was considered a break from traditional teaching and learning—teachers were asked to simultaneously focus on the learner and the delivery of curriculum. This research further emphasizes the need for educators to blend the practice of curriculum, instructional delivery, and assessments to provide a more holistic understanding of student needs. According to Damian Gordon, Lecturer at Dublin Institute of Technology: “The reality is that all children are unique and teachers are now expected to meet the needs of diverse learners within their classrooms. We cannot continue to teach in the same ways we did in the past and expect to meet the diverse needs of our learners.” Suggested Steps for Educators If you are wondering how to apply differentiated instruction in the classroom, below are suggested steps to guide the process for both teachers and district/site leaders. These steps will help all educators understand what students really need to know and be able to do. 1. Be Committed to Getting to Know Your Students Teachers should use surveys to understand student interest, learning styles, and ambitions. Gathering this information allows teachers to be able to informally connect to students in a non-academic environment; it could also lend greater insight into how students define their beliefs towards education, data which could be used to motivate student engagement. 2. Use a Data Platform to Track Student Progress Teachers should also have a comprehensive student data platform that longitudinally displays student academic records. The platform should feature or include non-cognitive social-emotional learning factors such as suspensions and absenteeism to ensure teachers have multiple measures to educate the whole child. 3. Create a Professional Learning Plan with Various Strategies Working with district and site leaders, teachers should develop a rich professional learning plan that is equipped with various instructional strategies for all types of learners to truly implement a differentiated classroom. With this broad array of instructional strategies, teachers can determine how to apply the proper strategy for each specific student. (This may require using multiple strategies during a single lesson like direct instruction, small group instruction, inquired-based learning, and cooperative learning.) 4. Put an Emphasis on Delivering the Right Assessments Teachers must ensure that assessments play a pivotal role in their approach to differentiating instruction. Along with a data platform, a robust assessment system that allows for the administration of all types of assessments should also be considered. Ideally, it should include the ability to deliver: technology enhanced items (TEI), authentic assessment-like portfolios, student-based rubric evaluations, and performance-based assessments. Granted, student assessment is not a new concept, but progress monitoring must be prioritized in order to maximize the results of a differentiated approach. For Site Leaders: 1. Develop a Fuller, More Complete Knowledge of the Topic Tomlinson (1999) examined school-level and district-level implementation of differentiated instruction and identified ways that education leaders can best support this change in practice. She recommends that leaders first develop a solid understanding of differentiated instruction so that they can present it coherently to teachers and provide committed school-level leadership. Leaders should also nurture different teaching models; encourage teachers to apply differentiation with flexibility, creativity, and choice; and provide teachers with high-quality professional development as well as time to collaborate, plan, and implement differentiation. 2. Ensure that Classroom Instruction is Truly Differentiated Some classrooms may proceed with a misguided belief they are differentiating instruction, when in reality the focus is diluted to encapsulating all children (or as many as possible) instead of each student. This is particularly problematic as it invites educators to concentrate their efforts on the group—and thus, the content taught—rather than on the needs of individual learners. The principles of equity necessitate that each student be central to the learning process and educated in ways that appropriately address his or her needs and abilities. If you’d like to read more about differentiated instruction, check out our latest whitepaper “Meeting the Needs of All Learners with Differentiated Instruction.” Illuminate Education is a provider of educational technology and services offering innovative data, assessment and student information solutions. Serving K-12 schools, our cloud-based software and services currently assist more than 1,600 school districts in promoting student achievement and success. Ready to discover your one-stop shop for your district’s educational needs? Let’s talk.
In this tutorial, a vector is a single column matrix. A matrix is a 2 dimensional array. Let’s begin by creating two matrices of equal sizes. Input: a<-matrix(1:4,nrow=2,ncol=2) b<-matrix(seq(5,8),nrow=2,ncol=2) a b Output: 1 3 2 4 5 7 6 8 Addition and subtraction are then straightforward provided that each vector/matrix has the same size, i.e. the same number of rows and columns. Each element in matrix b is added to or subtracted from the corresponding element in a. Input: a+b a-b Output: 6 10 8 12 -4 -4 -4 -4 Element-wise multiplication is when each element of a vector/matrix is multiplied by a single corresponding element in another. The vectors/matrices must have the same number of rows and/or columns. Input: c<-matrix(1:6,nrow=3) d<-c(2,2) dc cd Output: 2 8 4 10 6 12 2 8 4 10 6 12 Input: c<-matrix(1:4,nrow =2,ncol=2) d<-matrix(5,9,nrow=2,ncol =2) cd dc Output: 5 15 10 20 5 15 10 20 Both operations give the same result in each instance To multiply two matrices, we use the rather complicated construction %%. In terms of matrices, the operation AxB is not generally the same as BxA, i.e. matrix multiplication is not associative. In addition, the matrices must be conformable. The number of columns in the first matrix must equal the number of rows in the second. This means that, in general, a matrix with m rows and n columns can multiply one with n rows and p columns, the result being a m x p matrix. Let's looks at the difference. Input: a%%b Output: 23 31 34 46 This is not the same as b%%a. Input: b%%a Output: 19 43 22 50 Therefore, for different shaped matrices, only one order of multiplication may be possible. In the next example, which operation will throw an error?
PHASMIDS STUDIES VOLUME 17 CLICK FOR DOWNLOAD CLICK FOR DOWNLOAD ANCHIALE MARMORATAPhasmatoptera are an order of insects, whose members are variously known as stick insects (in Europe and Australasia), stick-bugs or walking sticks (in the United States and Canada), phasmids, ghost insects and leaf insects (generally the family Phylliidae). The group's name is derived from the Ancient Greek phasma, meaning an apparition or phantom, referring to the resemblance of many species to sticks or leaves. Their natural camouflage makes them difficult for predators to detect, but many species have a secondary line of defence in the form of startle displays, spines or toxic secretions. The genus Phobaeticus includes the world's longest insects. Members of the order are found all over the world except for the Antarctic and Patagonia, but they are most abundant in the tropics and subtropics. They are herbivorous with many species living unobtrusively in the tree canopy. They have a hemimetabolous life cycle with three stages : eggs, nymphs and adults. Many phasmids are parthenogenic, and do not require fertilised eggs for female offspring to be produced. In hotter climates, they may breed all year round; in more temperate regions, the females lay eggs in the autumn before dying, and the new generation hatches out in the spring. Some species have wings and can disperse by flying, while others are more restricted. Phasmids can be relatively large, ranging from 1.5 centimetres to over 30 centimetres in length. Females of the genus Phobaeticus are the world's longest insects, measuring up to 56 centimetres in total length in the case of Phobaeticus chani, including the outstretched legs. The heaviest species of phasmid is likely to be Heteropteryx dilatata, the females of which may weigh as much as 65 g . Some phasmids have cylindrical stick-like bodies, while others have flattened, leaflike shapes. Many species are wingless, or have reduced wings. The thorax is long in the winged species, since it houses the flight muscles, and is typically much shorter in the wingless forms. Where present, the first pair of wings is narrow and cornified, while the hind wings are broad, with straight veins along their length and multiple cross-veins. The body is often further modified to resemble vegetation, with ridges resembling leaf veins, bark-like tubercles, and other forms of camouflage. A few species, such as Carausius morosus, are even able to change their pigmentation to match their surroundings. The mouthparts project out from the head. Chewing mandibles are uniform across species. The legs are typically long and slender, and some species are capable of limb autotomy . Phasmids have long, slender antennae, as long as or longer than the rest of the body in some species. All phasmids possess compound eyes, but ocelli (light-sensitive organs) are only found in some winged males. Phasmids have an impressive visual system that allows them to perceive significant detail even in dim conditions, which suits their typically nocturnal lifestyle. They are born equipped with tiny compound eyes with a limited number of facets. As phasmids grow through successive molts, the number of facets in each eye is increased along with the number of photoreceptor cells. The sensitivity of the adult eye is at least tenfold that of the nymph in its first instar . As the eye grows more complex, the mechanisms to adapt to dark/light changes is also enhanced: eyes in dark conditions evidence less screening pigments, which would block light, than during the daytime, and changes in the width of the retinal layer to adapt to changes in available light are significantly more pronounced in adults. However, the larger size of the adult insects' eyes makes them more prone to radiation damage. This explains why fully grown individuals are mostly nocturnal. Lessened sensitivity to light in the newly emerged insects helps them to escape from the leaf litter wherein they are hatched and move upward into the more brightly illuminated foliage. Young stick insects are diurnal feeders and move around freely, expanding their foraging range. Stick insects have two types of pad on their legs: sticky "toe pads" and non-stick "heel pads" a little further up their legs. The heel pads are covered in microscopic hairs which create strong friction at low pressure, enabling them to grip without having to be peeled energetically from the surface at each step. The sticky toe pads are used to provide additional grip when climbing but are not used on a level surface. Phasmatodea can be found all over the world except for the Antarctic and Patagonia. They are most numerous in the tropics and subtropics. The greatest diversity is found in Southeast Asia and South America, followed by Australia, Central America, and the southern United States.Over 300 species are known from the island of Borneo, making it the richest place in the world for Phasmatodea. Phasmatodea species exhibit mechanisms for defense from predators that prevent an attack from happening in the first place (primary defense), and defenses that are deployed after an attack has been initiated (secondary defense). The defense mechanism most readily identifiable with Phasmatodea is camouflage, in the form of plant mimicry. Most phasmids are known for effectively replicating the forms of sticks and leaves, and the bodies of some species are covered in mossy or lichenous outgrowths that supplement their disguise. Remaining absolutely stationary enhances their disguise. Some species have the ability to change color as their surroundings shift . In a further behavioral adaptation to supplement crypsis, a number of species perform a rocking motion where the body is swayed from side to side; this is thought to mimic the movement of leaves or twigs swaying in the breeze. Another method by which stick insects avoid predation and resemble twigs is by entering a cataleptic state, where the insect adopts a rigid, motionless posture that can be maintained for a long period. The nocturnal feeding habits of adults also help Phasmatodea to remain concealed from predators. In a seemingly opposite method of defense, many species of Phasmatodea seek to startle the encroaching predator by flashing bright colors that are normally hidden, and making a loud noise. When disturbed on a branch or foliage, some species, while dropping to the undergrowth to escape, will open their wings momentarily during free fall to display bright colors that disappear when the insect lands. Others will maintain their display for up to 20 minutes, hoping to frighten the predator and convey the appearance of a larger size. Some accompany the visual display with noise made by rubbing together parts of the wings or antennae. Some species, such as the young nymphs of Extatosoma tiaratum, have been observed to curl the abdomen upwards over the body and head to resemble ants or scorpions in an act of mimicry, another defense mechanism by which the insects avoid becoming prey. The eggs of some species such as Diapheromera femorata have fleshy projections resembling elaiosomes (fleshy structures sometimes attached to seeds) that attract ants. When the egg has been carried to the colony, the ant feeds the elaiosome to a larva and the phasmid egg develops in the recesses of the nest in a protected environment. When threatened, some phasmids that are equipped with femoral spines on the metathoracic legs respond by curling the abdomen upward and repeatedly swinging the legs together, grasping at the threat. If the menace is caught, the spines can draw blood and inflict considerable pain. Some species are equipped with a pair of glands at the anterior edge of the prothorax that enables the insect to release defensive secretions, including chemical compounds of varying effect: some produce distinct odors, and others cause a stinging, burning sensation in the eyes and mouth of a predator. The spray often contains pungent-smelling volatile metabolites, previously thought to be concentrated in the insect from its plant food sources. However, it now seems more likely that the insect manufactures its own defensive chemicals. Additionally, the chemistry of the defense spray from at least one species, Anisomorpha buprestoides, has been shown to vary based on the insect's life stage or the particular population it is part of. This chemical spray variation also corresponds with regionally specific color forms in populations in Florida, with the different variants having distinct behaviors. The spray from one species, Megacrania nigrosulfurea, is used as a treatment for skin infections by a tribe in Papua New Guinea because of its antibacterial constituents. Some species employ a shorter-range defensive secretion, where individuals bleed reflexively through the joints of their legs and the seams of the exoskeleton when bothered, allowing the blood (hemolymph), which contains distasteful additives, to discourage predators. Another ploy is to regurgitate their stomach contents when harassed, repelling potential predators. Phasmids are herbivorous, feeding mostly on the leaves of trees and shrubs, and a conspicuous component of many neotropical (South American) systems. Phasmatodea have been postulated as dominant light-gap herbivores there. Their role in the forest ecosystem is considered important by many scientists, who stress the significance of light gaps in maintaining succession and resilience in climax forests. The presence of phasmids lowers the net production of early successional plants by consuming them and then enriches the soil by defecation. This enables the late succession plants to become established and encourages the recycling of the tropical forest. Phasmatodea are recognized as injurious to forest and shade trees by defoliation. Didymuria violescens, Podacanthus wilkinsoni and Ctenomorphodes tessulatus in Australia, Diapheromera femorata in North America and Graeffea crouani in coconut plantations in the South Pacific all occur in outbreaks of economic importance. Indeed, in the American South, as well as in Michigan and Wisconsin, the walking stick is a significant problem in parks and recreation sites where it consumes the foliage of oaks and other hardwoods. Severe outbreaks of the walking stick, Diapheromera femorata, have occurred in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The insects eat the entire leaf blade. In the event of heavy outbreaks, entire stands of trees can be completely ravaged. Continuous defoliation over several years often results in the death of the tree. Fortunately for control efforts, because the insects cannot fly, infestations are typically contained to a radius of a few hundred yards. Nevertheless, the damage incurred to parks in the region is often costly. Control efforts in the case of infestations have typically involved chemical pesticides; ground fires are effective at killing eggs but have obvious disadvantages. In New South Wales, research has been done into the feasibility of controlling stick insects using natural enemies such as parasitic wasps.
Emergency Readiness: Thunderstorms Provided By: FEMA Thunderstorms and Lightning All thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning. In the United States, an average of 300 people are injured and 80 people are killed each year by lightning. Although most lightning victims survive, people struck by lightning often report a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms. Other associated dangers of thunderstorms include tornadoes, strong winds, hail, and flash flooding. Flash flooding is responsible for more fatalities—more than 140 annually—than any other thunderstorm-associated hazard. Dry thunderstorms that do not produce rain that reaches the ground are most prevalent in the western United States. Falling raindrops evaporate, but lightning can still reach the ground and can start wildfires. Facts About Thunderstorms - They may occur singly, in clusters, or in lines. - Some of the most severe occur when a single thunderstorm affects one location for an extended time. - Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 3 0 minutes to an hour. - Warm, humid conditions are highly favorable for thunderstorm development. - About 10 percent of thunderstorms are classified as severe—one that produces hail at least three-quarters of an inch in diameter, has winds of 58 miles per hour or higher, or produces a tornado. Know Your Thunderstorms and Lightning Terms Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify an thunderstorm hazard: Severe Thunderstorm Watch Tells you when and where severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information. Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm. What to Do Before a Thunderstorm To prepare for a thunderstorm, you should do the following: - Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage during a severe thunderstorm. - "If thunder roars, go indoors" because no place outside is safe when lightning is in the area. We want everyone to stay indoors until 30 minutes have passed after they hear the last clap of thunder. Summary of Lightning Safety Tips for Inside the Home - Avoid contact with corded phones - Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. If you plan to unplug any electronic equipment, do so well before the storm arrives. - Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry. - Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches. - Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls. The following are guidelines for what you should do if a thunderstorm is likely in your area: - Postpone outdoor activities. - Get inside a home, building, or hard top automobile (not a convertible). Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside. - Remember, rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal. - Secure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage. - Shutter windows and secure outside doors. If shutters are not available, close window blinds, shades, or curtains. - Avoid showering or bathing. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity. - Use a corded telephone only for emergencies. Cordless and cellular telephones are safe to use. - Unplug appliances and other electrical items such as computers and turn off air conditioners. Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage. - Use your battery-operated NOAA Weather Radio for updates from local officials. Avoid the following: - Natural lightning rods such as a tall, isolated tree in an open area. - Hilltops, open fields, the beach, or a boat on the water. - Isolated sheds or other small structures in open areas. - Anything metal—tractors, farm equipment, motorcycles, golf carts, golf clubs, and bicycles. \|If you are:\|\|Then:\| \|In a forest\|\|Seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees.\| \|In an open area\|\|Go to a low place such as a ravine or valley. Be alert for flash floods.\| \|On open water\|\|Get to land and find shelter immediately.\| \|Anywhere you feel your hair stand on end (which indicates that lightning is about to strike)\|\|Squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Place your hands over your ears and your head between your knees. Make yourself the smallest target possible and minimize your contact it the ground. DO NOT lie flat on the ground.\|
Following the tragic deaths of two people after eating rockmelon contaminated with listeria, we have put together the following information to assist people in gaining a better understanding of what listeria is, how it is contracted, what the symptoms are and how it can be treated. What is Listeria? Listeriosis is caused by eating food contaminated with a bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes. It’s an uncommon illness and occurs rarely (last case was in February 2013) but can be deadly if it causes septicaemia (blood poisoning) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes around the brain) and tends to be more severe in the young, elderly and pregnant women. How does it spread? Listeria is found widely in soil, water and vegetation, and can be carried by pets and wild animals. A vegetable or fruit food product can become contaminated anywhere along the chain of food production: planting, harvesting, packing, distribution, preparation and serving. What are the symptoms? First, it’s important to note that eating foods that contain listeria bacteria won’t necessarily make you sick. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches and gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Treatment for confirmed infections involves antibiotics and supportive measures such as intravenous fluids for dehydration. If you have concerns please see your doctor.
Understanding Childhood Overweight and Obesity Childhood overweight and obesity occurs when a child or adolescent is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height. It is a serious medical condition that can lead to health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Childhood overweight and obesity has also been associated with poor self-esteem and depression. Adopting healthy diet and exercise habits in your family can help prevent and treat childhood obesity, and can lead to improved overall health for your child. To learn more about prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Chicago and the United States, click here. For additional resources and information about childhood overweight and obesity, see Resources below or Related Links. Visit the following sites for additional information about childhood overweight and obesity - Mayo Clinic: Childhood Obesity - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Obesity and Overweight - American Diabetic Association: Healthy Habits for Healthy Kids - Cleveland Clinic/WebMD: Weight Loss—Obesity in Children - Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents - American Heart Association: Overweight in Children - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Strategies and Solutions—Childhood Overweight and Obesity - Harvard School of Public Health—The Obesity Prevention Source
Bone marrow transplantation is a potentially life-saving treatment for leukemia, multiple myeloma, and HIV. The procedure involves depleting the patient’s immune system, then infusing blood stem cells from a donor, which develop into a new immune system. Unfortunately, during the transplant process, patients are susceptible to disease and infection, making it risky and not recommended in certain cases. Harvard engineers and scientists have developed an injectable, sponge-like gel that may address these challenges. The gel is designed to be injected under the skin at the time of bone marrow transplantation. Over the course of three weeks, the device becomes modified by the patient’s cells and begins to resemble spongy bone, the natural site of immune cells. The gel contains BMP-2, a protein which promotes the formation of spongy bone, and DLL-4, a protein which promotes T cell development. After bone marrow transplantation, mice that received the gel had greater T cell proliferation than those that did not receive the gel. In addition, the mice demonstrated greater T cell diversity, a sign of improved pathogen recognition of the new immune system. We can hope these findings lead to products that can reduce risks for future bone marrow transplant patients. Top image: The bone marrow cryogel three weeks after injection. The outside is covered with a bone shell and the inside of the sponge resembles vascularized bone marrow. Publication in Nature Biotechnology: An injectable bone marrow–like scaffold enhances T cell immunity after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation…
Food Production: SOUP NOTES Soups are a liquid food that is derived from meat, fish, poultry, and Vegetables. Soups are most often served at the beginning of a meal or as the main course for lunch or a snack. The term soupe originally referred to the slice of bread upon which the contents of a cooking pot (potage) were poured. Classification of soups: When referring to soups, it is important to know that all soups will fall into three broad categories. 1. Thin – These are unthickened soups that may or may not contain other ingredients such as vegetables or meats. Some examples are: Broth or Bullion; Vegetable Soups (some containing meat); Consommé 2. Thick – Any soup that is thickened will fall into this category; the thickening can come from any of various sources. Some examples are: Cream Soups; Purée Soups (sometimes referred to as potage); Bisques; Chowders; Potage 3. Specialty – Soups that do not fit neatly into the above categories. Most specialty soups will have similarities like that they are thick or thin. Types of specialty soups include all cold soups, national or regional soups, and some low fat soups. Some examples are: Regional Soups; National Soups 1) Thin soup or clear soups These soups are all based on a clear, unthickened broth or stock. They may be served plain or garnished with a variety of vegetables and meats A. Broth and Bouillon are two terms used in many different ways, but in general they both refer to simple, clear soups without solid ingredients. B. Vegetable soup is clear, seasoned stock or broth with the addition of one or more vegetables and sometimes meat or poultry products and starches. C. Consommé is a rich, flavoured stock or broth that has been clarified to make it perfectly clear and transparent. 2) Thick soups: Thick soups are opaque rather than transparent. They are thickened either by adding a thickening agent such as roux, or by pureeing one or m ore of their ingredients to provide a heavier consistency. A. Cream soups are soups that are thickened with roux, beurre manié, liaison, or other added thickening agents and has all the addition of milk / cream. Cream soups are usually named after their major ingredient, such as cream of tomato, cream of broccoli. B. Purees are soups that are naturally thickened by pureeing one or more of their ingredients. They may be made with dry legumes or from fresh starchy vegetables. Purees may or may not contain cream. C. Bisques are thickened soups made from shell fish. They are usually prepared like cream soups and are almost always finished with cream. D. Chowders are American soups made from fish, shellfish or vegetables. They usually contain milk and potatoes. E. Velouté is made with a Blond Roux and flavoured stock, prepared in the same way as a Velouté sauce and Liaison is added to finish. A Liaison is Egg Yolks and Double Cream 3) Specialty soups: Some of the international soups A. Minestrone Italy B. Green turtle soup England C. French onion soup France D. Cock-a-leekie Scotland E. Mulligatawny India F. Gazpacho Spain G. Paprika Hungry H. Manhattan Clam Chowder America I. Scotch broth Scotland J. Camaro brazil 4) Cold soups are sometimes considered specialty soups, and in fact some of them are. But many other popular cold soups, such as jellied consommé, cold cream of cucumber soups are simply cold versions of basic clear and thick soups.. COMMONLY USED GARNISHES FOR SOUPS: Soup garnishes may be divided into three groups. 1. Garnishes in the soup. Major ingredients, such as the vegetables in clear vegetable soup, are often considered garnishes. This group of garnishes also includes meats, poultry, seafood, pasta products, and grains such as barley or rice. They are treated as part of the preparation or recipe itself, not as something added on. Consommés are generally named after their garnish, such as consommé brunoise, which contains vegetables cut into brunoise shape. Vegetable cream soups are usually garnished with carefully cut pieces of the vegetable from which they are made. Clear soups are generally served without toppings to let the attractiveness of the clear broth and the carefully cut vegetables speak for themselves. Occasional exceptions are toppings of chopped parsley or chives. Thick soups, especially those that are all one color, are often decorated with a topping. Toppings should be placed on the soup just before service so they won’t sink or lose their fresh appearance. Their flavors must be appropriate to the soup. Do not overdo soup toppings. The food should be attractive in itself. Topping suggestions for thick soups: Croutons Dices or other shapes made from bread, toast, pastry. Profitroles Prepared from chou paste. They are miniature cream puffs which may be filled or used plain. Cereals Rice or barley. Cheese Cheese balls, or grated Parmesan served with croutons on one side. Cream Unsweetened whipped cream or sour cream. Meats Usually small dices or juliennes. Poultry Same as meat. Seafood Diced or flaked. Large enough pieces distinguishable. Pastas Noodles, spaghetti, other pasta products such as star letters, cornets, etc. Vegetables Cut in various sizes, shapes-juliennes, round slices, dices of spring vegetables. Fresh herbs (parsley, chives), chopped Fried herbs, such as parsley, sage, chervil, celery leaves, leek julienne American soups are traditionally served with crackers. In addition to the usual saltines, other suggestions for crisp accompaniments are: Profiteroles (tiny unsweetened cream-puff shells)
To understand how the human eye works, first imagine a photographic camera—since cameras were developed very much with the human eye in mind. How do we see what we see? Light reflects off of objects and enters the eyeball through a transparent layer of tissue at the front of the eye called the cornea. The cornea accepts widely divergent light rays and bends them through the pupil—the dark opening in the center of the colored portion of the eye. The pupil appears to expand or contract automatically based on the intensity of the light entering the eye. In truth, this action is controlled by the iris—a ring of muscles within the colored portion of the eye that adjusts the pupil opening based on the intensity of light. (So when a pupil appears to expand or contract, it is actually the iris doing its job.) The adjusted light passes through the lens of the eye. Located behind the pupil, the lens automatically adjusts the path of the light and brings it into sharp focus onto the receiving area at back of the eye—the retina. An amazing membrane full of photoreceptors (a.k.a. the “rods and cones”), the retina converts the light rays into electrical impulses. These then travel through the optic nerve at the back of the eye to the brain, where an image is finally perceived. A delicate system, subject to flaws. It’s easy to see that a slight alteration in any aspect of how the human eye works—the shape of the eyeball, the cornea’s health, lens shape and curvature, retina problems—can cause the eye to produce fuzzy or blurred vision. That is why many people need vision correction. Eyeglasses and contact lenses help the light focus images correctly on the retina and allow people to see clearly. In effect, a lens is put in front of the eye to make up for any deficiencies in the complex vision process. The main parts of the human eye include: - Cornea: transparent tissue covering the front of the eye that lets light travel through - Iris: a ring of muscles in the colored part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil - Pupil: an opening in the center of the iris that changes size to control how much light is entering the eye. - Sclera: the white part of the eye that is composed of fibrous tissue that protects the inner workings of the eye - Lens: located directly behind the pupil, it focuses light rays onto the retina - Retina: membrane at the back of the eye that changes light into nerve signals - Rods and cones: special cells used by the retina to process light - Fovea: a tiny spot in the center of the retina that contains only cone cells. It allows us to see things sharply. - Optic Nerve: a bundle of nerve fibers that carries messages from the eyes to the brain - Macula: a small and highly sensitive part of the retina responsible for central vision, which allows a person to see shapes, colors, and details clearly and sharply. Special thanks to the EyeGlass Guide, for informational material that aided in the creation of this website. Visit the EyeGlass Guide today!
By Olivia Solon, Wired UK Biologists at Rice University have discovered that while plants might look fairly inactive in the day, they are surreptitiously preparing for battle with hungry insects. [partner id=”wireduk”]”When you walk past plants, they don’t look like they’re doing anything,” said Janet Braam, one of the investigators on a new study, which appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “It’s intriguing to see all of this activity down at the genetic level. It’s like watching a besieged fortress go on full alert.” Biologists have long known that plants have an internal clock that lets them measure the passing of time regardless of the light conditions. Some plants move their leaves to follow the Sun during the day but then “reset” their leaves at night and move them back toward the east in anticipation of the sunrise. Recent studies have been applying genetic tools to study plant circadian rhythms. Researchers have discovered that as many as a third of genes in the Arabidopsis thaliana plant (also known as thale cress or mouse cress) are activated by their circadian cycle. Some of the circadian-regulated genes are linked to wounding or healing responses, meaning that they can anticipate an attack from insects just as they anticipate the sunrise. In order to test this theory, graduate biochemistry and cell biology student Danielle Goodspeed designed an experiment. She used 12-hour light cycles to regulate the circadian clocks of the Arabidopsis plants and some cabbage looper caterpillars, which like to munch on the plants. Half of the plants were placed with caterpillars on a regular day-night cycle and the other half were placed with caterpillars whose internal clocks were set to daytime mode during the hours that the plants were in nighttime mode. “We found that the plants whose clocks were in phase with the insects were relatively resistant, whereas the plants whose clocks were out of phase were decimated by the insects feeding on them,” said Goodspeed. Goodspeed and colleagues including Wassim Chehab found that the plant uses its circadian clock to increase the production of a hormone jasmonate — which plants use to regulate the production of metabolites that interfere with insect digestion — during the day, when greedy insects most tend to feed. They also discovered that the circadian clock was used to regulate the production of other chemical defences such as those that protect against bacterial infections. The findings could help inform new strategies for insect resistance. You can read the full paper here. Source: Wired.co.ukGo Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.
Folktales are a fantastic programming tool to promote cultural awareness, diversity, normalization, and compassion in both classroom and library settings. This chapter emphasizes significant Latin American folklore and the influential power of storytelling while also providing concrete examples of simple ways for children’s, youth, and school librarians to incorporate folktales into bilingual programs and lesson plans for both Latino and non-Latino children. Folktales reflect people past and present. They answer the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a peoples’ cultural origins, traits, composition, belief systems, etc. Folktales are the tales, games, superstitions, proverbs/dichos, riddles and songs of a culture. They are tools of instruction, collections of wisdom, and core values that are passed down from generation to generation. Simple yet picturesque, folktales convey traditions, medicinal cures, customs, myths, values, and important stories passed down from generation to generation. (more…)
Basic Human Values has long been studied throughout human history. It is thought to be a critical component, along with others, of how a person evaluates their satisfaction with life. Basic human values can be defined as "trans-situational goals that vary in importance and serve as guiding principles in the life of a person or a group. Schwartz, S. (2007). The main features of a values framework can be summarised in the following five ways: - Values are beliefs - a way of thinking that is closely linked to the way we feel. If we believe in certain outcomes as being important to us or the world, we are generally more happy when those outcomes occur and generally less happy when those outcomes fail. - Values refer to desirable goals - we will often pursue activities or outcomes that are linked to those things that we belief to be most important to us. - Values transcend specific actions and situations - values are more than just attitudes or states of mind. These are intrinsic to our person or group that defy other social constraints and expectations. - Values serve as standards or criteria - we use our values to determine whether our own or others behaviour or actions are desirable, acceptable, justified, good, or undesirable, unacceptable, unjustified or bad. - Values are ordered by importance - our values framework is made up of a number of important elements and these are ordered in importance relative to each other. They guide our behaviour and decision making when considered in the context of what we are pursuing or what we are trying to achieve. People who have a greater understanding of their Core Values Motivations and are able to align more of their life's activities to those motivations are happier and more successful. Benefits & Features - Providing more meaning and purpose for individuals - Enhanced motivation by connecting people's work with their core values - Increasing a culture of kindness, generosity, understanding
Melting Scandinavian Ice Provides Missing Link Ice Age Mystery Melting Scandinavian ice may provide the missing piece for one of the most enduring puzzles of the last Ice Age. Scientists have found evidence that the melting ice sheet during this past time period may be the final clue as to what occurred at the end of the Ice Age. For years, researchers have struggled to reconcile climate models of Earth about 13,000 years ago with the theory that a catastrophic freshwater flood from the melting North American ice sheets plunged the planet into a sudden and final cold snap, just before entering the present warm interglacial. Now, a team of scientists has found evidence in the sediments of an ancient Swedish lake that it was the melting of Scandinavian ice sheets that influenced that last Ice Age. "The remains of midges, contained in the lake sediments, reveal a great deal about the past climate," said Steve Brooks, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The assemblage of species, when compared with modern records, enable us to track how, after an initial warming of up to four degrees Centigrade at the end of the last Ice Age, summer temperatures plummeted by five degrees Celsius over the next 400 years." The observed colder and drier climate conditions were likely driven by increasingly stronger melting of the Scandinavian ice sheet in response to warming at the end of the last Ice Age. This led to an expansion of summer sea ice and to changes in sea-ice distribution in the eastern region of the North Atlantic. This, in turn, caused abrupt climate change. "The Scandinavian ice sheet definitely played a much more significant role in the onset of this final cold period than previously thought," said Barbara Wohlfarth, project leader. "Our teamwork highlights the importance of paleoclimate studies, not least in respect to the ongoing warming debate." The findings are published in the journal Nature Climate Change. For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
Biodegradation of Xenobiotic Compounds Xenobiotics or xenobiotic compounds are human made chemicals that are present in the environment and pollute the environment when present in high concentrations. The word “xeno”means foreign. A compound that is normal to one organism may be a xenobiotic to another. For example, antibiotics can be referred as xenobiotics in a human body because human body does not contain them or produce them naturally. Organs transplanted in foreign bodies of different species are termed as xenotransplantation. The xenobiotic compounds are either not produced naturally, or are produced at much lower concentrations.Microorganism has the capability of degrading all naturally occurring compounds; this is known as the principle of microbial infallibility proposed by Alexander in 1965. Microorganisms are also able to degrade many of the xenobiotic compounds, but they are unable to degrade many others. Types of Xenobiotic compounds There are two types of xenobiotic compounds. They may be biodegradable or non degradable (recalcitrant). Biodegradable xenobiotic compounds are those that get degraded by the action of microbes or other reactions while recalcitrant compounds are resistant to degradation by any reactions. Types of Recalcitrant Xenobiotic Compounds The recalcitrant xenobiotic compounds can be grouped into the following six types: 2) polychlorinated biphenyls, 3) synthetic polymers, 4) alkylbenzyl sulphonate, 5) oil mixture and The xenobiotic compounds may be recalcitrant due to one or more of the following reasons: 1) they are not recognized as substrate by the existing degradative , 2) they are highly stable, i.e., chemically and biologically inert due to the presence of substitution groups like halogens, nitro-, sulphonate, amino-, methoxy- and carbamyl groups (substitution of –H), 3) they are insoluble in water, or are adsorbed to external matrices like soil, 4) they are highly toxic or give rise to toxic products due to microbial activity, 5) their large molecular size prevents entry into microbial cells, 6) inability of the compounds to induce the synthesis of degrading , and 7) lack of the permease needed for their transport into the microbial cells. Xenobiotics and Environment Xenobiotics pose threat to the environment. They pollute the environment as some of them are recalcitrant. Synthetic polymers such as plastics and nylon are insoluble in water. Oil is also a pollutant; many of its compounds are biodegradable and are degraded at different rates. Oil is recalcitrant mainly because of its insolubility in water and due to the toxicity of some of its compounds. Biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds depends on their concentration (too high concentration may be toxic), pH of the medium, temperature, availability of water and other nutrients and presence of organic compounds (these may be co-metabolites, inhibitors or preferred substrate, in place of the xenobiotic, by microorganisms). In general, the xenobiotic compound should be available in an acceptable concentration and toxic levels should not occur. In a treatment system, a constant supply of the compound should be available for selective maintenance of microbes capable of its degradation. In addition, interfering organic compounds should not be present in the environment. Practical application of microbes for xenobiotic degradation is facilitated by: 1) supply of sufficient nutrients or co metabolites, 2) maintenance of the xenobiotic compounds at nontoxic levels and 3) provision of microbial inoculum.
A simulation of movement or the perception of motion created by the rapid display of a series of still images. Persistence of Vision Refers to the way our eyes retain images for a split second longer than they actually appear, making a series of quick flashes appear as one continuous picture. 2D or “Traditional” Animation When an animation is created using a series of drawings in a two dimensional (e.g. “flat”) environment. 3D or “Computer Animation” When an animation is created in a computer using software that allows for objects to be animated in a 3D environment where the camera can be moved around the environment in the X, Y, and/or Z Axis. Animation where a model is moved incrementally and photographed one frame at a time. NOTE: Sometimes this is also referred to as “claymation”. However, claymation is in fact a trademarked term and does not apply to the genre as a whole. The speed at which frames progress in an animation. Measures usually as frames per second (fps). – In animation for film the typical frame rate is 24 frames per second. Since, most traditional animation is typically done on “twos” (e.g. each drawing is shown for TWO frames) a typical second of animation will consist of 12 unique drawings. A frame in a timeline at which a change will occur. A main action or drawing that is set on a key frame. An inbetween basically fills in what is happening between the breakdowns for pose A and pose B. A thumbnail is a very small image or sketch used as a reference or an placeholder for a final image. When a character or object that is symmetrical moves with both sides in sync and in unison. This “mirrored” appearance typically appears unnatural and incorrect.
A hundred years ago this week a man was sitting in the wooden porch of a trading post in the village of Vanavara in deepest Siberia when a blinding flash of light, followed by a huge blast of sound threw him to the ground. Several years later, he recounted the terrifying moment to an inquisitive Russian scientist from St Petersburg who was on an expedition to find out what had caused such a massive explosion in one of the remotest regions on Earth. The man's story turned out to be the first confirmed, eye-witness account of the extraordinary explosion caused when a large object from space explodes violently in the air above the ground after striking the Earth's atmosphere. "Suddenly, in the north sky... the sky was split in two, and high above the forest the whole northern part of the sky appeared covered with fire," the man told the scientist. "There was a bang in the sky and a mighty crash... The crash was followed by a noise like stones falling from the sky, or of guns firing. The earth trembled," he said. The heat from the blast was so intense the man thought that his shirt was on fire. The light from the explosion, and sunlight subsequently reflected in the atmospheric dust, could be seen for miles around. People as far away as London said that the night sky was so unusually bright that it was possible to read a newspaper in their gardens at midnight. The blast felled some 80 million trees over an area of 800 square miles. If the asteroid had collided just a few hours later, or had come in on a slightly different trajectory, it could easily have exploded over Paris, London, New York or Moscow, with devastating consequences. Scientists calculate that if something of similar size exploded over London today, little within the M25 would remain standing. It would be as if a large thermonuclear bomb equivalent to 20 million tons of high explosives had been set off in the heart of the city. What happened at about 7am on 30 June 1908, near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Siberia is now legendary among scientists studying near-Earth objects – asteroids and comets with orbits around the Sun that can bring them perilously close to our own planet. The Tunguska Impact is a stark reminder that, within living memory, a large enough object from space has hit the Earth on a latitude that could kill millions of people. "If you want to start a conversation with anyone in the asteroid business, all you have to say is 'Tunguska'," says Don Yeomans, manager of the Near-Earth Object Office at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "It is the only entry of a larger meteoroid we have in the modern era with first-hand accounts." Although the impact happened in 1908, it was not until 1921 that Leonid Kulik, the chief curator of meteorites at St Petersburg Museum, led the first expedition to find out what happened, and possibly discover the crater it had left behind. He failed on that occasion because of the harsh conditions – swampy, mosquito-infested forests in summer and penetrating cold and ice in winter. In 1927, Kulik made another attempt and managed to reach the blast area to witness the devastation. He tried to get the deeply suspicious locals – reindeer herders called the Evenki – to tell him what they remember of that fateful morning 19 years earlier. They were reluctant, but he did manage to speak to the man at Vanavara, about 40 miles away from the blast's epicentre. "At first, the locals were reluctant to tell Kulik about the event. They believed the blast was a visitation by the god Ogdy, who had cursed the area by smashing trees and killing animals. Those trees acted as markers, pointing directly away from the blast's epicentre. Later, when the team arrived at ground zero, they found the trees there standing upright – but their limbs and bark had been stripped away. They looked like a forest of telephone poles," says Dr Yeomans. Kulik failed to find the impact crater, or any sign of the meteoroid itself. But the radial pattern of the felled timber, and in particular the central stand of trees stripped of branches, hinted at something else – that the blast wave had come from directly overhead and radiated out. In other words, instead of smashing into the ground, the object had disintegrated high overhead. Such an air burst causes the branches of trees directly below to be stripped off, leaving the trunks standing – as they did at Hiroshima. The absence of a crater and of meteoroid fragments has led to wild speculation about what may have caused the explosion – from mini black holes to space aliens. A more sensible suggestion, however, is that it was not a space object, but an explosion caused by the sudden release of huge quantities of methane or some other kind of explosive gas from deep below the ground. But Dr Yeomans, along with most other experts, dismisses this "earth-belch" idea as implausible. "A century later, some still debate the cause and come up with different scenarios that could have caused the explosion. But the generally agreed-upon theory is that on the morning of 30 June 1908, a large space rock about 120 feet across entered the atmosphere of Siberia and then detonated in the sky," Dr Yeomans says. Such a rock would have been travelling at about 33,500mph as it plunged into the upper atmosphere. Friction with air molecules would have raised the temperature of the surrounding air to something like 25,000C. At about 28,000 feet, the pressure and heat would have cause the rock to explode into a fireball, releasing energy equivalent to about 185 Hiroshima bombs, according to Dr Yeomans. "That is why there is no impact crater. The great majority of the asteroid was consumed in the explosion." Not all scientists agree with the details of this scenario. Giuseppe Longo of Bologna University and colleagues believe they have located a potential crater, a large water-filled depression known as Lake Cheko, where the meteoroid hit and was buried under permafrost. They intend to dig for what remains of the space object to prove their case. However, others point out that Lake Cheko lacks the attributes of a crater – such as raised edges – and is probably nothing more than one of the region's many oxbow lakes, formed from a river bend that collects slow-running water that then sinks into the permafrost below. The really big question about Tunguska is how likely it is that something similar or worse will happen again? Asteroid experts have calculated that something the size of the object that hit Tunguska would strike the Earth at an average rate of one every 300 years. This does not mean that we can expect one in 200 years' time, only that, over a long period, they happen with a typical frequency of one every 300 years. It could happen tomorrow, or in several hundred years' time. But as bad as a Tunguska would be over a heavily populated area, there are far more frightening scenarios. A larger object that hits the ground or ocean would cause more devastation by flinging debris into the air, or causing a tsunami. These sorts of objects are estimated to hit the Earth with a frequency of greater than once in every 1,000 years. But their impact would be dwarfed by even bigger objects between 1km and 10km wide. These have struck the Earth in the past with devastating consequences. One such object is believed to have hit the Earth 65 million years ago, throwing up so much debris that it created a "nuclear winter" that cut out sunlight for several seasons, causing the famous mass extinction that led to the demise of the dinosaurs. Dr Yeomans is part of a band of scientists lobbying for more research to investigate the orbits of the near-Earth objects that could pose a threat.With enough warning of an asteroid heading our way, it may be possible to deflect it if it appears to be on a collision course. Such surveys are under way. "We're identifying problems and hope to be able to do something about it," says Dr Yeomans. Nasa hopes to identify and track 90 per cent of all hazardous objects greater than 450 feet in diameter by the end of 2020. Scientists say that if ever a large object is discovered on a collision course with Earth, it might be possible to send up a nuclear-tipped rocket to blast it off course. A safer way would be to nudge it aside with smaller impacts, or even a "space sail" that uses the solar wind. One of the lessons from Tunguska is that, although we are vulnerable to the threat, it is not something that should turn us to despair – such massive impacts are rare. As Dr Yeomans says: "I think about Tunguska all the time from a scientific point of view, but the thought of another Tunguska does not keep me up at night." What are asteroids? * Asteroids are chunks of rock or space debris left over from the birth of the solar system. The biggest is known as Ceres, which is 567 miles wide. Comets are "dirty snowballs" composed of ice and dust – they are less likely to hit the Earth than asteroids. * 1Asteroid 2007 TU24 passed within 334,000 miles of Earth on 29 January 2008. At 800 feet wide, it was big enough to have caused global devastation if it had hit us. * 1Asteroids larger than 160 feet wide are big enough to survive the journey through the Earth's atmosphere and hit the ground, causing further devastation as they throw debris into the air. * 1Britain and the US are taking the issue seriously. The US Government has a near-Earth object survey Act and the UK has its own task force on potentially hazardous near-Earth objects.Reuse content
FURTHER PHYLOGENETIC CONSIDERATIONS Molluscs are over 500 million years old according to fossil record. There are different views about the evolution of molluscs. The molluscs have protosotme ancestry. But zoologists do not know the exact relationship of this phylum with other animal phyla. There are following evidences which support protosotme ancestry of molluscs. 1. A mollusc Neopilina (Monoplacophora) was discovered in 1952. It helped greatly to determine the position of molluscs. Neopilina has segmental arrangement of gills, excretory structures, and nervous system. •IIhe annelids and arthropods also have a segmental arrangement of body parts. Theretbre, monoplacophorans are “missing link” between other molluscs and the annelid-arthropod evolutionary line. 2. The molluscs, annelids, and arthropods share certain protosotme characteristics 3. Chitons also show a repetition of some body parts. Origin form triploblastic stock Following characteristics does not support the protosotme ancestry of molluscs 1. But the segmentation in some molluscs is very different from annelids and arthropods 2. The serially repeating structure in any other mollusc does not develop like annelid-arthropod. 3. Segmentation is also not an ancestral molluscan characteristic. Therefore many zoologists now believe that molluscs diverged from ancient triploblastic stocks. Other zoologists still believe that molluscs are tied to the annelid-arthropod line. But it is clear that the relationship of the molluscs to other animal phyla is distant. History of evolution of molluscs A diversity of body forms and lifestyles is present in this phylum. Therefore, mollusca are an excellent example of adaptive radiation. Molluscs began in Precambrian times. They were slow-moving, marine bottom dwellers. Then unique molluscan features deli–eloped. It allowed them to diversify quickly. By the end of the Cambrian period, some we .e filter feeders, some were burrowers. and others were swimming predators. Later, some molluscs became terrestrial. They adapted in many habitats like tropical rain forests to arid deserts. The classes Caudofoveata and Aplacophora lack shell. The zoologists believe that the lack of a shell in a primitive character. All other molluscs have a shell or they are derived from shelled ancestors. The multipart shell distinguishes the Polyplacophora from other classes. They have extensive adaptive radiation. Therefore, it is difficult to develop higher taxonomic relationships of this phylum.
Pressure washing or power washing is the use of high-pressure water spray to remove loose paint, mold, grime, dust, mud, chewing gum and dirt from surfaces and objects such as buildings, vehicles and concrete surfaces. The volume of a mechanical pressure washer is expressed in gallons or litres per minute, often designed into the pump and not variable. The pressure, expressed in pounds per square inch, pascals, or bar, is designed into the pump but can be varied by adjusting the unloader valve. Machines that produce pressures from 750 to 30,000 psi (5 to 200 MPa) or more are available. The hot-water high-pressure washer was invented by Alfred Kärcher in 1950, but Frank Ofeldt in the United States claimed to have invented the steam pressure washer or “high-pressure Jenny” in 1927. The basic pressure washer consists of a motor (either electric, internal combustion, pneumatic or hydraulic) that drives a high-pressure water pump, a high-pressure hose and a trigger gun-style switch. Just as a garden hose nozzle is used to increase the velocity of water, a pressure washer creates high pressure and velocity. The pump cannot draw more water from the pipe to which the washer is connected than that source can provide: the water supply must be adequate for the machine connected to it, as water starvation leads to cavitation damage of the pump elements. Different types of nozzles are available for different applications. Some nozzles create a water jet that is in a triangular plane (fan pattern), others emit a thin jet of water that spirals around rapidly (cone pattern). Nozzles that deliver a higher flow rate lower the output pressure. Most nozzles attach directly to the trigger gun. Some washers, with an appropriate nozzle, allow detergent to be introduced into the water stream, assisting in the cleaning process. Two types of chemical injectors are available — a high-pressure injector that introduces the chemical after the water leaves the pump (a downstream injector) and a low-pressure injector that introduces the chemical before water enters the pump (an upstream injector). The type of injector used is related to the type of detergent used, as there are many chemicals that will damage a pump if an upstream injector is used. Washers are dangerous tools and should be operated with due regard to safety instructions. The water pressure near the nozzle is powerful enough to strip flesh from bone. Particles in the water supply are ejected from the nozzle at great velocities. The cleaning process can propel objects dislodged from the surface being cleaned, also at great velocities. Pressure washers have a tendency to break up tarmac if aimed directly at it, due to high-pressure water entering cracks and voids in the surface. Most consumer washers are electric- or petrol-powered. Electric washers plug into a normal outlet, are supplied with tap water, and typically deliver pressure up to about 2,000 psi (140 bar). Petrol washers can deliver twice that pressure, but due to the hazardous nature of the engine exhaust they are unsuitable for enclosed or indoor areas. Some models can generate hot water, which can be ideal for loosening and removing oil and grease. Gadget reviewer Doug Aamoth has a rocky relationship with birds vis-a-vis their daily deposits on his precious patio. Armed with $80 and hell-bent on keeping his patio sparkling, he leverages the Sun Joe SPX1000 pressure washer, a city-friendly unit meant for light jobs.
In Year 7 students take either French or German on four periods per fortnight, which enables them to gain a good grasp of the basics. In Year 8 all students continue with their Year 7 language and the majority add a second from French, German and Spanish and in Year 9 all students continue with at least one language on four periods and some continue with both. In the latter case students receive four lessons of their second foreign language and two lessons of their first. At KS4 a foreign language is an option, although where students are deemed capable of achieving at least GCSE grade 4 they are strongly encouraged to take a language and can take two if they wish. For the GCSE course students receive five periods per fortnight in both years 10 and 11. In the Sixth Form we run relatively small classes at A level and currently have courses in French, German and Spanish. For more information about each key stage, please click on each of the sections below. Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8, 9) French and German - Year 7 students begin their National Curriculum study of one of these languages in mixed ability groups. They cover a number of topics during the year including personal identification and home. Grammatical structures are taught formally within the context of these topics. Lessons contain a wide variety of activities, including the use of IT to develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students continue their study of French or German and the majority add a second foreign language from Spanish and whichever of French or German they did not study in Year 7. These students receive three periods per fortnight for each language, so six periods of MFL in total. Lessons build on prior learning to develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing and embed grammatical understanding. Students who find languages a little more challenging do not start a second language, so receive six periods per fortnight in their Year 7 language. They cover the same content, but the class moves more slowly and may make greater use of IT. A small group of students with weak literacy skills follow a course in Holiday Spanish on three periods per fortnight and also receive three periods of extra English. In Year 9 students continue their National Curriculum studies of MFL in mixed-ability groups of students who have had three and six periods in Year 8. They develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing through topics such as travelling, holidays and free time. Grammar is formally taught and reinforced through these topic areas. Lessons contain a wide variety of activities, to present new language and develop linguistic and cultural awareness. Students who wish to take two languages are taught their Year 7 language in an express group on two periods per fortnight and cover the same content as the other groups. Key Stage 4 (Years 10, 11) The year starts with some revision of the ‘basics’ covered at KS3, before moving onto the GCSE theme of ‘Identity and Culture’. Students are assessed and their progress tracked at the end of each teaching unit as they develop their skills and confidence in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Much emphasis is placed on the teaching of grammar to prepare students for the rigours of GCSE assessment in each skill at the end of year 11. Students have the opportunity to take part in the exchange programme where they host and visit students in our partner schools inn France, Germany and Spain. Students continue their study of the GCSE theme ‘‘Local, national, international and global areas of interest’ before moving on to the final theme of ‘Current and future study and employment’. They sit a mock examination in January before they take their real examinations in May/June. French / German / Spanish The first term of Year 12 is partly spent consolidating GCSE knowledge. Grammar is revised thoroughly so that students are well prepared to progress quickly. They significantly broaden their vocabulary through study of the topic areas and regular testing. Much of each lesson is conducted in the target language and the students will get plenty of opportunity to practice speaking through pair work, group work and class debate. Students use authentic materials and access resources on the internet for research and individual study. Each fortnight there is an assessment period where students complete exam-style tasks under test conditions, providing valuable feedback for students and staff. For more information about this subject at KS5, please click here to view the relevant subject leaflet at the bottom of the page.
Helicobacter Pylori in Children What is H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori)? H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori, pronounced Hel-ee-koh-BAK-ter Pie-LORE-ee) is a spiral-shaped germ (bacteria) that infects the stomach. It can damage the tissue in your child’s stomach and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). This can cause redness and swelling (inflammation). It may also cause painful sores called peptic ulcers in the upper digestive tract. What causes an H. pylori infection? Health experts don’t know for sure how H. pylori infection is spread. They believe the germs can be passed from person to person by mouth. Your child may also come into contact with the bacteria if he or she: - Eats food that was not cleaned or cooked in a safe way - Drinks water that is infected with the bacteria - Doesn’t wash his or her hands well after going to the bathroom Most people are first exposed to the bacteria during childhood. Who is at risk for an H. pylori infection? Most people first get the bacteria when they are children. But adults can get it too. Experts are not sure if H. pylori infection runs in families (hereditary). It is more common where people live in crowded or unclean conditions. It may affect up to 75% of children in developing countries. It occurs at a lower rate in the U.S. What are the symptoms of an H. pylori infection? Most people have the H. pylori bacteria for years without knowing it because they don’t have any symptoms. Experts don’t know why. After being infected with H. pylori, your child may have an inflammation of the stomach lining. This is called gastritis. But most people never have symptoms or problems from the infection. When symptoms do occur, they may include belly pain, which can: - Be a dull, gnawing pain - Happen 2 to 3 hours after a meal - Come and go for a few days or weeks - Occur in the middle of the night when your child’s stomach is empty - Be eased by eating or taking an antacid medicine Other symptoms may include: - Loss of weight - Loss of appetite - Swelling or bloating - Having an upset stomach or nausea H. pylori symptoms may look like other health conditions. Always see your child's healthcare provider for a diagnosis. How is an H. pylori infection diagnosed? Your child’s healthcare provider will take a health history and do a physical exam. The provider may also order other tests, including: - Blood tests. These tests check for infection-fighting cells called antibodies. If antibodies are found, your child has the H. pylori bacteria. - Stool culture. This looks for any abnormal bacteria in your child’s digestive tract that may cause diarrhea and other problems. A small stool sample is collected and sent to a lab. - Breath tests. These tests check if there is any carbon present after your child drinks a special fluid. If carbon is found, that means that H. pylori is present. - EGD or upper endoscopy. This test looks at the lining of the food pipe (esophagus), the stomach, and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). It uses a thin, lighted tube or endoscope. The tube has a camera at one end. The tube is put into your child’s mouth and throat. Then it goes down into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. Your child’s provider can see the inside of these organs. A small tissue sample or biopsy is taken if needed. The tissue sample can be checked for signs of infection or of H. pylori bacteria. How is an H. pylori infection treated? Treatment will depend on your child’s symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is. Your child’s treatment may include antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Your child may also take medicines to stop stomach acid from being made. These include: - H2-blockers. They reduce the amount of acid the stomach makes by blocking the hormone histamine. Histamine helps to make acid. - Proton pump inhibitors. These help to prevent the stomach from making acid. They do this by stopping the stomach's acid pump from working. - Stomach-lining protectors. They protect the stomach lining from acid. They also help kill bacteria. What are the complications of an H. pylori infection? A very bad ulcer can wear away your child’s stomach lining. It can also cause problems such as: - Bleeding when a blood vessel is worn away - A hole (perforation) in the stomach wall - Blockage when the ulcer is in a spot that blocks food from leaving the stomach What can I do to prevent H. pylori? Health experts don’t know for sure how the H. pylori bacteria passes from person to person. But having good health habits or personal hygiene can help keep your child safe. These habits include making sure that your child: - Washes his or her hands with soap and water. It is very important for your child to do this after using the bathroom and before eating. - Eats food that has been cleaned and cooked safely - Drinks water that is safe and clean When should I call my child's healthcare provider?Call your child's healthcare provider if your child has regular belly (abdominal) pain. Key points about H. pylori - H. pylori is a spiral-shaped germ (bacteria). It attacks the stomach and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). - This causes inflammation. It can also cause open sores called peptic ulcers in the upper digestive tract. - Most people with H. pylori won’t have any symptoms or get an ulcer. But it is a main cause of ulcers. - It may be passed by eating food or drinking water that is not safe. It may also be spread from person to person by mouth. - Having good personal health habits or hygiene can help protect your child. Next stepsTips to help you get the most from a visit to your child’s health care provider: - Before your visit, write down questions you want answered. - At the visit, write down the names of new medicines, treatments, or tests, and any new instructions your provider gives you for your child. - If your child has a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit. - Know how you can contact your child’s provider after office hours. This is important if your child becomes ill and you have questions or need advice.
This course traces ethnicity, cultural interaction, and forms of folkloristic expression in the British Isles and Ireland. Britain and Ireland possess a complex cultural history. Beginning with the prehistoric Celts, we will trace interactions and identities of historically documented base cultures in the region, especially as their cultural legacies have endured. The course focuses on (1) deep structures of myth, belief, and worldview from the past; and (2) persisting traditions and cultural practices. We will examine such forms of folklore as myths, stories, material culture, worship, ritual, belief, music, song, dance, drama, and custom. We will consider British folklore up to the present day in the context of community & individual values and arts.
Parts of speech are the mechanical building blocks of the English language. They’re at the heart of all writing, and each word used to form a sentence is categorized into one of those parts. Those parts can then form clauses and phrases to develop even more complex sentences, which blossom into the beautiful art known as writing. So why is it important to learn them? Well, for one, they help shape your writing. At the core of every work for an individual author is the style in which they structure their sentences. I made a post on Tumblr last week about an article that analyzed four popular authors and their corresponding best-selling series. The article broke down each piece into its main components: parts of speech. The author of the post then went on to describe (quite wonderfully) how each author showed the same patterns throughout their book, and it was pretty easy to see which authors were the better writers just from that. So, what better way to improve your writing than by starting with the very basic elements? In this post, I’d like to briefly cover each part of speech and its effect on writing. Studying the various elements can really help polish your work and improve your style to be the most effective when it comes to good storytelling. A noun is a naming word. It names a person, place, thing, idea, or action. Nouns can name something concrete or abstract, can be proper or common, and can be singular or plural. They can also be collective, name a countable or non-countable amount, and can be gerunds (action words usually ending in –ing). Nouns are one of the strongest parts of speech that you can implement into your writing. Using nouns that are specific and descriptive to the surrounding are typically the best ones to use. Sometimes using a noun that falls into several of the categories is a good fit as well. Using Nouns to Add Description to the Environment Original sentence: The front door was surrounded with decorations. The nouns used here are okay, but let’s see if we can pick some more descriptive ones. Modified sentence: The entryway was surrounded with beautiful paneling and stained glass. Much better. The detail makes this door a unique one and gives the reader some vivid imagery to remember it by. A verb is a word that describes an action or a state of being. They can be action or linking verbs, main or auxiliary verbs, or transitive/intransitive (requiring an object or not) verbs. They also determine the tense of a sentence. Verbs are your most useful tool in writing. Making a great verb choice will reduce the need for adjectives and adverbs, and it produces concise and powerful sentences. Whenever possible, replacing weak verbs with strong ones—and avoiding linking ones—is always a good idea for a quick way to improve your writing. Verb choice is usually the most problematic area for writers, so it’s important to be especially aware of this during your revisions. Using Verbs to Strengthen Your Sentences Original sentence: Jamie looked over her shoulder just in time to see the car driving past. The verbs here are weak and leave a bit to be desired. Without context, you can’t tell the pace or mood of this scene. Let’s see if we can spruce it up a bit. Modified sentence: Jamie craned her neck just in time to see the car swerving by. Not only did we shorten this sentence with the changes, but there is a definite sense of urgency now, and the suspense has been heightened. The pace is picking up. An adjective is a word that modifies/describes a noun. It tells you something specific that otherwise might not have been known. Typically, the adjective precedes the noun that it modifies, but they can also come after linking verbs. They can be used for comparison or as superlatives. (Note that when they are used as superlatives, you should NEVER use both an –er ending and the word more or an –est ending and the word most.) Adjectives are most effective when they are used sparingly. You should use them to give specific descriptions that make the noun they are modifying unique, but only when the situation calls for it. Like with verbs, strong—and less common—adjectives make for better writing. Using Adjectives to Enhance Descriptions Original sentence: Serena is a beautiful young girl with long, flowing blonde hair. There are several adjectives here that do tell us a bit about Serena, but some more distinct and descriptive ones would be nice. Replacing a few with stronger parts of speech would help too. Modified sentence: Serena is a stunning teenage girl with fair hair that flows halfway down her back. Now we can see that Serena is not just beautiful but stunning. That makes her stand out from everyone else. We also know a more specific age for her and can tell the exact length of her blonde hair. An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It can tell you how something is done or when/where something happened. Many adverbs end in –ly, but not all. Though they typically appear before the verb they modify, they can also come after, especially when it comes to dialogue. Like adjectives, adverbs are best used sparingly. They are the most effective when giving specifics about an event that the reader otherwise wouldn’t have known and work best in the company of strong verbs. When placed well, they can add to the subtleties of environment and pace in a scene as well as the mood. Using Adverbs to Enhance Environment, Pace, and Mood Original sentence: Earlier that morning, Joe had carefully placed his school supplies in his backpack. The sentence isn’t too bad, but let’s see if we can make it more specific and replace some of the adverbs and verb with stronger ones. Adverbial phrases work well in situations such as this one. Modified sentence: Once dressed, Joe had meticulously arranged his school supplies in his backpack. Because of the adverbial phrase, we now know a more specific time in the morning that Joe performed these actions, and the word meticulous tells us that he’s not only careful but unduly precise in the placement of his belongings. The stronger verb paired with that adverb also improves the sentence. A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun to avoid repetition of that noun. Personal pronouns can act as subjects or objects; possessive pronouns indicate ownership. Reflexive pronouns are used to indicate that the subject of the verb is also the receiver of that action. Intensive pronouns (which overlap the reflexive ones) simply emphasize the noun they refer back to. The reciprocal pronouns each other and one another are collective pronouns used to express shared actions or emotions. Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific people or things; demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, and those) are used to point out specific ones. Interrogative pronouns introduce questions, and relative pronouns, which overlap the interrogative ones, introduce dependent clauses that refer to a noun already mentioned in the sentence (i.e. the antecedent); the clauses they introduce can be restrictive or nonrestrictive. Regulating between nouns and pronouns can be tricky at times, but when the pronouns are well placed, they drastically improve the flow of the sentence. Using Pronouns to Improve Sentence Flow Original sentence: Marcus didn’t realize that Lucy and Mary had already completed more of Lucy’s and Mary’s homework than Marcus had Marcus’s. This sentence is not only cumbersome to read but it also doesn’t entirely make sense. Let’s clean it up with some pronouns. Modified sentence: Marcus didn’t realize that Lucy and Mary had already completed more of their homework than he had his own. The changes make a vast improvement. This sentence makes a lot more sense now and is much easier to read. A conjunction joins together words, phrases, and clauses. There are three kinds of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, and subordinating conjunctions. Coordinating conjunctions are the most common and are used with commas to create compound sentences. However, if one of the clauses is dependent, no comma is used with the conjunction. (See my post on commas for the rules.) Correlative conjunctions work in pairs and typically do not use commas. Subordinating conjunctions join together an independent clause with a dependent, subordinating one. When a subordinating clause is found at the beginning of a sentence, a comma is used after it. When it comes at the end, no comma is used. There is also a fourth element that I’d like to bring into the picture: conjunctive adverbs. While they are not true conjunctions, they can work as such to join two independent clauses that are related but don’t use typical conjunctions. Like the other kinds of conjunctions, they require additional punctuation around them. However, the type of punctuation depends on placement of the adverb. If it occurs at the beginning of a sentence, a comma is used after it. If it occurs in the middle of a sentence as an interrupter word, it is surrounded by commas. When one is used to join two independent clauses together, a semicolon is required before it, and a comma is then used after it. The only time a conjunctive adverb does not require punctuation is if it falls at the end of sentence. An older rule dictated that a comma must always precede the adverb if that be the case, but this rule is no longer observed. Commas are only used before such an adverb at the end of the sentence for emphasis and clarity. (Refer to the Chicago Manual of Style.) Each of these conjunctions is great for giving your sentences variety. Without them, you’re stuck with simple sentences that all sound the same—which certainly won’t hold your readers’ attention. Using Conjunctions to Create Sentence Variation In this example, let’s start with a whole paragraph so we can see just how big of an effect conjunctions have in creating sentence variation. Original paragraph: Max’s test lay on the desk in front of him. He was completely unprepared for it. He should have been studying for it last night. He spent the night out with friends. He stared at it now. He wished he could remember the details of the American Civil War. He thought for several minutes. Nothing came to mind. He was certain he would fail at this point. This paragraph retells a number of events, but it reads more like a laundry list than a story. There isn’t really a distinct voice to it. Let’s throw in some conjunctions to change the pace a bit. Modified paragraph: Max’s test lay on the desk in front of him, but he was completely unprepared for it. He should have been studying for it last night; instead, he spent the night out with friends. He stared at it now and wished he could remember the details of the American Civil War. After several minutes, nothing came to mind. He was certain he would fail at this point. Now the details of the situation are a bit clearer, and there is a distinct flow to the narrative. By doing nothing more than adding in a few conjunctions and connecting some of the ideas, a picture is starting to form, and a narrative is created. A preposition connects a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to the rest of the sentence. Together, the preposition and the noun or noun phrase form a prepositional phrase. Prepositional phrases act as adjectives or adverbs and provide extra information in a sentence. Prepositional phrases help add detail to a piece. They should be used to provide essential information and to help form imagery. Using Prepositions to Add Context Original sentence: Lacey found her notebook. This is a pretty simple sentence. We get only the bare essentials and no other context. Let’s see if adding in a prepositional phrase or two can give us the information we’re missing. Modified sentence: At the last second before the bus arrived, Lacey found her notebook next to the armchair. With just a few prepositions, we can get quite a bit of context in one sentence. We now know that Lacey didn’t just find her notebook; she was also running late and found it just seconds before her bus arrived. We also know a generalized age for Lacey as well as where she found the notebook. An interjection is a word or phrase that can stand alone and expresses emotion or surprise. They can be set off with commas or exclamation points depending on the strength of the emotion being expressed. Examples: Oh! Wow! Hey! Yikes! Hooray! When used sparingly, interjections can be an effective way of enhancing creative writing, particularly dialogue. They should be used to add subtle undertones to a conversation or scene and are a great way to avoid amateur tags in dialogue that directly state, rather than illustrate, characters’ emotions, especially when coupled with strong body language. Using Interjections to Express Emotion Original sentence: “That’s not fair,” Tom said, disappointed that he would be unable to go to the movie. While it’s clear what Tom’s emotions are here, the writing itself is somewhat drab and doesn’t leave much for the reader to picture. Let’s add an interjection to the dialogue to give some emotion to it and then couple that with some body language to further illustrate his frustration. Modified sentence: “Hey, that’s not fair!” Tom whined, staring at his feet and kicking up some dirt. Now there’s a definite mood he’s expressing, and his body language confirms that. We can tell that he is both frustrated and disappointed without ever having it be directly stated. The only thing that is needed by altering the sentence is context. An article is used to introduce a noun. It lets the reader know whether the noun is a specific one or a general one. There are only three articles in the English language: a, an, and the. The is used to indicate a very particular noun, and a/an is used to indicate one that is being mentioned when there are other possibilities. Whether or not there is a need to use an article depends on the noun it’s modifying. If you’re using one of the general articles, you’ll have to decide whether a or an is appropriate. The trick is to pick out the initial sound of the word, regardless of how it’s spelled. For instance, you would say “an honest statement” rather than “a honest statement” because the h in honest is silent; therefore, the word’s beginning sound is that of a short o. Another thing to note is that the word immediately following the article is the one that dictates which of the two articles should be used. Even if the noun being modified has several adjectives or adverbs in front of it, the one that comes directly after the article is the one that will determine which article is correct. (E.g. “a perfectly honest opinion.”) The biggest thing to watch out for with articles is to be certain you’re using the right one. Using a specific article vs. a general one—and vice versa—can drastically change the meaning of a sentence. Note that adjectives are more often coupled with specific articles than general ones. Using Articles to Indicate Importance of a Noun Original sentence: Mikey threw a ball. The sentence implies that there is more than one item that Mikey could choose to throw. It also implies that which ball he threw isn’t really all that important. Modified sentence: Mikey threw the ball. This sentence implies that Mikey threw the only ball available to him. If you add in an adjective, the sentence becomes even more specific: Mikey threw the red ball. Now we know that there were several kinds or colors of balls, but Mikey chose to throw the red one specifically. Details such as that generally indicate an object of importance. From nouns to articles, each part of speech builds on the others. By breaking down sentences and tweaking individual words, writers can practice small changes to enhance their writing and produce well-crafted sentences.
What is phishing? It is the fraudulent practice of sending emails supposing to be from reputable companies but intending to induce individuals to reveal their password or credit card information. Why do people do it? People who perform phishing are cybercriminals, they want to steal your money or your sensitive information. They use tricks and techniques to deceive individuals. It is easy for these scammers when users are not knowledgeable. What is Email Spoofing? It is the forgery of email headers to mislead the recipients about the origin of the message. Another phishing technique. When you look at an email address in your email program (Outlook/ Thunderbird/ Mac mail), you are not seeing the true email but only the sender, the recipient/s, the subject and the body of the email. Your email software displays who an email is from in the “From” field. However, no verification is performed and therefore your email software has no way of knowing or validating if an email is actually from who it says it’s from. When an email message is sent, there are two pieces of information sent in the headers during the initial connection which is not visible to the end user, this loophole is exploited by scammers in electronic mail, a concept well known as email spoofing in computing. How to prevent email fraud - Do not click on links sent through email. - Do not download files or open attachments in emails from unknown senders. - Be very cautious with your personal information including your usernames and passwords. - Legitimate businesses will not send you an email to ask for your login information or sensitive personal information. - Verify the reply-to address. - Add an SPF record to prevent scammers from spoofing your domain.
The voluntary activities that occur with out knowing or that occur involuntarily without the intervention of the centres of brain are called refiex actions. Reflex actions are useful to animal because they bring about quick action in response to a stimulus. Many reflex action (spinal reflexes) relieve the brain from unnecessory work by taking care of minor activities and avoid harmful delay by not referring the stimuli to the higher centres of brain. The flow of nerve impulse along a specific nerve pathway is called reflex arc. The path of nerve impulse in a reflex action is called reflex arc. The impulses can flow only in a single direction in a reflex arc are, Sensory organ ----------> Afferent neuron -----------> Efferent neuron -----------> Muscle or gland (effector) The reflexes in which the response (motor impulse) is formed in the spinal cord are called spinal reflexes. E.g. : - Immediate withdrawl of a hand from hot surface. - Movement of patella when it strikes aganist hard object. - Removal of nail when it is pierced into the skin of leg or hand. The reflexes in which the response is formed in the brain are called cerebral reflexes. E.g. : - Sudden closure of eyes when a strong light is focussed. - Oozing of saliva on seeing sweets. Some reflexes can be evoked even immediately after birth and need no previous encounter with the stimulus exciting it. For example, the taste of food causes salivation even in a new-born baby or even thouh the baby is tasting that food for the first time. The pupil constricts even if the eye is illuminated with bright light just at birth. Such reflexes are called unconditioned or inborn reflexes. The reflex, acquired afterbirth by applying an indifferent stimulus before or along with the stimulus for an inborn reflex, is called a conditioned reflex or acquired reflex. Eg. The sight or smell of food is a conditioned stimulus for salivation.
MONASH U. (AUS) — Over millions of years, flowers in Australia and Europe have evolved to produce the same colors to attract bees, a new study finds. Lead researcher Adrian Dyer of the physiology department at Monash University says Australia was a good subject for studying flower evolution because it separated from other continents 34 million years ago. “Australia’s long-term isolation means that species of plants here and in Europe independently evolved to have similarly colored petals,” says Dyer. “Our research shows that the common factor here is the known color vision discrimination abilities of bees. The plants have, over time, developed petals that will attract bees to act as pollinators.” Published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the study shows that certain plants have optimized their petal colors to be easily perceived by bees. Over time, bees have the capacity to learn to associate these flowers with food. “Bees have trichromatic vision based on ultraviolet, blue and green photoreceptors, so what they see is very different from what we see. However, bees from around the world all appear to have very similar color vision,” says Dyer. “Previous research has determined that color vision present in modern bees actually evolved before angiosperms, meaning the plants probably adapted their flower color to take advantage of pre-existing conditions.” Bees tend to be ‘flower constant’, repeatedly visiting one type of plant if it continues to provide food. Taking advantage of this to maximize bee visits is an efficient way for plants to ensure that pollen is distributed to others in their species, rather than relying on random wind distribution. “Currently there is little known about plant-pollinator relationships in Australia; this work shows just how important bees have been to influencing flower color evolution on this enormous island continent,” says Dyer. Scientists from Monash, RMIT University, and the Swedish Museum of Natural History contributed to the study. More news from Monash University: www.monash.edu.au/news/latest
An effective way to help students improve their ability to perform class routines is to use what educator Madeline Hunter calls “think-starters.” Imagine Randy has just handed me a paper with no name on it. If I said, “Put your name on it,” that would be a “think-stopper” because I am the one pointing out his mistake. On the other hand, if I asked him what he needed to do before handing me the paper, then I am helping Randy discover his own mistake. That would be a think-starter. Asking him instead of telling him shifts the responsibility to Randy. Think-starters give students ownership of their behavior. By encouraging kids to reflect on their actions, think-starters help them internalize these habits and build their capacity for the future. While Randy may have forgotten to put his name on the paper this time, think-starters increase the likelihood that he will remember to do it next time.
The death of the artificial antibody project allowed Pauling to focus on more productive areas of research. In 1943 he and his assistants started putting together a more detailed picture of how, exactly, antibodies were able to stick to antigens. The results of this careful, valuable research would shape Pauling's attitudes toward protein structure for years to come. By using carefully prepared synthetic antigens along with improved assaying techniques, Pauling was able to show by the War's end that antibodies stuck to antigens not because of typical chemical bonds (covalent or ionic) but because of shape. Antibody and antigen came together like hand and precisely fitted glove, bringing significant areas of their surfaces into very close contact. Their shapes were complementary. That close contact brought into play a set of weak interactions called van der Waal's forces. These were very weak bonds – only a fraction of the strength of a covalent chemical bond – and were nonspecific, operating between almost any two atoms in close contact. However, when the fit between antibody and antigen was just right, the sum of van der Waal's interactions over many atoms (along with occasional hydrogen bonding and the attraction of oppositely charged polar groups) was enough to bind the two together. The key was harnessing many weak forces spread over a relatively large surface area. But the fit had to be precise. If the complementary shaping of antibody to antigen was off by just an atom or two, Pauling's group found, the binding force declined The ability of one molecule in the body to recognize another, and the creation of specific interactions between them – the way an enzyme binds to only one substrate, for instance, or an antibody to a specific antigen – was a central mystery in the new field of molecular biology. Pauling's immunological work after 1943 cast much-needed light on that mystery. The idea of complementary shapes came to dominate Pauling's thinking about protein interactions in the body. But he was still a long way from understanding with any degree of detail how any individual protein might be built.
Learn more about seals What are they? - Seals are pinnipeds, a group of animals with three separate families—phocidae (eared seals), otaridae (non-eared seals), and odobenidae (walruses)—that are the only mammals that feed in the water and breed on land. - Evidence suggests that pinnipeds evolved from a bear-like land animal that hunted in the water for food. - There are more than 30 species of seals worldwide. - Seals are carnivorous and dive underwater to hunt for fish, crustaceans, seabirds, and other marine animals. Whales, sharks, and even other seals are the primary non-human predators of seals. - Elephant seals are champion divers—they have been known to reach depths of almost 2,400 meters (more than 7,800 feet) and to remain submerged for 100 minutes. - Seals are protected from the cold by a thick layer of blubber; a clear membrane covers their eyes and their nostrils close and blood circulation to most of their organs is reduced while diving. They also have sensitive whiskers that help them detect prey in murky water. - Seals can sleep underwater and can even surface to breathe without waking. - A female seal, called a cow, gives birth to one pup about once a year on land. The pups are nursed anywhere between four days and one month. - Most mother seals don't eat while nursing, relying instead on blubber stores for nutrition. - Seals molt, or shed their fur, about once a year (except their first), a process that can take as long as six weeks. - The Caribbean monk seal was declared extinct in 2008. Other species have been hunted to near-extinction. - Worldwide, gray seals number about 300,000 and are found on both sides of the Atlantic in three distinct populations: Western Atlantic (150,000), Eastern Atlantic (130,000 – 140,000), and Baltic (7,500). - Western Atlantic gray seal bulls can reach 2.5–3.3 meters (8.2–11 feet) in length and weigh as much as 400 kilograms (880 pounds); cows are much smaller, typically 1.6–2.0 meters (5.2–6.6 feet) long and 250 kilograms (550 pounds). - Gray seals are gregarious animals—they gather in large groups on shore to breed, give birth, and molt. - Female gray seals live up to 35 years and males about 25 years. - Gray seals primarily hunt squid, fish, and sandeels; their main predators are humans, sharks, and orcas. - Gray seal pups are born in autumn (September to November) in the eastern Atlantic and in winter (January to February) in the west, and are born with white fur, which molts after two to four weeks. They nurse for two to three weeks and can quadruple in size during this time because a mother's milk is up to 50 percent fat. - One to four weeks after being weaned, the pups disperse and have been known to wander more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles). - The mortality rate for gray seal pups is between 30 and 55 percent, largely due to fishing bycatch, entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, boat strikes, and hunting. Last updated: August 1, 2013
Mississippi Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Public Health Problem Overweight and consumption of unhealthy foods are problems among youth in Mississippi. Greater consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a decreased risk for chronic disease. In 2007 - 18% of high school students in Mississippi were obese. - Less than 1 of 5 (19%) high school students in Mississippi ate fruits and vegetables 5 or more times a day. To address overweight and unhealthy eating, the Mississippi Department of Education selected 25 schools throughout Mississippi to serve as program sites for fruit and vegetable distribution free of charge. The primary goals of the program were to - Increase students’ consumption of fruits and vegetables. - Help educate students about the importance of good nutrition. The evaluation of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program measured - Changes in the variety of fruits and vegetables students ate during the school year. - Changes in students’ attitudes toward fruits and vegetables during the school year. - Changes in students’ degree of preference for fruits and vegetables during the school year. - The extent to which students’ consumption of fruits and vegetables changed. The evaluation involved 725 students in grades 5, 8, and 10 from 5 of the 25 schools that participated in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot program in the 2004–2005 school year. As compared with the beginning of the school year - Students’ familiarity with fruits and vegetables increased across all grade levels. - Eighth-grade students reported more positive attitudes toward eating fruits and vegetables, beliefs that they could eat more fruit, and willingness to try new fruits. - Preferences for fruit increased among 8th- and 10th-grade students. - Intentions to eat fruit increased among 10th-grade students. - Eighth- and 10th-grade students’ consumption of fruit in school increased. - Eighth- and 10th-grade students’ intake of vitamin C increased in and out of school, and intake of dietary fiber increased in school. This program may have helped to increase student exposure to fruits and vegetables across all grade levels. It also may have had effects on 8th- and 10th-grade students’ attitudes, preferences for, and intentions to eat fruit. It appears to have helped increase 8th- and 10th-grade students’ consumption of fruit during the school year. This was a popular program that appears to have increased awareness of the importance of consuming fruits and vegetables among students, parents, and school staff and administrators. Such a program may be a useful part of school-based initiatives to improve students’ nutritional choices. Sample Tools and Instruments This section contains selected data collection tools and instruments that were used in this project. These sample instruments are posted as examples to guide development of instruments for other projects, but are not intended to be used in their current form, as they have been tailored to address specific evaluation questions of interest to the Mississippi Department of Education. Questionnaire to assess students in 5th, 8th, and 12th grade for consumption of fruits and vegetables—including intentions; self-efficacy; outcome expectations; exposure and preferences; willingness to try new foods; consumption frequency; parent/peer fruit and vegetable eating behavior; and participation in and satisfaction with the fresh fruit and vegetable program. Guides used for 15- to 30-minute interviews with key school and district staff regarding the fruit and vegetable program. - Food Service Manager/Program Coordinators Interview [doc 126K] - Principal Interview [doc 100K] Monthly Site-Coordinator Log Log that describes implementation of the fruit and vegetable program in the previous month; documents data collection for grade levels served, fruit and vegetable suppliers, fruit and vegetable distribution methods, nutrition-related promotion and education, parent and community involvement, and program successes and challenges. Focus Group Guides Guides for 45-minute focus groups with students and parents regarding the fruit and vegetable program. Student Focus Group Guide for discussion on students’ impressions of the fruit and vegetable program, including fruits and vegetables that were liked and disliked, distribution methods, perceived impact, related educational activities, and suggested changes. Parent Focus Group Guide for discussion on parents’ impressions of the fruit and vegetable program, including fruits and vegetables that students liked and disliked, impact of the program on children’s eating habits, related educational activities, and suggested changes. For More Information Additional information about this applied evaluation, including the full evaluation report, is available from the Mississippi Department of Education. Related publications are listed on the Journal Articles page. 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There is about two teaspoons of glucose in your entire volume of blood at anytime as your body tightly regulates this amount. The pancreas produces insulin to signal muscle cells to take-up the excess glucose that arrives into your blood when food is consumed. Any extra glucose beyond what muscles cells can absorb is next signaled for storage into fat cells. The rate at which the digestive system injects glucose into the blood varies depending on what type of food is consumed. For example, the 8+ teaspoons of sugar in a bottle of soda is absorbed much more rapidly than complex carbs in oatmeal. The glycemic index a rating that scientist created that indicates what foods create blood glucose spikes relative to table sugar. There are three macro food groups: Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins. The digestive system converts all carbohydrates to glucose, so there is not a huge difference between eating sugar, grains, beans or starchy vegetables. It all gets converted to blood glucose, therefore eating too many carbs creates an overabundance of blood glucose. The glycemic index just indicates foods that create greater insulin spikes. At the end of the day all carbohydrates become blood sugar and must be chemically processed (metabolized). Insulin is a growth hormone. When muscles can no longer absorb the glucose, insulin will signal the body to store the remaining excess glucose into fat cells. The fat cells use glucose to grow, thus a person becomes fat! Note: fructose is is handled differently than glucose. That is another story regarding why eating too much fruit is also bad. Consumption of of fruit should be limited to one small piece a day. Cancer researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering have discovered that all cancers have in common gene mutations in glucose uptake. Cancer now appears to be a signalling problem between excessive glucose in your blood and your organ an gland cells. When excessive blood glucose is present beyond what muscle and fast cells can store, then insulin signals your glands and organ cells to take-up the glucose. When this happens, to quote the CEO at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Research, “you are off to the races with the formation of a human cancer“. Counting carbohydrates is critical not only to weight control, it is now recognized as the best way to prevent getting cancer. Over consuming dietary fats does not create an insulin response. Over consuming proteins can create an insulin response that is somewhere in between carbs and fats. A critical measurement that every person should monitor at home several times a month is one’s fasting blood glucose levels, This is done after eight hours or more of fasting, typically in the morning before consuming food or water. Testing once a year during a physical exam is not enough data to accurately determine if one has too much glucose in their blood. Today’s guideline is that the normal range should be between 70-100 mg/dL, but some chronic disease researchers are beginning to suggest that the number should be well below 100 and ideally down near 80! - Glucose Test Kit on Amazon - ARE YOU A FAT BURNER OR A SUGAR BURNER? - The Blood Sugar Solution on Amazon
Principles of Flight ~ Introduction ~ In the last section, we traced the history of flight from balloons through heavier-than-air machines. In this section, we will help you understand the principles of flight. Airplanes and balloons rely on totally different principles. The balloon floats in the air regardless of its forward speed while the airplane flies because of its forward speed.
Food enzymes are preserved intact in raw foods. Uncooked fruit and vegetables contain their own enzymes. A ripening banana is a good example of how raw-food enzymes work. The banana transforms itself from a hard, starchy plant into a very soft, brown and sweet one through a process requiring energy from its enzymes. Their plant enzymes work first to take in nutrients and then allow them to ripen with the same enzyme process the soil, tree or host they grow on. They are not available during human digestion. There is confusion in the raw food world over the enzymes that raw foods contain. These food enzymes are specifically for the food itself to obtain their own nutrients from because they are destroyed and/or made dormant in the acid environment of the human stomach. We may eat or juice these raw foods but their enzymes are only present to work for their own needs. Such enzymes are not available for our needs because they have to first go through our stomach where they are made dormant. Plant Enzymes are bromelain, kiwi and papain. Bromelain is a proteolytic (breaks down protein) and milk-clotting enzyme derived from the pineapple stem. Papain is taken from the fruit of the papaya tree. Both bromelain and papain are used in tenderizers and to break down proteins. In the human digestive tract and because of their ultimate pH they are used mostly for inflammation between meals rather than in the main digestive tract. Kiwi has some value in the breaking down of fiber and some dairy products. There are those who experience bowel irritation with the use of kiwi and papain similar to the bloating from eating at salad bars. Plant based supplemental digestive enzymes is the third source for these miraculous substances. They are grown on plant foods (as their host) in a laboratory where they are fed to become whatever digestive enzyme type is required, but they do not contain their host. The host is a plant source and its use is just a platform to host the mycelial or biochemical enzymes. When mature, the fungus is removed and the remainder is a pure fluid that is dried to a fine powder substance. They are known as plant enzymes but they are really mycelial or microbial produced bio-identical enzymes to the human body. Enzymes cannot be made like synthetic vitamins and minerals. They must be grown in plant form and extracted without chemicals in a laboratory process. Supplemental plant-based enzymes are usually sold in capsule form. They are swallowed with food to assist in the digestion of a particular meal. They work throughout the entire digestive system, from esophagus to rectum. Animal enzymes also known as glandular enzymes are the other enzymes available for human consumption. For instance, pancreatin comes from the pancreas of a slaughterhouse hog or ox. Pancreatin requires an alkaline pH setting to work. Therefore, It begins working only in the latter stages of the digestive process. Parts of the glands enzymes are chymotrypsin, trypsin and pepsin. They all require an enteric coating for protection from the human stomach. Their best work is in the alkaline setting of the blood but not necessarily for digestive purposes. Animal produced enzymes are not recommended for children or pregnant women due to their coating. Supplemental plant based digestive enzymes, which work from a pH of 2 to 9 throughout the digestive system and into the pH of the blood are obviously the best choice for digestive supplementation. You would want to ingest those enzymes that are most available to your system for proper digestion. For instance there are 13 different carbohydrate-splitting enzymes not just amylase, which is limited to the breaking down of starch into glucose. There are a few lipase enzymes to assist in the breaking down of fats and moving them into the lymphatic system to make their way to the liver. One type does not call for bile, which is good for those with the gallbladder removed. Protease enzymes come in different pH factors from acid bearing to work in the stomach, acid to neutral to work in the small intestine and alkaline to work in the blood.
Create an account translation protein synthesis Process by which nucleotide sequence of mRNA is used as a template to join the amino acids in a polypeptide chain There are 3 types of mRNA involved: mRNA: carries genetic information in sets of 3 nucleotide sequences (codons) tRNA: deciphers codons in mRNA, each amino acid has its own subset of tRNAs; pair with the codons via their anticodons rRNA: forms ribosome in association with proteins; 28S rRNA is a ribozyme that catalyzes the reaction in which the peptide bond is formed Ribosomes move along the mRNA and catalyze the assembly of amino acids the genetic code Genetic code: 64 codons for the 20 standard amino acids that are specified by triplets of bases Degeneracy: some amino acids are specified by more than one code Three codons do not code an amino acid, they are "stop" codons, they tell ribosomes when to stop translation AUG codon: codon for Met serves as most common start codon There are some exceptions from the universal genetic code (mitochondria, protoozoans) deviations in genetic code Most changes involve reading of normal stop codons as amino acids, not an exchange of one amino acid for another. They are probably later evolutionary event There is no division between the codons therefore one mRNA could be translated in 3 reading frames Most mRNAs can be read in only one reading frame The reading frame is selected based on the frame in which AUG start codon appear Triplet codons are read in a non-overlapping, coma-less manner Very rarely one mRNA will be read in more than one frame Amino acids are attached in ester link to the 3' end of tRNA forming amino acyl-tRNA This reaction is driven by ATP and the enzyme catalyzing this reaction is aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase The amino acid is added to the growing protein chain based on codon:anticodon interactions between mRNA and tRNA 70-80 nucleotides long Stem loop structure resembles clover leaf 4 double helical stems 3 loops 7-8 residues each; one of the loops contains anticodon Upper stem also known as acceptor stem ends with CCA 3' in all tRNAs Amino acid is attached to the free A residue Codon:anticodon base pairing H-bonding between 1st and 2nd position of the codon and the 3rd and 2nd position of the anticodon occur via Watson-Crick base pairing Base pairing between the 3rd position of the codon and the 1st position of the anticodon is less constrained (wobble position) For example, G, U, and I (inosine) in the wobble position of the anticodon can base pair with C/U, A/G, and C/A/U in the codon, respectively. Wobble base pairing reduces the number of tRNA genes that an organism must make to carry out translation. *It helps protect against mutations that might inactivate tRNA genes Please allow access to your computer’s microphone to use Voice Recording. Having trouble? Click here for help. We can’t access your microphone! Click the icon above to update your browser permissions and try again Reload the page to try again!Reload Press Cmd-0 to reset your zoom Press Ctrl-0 to reset your zoom It looks like your browser might be zoomed in or out. Your browser needs to be zoomed to a normal size to record audio. Please upgrade Flash or install Chrome to use Voice Recording. For more help, see our troubleshooting page. Your microphone is muted For help fixing this issue, see this FAQ. Star this term You can study starred terms together
A phytoplankton bloom creates a vibrant blue cloud off of the coast of Chile. Phytoplankton are tiny, microscopic plants that form the base of the food web in marine ecosystems; they are consumed by zooplankton, or microscopic animals, which in turn are eaten by variety of fish, whales, and birds. Often blooms such as this one are fed by the upwelling of nutrients, which are occur when currents beneath the surface reach the coastline and are forced to the surface, carrying minerals towards the surface. Phytoplankton are poised to rapidly exploit this temporary resource, growing very rapidly under such conditions. However, as nutrients are depleted, the blooms die and decay. The decay process involves their ingestion by oxygen-consuming bacteria, creating hypoxic (low oxygen) and anoxic (no oxygen) conditions. The water along coastal margins is relatively shallow, only about 30 to 600 meters (100 – 2000 feet), while the average depth of the oceans is about 3790 meters (or about 2.4 miles). This zone closest to the land, or the continental shelf, is very active biologically because sunlight is only able to penetrate to a depth of about 200 meters (650 feet) at most, while in some places it can only reach a meter or two (3-6 feet). Note: Often times, due to the size, browsers have a difficult time opening and displaying images. If you experiece an error when clicking on an image link, please try directly downloading the image (using a right click, save as method) to view it locally.
- Download PDF Define the operant conditioning elements in Psychology: Positive reinforcement,negative reinforcement, punishment and the use of occupational therapy. What are the forms in which these conditioning elements are used: primary/secondary, immediate/delayed 1 Answer \| Add Yours Operant conditioning stems from behaviorism which is a learning theory that emphasizes the predictable role of the environment in causing behaviour that can be observed.B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) introduced the connection between consequences and behavior in his formula of human learning. Free will is an important factor. The likelihood of repeating a behavior is linked to the amount of pleasure or pain associated with that behavior. Even without being aware of experiments and models, most parents have, at some time, used reward systems and punishments and few would dispute the effectiveness of the'naughty corner' which is a basic tenet(s) of operant conditioning and ...the acquisition of rudimentary adaptive behaviors. Organizational management uses operant conditioning to obtain pleasing results from employees and create a pleasing environment. Primary and secondary reinforcers are those events that increase the probability that certain behavior will occur in the future Basic needs generally form the primary reinforcers:food, water, and shelter, for example as they are themselves rewarding. Secondary reinforcers of which money would be a prime example have a reinforcing effect because of their relationship with primary reinforcers (for example, money can buy food). The environmental factors must obviously be appropriate. Water, for example, will not serve its purpose as a primary reinforcer if a person is not thirsty. Positive and negative reinforcement could be primary reinforcers or secondary based on the operation. Punishment - in the context of operant conditioning- includes the following qualities: consistent, immediate, impersonal, and contingent on specific behavior. There is always an ultimate goal and so punishment needs to be informative. Employees do not always see the problem and so it is necessary to let them know so that, by refraining from a certain undesirable behavior, they can avoid the punishment. Employees have been shown to respond and improve performance under operant conditioning conditions; regardless of whether it is positive,negative or corrective feedback. A study found that failing to notify an employee on good performance diminished worker effectiveness and reduced worker satisfaction. Occupational Therapy has been used to help struggling children adapt their behaviors to ensure a better outcome for them using basic voluntary actions to obtain pleasing results. Individual, cultural and social influences can restrict the effectiveness of operant conditioning and Occupational Therapy is the key to assisting children or even young adults in a more one-on-one environment. Reinforcement is most effective when it immediately follows an event. Without the reinforcement, eventually the desirable behavior will be "extinguished" and no longer relevant. This is so for all the behaviors. We’ve answered 323,812 questions. We can answer yours, too.Ask a question
Kidney removes the waste from our bold and produces urine. It is present in our abdomen as a pair on either side of the midline. The kidney is made up of numerous microfilters called the nephrons. These filter chemicals, unneeded water other waste it also helps t control the blood pressure and regulates the formation of red blood cells. The well being of the kidney plays a great role in our overall well being. It is like a 24 hour cleansing system. The kidney is about 150 gms each and is bean shaped. It is located right under the rib cage or above the small of our back, and is on either side of the spine. These are protected by muscles and large padding of fat. Function of the kidney, Kidneys are one of the marvels of nature. Each hour the blood circulates through the kidneys and about 12 times. And about 200 litters of blood gets processed each day, eliminating about 1-2 litters of waste through urine. Primarily the kidney plays a role in production and regulation of hormones and enzymes that help to - Control blood pressure - Make red blood cells - Maintain strong and healthy bones. This keeps the body healthy. Anatomically the kidney is made up of million hairpins like glomeruli at birth, but we lose about 100.000 of these every decade of life. Droplets of filtered blood pass through a number of tubules into the medulla a central collecting region. The glomeruli and tubules together make up nephrons long and extremely fine tubes which if connected could run for 80 kms. The renal vein returns the clean blood to the body. Waste and extra water removed by kidney passes through a tube called the urethra to the bladder. Where it is stored as urine when the urine is full it signals to the spinal cord which in turn tells the brain and the urine passes out of the body through another tube called the urethra. The process of waste and excess water removal can simply be summed up as follows - Food and drink enters the stomach and are broken down to nutrients. - Solid waste products are removed and nutrients enter the blood stream - Nutrients are used by the body for energy, growth, repair and maintenance of body functions. - This process creates waste which is removed by the kidneys. - Extra nutrients not immediately needed by the body are also removed by the kidneys. - Waste products and extra water moved from the kidneys to the bladder then leave the body as urine. Some Basic Stuff To Keep The Kidneys Healthy. Water intake is of course the key to good renal health. 2-3 litters are a must unless the kidneys are already compromised. First we need to keep our blood pressure at regulated target, 120/80 mmHg is the textbook standard. This regulation helps to maintain the kidney function. Low sodium diet is a good idea, but no sodium is not. The aim should be to lose less than 2.300 milligrams of sodium/day. Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low dairy foods are good. Alcohol intake should be limited. Weight should be regulated. This is best done in consultation with an Ayurveda physician If you smoke, quitting is definitely beneficial People with diabetes need to keep their blood glucose level regulated so that the load on the kidney’s are less. Cholesterol levels also need to be maintained. 121th March is the world Kidney awareness day.
What it was: The culmination of the US Army’s Project Horizon proposal of 1959: sending a direct descent/ascent spaceship to the Moon, then building and populating a twelve-man Moon base shortly thereafter. Details: Having taken off from Christmas Island Launch Facility in the Pacific aboard a Saturn I to the Minimum Orbital Station (MOS), two Army astronauts would receive further fuel launches and then finally an unloaded Moon craft perched on top of a Saturn with a specialized third stage. The third stage has already burned through its fuel to get the heavy direct descent ship into orbit, so after matching orbits with the MOS the Moon crew and the other men living longer-term on the station refuel it. Then the two men bound for points further afield climb aboard and use the stage to burn for their trans-lunar trip. As well as the TLI stage, the proposed Horizon lunar craft consisted of two more stages. One soft-landed the spaceship on the Moon, and the other would detach from that one (leaving it behind) and return its astronauts to Earth directly. It in turn would separate from a crew return capsule used for re-entry into the atmosphere and splashdown into the ocean. Altogether this two-stage vehicle would have been some 16 meters long and weighed 64 tonnes. This is huge: the Apollo CSM/LM combination was 45 tonnes, and even at that carried three men instead of two. Even a Saturn V (which was still in its early development during the times of Project Horizon, and is only roughly spec’ed out as a “Saturn II” here) wouldn’t be able to lift that off of Earth, and so the need for refueling in orbit. To make up for this, there were actually two different types of landers suggested, one of which could be launched directly from Christmas Island on a Saturn I. To meet that requirement, this second type would have been relatively small: 12 tonnes with a payload to the Moon of 2.5 tonnes, a figure made possible only by the fact that they didn’t have to return to the Earth. One would be sent before the first two astronauts started on their journey to the Moon, carrying construction materials for the base. By the end of 1966, there would be four in all sent on their way. The first manned lunar landing, of two men, would be in April 1965, guided into the site where the base is to be built. In the 1959 report, the Army even had three possible sites picked out: “the northern part of Sinus Aestuum, near Eratosthenes, in the southern part of Sinus Aestuum near the Sinus Medii, and on the southwest coast of the Mare Imbrium, just north of the Appennies”; the last of these is actually not far from where Apollo 15 landed. The Army astronauts’ job would be to explore the immediate area and make sure that the site was acceptable for building a base. They would live in their landing craft until the construction crew arrived in July 1965 (ninety days or so, as compared to Apollo 11’s 21 hours and 34 minutes) at which point they would head home. This construction crew would consist of nine men, and they would get to work using explosives and tools to dig a deep trench in which they would build their own quarters within fifteen days (or at least no more than thirty) and then cover them with lunar material for protection; a ramp at either end would allow entry and exit from their quarters’ airlock. These accomodations would necessarily be Spartan, but when done the crew would have a small underground base with a cylindrical cross-section (double-walled with vacuum between for insulation), while leftover cargo pods and the like would be buried nearby to hold LOX/nitrogen tanks and waste. The crew would also set up two nuclear reactors to power the base and erect communications equipment so they could stay in permanent contact with Earth. Now enhanced to twelve men by another landing, the construction crew would get down to building a second, larger cylindrical section at a right angle to the first. When completed the living quarters would be moved here, and it would also contain an office and a sickbay. The original cylinder would be fitted out as two labs, one for biological studies (the proposal charmingly suggests it could be used to check for life on the Moon) and one for physical experiments. The sections of the base wouldn’t link up, but the ramps on one end of each would touch for relatively easy access between them, or as easy as having to put a spacesuit on to walk a few feet can be. A diagram of a remarkably odd-looking spacesuit is included for reference in the report; it has mechanical hands (the astronauts’ real hands were to be cocooned inside the sleeves), and large plates attached to his feet to support him if the lunar dust turned out to be thick. By the end of 1968 there would have been ten manned missions in all to the Moon, and eight returns, meaning that the Horizon base would still be inhabited into the indefinite future after that. What happened to make it fail: The first part of Horizon that we discussed, the launch facility, was perfectly well laid out and not overly different from what ended up being built at Cape Canaveral (though it was bigger and had more pads). The second part is more speculative and is fairly different from what actually happened, but this is mostly because of the change to a Lunar Orbit Rendezvous mission by NASA a couple of years after Horizon was proposed. Still, in retrospect it looks as if they didn’t quite think their station through. When we get to this third part, though, the speculative nature of what the Army wants to do is front and center. The ways they propose to build and maintain a Moon base are bizarre to modern eyes, mostly because they literally didn’t know the extent of the problems they would face. A close read of the relevant documents reveals a large number of weasel words embedded in every attempt to describe the way things would be done on the Moon if Horizon got the go-ahead. Even Horizon’s summary report admits that the Army wanted another eight months and US$5.4 million dollars just to nail things down before moving on to starting the hardware development for the program. Having a Moon base was a possible ultimate goal for an American space program, but planning one down to the point of having dates and proposed sites was very premature. Ultimately Project Horizon didn’t fool enough people into thinking that the Army knew what they were doing. Even looking past the previously-discussed antipathy that President Eisenhower had for the military in space, he was known to have used the words “Buck Rogers” more than once to describe the nebulous plans he got from the Army and others, and he was justified in saying so. What was necessary for it to succeed: The Project Horizon proposal wasn’t actually about how to get to the Moon. It was an attempt by the US Army to establish precedence over the other armed services and, later, the upstart NASA. With Horizon filed away in various Washington bureaucracies, they could point at their long-standing work on manned space travel and plausibly say “Why give money to these newcomers? They’d be starting from scratch and you’d have to pay for that! Give it to us; it’s the wise course to take”. Then, if anybody bought what they were selling, the way they actually went about it would conform to Horizon only incidentally as they got around to determining how to build this part of their empire. They could always go back and get more money and more time if they needed it, once the US committed to doing it through them. So Horizon Base was never going to get built. It’s not an appropriate way for housing 12 men on the Moon because when it was designed the proper ways to do it were literally unknown, and would remain unknown for some time. But all it needed to succeed at its actual goal was to fend off Eisenhower long enough for someone in Congress to step up for them and ram through a bill giving the Army control of manned space exploration. It was a decent bet, just one that didn’t pay off.
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) have tended to receive little attention because of the once-widespread assumption that people at risk of NTDs experience relatively little morbidity, and that these diseases have low rates of mortality. These views have been comprehensively refuted (WHO 2010a). NTDs have a substantial health and economic burden on poor populations. They cause about 534,000 deaths every year, and share a similar burden of disease to either malaria or tuberculosis (Conteh et al 2010). The best available estimates indicate that some 2 billion people are at risk of contracting an NTD and more than 1 billion people are affected by one or more NTD.1 In addition, their impact is often underestimated as many of the effects (e.g. anaemia, diarrhoea) are attributed to other causes. Nevertheless, control of NTDs represents some of the best buys in international public health in terms of costs per disability adjusted life year (DALY) averted. In some cases growth and physical defects can be reversed by treatment for helminthiasis. The poor, and other marginalised groups, suffer disproportionately, and although significant progress is being made many trends pose particular challenges – for example climate change, greater urbanisation and migration. Reduction in the health burden related to NTDs should accelerate progress towards MDG 1 (improved nutrition), MDGs 2 and 3 (increased likelihood for school attendance especially for girls who are often more adversely affected by NTDs), as well as the health related MDGs (4, 5 and 6). Although there is potential to eliminate some NTDs, there remains considerable uncertainty on how to do this and how rapidly it can be achieved. The need to sustain high levels of coverage in difficult settings poses major challenges. In some cases effective tools are available; in others current tools are inadequate. This report, and DFID’s support, focuses on those NTDs for which tools are available. This documents reports on: - Landmarks and political commitment - Current status of ‘tool ready’ NTDs - Key Public health interventions
Rankine cycle is the theoretical cycle which includes basic working principle of steam power plant. Rankine cycle is different from air cycle in term of working fluid that had changed its phase during cycle especially at evaporation and condensation time. Therefore, the fluids that work in Rankine cycle are water and steam. Rankine cycle ideally does not involve some internal irreversibility problems. Irreversibility is resulting from friction fluid, throttling, and mixing. Irreversibility can also occur in steam turbine generator and pump and will lead to heat loss and pressure loss in heat exchanger equipment, pipes, bends, and valves. \|Figure: Simple Diagram of Rankine Cycle\| \|Figure 2: Simple TS Diagram of Rankine Cycle\| In the figure 1: Simple diagram of rankine cycle above, feedwater to be supplied into steam boiler is heated either with feedwater heater or deaerator. At condition 2, water is compressed by boiler feed pump into steam drum or boiler. In the boiler, water is converted into steam at condition 3. Steam is heated again until to be superheated steam which has available temperature and pressure for steam turbine generator. Superheated steam at condition 3 is distributed and expanded isentropic to turbine generator and perform rotation shaft which is connected to electric generator. During on the turbine generator process, temperature and pressure of steam will decrease and reach point 4 where steam is distributed to condenser. Steam which enter the condenser is saturated steam and has high quality. Condenser is one of heat exchanger equipment where steam is condensed there and its temperature is decreased by cooling medium in the condenser.
A to Z: Cardiac Arrest May also be called: CA; Sudden Cardiac Arrest; SCA; Cardiopulmonary Arrest; Circulatory Arrest Cardiac (KAR-dee-ak) arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly stops beating. More to Know With each heartbeat, blood is sent throughout the body, carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell. A natural electrical system in the heart causes it to beat in its regular rhythm, but sometimes the electrical signals flowing through the heart don't "communicate" properly with the heart muscle. This can cause the heart to start beating in an abnormal pattern called an arrhythmia. Arrhythmias can cause the heart to beat too fast or too slow. Some can even cause the heart to stop pumping blood to the body. When this happens, it's called cardiac arrest. During cardiac arrest, body parts — including the brain — don't get the oxygen they need, and they can become damaged very quickly. This can cause death (called sudden cardiac death) in a matter of minutes. Signs of cardiac arrest include a sudden collapse, no pulse, no breathing, and a loss of consciousness. Right before cardiac arrest, some people may feel fatigued, have chest pain or shortness of breath, faint, or vomit. Often, though, cardiac arrest happens with no warning. Cardiac arrest can be caused by heart disease, a heart attack, an enlarged heart, electrical problems in the heart, electrical shock, the use of certain illegal drugs, or an injury to the heart at the wrong moment of the heart's cycle. When cardiac arrest happens, it's a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or a device called a defibrillator that delivers an electrical shock to start the heart beating again. Keep in Mind Cardiac arrest can cause death very quickly, but it is possible to survive if someone receives immediate medical care. There's no way to know who may experience cardiac arrest, but taking certain steps can minimize the risk. These include eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and staying physically active. All A to Z dictionary entries are regularly reviewed by KidsHealth medical experts. Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2017 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com
Step 2: Teach Lesson This activity focuses on physical movements. The student will make the same movements that different animals would make. Introduce the student to the author, and the cover of the book, read and point to the title of the book “From Head to Toe”, then ask the student to make their predictions and write down their answers on a piece of paper. The questions might be: o What do you think the book might be about? o What kinds of animals do you expect to see in this book? o What parts of the body do you think will be mentioned in the story? o Can you tell me something that you know about gorillas? Read From Head to Toe (Youtube link), or the Reading Chart can be found in Step 3. Recall the story by asking questions about what actions the animals do. Reread the story, imitating the actions. Ask the student what was their favorite actions and why. The student can make up a pattern by performing the different Have student complete the worksheets below.
DetailsBright Student Atom Each student now has the possibility to learn in an intuitive and self-evident way. This interactive model will let students make their own atoms, isotopes, and ions. When both surfaces are combined, an atom is formed. Hands on and fun, each student atom is complete with 30 each of protons, neutrons, and electrons which can be stored neatly inside the atom model. Atoms measure half an inch in diameter. - Students can make their own atoms - Make isotopes the easy way; add the right number of neutrons to the atomic nucleus - Use both surfaces to make atoms, let the atoms genly collide and move over the calence elctrons by hand - Everything kept in one handy place; inside the atom - Stack the atoms on top of each other and store them for the next lesson - Two surfaces to make atoms on - 30 Protons, 30 Neutrons, 30 Electrons - All tactile - For every student Measurements are approximate.
Bed bugs are wingless insects that are oval in shape and 5-6mm long as an adult. They are a rusty brown in colour and change to a deeper reddish brown after a meal of blood. An Adult bedbug can live for 6 months at room temperatures of around 200C and much longer in colder climates. After mating, each female lays 2-3 eggs a day throughout her lifespan. The cream coloured eggs are approximately 1mm in length and will hatch within around 10 days at room temperature, but longer in cooler conditions. Once the eggs hatch they are called nymphs. The nymphs are paler in colour and are approximately 1-4mm in length. Bed bugs have a flattened body and are a very secretive species which makes detection often very difficult, they tend to shelter in dark locations, mostly close to where people sleep. This includes under mattresses, floorboards, paintings and carpets, behind skirting, in various cracks and crevices of walls, within bed frames and other furniture. Bed Bugs are found in virtually every place people tend to gather, including homes, hotels, schools, offices, retail stores and even public transportation; they travel easily and are transported via luggage, clothing, bedding and furniture. The mouthparts of bed bugs are designed to pierce the skin and suck blood. They inject saliva during feeding, which enables them to thin the blood. Bed bugs are attracted to warmth and carbon dioxide which we exhale. Most feeding will occur at night, and they generally seek shelter during the day and become inactive while digesting the blood meal. They can survive for long periods without feeding. How to tell if you have a bedbug infestation - Live or dead bed bugs, and cast skins. Live bed bugs will confirm that the infestation is currently active. - Faecal spotting: This is digested blood by the bed bugs. It may be initially observed on the sheets, but will be commonly noticed along the mattress seams and beading of mattresses. - Eggs: cream in colour, approx. 1mm, which tend to be laid in crevices in dark areas. - Bed bugs can create a smell described as ‘sickly sweet’. This is usually noticed in areas of a heavy infestations or if close to the bed bug. - Bites: If you are being bitten in bed it is an indication of an infestation, however not all bites will be from bed bugs. - Blood stains on sheets or mattress. Call us today on 03 9222 2266 and speak with one of our customer service team members to answer any questions and arrange a suitable treatment. Why Choose Dawson’s Australia - Quick Same Day / Next Day Service - We Provide Safe, Family Friendly Control Methods - Knowledgeable & Certified Technicians - Comprehensive Treatments to Control your bed bug Infestation!
America's Slave Issue Students will engage in multiple discussions with prompting questioning, and analyses of primary source documents relating to slavery in the United States. Focus will be on the foundations of the institution of slavery, such as preexisting attitudes and values of Southerners. Students will engage in an analysis of multiple primary sources relating to slavery in the antebellum South. Primary sources include maps, journals, personal memoirs, legal correspondence, photographs, and newspapers, Students will create multiple varieties of poems to be organized in to a class poetry book about slavery. After analyzing the role of folk tales, in the form of Animal Trickster Tales, students will write their own Trickster Tale to demonstrate their knowledge of slave resistance through story telling. Primary Source Analysis Social, legal, and economic statuses of slaves in the antebellum south. Eyewitness to History Links The following tabs link students to primary and secondary source readings about various slave topics. A Slave's Life Life on a Plantation Aboard a Slaveship Unit 2 Review
Slide 1: Dyslexia Workshop Dyslexia Workshop What is it like to have Dyslexia? : What is it like to have Dyslexia? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwZLFTW4OGY Literacy and Dyslexia : Literacy and Dyslexia A practical guide Our Learning Journey : Our Learning Journey Defining Dyslexia What is it like? How can we be aware of learners in our teaching? What do dyslexics know? Linking assessment to teaching strategies Case Studies Defining Dyslexia : Defining Dyslexia BDA definition of Dyslexia : BDA definition of Dyslexia as "a combination of abilities and difficulties which affect the learning process in one or more of reading, spelling and writing. Accompanying weaknesses may be identified in areas of speed of processing, short term memory, sequencing, auditory and /or visual perception, spoken language and motor skills. It is particularly related to mastering and using written language, which may include alphabetic, numeric and musical notation". Which means….. : Which means….. Dyslexic learners may show evidence of difficulties in some or all the following: : Dyslexic learners may show evidence of difficulties in some or all the following: Phonological awareness (the ability to break words into speech sounds and the basis of phonics). Some dyslexic learners will have little awareness of rhyme, syllabication or natural breaks in speech and written language. They may also have difficulty with recognising and processing sounds (e.g, vowels, blending and segmentation). Auditory discrimination (recognising the difference between sounds - for example, 'hearing' the difference between mush/much or p/b/v). This may affect auditory sequential memory. Language-based tasks, rather than concepts. This can include the language of maths. Visual identification (recognising letters or numbers). The dyslexic learner may confuse letters or number orders. They may also have difficulty with recognising familiar words in print or remembering how they are spelt. Sequencing (as in the alphabet or times table). The dyslexic learner may confuse or lose track of the order of letters, words or digits. Organisation (as in, for instance, planning written work) - may suffer from directional confusion. AND…. : AND…. Short-term memory - inability to remember instructions, listen or/concentrate for longer periods of time. Motor difficulties (poor pen grip, clumsiness or poor co-ordination) - may have problems with forming letters and controlling the pen. Automaticity the ability to carry out a learnt task without having to think about it. (So not just Reading then.) Dyslexia : Dyslexia …is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and / or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty, despite appropriate learning opportunities. This focuses on literacy learning at the ‘word level’ and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities. It provides the basis for a staged process of assessment through teaching. Division of Educational and Child Psychology 1999 Dyslexic Learners : Dyslexic Learners three types of dyslexia that are not mutually exclusive: auditory or phonological (the ability to process sound) Biological theories : Biological theories The cerebellum - motor A recent theory is that a difference in structure or dysfunction in the cerebellum (the ‘hind brain’, thought to be responsible for dexterity and automaticity) offers an explanation for all the manifestations of dyslexia. It affects speech processing, as well as more general motor control processes including time estimation and balance. Information from the language area of the brain and the magnocellular regions of the brain is processed through the cerebellum, and weaknesses in any or all of these areas could account for the different types and degrees of dyslexia. Magnocellular Systems : Magnocellular Systems Literacy difficulties may be a result of the impaired development of a system of large neurones in the brain (magnocells) that is responsible for timing sensory and motor events. The visual demands of reading draw on the visual magnocellular system and any weakness can lead to visual confusion of letter order and poor visual memory for the written word. There may also be an auditory equivalent that is essential for meeting the phonological demands of reading. A weakness here can lead to difficulties such as the confusion of letter sounds. Cognitive Theories : Cognitive Theories Phonological processing difficulties Although dyslexia can manifest itself in many ways, there may be a single cause: a phonological deficit. Some researchers assert that phonological processing difficulties are fundamental to dyslexia and can be found in all individuals with dyslexia. Other researchers accept the phonological deficit theory but see phonological problems as a symptom of dyslexia, while the cause is related to brain structure. Dyslexic people may be unable to process fast-incoming sensory information adequately. This could explain visual difficulties such as unstable binocular vision and unsteady fixation when reading. It might result in visual confusion of letter order, which can lead to poor memory of the visual form of words. Again, this may be a symptom of a deeper cause. Temporal or timing difficulties Phonological, visual, or motor difficulties may all be indicative of an underlying temporal or timing difficulty, rather than alternative explanations for dyslexia. These timing difficulties may also have their origin in brain structure. Cognitive Theories(cont) : Cognitive Theories(cont) Automaticity (?) Some tasks may be less ‘automatic’ for dyslexic individuals and may take up more of their concentration and attention than is the case for non-dyslexic individuals. Lack of automaticity in basic skills such as literacy and numeracy could mean that dyslexic people are more likely to experience processing overload when they are required to carry out new or complex tasks. They may need far more practice at any skill before they achieve automaticity. This condition is linked with differences in the structure of the cerebellum. Working memory is used to hold new information in the mind for a short time before it is rejected or transferred into long-term memory. Some theorists regard inefficient working memory as being a key underlying factor in dyslexia. Theories of Dyslexia - what they agree on : Theories of Dyslexia - what they agree on There is a general agreement that dyslexia is the result of brain differences that lead to cognitive difference in processing the information that the brain is receiving from the senses. There is a dominant view that phonological processing difficulties are fundamental to dyslexia and can be found to a greater or lesser degree in all individuals with dyslexia. The Dyslexic Brain – Auditory/Phonological : The Dyslexic Brain – Auditory/Phonological A Closer Look (Not compulsory!) Reading Difficulties : Reading Difficulties Reading difficulties involve a weakness in the part of the brain that decodes the sounds of written language. The area lights up brightly on brain scans as non-dyslexic readers sound out words In poor readers, it is much less active. As readers become more skilled, an area further back in the brain, next to the visual processing area, starts to show greater activity - the "word form" area. As readers learn more and more words on sight, without having to sound them out, this area takes on an ever greater share of the reading task. Reading Difficulties : Reading Difficulties The neural system (word-form area) for automatic, rapid reading is impaired in dyslexia; other areas provide compensation for accuracy, but not for speed. : Phonological processing is the process in which words are identified by identifying individual sounds (called phonemes) that make up the words Learners with dyslexia are not able to process sensory input that enters the nervous system rapidly in the same way as a non-dyslexic learner. : After a word is read a certain number of times, nerve endings in the brain come together and are stored in the word-form area. In many learners with dyslexia, however, the word-form area stays largely dormant. For them, every word can remain a puzzle that needs to be unravelled. The right kind of intensive instruction can start to rewire the brain and help overcome reading deficits, even if it can't eliminate them. : The brain learns to read the same way it learns to talk, one sound at a time. When babies first learn to talk they may slowly say one sound at a time. Once they get the hang of it, they speed up. Our brain becomes adept at processing and our experience is that of hearing words but actually our brain is processing sounds (phonemes) and putting them together so we hear words. When we read the same process is in operation. Our brain is processing one sound at a time but we perceive it as a whole word. In good readers, the process is so fast it appears that they are reading whole words but in fact they are converting the letters on the written page into sounds. The brain then recognizes groups of sounds as words. : Reading is not automatic but must be learned. The reader must develop a conscious awareness that the letters on the page represent the sounds of the spoken word. To read the word "cat," the reader must parse, or segment, the word into its underlying phonological elements. Once the word is in its phonological form, it can be identified and understood. In dyslexia, this processing is not automatic. In READING the word (for example, "cat") is first decoded into its phonological form ("kuh, aah, tuh") and identified. Once it is identified, higher-level cognitive functions such as intelligence and vocabulary are applied to understand the word's meaning ("small furry mammal that purrs"). In people who have dyslexia, a phonological deficit impairs decoding, thus preventing the reader from using his or her intelligence and vocabulary to get to the word's meaning. : Dyslexics are very frustrated by the fact that they can understand what they hear but not what they read. Dyslexics have average or above average intelligence. Once they can properly decode words they can understand the concept. Decoding skills are the key to learning from written material. Years of educational research has shown that the use of intensive phonics is the best way to teach many dyslexics how to read. The new brain research shows why intensive phonics is also the best way for everyone to learn to read. Putting ourselves in the Dyslexic learners shoes? : Putting ourselves in the Dyslexic learners shoes? Please copy down the following text using the opposite hand to which you usually write with. You should complete the task within two minutes. : Please copy down the following text using the opposite hand to which you usually write with. You should complete the task within two minutes. 本系统接入通信通道由北京移动与北京联通提供，发送信息可覆盖全国移动、联通用户，如果你初次使用本系统发现对 What we see… : What we see… The first example of text shown here has all of the words shown clearly. Link awoke one day to find himself deep in a strange forest. As he started to walk through the woods, he heard cries for help coming from just up ahead of him. Link hurried toward the voice, only to find a group of monsters surrounding the woman who was screaming. When the monsters saw Link, they immediately fled. What dyslexics don’t see… : What dyslexics don’t see… Link awoke one day to find himself deep in a strange forest. As he started to walk through the woods, he heard cries for help coming from just up ahead of him. Link hurried toward the voice, only to find a group of monsters surrounding the woman who was screaming. When the monsters saw Link, they immediately fled. The second section of text is identical to the first section, however certain words are etched back so they are not clearly visible. As dyslexics are generally picture thinkers, they will tend to see words that they can place a picture to. What dyslexics see.. : What dyslexics see.. Some dyslexics are prone to see the finer detail and in this example, they are drawn to the spaces between the words rather than the words themselves. If they were to look at each word individually, they can read, however the distraction of the rivers hinders their reading ability. Are you having trouble trying to concentrate on the second section of text? Are the lines causing you problems? Slide 30: I susgect th at thechil b wi tha learn ing disadility mu stfre quent lyex ger i e n o e an alicein won berl an bex is ten ceof the wef in b tba tthe ymu st co ge wi tha n unsta dlew or lb in consistentabul tsa nd haphaza r b gerceg tio nsthey rec on Fuseb dyth erca zys ym dols we piv them gress ureb dy t he leng tho ft imei nwic hto b oi tamb frus tra ted dy regea teb fa ily resth eybo no tlear no hetra bit lon alw ayamb sow ern u stte achth embif Fere ntly. Think about some of your "perception problems" as you read the passage: What were some of the things that made your reading task more difficult? What were some of the things you did that helped you to read this passage? What were your reactions or thoughts while attempting to read this? Slide 31: ACTUAL PASSAGE: LEARNING I suspect that children with learning disabilities must frequently experience an "Alice in Wonderland" existence. Often we find that they must cope with an unstable world, inconsistent adults and haphazard perceptions. They're confused by crazy symbols we give them, pressured by the length of time in which to do it and frustrated by repeated failures. They do not learn the traditional way, so we must teach them differently. I susgect th at thechil b wi tha learn ing disadility mu stfre quent lyex ger i e n o e an alicein won berl an bex is ten ceof the wef in b tba tthe ymu st co ge wi tha n unsta dlew or lb in consistentabul tsa nd haphaza r b gerceg tio nsthey rec on Fuseb dyth erca zys ym dols we piv them gress ureb dy t he leng tho ft imei nwic hto b oi tamb frus tra ted dy regea teb fa ily resth eybo no tlear no hetra bit lon alw ayamb sow ern u stte achth embif Fere ntly. Role Play in pairs : Role Play in pairs Talk about your hobbies for 1 minutes You are not allowed to use words with the letter E in. NOW SWAP Over Talk about your hobbies for 1 minutes You are not allowed to use words with the letter S in. Difficult word selection : Difficult word selection It makes you sound and feel sound stupid! It also shows what word finding difficulties is like & how difficult it is to process thought. : Generally, people with dyslexia have difficulty dealing with phonological information (speech sounds) in short-term memory so any task that requires processing of verbal information will prove difficult. Literacy deficits are often accompanied by poor presentation of work, and deteriorating performance under time pressure. Moreover, problems in dyslexic working memory make it difficult for pupils to hold information in mind whilst they manipulate it, thus leading a further range of difficulties. The analogy of driving in a foreign country is apt – it is possible but it takes greater resources and for dyslexic pupils it may be as if they continually live in a foreign country! Dyslexic Difficulties Did you know? : Did you know? Dyslexic learners can work up to five times harder to keep up in class than non-dyslexic learners. (You wouldn’t fancy much homework after that!) How to accommodate working memory/learning difficulties. : How to accommodate working memory/learning difficulties. Brainstorm What Works? : What Works? Some suggestions Helping children understand complex Instructions Chunking – one instruction at a time Cut down the amount you say Give visual support: use gesture, thinking/concept maps, demonstrating, quick sketches Avoid idioms, sarcasm, double meanings Simplify the grammar Pausing after you have asked a question Commenting Layout of worksheets : Layout of worksheets Simple worksheets- large print/ clear spacing. Ideally use cream/pastel coloured paper. If the paper is white - have colour layovers. Font size is also important, and should not be too small. It is suggested that Sassoon and Comic Sans are the most dyslexia-friendly fonts, with Times New Roman being one of the least. Layout is very important and should not be visually overcrowded. A dyslexic child will be able to show their knowledge more easily if they have to 'tick the correct box' rather than write out information. Use spidergrams and bullet points. Boxes – help too! Boxes – help too! Did you know? : Did you know? The layout and presentation of worksheets are as important as the content and the tasks Other Teaching Tips – (Dyslexia Unfriendly Slides Ahead) : Other Teaching Tips – (Dyslexia Unfriendly Slides Ahead) Where a child in the class has a poor short-term memory, limit the number of verbal instructions. Back them up visually. Give instructions and information in small chunks and check that the child has understood before another chunk is given. Teach strategies to support memory e.g. headings/rehearsal/sequencing. Give direct, explicit instructions to increase chance of retention, recall and understanding. The more senses the child uses to remember a piece of information; the more likely the information will be retained. Encourage a cursive writing style, linked to the printed form, so that a movement memory can be established. Give out work in manageable amounts. Use multisensory techniques to link all the pathways to the brain in the learning situation. Encourage them to use alternative ways of recording their work: tapes, diagrams, flowcharts, computers. Teach spelling by showing them how to build up regular words and use the look, say, name letters, write, check, routine. Train pupils to plan written work using headings and subheadings ahead of time Mind mapping is an effective way to plan, extend and revise written work Paired reading or peer tutoring will help the dyslexic child cope with understanding written questions, comprehensions and instructions. A scribe can copy notes accurately, allowing the dyslexic child to concentrate on what the teacher is saying. More Teaching Tips – : More Teaching Tips – Are you making the best use of the learner’s strengths and learning styles? Consider whether the learner needs to be given an instruction verbally and in writing or whether a visual representation is helpful. Bear in mind that a weak short-term memory is usually accompanied by a reduced capacity for processing sentences. This may mean that complex instructions need to be broken down, with each part understood before the next is given. Keep sentences short and grammatically simple. Be prepared to repeat instructions and clarify them by changing or redefining words and terms. Link previous knowledge with new information Don’t make the learner completely rewrite their work. Don’t ignore the signs that the learner is not understanding or losing concentration. Don’t make the learner work for too long without a break. Don’t overload the learner, either with too many oral instructions. Do you begin every lesson by outlining its content? Do you end with a summary of what has been covered? And what about the pupils? : And what about the pupils? A survey of 138 severely dyslexic pupils was carried out to seek their views on what helps them learn – these were some of their responses: An enthusiastic and patient teacher who provides: Checks to make sure pupils understand Gives examples related to teaching both orally and visually Uses pictures in lessons Gives handouts rather than copying from the board Allows for rehearsal and review Allows time for listening and completing work Gives time and encouragement for questioning Forward - SEN Code of Practice : Forward - SEN Code of Practice Dyslexia is identified as a difficulty in (i) Communication and Interaction and (ii) Cognition and learning. However, pupils with dyslexia may also have difficulties identified in (iii) Behaviour, Emotional and Social Development (due to possible withdrawn or disruptive behaviour). Certain teaching arrangements are suggested as being appropriate for pupils whose difficulties fall into theses categories, including: Flexible teaching arrangements Help in acquiring, comprehending and using language Help in acquiring literacy skills Help in using alternative means of communication Help in organising and co-ordinating oral and written work Help in sequencing and organisational skills Help with processing language, memory and reasoning skills Provision of a safe and supportive environment Help with adjusting to the school’s expectations and routines : It is crucial that responsibility for assessment should not rest with one individual but should be a whole-school responsibility. Identifying Pupils with Dyslexic tendencies Informal Assessment - Areas to be aware of in reading, writing and spelling (among others!) Reading Difficulties – (Do you want to write these down? – didn’t think so.) : Reading Difficulties – (Do you want to write these down? – didn’t think so.) Is hesitant and laboured, especially when reading aloud Omits, repeats or adds extra words Reads at a reasonable rate, but has a low level of comprehension Fails to recognise familiar words Misses a line or repeats the same line twice Loses his place - or uses a finger or marker to keep the place Has difficulty in pin-pointing the main idea in a passage Finds difficulty with dictionaries, directories, encyclopaedias Letter combinations that make sounds like ‘ph’ and ‘th’ can be difficult Pattern of error e.g. predujice, nessicty Substitution of words with similar meanings when reading aloud Difficulty with rhyming and the sequence of the rhyme Reverses, omits or adds letters or words Difficulty with the sequence of the alphabet Poor word attack skills – particularly with new words Reading speed slow and hesitant and often with little expression Reluctance to read for pleasure Reading comprehension better than single word reading Confuses words which have the same or similar sounds – ‘their’ and ‘there’ Omits words or lines when reading or writing. Omits punctuation and capital letters. Letters and numbers appear to move, grow, shrink, or disappear. Writing : Writing Has a poor standard of written work compared with oral ability Has poor handwriting with badly formed letters Has neat handwriting, but writes very slowly indeed Has difficulty with punctuation and/or grammar Confuses upper and lower case letters Writes a great deal but 'loses the thread' Writes very little, but to the point Has difficulty taking notes in lectures Difficulty with organisation of homework Finds tasks difficult to complete on time Appears to know more than committed to paper Slow writing speed and perhaps a reluctance to write a lengthy piece Unusual writing grip or sitting position (Too much Info!) Spelling Problems : Spelling Problems Produces badly set out or messily written work, with spellings crossed out several times Spells the same word differently in one piece of work Makes phonological errors e.g. ‘f’ for ‘ph’ Letters out of sequence Inconsistent use of some letters with similar sound e.g. ‘s’ and ‘z’ Difficulty with work endings ‘ie’ for ‘y’ Confusion or omission of vowels Difficulties with words with double consonants e.g. ‘commission’ fingers as fringe. omitting short words: s/he might omit function words (opposed to content words) e.g.: articles participles conjunctions prepositions long words: s/he might abbreviate, e.g. walk for walking Other Characteristics : Other Characteristics Difficulty in reading clocks, especially manual clocks. Difficulty being on time or keeping track of time Difficulty remembering what they’ve been told Unable to proof read Unable to organize thoughts coherently for story or essay writing Simplistic writing compared to oral ability Take longer copying form board Have sort concentration span and be easily distracted by other sounds in the classroom Feelings of low self-esteem and expresses feeling, "I am stupid." Easily frustrated with academic work. Uses avoidance techniques with school work. Tests too high to qualify for extra help at school, but does not succeed well at academic work. Confuses direction - left/right Has difficulty in learning foreign languages Has indeterminate hand preference Has difficulty in finding the name for an object Has clear processing problems at speed Misunderstands complicated questions Finds holding a list of instructions in memory difficult, although can perform all tasks when told individually No MORE Slides!!!! : No MORE Slides!!!! Linking Assessment to Teaching : Linking Assessment to Teaching Formal Informal Individuals not labels : Individuals not labels Rather than stating a person “has dyslexia” or “is dyslexic” it could be considered more helpful to indicate that the person displays specific learning difficulties of a dyslexic nature and then identify exactly how and in what specific areas those difficulties are occurring For example - Miscue analysis : For example - Miscue analysis Miscue analysis is an analytical procedure for assessing a learner's reading comprehension, based on samples of oral reading. Miscue analysis is predicated on the belief that learners' mistakes when reading are not random errors but actually their attempt to make sense of the text with their experiences and language skills. Therefore, close attention to what learners can become a rich source of information on what he or she is capable of, where he or she may need to go next and what the most appropriate intervention might be. Some teaching methods that can help. : Some teaching methods that can help. Input Output INPUT - Learning Styles : INPUT - Learning Styles The Dyslexic Cognitive Style : The Dyslexic Cognitive Style The inductive Thinker – learns through practical experience and over learning as opposed to rules and regulations Concrete learner – Good at practical skills, a “hands-on approach” The Spatial Thinker – can use 3D in a creative way Intuitive thinker – Uses own personal knowledge, hunches and makes associations as part of a process of holistic thinking, rather than working through a systematic approach Visual – Spatial – can use “a form of thought in which images are generated or recalled in the mind and are e.g. manipulated or associated with other similar forms. Holistic learning style – Uses a global approach to problem solving. Will find it necessary to have the overall picture as a guide to leaning from the start and then will add detail. Will use individual ‘props’ to aid understanding COGNITION - Multi-Sensory Teaching – different types of learner and approaches : COGNITION - Multi-Sensory Teaching – different types of learner and approaches The visual learner – well laid out handouts, practical demonstrations, video, mind map, pictures, diagrams, colour coding and highlighting. The Auditory learner – poems, stories, dialogue, drama, mnemonics, tapes, repetition, discussions, explanations and presentations. The Kinaesthetic learner – working in 3D, making things, drawing things, developing ideas using concrete aids – excursions, tactile experience, making things, exploration, practical activities, demonstrations, explaining to another pupil. Multi-Sensory Teaching : Multi-Sensory Teaching Multi-sensory teaching involves the simultaneous input from the visual, auditory, kinaesthetic (muscular/motion) and tactile channels (referred to as V.A.K.T) Multi-sensory teaching uses all or selected sensory channels to make the necessary connections. It makes particular use of the oral channel with pupils being encouraged to verbalise as they learn. Each channel provides an unique way of perceiving and interpreting information. Am example of MS teaching is the teaching of the Alphabet Visual – shape of letter Auditory – Sound of letter Oral – Saying the letter sound and name Tactile – feeling the shape of the letter Kinaesthetic – writing the letter, word, sentence The approach combines the left and right hemispheres of the brain and therefore the pupil is able to utilise his strengths and develop weaker ones. Teaching for dyslexic learners should be: : Teaching for dyslexic learners should be: Multisensory We use multisensory methods for teaching and our students use multisensory ways for practising and learning. This means using as many senses as possible at a time to make learning easier - looking, listening, saying and doing. In this way strong channels of learning are used, helping to build up weaker but essential ones. Multi-Sensory Teaching : Multi-Sensory Teaching Cumulative Skills are built up gradually. Each part of the programme leads on to the next and the student can be confident that s/he is only expected to do work for which s/he has been well prepared. Multi-sensory Teaching:- : Multi-sensory Teaching:- ThoroughVaried and interesting activities are used for essential practice. Students must have regular revision and 'overlearn' until they automatically use sounds, letters and rules in reading and writing. ActiveLessons are purposeful and given in friendly surroundings. Short, varied activities throughout the lesson help effective learning. UsefulEvery effort is made to help the child see the relevance of the lessons to her/his success in school-work and the classroom. Teaching for dyslexic children should be: : Teaching for dyslexic children should be: Structured Our teaching is highly structured, with progress made in small steps, building on what has gone on before. Our literacy programme introduces letters and groups of letters, strategies for tackling long words, 'tricky' words and spelling rules, in specific order. At each stage the student is working only with the part that has been covered during lessons. This builds confidence to tackle longer words and passages. OUTPUT : OUTPUT And again - what about the pupils? : And again - what about the pupils? A survey of 138 severely dyslexic pupils was carried out to seek their views on what helps them learn – these were some of their responses: An enthusiastic and patient teacher who provides: Checks to make sure pupils understand Gives examples related to teaching both orally and visually Has important points/spelling/cues on display Uses pictures in lessons Gives handouts rather than copying from the board Allows for rehearsal and review Allows time for listening and completing work Gives time and encouragement for questioning Overlearning until learning becomes automatic Case Studies : Case Studies Visual processing difficulties (Susan) : Visual processing difficulties (Susan) Difficulties - has now improved her literacy levels and is able to read and write. However, she continues to have problems with recognising words, spelling, planning and organising written work (especially with written expression), despite her intellectual grasp of subjects. She has visual-processing difficulties and continuing problems with reading, comprehension, spelling and written expression. Print appears unstable and she has problems with recognising words and losing her place when reading. Her preferred learning style is based on a right brain preference. - she needs a holistic overview of topics. She needs frequent oral and visual explanations and enjoys discussing her ideas before she begins her assignments. Also needs handouts printed on green paper Auditory and visual processingdifficulties (Cliff) : Auditory and visual processingdifficulties (Cliff) was becoming increasingly frustrated with his poor literacy skills. He wanted to understand why he found reading and writing so difficult. 'I have a great understanding of words and language and yet I can find it impossible sometimes to spell a word that has only three letters in it.’ Cliff's spelling score, as measured on the Wide Range Achievement Tests was below the first percentile. His spelling was often bizarre. He confused b and d and some mathematical symbols. Described reading as 'intense work'. His working memory and phonological awareness were very weak and his ability to remember visually presented material was unreliable. In order to improve his literacy skills, and particularly his spelling, he needed to develop his phonological awareness and to enhance his rather stronger ability to visualise. He also needed to learn how to utilise his even stronger motor memory to support those two weaker modalities. He needed a highly structured, multi-sensory language programme that would provide the basis of his learning. He required extensive overlearning. Auditory/visual/motor processing difficulties (Natalie). : Auditory/visual/motor processing difficulties (Natalie). Her skills are at post-literacy level, but she has a very limited sight vocabulary and difficulties with decoding. Her writing is restricted by poor spelling and confused syntax. She desperately wants to read and write fluently, and is frustrated by her inability to access skills that others take for granted. Natalie's poor auditory discrimination means that she confuses words that sound similar, although her hearing is good. She finds it difficult to categorise words and word patterns and often misuses them when speaking or writing. She cannot read new words due to an inability to use a phonic attack. She has a poor visual memory for patterns of letters within words so that she often misplaces letters when writing. Her writing is very slow and laborious because of her poor fine-motor skills. Natalie's preferred learning style is visual; she enjoys concrete examples, patterns to internalise spelling groups and imagery to embed concepts within grammar and spelling. The main aim of Natalie's support programme is to improve her word recognition through a spelling programme and phonics. British Rail Symbol : British Rail Symbol Famous Dyslexics : Famous Dyslexics Famous Dyslexics Famous Dyslexics : Famous Dyslexics Athletes: Muhammad Ali, World Heavyweight Champion Boxer Ann Bancroft, Arctic Explorer Duncan Goodhew, Olympic Swimmer Bruce Jenner, Olympic Decathlon Gold Medalist Bob May, golfer Steve Redgrave, Olympic Gold Medalist (rowing) Jackie Stewart, racing driver Inventors & Scientists: Walt Disney Famous Dyslexics : Famous Dyslexics Leonardo DaVinci who had reversals in his manuscripts. W. Woolworth "who did not have sense". George Patton who had spelling, writing, reading problems. Auguste Rodin who had math, spelling, and language problems. Winston Churchill. Harvey Cushing, a brain surgeon, who had spelling, and other language problems Fred Astaire Enrico Caruso Albert Einstein was not accepted at college, because he failed his EFL entrance exam. Actors & Entertainers: Henry Winkler Famous Dyslexics Famous Dyslexics : Famous Dyslexics Political Leaders King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden John F. Kennedy Paul Wellstone, U.S. Senator George Bush Entrepreneurs & Business Leaders: Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Enterprises William Hewlett, Co-Founder, Hewlett-Packard Steve Jobs & Craig McCaw, Paul J. Orfalea, founder of Kinko's Charles Schwab , Investor Ted Turner, President, Turner Broadcasting Systems Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft Famous Dyslexics : Famous Dyslexics Military Heroes: Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson Musicians & Vocalists: Nigel Kennedy, Violinist Bob Weir, Grateful Dead Guitarist Writers: Hans Christian Andersen Fannie Flagg (Author of "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe") W.B. Yeats Famous Dyslexics : Famous Dyslexics Artists, Designers, & Architects: Ansel Adams Photographer David Bailey Photographer Ignacio Gomez Muralist Jørn Utzon (architect, designed Sydney Opera house) Andy Warhol What it feels like – simulation websites : What it feels like – simulation websites http://www.webaim.org/simulations/dyslexia-sim.html http://www.angmail.fsnet.co.uk/jumbltxt.htm http://www.techdis.ac.uk/resources/sites/2/simdis/Autism/overload.htm http://www.etni.org.il/etninews/inter2d.htm Other Useful Websites : Other Useful Websites Olchfa/whatsthedifference?/org.uk
Writing a research report is like writing an expository composition. The first part of the report is usually the introduction. The next paragraphs, which state and develop the limited topic, are the body. The conclusion is usually a sentence or two that leaves the reader with something interesting to think about. When you plan a research report, keep your readers in mind by asking questions like these: • How can I interest my readers in my topic? • What information do I need to give my readers? • How can I make my report clear to readers? If your topic is an interesting one and if you are giving; your readers new information, you should be able to interest them in your report. To do this, pay special attention to your first few sentences. For example, in the first paragraph from the sample holography paper, the writer uses details that would make most readers want to continue reading: In the first Star Wars movie the little robot R2-D2 contains a taped message from Princess Leia. When he plays the tape, a small, three-dimensional image of tried princess is projected. The image, moving and talking the real princess, asks for help to save her planet from destruction. The second paragraph of the model report states the limited topic and begins its development. The writer gives an example of holograms, tells who invented them, and defines two important terms that readers might not understand. Paragraph three adds to the development by defining a third term laser light, and telling how laser light pictures are different from ones produced by regular light. The next paragraph lists practical uses of holograms, and the final paragraph tells about some of their possible future uses. As well as organizing and developing the paper, the writer also helps readers understand the topic by using transition words and by repeating important words and phrases throughout the report. In the first paragraph, the writer uses the projection of Princess Leia as an example of what a hologram looks like. The second sentence of the second paragraph is Thanks to the engineer Dr. Dennis Gabor and other scientists, photographs today can look as real as Princess Leia’s image. The Princess Leia in this paragraph refers to the Princess Leia of the first paragraph and helps readers see how the two paragraphs are related. Writing a Bibliography You should include a bibliography at the end of your report. A bibliography is a list, in standard form, of the sources you used to write the report. A bibliography entry for a book consists of three pieces of information: the author, the title, and the publication data. These items appear in a particular order. Study the following example to see the order and punctuation for a standard book entry. Also notice that the second line is indented. Peters, Oscar A. Food for Thought. New York: Random House, 1976. Magazine Article Entries A bibliography entry for a magazine requires five pieces information: the name of the author of the article (when given), the name of the article, the name of the magazine, the date of the magazine, and the page numbers that the article appear on. Study the following example of a magazine entry to see the proper form. Arthur, L. Michael. “Software Options.” The Color Computer Magazine, September 1984, pp. 60-65. Encyclopedia Article Entries An encyclopedia entry in a bibliography usually includes just three items: the title of the article, the title of the encyclopedia, and the date of the particular edition used. Here is an example: “Space.” The New Columbia Encyclopedia. 1975 ed.

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