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Do you remember as a child getting a still-damp mimeographed lesson, printed in a bright purple, from your teacher? Those were the days, weren't they? Nowadays, personal computing has practically taken over our lives, including education. This actually quite a good thing. Most adults would be surprised at how many gadgets are present in the typical grade school classroom today! How are teachers introducing and using this technology? It turns out, they're using it in quite a variety of ways. One of the great things about most of this technology is that children with a variety of disabilities have better access to learning, instead of just sitting on the sidelines while their peer benefit. Technology brings knowledge to everyone! * Many schools have introduced interactive white boards into the classroom. These are incredible tools, that save teachers time and money in the classroom. How do they work? Think of it as a combination of Power Point, a touch screen, and video presentation and you pretty much have an interactive white board. Teachers can pre-program lessons, use a stylus to draw on the screen, and even save presentations, just in case a student missed class or for a review later. The boards can be connected to a personal computer for portability, and many are cordless, using existing Bluetooth technology to make connecting easier. * Computer tablets, such as the iPad, are making classrooms more fun for students and teachers alike! Tablet computers have the advantages of portability and flexibility, something that desktop computers lack. And an even bigger advantage is the ease of use: With the swipe of a finger across the screen, a student can open a textbook, a lesson, and go over tests with the teacher. Downloadable books and applications are often free or inexpensive, making access to relevant lessons even easier for educators. Return to Homepage
7. Venus: The veiled planet Penetrating the clouds A hot and heavy atmosphere Venus's thick, carbon-dioxide atmosphere traps the Sun's heat, raising the ground temperature by the greenhouse effect to almost three times what it would be without an atmosphere, and to about as hot as a self-cleaning oven. An airless body at Venusís distance from the Sun would be warmed by solar radiation to a surface temperature of only about 230 degrees kelvin, below the freezing point of water, but the greenhouse effect raises the surface temperature to a sizzling 735 degrees kelvin. That is hot enough to boil the ground dry, and to incinerate any humans that might visit the planet. The massive atmosphere imposes a pressure that is 92 times that at sea level on Earth. It would crush you out of existence. The surface pressure is comparable to that experienced by a submarine 500 fathoms, or 1,000 meters, below the surface of our terrestrial oceans. Some scientists thought that the high temperatures and pressures would melt, flatten and chemically weather the surface into a featureless plain. However, the surface photographs showed fresh-appearing rock without eroded edges. Clouds of concentrated sulfuric acid What accounts for the unbroken layer of pale yellow clouds that covers Venus? A detailed study of the sunlight reflected from the uppermost clouds indicates that the reflecting cloud particles have a spherical shape, implying that the particles are liquid droplets rather than ice crystals. Water and other plausible liquids were ruled out because they have the wrong reflecting and refracting properties. Baffled astronomers found the answer in the 1970s. A combination of spectroscopy and polarimetry, or how the cloud droplets polarize light, showed that the clouds of Venus are composed of concentrated sulfuric acid! That is the same sulfuric acid that is commonly used in car batteries. Circulation of the atmosphere The wind speed increases with altitude, rising to about 100 meters per second in the clouds at about 70 thousand meters in height. The high-flying clouds race around the planet once every four Earth days, from east to west in the same backwards direction that the planet rotates. So, the top of the atmosphere is blown around Venus more than 50 times faster than the planet rotates; such a rapid motion is sometimes called super-rotation. These high-speed zonal (east-west) winds are driven by the rotation of the solid planet beneath them, but the exact mechanism for maintaining the flow is not well understood. The atmosphere and winds have transformed the impact craters on Venus, which are unlike those seen on any other world. The dense atmosphere affects the impact debris, changing it into fluid-like flows, and the material ejected during impact is moved by the winds. Some fresh craters are surrounded by radar-bright haloes, streamlined hoods and tail-like wind streaks that act like wind vanes, pointing downwind at the time of impact. The wind streaks indicate that the winds just above the surface were blowing toward the equator from the northern and southern hemisphere. The atmosphere redistributes heat from one part of Venus to another, thereby moderating temperature differences. Most of the sunlight falling on Venus is either reflected by the clouds or absorbed in them. And because the Sun's rays fall directly on the equator and obliquely at the poles, the equatorial clouds are initially warmer than the polar ones. But this temperature difference generates winds that transfer heat in a single large Hadley cell. Energetic ultraviolet sunlight ionizes some of the atoms and molecules in the outer atmosphere above the clouds, forming an electrified layer similar to the Earth's ionosphere, and this layer helps shield the ground from the solar wind. The ions provide conduction paths for electrical currents that produce forces that counter the wind. As a result, the solar wind slows down and is deflected around the planet in a bow shock, and the interplanetary magnetic field is draped back to form a magnetotail. The Pioneer Venus Orbiter found that the solar windís interaction with Venus changes on times scales of hours to years, depending on the vagaries of the wind, with a bow shock that expands and contracts in step with the 11-year cycle of solar magnetic activity. (page 3 of 7) Copyright 2010, Professor Kenneth R. Lang, Tufts University
Skin Cells Transformed Into Neurons Without Pluripotent Stem Cell Stage One of the hot topics in medical science today is the use of pluripotent stem cells to repair tissue damage that is otherwise untreatable. That however is something of a silver lining, and there is definitely a cloud that goes with it, such as the risk of stem cells developing into unintended cell types or even becoming cancerous. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison however have successfully convert adult, skin stem cells into neural progenitors, skipping the pluripotent stem cell stage, and thus the risks associated with it. After harvesting the skin cells, the researchers treated them with a modified form of the Sendai virus, a type of cold virus. This virus has not been used for this purpose before, but does offer some advantages over those that are used, such as not entering the cell's DNA and it can be killed by heat within a day. Once the cells had their genes changed so they could become neural progenitors, the researchers heated the sample enough to kill the virus and waited thirteen days before harvesting the progenitor cells. These cells actually are a kind of stem cell but are not pluripotent, as they are only able to develop into any of the three major types of neural cells. After implantation into newborn mice, the cells grew normally and showed no sign of defects or tumors. Currently this research is just proof-of-concept with more work to do, but it is certainly promising work. Potentially we could see neural progenitors created from the skin of ALS patients and other diseases to treat if not cure them. Source: University of Wisconsin, Madison
What is Asthma? Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. This makes the airways swollen and very sensitive. They tend to react strongly to certain substances that are breathed in. When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This causes the airways to narrow, and less air flows to your lungs. The swelling also can worsen, making the airways even narrower. Cells in the airways may make more mucus than normal. (Mucus is a sticky, thick liquid that can further narrow your airways.) Symptoms may include: - wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe) - chest tightness - shortness of breath Symptoms can happen each time the airways are irritated. Sometimes symptoms are mild and go away on their own or after minimal treatment with an asthma medicine. Other times, symptoms continue to get worse. When symptoms get more intense and/or additional symptoms occur, this is an asthma attack. It’s important to treat symptoms when you first notice them. This will help prevent the symptoms from worsening and causing a severe asthma attack. Severe asthma attacks may require emergency care, and they can cause death. The exact cause of asthma isn’t known. Researchers think a combination of factors (family genes and certain environmental exposures) interact to cause asthma. Different factors may be more likely to cause asthma in some people than in others. Most, but not all, people who have asthma have allergies. Asthma is a long-term disease that can’t be cured. It is treated with two types of medicines: long-term control and quick-relief medicines. Long-term control medicines help reduce airway inflammation and prevent asthma symptoms. Quick-relief, or “rescue,” medicines relieve asthma symptoms when they flare up. The goal of asthma treatment is to control the disease and prevent asthma attacks. Good asthma control will: - Prevent chronic and troublesome symptoms, such as coughing and shortness of breath - Reduce your need for quick-relief medicines - Help you maintain good lung function - Let you maintain your normal activity levels and sleep through the night - Prevent asthma attacks that could result in your going to the emergency room or being admitted to the hospital for treatment
Language is a system of arbitrary vocal science that can be used to obtain and interaction among the members of social group (Miller). Sheriff & Sheriff define human language as consisting of an arbitrary system of symbolic that are meaningful to its users. Communication holds society together. Language is the form of communication that best supports the intricate workings of our social institution. Although humans rely primarily on language to communicate it is not only the sole means of communication. Proxemics, Kinesics, Paralanguage etc. are other important means of communication. There are at least four important differences that can be claimed between human language system and naturally occurring communication of animals – - Human Beings can talk about objects or events which are remote from the speaker in time or place or both. This feature of human languages is called as Displacement. - In human language a limited range of distinguishable sounds can be combined and recombined into enormous vocabulary. This has been called Duality of Patterning. - Human Beings are capable of producing and understanding utterances which have never been heard or produced before. This feature of human language is known as Productivity. Human language is thus an open system capable of infinite expansion. Vocalization of animals on the other hand tends to form closed systems. - Human language is transmitted across generations and consequently it also provides vehicle for transmission of knowledge through the process of teaching and learning. Structure of Language Every language has a structure. The structure of language consists of both the units of language and the rules that govern how they can be combined. Rules of Combination These are also sometimes called as rules of phonology and morphology. These rules enabled us to know the sounds or the written elements of language and how to combine these basic elements in units such as words that have meaning. It must be mentioned that PHONOLOGY – is the study of sound pattern of language to discover the abstract rules which tell us which combinations of sound are permissible of which are not. MORPHOLOGY – is the study of various sound combinations that seem to have meaning. The Human Language uses the principle of combination on several levels. At the lowest level is the set of basic sounds called PHONEMES; that are combined to form meaningful units called MORPHEMES. Morphemes are combined to form words of words are combined to form sentences. These multiple levels of combinations give human language an enormous expressive power.
An annex and an appendix are both forms of addendums to a main document. An appendix contains data that cannot be placed in the main document and has references in the original copy or file. An annex, on the other hand, is usually a standalone document that offers additional information than contained in the main document. \|Definition\|\|Annex is an addition to a document.\|\|Appendix is an addition made towards the end of a thesis.\| \|Usage\|\|a term used mostly in business models and ideas.\|\|a term used in the research field.\| edit Relation to the main document An appendix cannot be submitted without the main copy. The aim of an appendix is to add greater details, visuals and examples for better understanding of the main copy. An annex, however, is different from an appendix in that it can be considered without the main text. It cannot be added to the main text but still has importance as regards the original copy. edit Authors of an annex vs an appendix Appendices are usually written by original authors whereas annexes can be written by outside party.
Physics is the study of the fundamental elements of the universe: energy and matter. The science investigates how the universe began, what it consists of, how it changes and according to what rules. Physicists explore the skies to find distant worlds, and watch changes in the atmosphere to forecast the weather. They search the ocean floor and beneath it to find minerals, and smash atoms to find energy resources and new methods to diagnose disease. Astronomers work to understand the nature of objects in the universe and their behavior. A degree in physics or astrophysics is essential for this job, followed by a doctorate and post-doctoral research. Astronomers work in federal agencies such as NASA in the United States or in international space organizations such as the Paris-based European Space Agency. The 2010 median pay for physicists and astronomers was $105,430, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A meteorologist gathers information about atmospheric conditions, such as temperature and pressure, and analyzes it to understand how changes in conditions create weather and climate. Meteorologists usually have a bachelor’s degree in physics, followed by a doctorate in an aspect of meteorology. They work for government agencies, in weather forecasting organizations, and as teachers and researchers at universities. The 2010 median pay of meteorologists was $87,780 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Geophysics is the study of the Earth using electrical, seismic, magnetic and gravity methods. Most geophysicists have a bachelor’s in physics, followed by a master's or a doctorate in geophysics. They have strong information technology skills and knowledge of geology. Geophysicists work in the exploration for oil, gas and minerals, and in the construction sector during site investigations. They are also employed at archaeological excavations to locate buried historical remains. The 2010 median pay for geoscientists, the category to which geophysicists belong, was $82,500 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nuclear physicists study particles in an atom’s nucleus. They work mostly in research for the electronics, aerospace, communications, energy and healthcare industries, as well as in research laboratories and government agencies. Magnetic resonance imaging, known in medicine as MRI, was developed from nuclear physics. Most nuclear physics jobs require a doctorate, as well as a physics major. Median pay for all physicists in May 2011 was $106,360 - American Astronomical Society: A New Universe to Explore; Careers in Astronomy - American Meteorological Society: Career Center - U.S. Geological Survey: Become a Geophysicist…A What? - Jefferson Lab: Careers at Jefferson Lab - Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physicists and Astronomers - Bureau of Labor Statistics: Atmospheric Scientists, Including Meteorologists - Bureau of Labor Statistics: Geoscientists - Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physicists - Kim Steele/Photodisc/Getty Images
If you’re skeptical about man-made climate change, the Union of Concerned Scientists wants you to know something: there’s no basis for your belief in science. The long-standing group, which counts more than 200,000 citizens and professionals as members, is as categorical as it can be. Global warming is happening, and our emissions are largely responsible. (It is also quite clear about where "misinformation" on the topic comes from.) In this infographic, it lays out how global warming leads to sea level rise, which U.S. cities are likely to be affected, and what we can do about it. Data from more than a century ago shows that ocean levels have been rising faster on East Coast and Gulf regions, with cities like Galveston, Texas, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, most affected. Variances come from local land subsidence (which allows water to penetrate further inland) and "changes in the path and strength of ocean currents." Warmer temperatures cause water to expand, and ice to melt—both raising ocean levels. Ice melt accounts for more than half of increases between 1972 and 2008. The rate of sea level rise is increasing. How high the water goes will depend on the level of emissions and the unpredictable reactions of oceans and ice. Future sea levels are a choice, relating to our emissions of heat-trapping gases. But we’ll also have to make changes to vulnerable coastlines, building natural buffers, and managing retreat from prone areas.
Phenology is one of the oldest areas of environmental science, dating back thousands of years. Phenological observations have provided indications of the progress of the natural calendar – when seasons begin and change – since pre-agricultural times. The Chinese are thought to have kept the first written records dating back to around 974 B.C. For the past 1200 years, observations of the timing of peak cherry blossoms in Japan have been recorded. Read more about this history and how you can be part of it through Project BudBurst. The word phenology comes from the Greek words “phaino” (to show or appear) and “logos” (to study). Phenology is one of the oldest branches of environmental science, dating back thousands of years. Observations of phenological events have provided indications of the progress of the natural calendar – when seasons begin and change – since pre-agricultural times. Many cultures have traditional proverbs and sayings which attempt to forecast future weather and climate using phenological observations: “If oak’s before ash, you’re in for a splash. If ash before oak, you’re in for a soak”. But the indications can be pretty unreliable, as an alternative version of the rhyme shows: “If the oak is out before the ash, ‘Twill be a summer of wet and splash; If the ash is out before the oak, ’Twill be a summer of fire and smoke.” While phenological observations may not let you predict the weather from one season to the next, they can be used to identify climate trends over decades and centuries. The Chinese are thought to have kept the first written records of phenological observations dating back to around 974 B.C. And for the past 1200 years, the Japanese have recorded observations of the timing of peak cherry blossoms. In Europe, the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778) systematically recorded flowering times for 18 locations in Sweden over many years. His meticulous notes also recorded the exact climatic conditions when flowering occurred. Linnaeus, and a British landowner, Robert Marsham, share the honor of being considered the ‘fathers’ of modern plant phenology. Marsham could be considered one of the first citizen scientists in modern times. He was a wealthy landowner who kept systematic records of “Indications of spring” on his estate in England. Marsham’s observations were in the form of dates of the first occurrence of events such as flowering, bud burst, and emergence or flight of an insect. For generations, Marsham’s family maintained records of phenological events over exceptionally long periods of time, eventually ending with the death of Mary Marsham in 1958. The records of the Marsham family showed trends that were observed and related to long-term climate records. “Keeping records enhances the pleasure of the search and the change of finding order and meaning in these events.” - Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac Aldo Leopold is another prominent figure in early plant phenology and is considered to be a founder of the wildlife management field. In 1949, he penned his best-selling book, A Sand County Almanac, a series of essays about wildlife, conservation, land ethic, and phenology taken from his experiences living and working throughout the United States. Leopold felt strongly that record keeping was important to understanding the ecosystems, plants, and animals he encountered. He wrote, “Keeping records enhances the pleasure of the search and the chance of finding order and meaning in these events.” After Aldo had passed on, his daughter, Nina, picked up where her father left off and began keeping phenological records once again. In 1999, Nina, and others published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, entitled “Phenological changes reflect climate change in Wisconsin” based on the phenological observations she and her father had collected all those years. The detailed journals of naturalist and writer, Henry David Thoreau, provide a compelling example of the great contributions that volunteers can make to science. They also provide a unique link between current Project BudBurst data and historic observations which in turn can be used to make important scientific discoveries. Thoreau kept a daily journal of natural history observations from 1851 to 1858. This journal included first flowering date observations for close to 500 plant species around Walden Pond. Several naturalists continued to make observations in the same general area over several other time periods up until 1993. In 2003 phenology scientists Richard Primack, Abraham Miller-Rushing and their collaborators started collecting the same kind of data that was collected in the past, primarily dates of first flowers, and dates of when trees and shrubs leaf out (equivalent to the Project BudBurst first leaf phenophase). Of particular interest, these studies show that plant species vary widely in their ability to change the dates of their phenophase events as weather and climatic conditions change. Interestingly they found that plants in some families have not changed the dates of phenology as much as others, and that these plants tend to be less common now than they were during Thoreau’s time. This suggests that with Project BudBurst data it will be important to see which species are changing their phenology most quickly, and to identify those that are flowering or leafing out on the same dates, regardless of changes in weather or climate. Much could be learned by doing this kind of analysis with Project BudBurst data since it covers the entire country (not just Walden Pond or Wisconsin) and also includes a broader range of phenophases than what was originally recorded by phenologists of the past. This will allow scientists to identify how different regions of the country, and different species are responding to climate change, and also to determine which are the most important species to watch. By participating in Project BudBurst, you are contributing to this long established history of phenologists. You also join a legion of citizen scientists across the world and through the ages that are helping to understand changes in plants over time. Top photo: The Aldo Leopold Foundation (www.aldoleopold. org)
Web Date: December 9, 2015 Dwarf Planet Shows Some Cometlike Activity New research bolsters the idea that the dwarf planet Ceres, which resides within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, shows some cometlike behavior. In the first of two published papers, an international team led by Andreas Nathues at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research examined new data from the National Aeronautics & Space Administration’s Dawn spacecraft, which is orbiting Ceres. The scientists found numerous bright spots on Ceres’s largely dark surface, which could be hydrated magnesium sulfates. In the center of one large crater is a bright spot, where hazy plumes of ice or dust wax and wane on a diurnal cycle. This activity is suggestive of sublimation—a solid-to-gas transition phenomenon previously thought to be exclusive to comets (Nature 2015, DOI: 10.1038/nature15754). With a diameter of 950 km, Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt. When scientists discovered Ceres in 1801, they considered it a planet but then later reclassified it as an asteroid in the 1850s. Since 2006, Ceres has largely been referred to as a dwarf planet. Michael F. A’Hearn, comet science pioneer and emeritus professor at the University of Maryland, has long believed that small solar system bodies exist on a continuum between inert, rocky objects and volatile, outgassing comets. The new Ceres results “are consistent with the existence of a continuum,” A’Hearn tells C&EN. “The haze that they see at noon on the crater, but not in evening twilight, is certainly consistent with diurnal sublimation,” he says. But to definitively nail down the composition of the bright spot in the crater would require more sensitive spectrometers than Dawn carries, he adds. Michael Küppers at the European Space Astronomy Centre, in Madrid, agrees. The spectra from Dawn seem to point to a preponderance of water-bearing minerals, not water ice, on Ceres, he says. However, given that water vapor has been detected before on Ceres, “subsurface ice may still be present and explain the vaporization,” he notes. In a second paper on Ceres’s surface composition, another international team led by Maria Cristina de Sanctis at the National Institute for Astrophysics, in Rome, reports that Dawn has also detected ammoniated phyllosilicates on Ceres’s surface (Nature 2015, DOI: 10.1038/nature16172). Ammonia exists as ice only at the extremely cold temperatures of the outer solar system, so the discovery suggests Ceres may have formed in that remote region. It’s also possible that particles of icy ammonia migrated to Ceres after it formed, the authors say. - Chemical & Engineering News - ISSN 0009-2347 - Copyright © American Chemical Society
- Web sites External Web sites Britannica Web sites Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. - Anhydride - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) chemical compounds made by elimination of water from other compounds; inorganic examples are calcium oxide, derived from calcium hydroxide, and sulfur trioxide, derived from sulfuric acid; organic anhydrides used industrially to make other compounds-mixed with water to make carboxylic acids, with alcohols to obtain esters, and with ammonia to obtain amides; acetic anhydride used in manufacture of aspirin, magnetic tape, and fibers.
The seasonal reversing wind followed by corresponding changes in precipitation,but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea is called Monsoon. The monsoon system of the Indian subcontinent has appeared as truly massive interruptions and reversal of the normal global atmospheric circulation, which make it different from the rest of the world. Recent studies postulate the new theories on the origin of monsoon system of Indian sub-continent by studying the layers of the atmosphere. It envisages that monsoon circulation is not only the reason for the outcome of the thermally induced surface low and high-pressure centres, but also the influence of Tibetan plateau and the jet stream on the origin of monsoonal circulation over the Indian subcontinent and its adjoining areas. Tibet Plateau is an enormous block of a high ground act as a formidable barrier as well as a heat source. It accents the northward displacement of the jet stream in the middle of the October. This abrupt onset of the summer monsoon in the beginning of June is promoted by the hydrodynamic effect the Himalayas and not by the thermally induced low-pressure centre over northwest India. Recent theory envisions that the Tibet plateau is the high level source of heat during summer time. During southwest monsoon, a thermal anticyclone appears over Tibet, which the resultant formation of dynamic anti-cyclogensis. On the south side of the anticyclone, the tropical jet stream is from. As a result, there is a sensible heat transfer from the elevated surfaces of the Himalayas and Tibet to the atmosphere. Besides this, large amounts of latent heat released by monsoon rains over India are also added to the upper troposphere anticyclone. Thus the presence of Tibet Highland is very important, even if there is no significant barrier effect on the flow of air. The tropical easterly jet stream is formed at an eastern longitude of India then moves towards westwards across India and the Arabian Sea to eastern Africa. This upper-level easterly jet stream creates a flow of air on the south side of Tibetan Plateau that reaches down to low levels over northernmost India. During summer, the insolation heating of air above Tibet Plateau weakens the western subtropical jet stream south of the Himalayas with the resultant reversal of pressure gradient and wind flow over northern India. Hence, we can say, the formation of an anti-cyclone over Tibet Plateau has a close affinity to the burst of the monsoon system of the Indian Subcontinent. DISCLAIMER: JPL and its affiliates shall have no liability for any views, thoughts and comments expressed on this article.
Frontal lobe dementia is also known as Pick’s disease and is named after Arnold Pick, the neurologist and psychiatrist who first documented the disease in 1892. Like other forms of dementia, it is a progressive disease characterized by a gradual atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Frontal lobe dementia life expectancy will vary between different patients, but on average it is around eight years after diagnosis. Unlike Alzheimer’s disease, frontal lobe dementia generally affects younger people, both men and women, and it is usually seen in patients between the ages of 40 and 65, although it can affect people of any age. Once a patient has been diagnosed with Pick’s disease, it causes an irreversible decline in a patient’s mental faculties over a number of years. The frontal lobe dementia life expectancy can be as long as seventeen years, but some patients only live two years as they soon succumb to complications of the disease. Frontal lobe dementia is distinguished from other types of dementia by the presence of abnormalities in the nerve cells of the brain—known as Pick bodies. There are several different types of damaged nerve cells found in the brain of a patient with frontal lobe dementia and two of these contain abnormal levels of tau proteins. Pick’s disease is known to be hereditary and it is a mutation in the tau gene that is responsible for increasing the risk of developing frontal lobe dementia. Symptoms of frontal lobe dementia vary according to which part of the brain is affected—the frontal lobe or the temporal lobe, although it is more customary for it to affect the frontal lobe. When the frontal lobe is affected first, behavioral changes are the first noticeable symptoms of Pick’s disease. These can include personality changes and an alteration in social behavior. Patients suffering the early stages of frontal lobe dementia might be erratic and hyperactive or withdrawn and unresponsive and symptoms of obsessive behavior are very common. If the temporal lobe is affected first, language skills tend to degenerate quickly and some patients experience total speech loss. Memory is also more likely to deteriorate. Other symptoms of frontal lobe dementia include sleep problems, glazed facial expressions, loss of muscle control, repetitive speech and behavior, inability to organize and plan, apathy, negativity, and rigidity. What is the frontal lobe dementia life expectancy? There is no treatment for Pick’s disease, although research into potential cures is continually ongoing. Once a firm diagnosis has been made with the aid of clinical assessments, neuro-psychology assessments, linguistic tests, CT and MRI scans, the outlook is generally not good. Current drug treatments involve the use of serotonin based supplements, tranquilizers, and anti-depressants to help control some of the behavioral problems associated with frontal lobe dementia. Other treatments include behavioral therapy. As the brain slowly atrophies under the relentless onslaught of the disease, the patient’s symptoms will progressively worsen. Death normally occurs from other health complications after an average of eight years, although some people do last longer.
\|School Library Summit\| Prior to the Summit, I learned a new phrase, Accountable Independent Reading (AIR). Accountable Independent Reading is based on the belief that most young people today do not read for pleasure enough and also need to work on the skills that sustained reading brings (focused attention, stamina, thoughtful analysis, and also personal satisfaction) that are skills that are needed across the academic curricula. The practice is firmly rooted in the new Common Core State Standards. (source)Would it be interesting - and more realistic - if schools also spent time on helping students learn how to acquire information through other means? Imagine learning how to read web pages and not just skim them? How about learning through audio files and understanding what the listen for? Which brings me to a definition that I found in the edTPA Library Specialist Assessment Handbook (9/2013) for library literacies (emphasis added). Library literacies are: The ability to read, listen to, view find, understand, synthesize, evaluate, and apply information gathering across formats and platforms, including, but not limited to, information literacy, digital literacy, media literacy, textual literacy, and visual literacy.Would we be doing our students - and their future - a service by emphasizing all media more equally, and not just the hardcopy or digital book? Would it be good if we did more than just gave lip service to the other formats and platforms? I believe the answer is "yes" to both questions. So then here is the challenge...let's actually make that change! Yes, books are important...and so is every other format. Let's use all of the formats and teach our students to do the same.
Radon is a radioactive gas that is naturally produced in the ground from the uranium present in small quantities in all rocks and soils. Humans cannot smell, see or taste radon. It produces tiny radioactive particles when it breaks down (decays). These particles, when inhaled, are deposited in the airways and on lung tissues. This results in a radiation dose that can cause lung cancer. The risk of contracting cancer is related to how much radon you have been exposed to and for how long. Radon is in the same group of carcinogens as asbestos and tobacco smoke. Radon is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a part of the World Health Organisation. In the open air radon is quickly diluted to harmless concentrations. When it enters an enclosed space, such as a house, through small cracks in floors and through gaps around pipes or cables, concentration levels can become unacceptably high. Radon tends to be sucked from the ground into a building because the indoor air pressure is usually slightly lower than outdoors. Radon remediation works either by preventing the entry of radon into a building from the soil or by removing it after it has entered. The most appropriate method will depend on a number of factors including gas concentration and building type. A ProAir ventilation system was installed to establish its effectiveness in a property with a radon reading of 350Bq/m3. The target was to reduce it below the National Reference Level of 200Bq/m3. Independent testing was done before and after system installation to ensure unbiased verified results. Radon levels dropped to 162Bq/m3 after installing the ProAir HRV system with the added benefits of reducing heating costs, eliminating condensation and substantially improving the indoor air quality. See here for results before and after Heat Recovery Ventilation system installation.
Low blood pressure, or hypotension, occurs when blood pressure during and after each heartbeat is much lower than usual. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body do not get enough blood. See also: Blood pressure Low blood pressure; Blood pressure - low; Postprandial hypotension; Orthostatic hypotension; Neurally mediated hypotension; NMH Blood pressure that is borderline low for one person may be normal for another. The most important factor is how the blood pressure changes from the normal condition. Most normal blood pressures fall in the range of 90/60 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) to 130/80 mm Hg. But a significant drop, even as little as 20 mm Hg, can cause problems for some people. There are three main types of hypotension: - Orthostatic hypotension, including postprandial orthostatic hypotension - Neurally mediated hypotension (NMH) - Severe hypotension brought on by a sudden loss of blood (shock) Orthostatic hypotension is brought on by a sudden change in body position, usually when shifting from lying down to standing. This type of hypotension usually lasts only a few seconds or minutes. If this type of hypotension occurs after eating, it is called postprandial orthostatic hypotension. This form most commonly affects older adults, those with high blood pressure, and persons with Parkinson's disease. NMH most often affects young adults and children. It occurs when a person has been standing for a long time. Children usually outgrow this type of hypotension. Low blood pressure is commonly caused by drugs such as: - Anti-anxiety medications - Certain antidepressants - Heart medicines, including those used to treat high blood pressure and coronary heart disease - Medications used for surgery Other causes of low blood pressure include: Symptoms may include: - Blurry vision - Fainting (syncope) The health care provider will examine you and try to determine what is causing the low blood pressure. Your vital signs (temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure) will be checked frequently. You may need to stay in the hospital for a while. The doctor will ask questions, including: - What is your normal blood pressure? - What medications do you take? - Have you been eating and drinking normally? - Have you had any recent illness, accident, or injury? - What other symptoms do you have? - Did you faint or become less alert? - Do you feel dizzy or light-headed when standing or sitting after lying down? The following tests may be done: Low blood pressure can usually be treated with success. When you have symptoms from a drop in blood pressure, you should immediately sit or lie down and raise your feet above heart level. If low blood pressure causes a person to pass out (become unconscious), seek immediate medical treatment or call the local emergency number (such as 911). If the person is not breathing or has no pulse, begin CPR. Call your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms: Also call your doctor if you have: - Injury from falls due to fainting Falls are particularly dangerous for older adults. Fall-related injuries, such as a broken hip, can dramatically impact a person's quality of life. Severe hypotension starves your body of oxygen, which can damage the heart, brain, and other organs. This type of hypotension can be life threatening if not immediately treated. Hypotension in a healthy person that does not cause any problems usually doesn't require treatment. If you have signs or symptoms of low blood pressure, you may need treatment. Treatment depends on the cause of your low blood pressure. Severe hypotension caused by shock is a medical emergency. You may be given blood through a needle (IV), medicines to increase blood pressure and improve heart strength, and other medicines, such as antibiotics. For more details, see the article on shock. If you have orthostatic hypotension caused by medicines, your doctor may change the dose or switch you to a different drug. DO NOT stop taking any medicine before talking to your doctor. Other treatments for orthostatic hypotension include increasing fluids to treat dehydration or wearing elastic hose to boost blood pressure in the lower part of the body. Those with NMH should avoid triggers, such as standing for a long period of time. Other treatments involve drinking plenty of fluids and increasing the amount of salt in your diet. (Ask your doctor about specific recommendations.) In severe cases, medicines such as fludrocortisone may be prescribed. If you have low blood pressure, your doctor may recommend certain steps to prevent or reduce your symptoms. This may include: - Avoiding alcohol - Avoiding standing for a long time (if you have NMH) - Drinking plenty of fluids - Getting up slowly after sitting or lying down - Using compression stockings to increase blood pressure in the legs Calkins H, Zipes DP. Hypotension and syncope. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 37. Review Date: 2/22/2009 Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Family Physician, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
generator. The field windings are connected in parallel (shunt) with the armature windings. The circuit for a shunt motor is shown in figure 2-4. Figure 2-4. - Shunt-wound dc motor. Once you adjust the speed of a dc shunt motor, the speed remains relatively constant even under changing load conditions. One reason for this is that the field flux remains constant. "> A shunt motor is connected in the same way as a shunt generator. The field windings are connected in parallel (shunt) with the armature windings. The circuit for a shunt motor is shown in figure 2-4. Figure 2-4. - Shunt-wound dc motor. Once you adjust the speed of a dc shunt motor, the speed remains relatively constant even under changing load conditions. One reason for this is that the field flux remains constant. A constant voltage across the field makes the field independent of variations in the armature circuit. If the load on the motor is increased, the motor tends to slow down. When this happens, the counter emf generated in the armature decreases. This causes a corresponding decrease in the opposition to battery current flow through the armature. Armature current increases, causing the motor to speed up. The conditions that established the original speed are reestablished, and the original speed is maintained. Conversely, if the motor load is decreased, the motor tends to increase speed; counter emf increases, armature current decreases, and the speed decreases. In each case, all of this happens so rapidly that any actual change in speed is slight. There is instantaneous tendency to change rather than a large fluctuation in speed. A compound motor has two field windings, as shown in figure 2-5. One is a shunt field connected in parallel with the armature; the other is a series field that is connected in series with the armature. The shunt field gives this type of motor the constant speed advantage of a regular shunt motor. The series field gives it the advantage of being able to develop a large torque when the motor is started under a heavy load. It should not be a surprise that the compound motor has both shunt- and series-motor characteristics. Figure 2-5. - Compound-wound dc motor. When the shunt field is connected in parallel with the series field and armature, it is called a "long shunt" as shown in figure 2-5, (view A). Otherwise, it is called a "short shunt", as shown in figure 2-5, (view B). TYPES OF ARMATURES As with dc generators, dc motors can be constructed using one of two types of armatures. A brief review of the Gramme-ring and drum-wound armatures is necessary to emphasize the similarities between dc generators and dc motors. The Gramme-ring armature is constructed by winding an insulated wire around a soft-iron ring (fig. 2-6). Eight equally spaced connections are made to the winding. Each of these is connected to a commutator segment. The brushes touch only the top and bottom segments. There are two parallel paths for current to follow - one up the left side and one up the right side. These paths are completed through the top brush back to the positive lead of the battery. Figure 2-6. - Gramme-ring armature. To check the direction of rotation of this armature, you should use the right-hand rule for motors. Hold your thumb, forefinger, and middle finger at right angles. Point your forefinger in the direction of field flux; in this case, from left to right. Now turn your wrist so that your middle finger points in the direction that the current flows in the winding on the outside of the ring. Note that current flows into the page (away from you) in the left-hand windings and out of the page (toward you) in the right-hand windings. Your thumb now points in the direction that the winding will move. The Gramme-ring armature is seldom used in modem dc motors. The windings on the inside of the ring are shielded from magnetic flux, which causes this type of armature to be inefficient. The Gramme-ring armature is discussed primarily to help you better understand the drum-wound armature. The drum-wound armature is generally used in ac motors. It is identical to the drum winding discussed in the chapter on dc generators. If the drum-wound armature were cut in half, an end view at the cut would resemble the drawing in figure 2-7, (view A),Figure 2-7, (view B) is a side view of the armature and pole pieces. Notice that the length of each conductor is positioned parallel to the faces of the pole pieces. Therefore, each conductor of the armature can cut the maximum flux of the motor field. The inefficiency of the Gramme-ring armature is overcome by this positioning. Figure 2-7. - Drum-type armature. The direction of current flow is marked in each conductor in figure 2-7, (view A) as though the armature were turning in a magnetic field. The dots show that current is flowing toward you on the left side, and the crosses show that the current is flowing away from you on the right side. Strips of insulation are inserted in the slots to keep windings in place when the armature spins. These are shown as wedges in figure 2-7, (view A). \|Integrated Publishing, Inc.\|
Pedogenesis or soil evolution (formation) is the process by which soil is created. Climate regulates soil formation. Soils are more developed in areas with higher rainfall and more warmth. The rate of chemical weathering increases by 2-3 times when the temperature increases by 10 degrees Celsius (20 °F). Climate also affects which organisms are present, affecting the soil chemically and physically (movement of roots, burrowing by animals). The organisms living in and on the soil form distinct soil types. Coniferous forests have acidic leaf litter and form what are known as inceptisols. Mixed or deciduous forests leave a larger layer of humus, changing the elements leached and accumulated in the soil, forming alfisols. Prairies have very high humus accumulation, creating a dark, thick A horizon characteristic of mollisols. Pedogenesis is the major topic of the science of pedology, whose other aspects include the soil morphology, classification (taxonomy) of soils, and their distribution in nature, present and past (soil geography and paleopedology). Other pages[change \| change source] References[change \| change source] - Buol, Stanley W., F.D. Hole and R.W. McCracken. 1997. Soil Genesis and Classification, 4th ed. Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames ISBN 0-8138-2873-2 - Hole Francis D., J.B. Campbell. 1985. Soil landscape analysis. Totowa Rowman & Allanheld, 214 p. ISBN 0-86598-140-X - Jenny, Hans (1994) Factors of Soil Formation. A System of Quantitative Pedology. New York: Dover Press. (Reprint, with Foreword by R. Amundson, of the 1941 McGraw-Hill publication). pdf file format. - Pluijm, Ben van der, et al. Fall, 2005. Soils, Weathering, and Nutrients from the Global Change 1 Lectures. University of Michigan. Url last accessed on 2007-03-31
Effective listening skills are a fundamental characteristic of telephone triage nurses. In a traditional setting, nurses are able to utilize all senses, while triaging a patient. However, the biggest challenge in telephone triage and telemedicine is the lack of face-to-face communication. Telephone nurses have to fine-tune their listening skills, in order to effectively triage a patient. There are three different components in effective listening: active, reflective, and empathic. Using short responses such as “I see,” is an example of active listening. By responding to the patient, the telephone nurse provides reassurance that he/she is interested in what the caller has to say. Reflective listening includes paraphrasing and asking open-ended questions, like “Can you explain what happened?” This allows the telephone triage nurse to clarify information and determine proper protocol. By practicing empathic listening, the telephone nurse lets the caller know that their feelings and concerns are acknowledged. “What I’m hearing is you’re concerned about the duration of your headache,” is an example of a phrase used in empathic listening. While it is important to express compassion, telephone triage nurses must refrain from offering their opinions. It is pertinent to rely on the facts and maintain professionalism. Effective listening skills enhance communication between the telephone triage nurse and the caller. Good communication allows the nurse to assess the situation and apply the proper protocol effectively and in a timely manner.
\|← Literature Vocabulary\|\|Urban Legends →\| Dramatic irony is the application of the words and actions of the characters for making different sense for the audience, than they make for characters of the work. So, the result of it, the greater knowledge, that is given to the audience and that information characters don’t know. (Jeffries 150) Molière in their works uses dramatic irony too (in which a characters of the play is ignorant of knowledge given to the audience). This figure of speech occurs over the time of the play and occasionally. One example of that type of irony is foundation for all play. It consists in a way of treatment of poor Lucinda. It creates the plot of the play. Lucinda’s father very stingy and he don’t want to share his money to the first suitor that comes into his palace. So, Lucinda and her suitor Clitander makes a planm to teach him a good lesson and in deceitful manner, force Sganarelle to accept the marriage. Their plan consists of application of the way of daughter’s treatment. Sganarelle believes, that the best treatment of his daughter will be marriage, and Clitander disguised of doctor play for him performance. And the marriage took place after all ceremonies needed for it. There is one more example of dramatic irony in the work. But it was revealed by the Sganarelle. Four counselors tried to lie to the Sganarelle in order to enrich their pockets for account of Sganarelle. But they failed. Sganarelle knows all about their businesses and quickly realized, why they offer him such ways of treatment. So, in this work of literature, Molière used the dramatic irony, in order to make fun of stinginess of the Sganarelle and show, how two people, who love each other, can overcome any difficulties with the help of mother wit. But in some ways the reader feel sorry on the fate of Sganarelle. He didn’t want marriage of his daughter, but he was deceived, by inventive youth minds. So, the dramatic irony can be considered to be unfunny joke.
The Russian River watershed provides food and shelter for many species of invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds. Wildlife communities in the watershed are an important part of the ecosystem and its health. Presented below are some of the common, endangered, and unique animals living in our watershed. Macroinvertebrates are defined as animals that do not have a backbone, and are big enough to see with the naked eye. They include insects, arachnids, crustaceans, annelids, and mollusks. These small animals are of extreme importance to the overall health of the Russian River watershed, for they are the link in the food web between the producers (algae and plants) and consumers (fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals). The presence of freshwater macroinvertebrates in the waters of the Russian River watershed is an important indicator of water quality. They are very sensitive to physical and chemical changes, providing advance warning of pollution problems. By consuming bacteria and decaying plants and animals, macroinvertebrates help maintain the health of the ecosystem. Many filter feeders such as freshwater mussels supply an extremely valuable natural filtering service. Threats to all of these creatures include pollution, sediment loading of the gravel river bottom, introduced species of fish, and other human impacts. For more information on these small creatures, take a look at a great resource from Stroud Water Research Center, for identifying different macroinvertebrates that you might see in the Russian River. For more information on the study of macroinvertebrates and their response to pollution in the river, click here.
A type of X-ray which produces images of internal physical structures of teeth in cross section is called a dental CT (Computerized Tomography) scan. The images produced by dental CT scan are more superior to those produced by conventional X-ray exams. A rotating X-ray unit which takes hundreds of X-rays is present in the dental CT scan. It produces a complicated image. The data from it is combined by a computer for creating a three dimensional image. The image can be freely rotated on the computer. Conventional X-ray can produce only single or two-dimensional images. But a dental CT scan produces a 3D image. As a 3D image is produced by a dental CT scan, the image is clearer. The location of a nerve or bone thickness at the selected position of the image can be easily determined by the dentist. This in turn helps in determining the size, type, and diameter of implant that has to be used for maximizing the implant to bone contact. The resolution of dental CT scan is very high. So determination and decision of a dental surgery requirement can be done easily. 3D imaging and low radiation are the most important benefits of using dental CT scans. No problem is faced by patients by this method of scanning. It does not cause any pain or discomfort and the process of scanning is finished in much less time compared to conventional X-ray tests. Special imaging software is used to get clear and appropriate orientation of images. As the normal dental X-rays are two-dimensional, the location of teeth and the height of bone are only shown. The thickness of the bone cannot be depicted by them which can be shown by 3D dental CT scan. Dental CT scans make use of high radiation when compared to other dental X-rays. With rise in technology and its benefits, the use of dental CT scans is increasing worldwide.
Web Accessibility refers to the inclusive practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities by incorporating accessibility standards into website design and development. Individuals with disabilities may encounter barriers to access if a website is not designed and developed with accessibility in mind. Incorporating the use of web accessibility guidelines with the principles of universal design, and web usability best practices can maximize the user experience and ensure content is available to all users. "Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web.1" Accessible websites improve the experience of all users. (See also Universal Design, Assistive Technology, Section 508 Requirements) Key groups have developed web accessibility guidelines and standards including the US Access Board, which developed the Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines and Section 508 Standards, and the World Wide Web Consortium, W3C, an international consortium which develops protocols and guidelines that ensure the long-term growth of the Web. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 1: Content must be perceivable. 2: Interface components in the content must beoperable. 3: Content and controls must be understandable. 4: Content should be robust enough to work with current and future user agents (including assistive technologies) - Text Alternatives - Time-based Media Alternatives - Adaptable Content - Distinguishable Content - Keyboard Accessible - Enough Time - Readable and Understandable Content - Predictable Functionality and Operation - Input Assistance to Help Users Avoid and Correct Mistakes - Compatible with Current and Future Assitive Technologies - Use appropriate headings (<h1>, (<h2>, (<h3>) to provide document structure. Screen readers rely on the markup language for navigation. - Use CSS Style sheets to apply styles to your document. - Add appropriate alt text to all meaningful images. - Add appropriate alt text to charts and graphs. - Consider adding long description alt text when a longer description is required. - Add the functionality to skip to the main content. - Add appropriate labels to forms. - Explain all acronyms. - Use checklists for evaluation. - Evaluate your website without a mouse, using only the keyboard. - Evaluate your website using a screen reader. - Add an accessibility statement to your website. - Provide users with the means to report inaccessible content.
This is the most basic and important question. In layman terms, pH is a measure that tells you if a solution is acid or basic, with values of pH over 7 being basic, and values below 7 being acid. Going a little bit deeper into detail, pH is just the result of applying the operator “p” over H (which symbolizes the concentration of H3O(+) ions within a solution). The operator “p” is just getting the negative decimal logarithm of a number. Since H3O(+) concentrations appear usually in really small magnitudes, like 0,00000001 M, using the logarithm let’s us express this in more humanly understandable numbers, like 9. Why is 7 the neutral pH ? Seven is the neutral pH value because the concentration of H3O(+) ions in solution is determined by the self dissociation constant of water which is 1x10e-14 and equals the product of H3O(+) and OH(-) concentrations. If H3O(+) concentrations are equal to OH(-) concentrations you have that H3O(+) concentration should equal 1x10e-7 which after applying “p” turns into 7. Why is pH so important in hydroponics ? This variable is very important in hydroponic gardening because it determines the form in which nutrients are present inside the solution. In pH values which are too acid or too basic, nutrients assume forms which are different from the ones which plants can assimilate. Therefore, an adequate pH value needs to be maintained in order to ensure that all nutrients are present as the right species. How do I measure pH correctly ? First of all, pH meters need to be calibrated prior to each measurement. In order to calibrate any pH instrument, at least two different buffer solutions must be used, one with pH 7.0 and the other with any other known pH value. The measurement should be taken with enough time for the reading on the instrument to stabilize. How can I correct pH changes ? Bases or acids can be added to hydroponic solutions in order to increase or decrease the pH value of a solution. Bases and acids should be added as solutions and the amount added must be recorded in order to know how nutrients are changed. For example, if a potassium hydroxide solution is added to increase the pH of a solution, the amount of solution added needs to be recorded in order to know how much potassium was added to the solution (since this is a nutrient). Common acids to lower nutrient solution pH values are nitric acid, phosphoric acid and citric acid. I would recommend the use of citric acid to reduce pH and potassium carbonate to increase pH. What is the ideal pH value ? It depends on the specific plant you are cultivating. Most crops grow very well with pH values between 5.5 and 6.0, although there are some plants which require more basic or slightly more acid pH values. How can I stop pH from changing ?
Send to a friend [KAMPALA] A study has suggested that scientists could predict where on the planet the next virus could jump from animals to humans, thus providing data that will help in early warning systems and disease surveillance efforts. According to the US-based researchers, few analytical tools exist to help scientists understand the patterns of viral diversity in wildlife and how these may successfully become the next human virus, or which viruses could cross species boundaries. The study, published last month (21 June) in the journal Nature, helps build a roadmap of where to prioritise disease surveillance efforts around the world to better stop viruses from having a large impact. In the study, the scientists have mapped out the ‘missing zoonoses’ giving geographic hotspots as eastern, central and southern Africa, South and Central America as well as parts of Asia. According to the study, ‘missing zoonoses’ are those viruses that could jump from animals to humans which were previously unknown. The map it produced shows locations likely to be the source of the next emerging zoonotic disease. “We want to get ahead of the curve, and be able to develop early warning systems to identify and find emerging disease threats.” Kevin J. Olival The authors analysed major online databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar for articles published between 1940 and 2015 for zoonotic viruses — those known to have been detected in humans and at least one other mammalian host. They also reviewed books, reviews, and literature cited in sources of the identified articles. They then created a database of 2,805 mammal–virus associations to build mathematical models that allowed them to identify which species traits and groups of mammals carry the largest numbers of viruses and the virus traits that make some viruses more likely to jump into humans. For instance, they demonstrated that bats harbour a significantly higher proportion of zoonotic viruses than all other mammals. “We want to get ahead of the curve, and be able to develop early warning systems to identify and find emerging disease threats before or soon after they emerge in the human population,” says Kevin J. Olival, the principal investigator and an associate vice-president for research for US-based EcoHealth Alliance, which conducted the study. “These show which are the predicted number of viruses that are out there, minus what we already know exist. We also identify virus traits that make some viruses more likely to jump into humans versus others.” Olival adds that their data is already in use as part of a project to find and characterise new viruses around the world, and to better understand the location-specific risk factors and human behaviours in zoonotic virus hotspots. Ritah Nakayinga, a lecturer in virology at the International Health Sciences University in Uganda, tells SciDev.Net that the study showed that classes of mammals such as primates and rodents have a higher proportion of zoonotic virus, which is an interesting finding and is supported by the Ebola and Marburg outbreaks in the world and Uganda respectively. “Although much of the study focused on reservoir mammals, exploration into insect vectors would throw light on spillover events which are the basis of recent outbreaks [such as] Zika, Chikugunya and yellow fever,” Nakiganda explains. “This raises questions on methodologies used to conclude this,” says Nakayinga. “It goes to show that literature-based databases for establishment of models may not be appropriate tools for making predictions although they may be preferred because of costs implications.”
A potentially vital part of the low carbon economy, decarbonising the hard-to tame-sectors. What it is Hydrogen (H 2 ) has three principal functions: a fuel; a chemical feedstock; and an energy carrier. It thereby has many applications in industry, and the power, transport, and heating sectors. How it works Hydrogen occurs naturally, but not in usable form. It is generated in two principal ways:1 - Conversion of fossil fuels into H 2 and CO 2 via coal gasification and (primarily) methane reformation. 2 Termed ‘grey hydrogen’ this represents ~ 96% of global H 2 production of ~ 70m tonnes. If the CO 2 produced is captured and stored the hydrogen is termed ‘blue hydrogen’. 3 - Electrolysis, whereby electricity is passed through water, splitting it into its two constituents, H 2 and O 2. 4 If the electricity is generated from a renewable source, the hydrogen is termed ‘green hydrogen’. 5 So far this represents only ~ 4% of global production. Hydrogen is used principally in the chemical industry and fossil fuel refining. 6 However, it has potential applications in decarbonsing other industries, 7 primarily due to its energy density, 8 application in high temperature processes, and relative ease of transportation. 9 - Heavy Industry. H 2 could be used to decarbonise sectors with difficult-to reduce-emissions, notably the chemical and steel industries, 10 the main users of H 2 and high temperatures. Switching to green H 2 would reduce emissions significantly. 11 - Energy. The cost of green hydrogen is tied to that of renewables. It could play a complementary role in grid balancing and energy storage particularly where renewable electricity is abundant. 12 It may also have a role in decarbonising the existing gas infrastructure. 13 - Transport. The applicability of H 2 differs by sector, but those that involve long distances, heavy loads, and require low down-time and rapid refuelling, such as logistics and mass-transit, stand to benefit particularly. 14 Shipping 15 and aviation 16 may be others. Implications and issues Many countries, accounting for ~ 70% of the world’s economy, have published hydrogen strategies. 17 Although momentum is increasing given increased governmental support, the hydrogen economy faces numerous obstacles to widespread adoption: a. Cost. Green hydrogen is presently too expensive to compete with fossil fuels in most contexts, unless: CO 2 emissions are priced appropriately; governments subsidise; or scale economies prove substantial. Improvements in technology and decreasing renewable costs will likely help, but whether that will suffice to achieve competitiveness is debatable. 18 b. Lack of Infrastructure. The most immediate obstacle facing an H 2 economy is a lack of infrastructure, from fuelling stations 19 to electrolysers, 20 access to renewable power, and storage and transport facilities. These will also require standardisation and certification. 21 c. Safety. H 2 is highly flammable, and when pressurised needs very careful handling. 22 As the smallest atom, it leaks through the tiniest holes, and metals exposed to H 2 can develop cracks. 23 d. Storage. This requires compression; refrigeration; or combination with an organic chemical or metal hydride. This is expensive in terms of energy used but enables renewable energy to be transported without the need for a shared electric grid. 24 e. Policy. Rigorous policies and stringent regulations would be needed to integrate H 2 into energy networks and manage supply at an acceptable level of safety. f. Pollution. The creation and use of green hydrogen produces no harmful emissions. The same can be true of blue hydrogen, but fugitive CO 2 emissions are an issue. 25 Green hydrogen is recognised in most of the world’s major economies as an important part of their future energy mix. That said, its precise contribution will depend on a ready supply of renewable electricity, early support for infrastructure, and a constructive policy environment. Technologies-series-Hydrogen-December-2020
In music production, which equipment is used to adjust the timbre? Equalization or equalisation is the process of adjusting the balance between frequency components within an electronic signal. The most well known use of equalization is in sound recording and reproduction but there are many other applications in electronics and telecommunications. The circuit or equipment used to achieve equalization is called an equalizer. Equalizers are used in recording studios, radio studios and production control rooms, and live sound reinforcement and in instrument amplifiers, such as guitar amplifiers, to correct or adjust the response of microphones, instrument pick-ups, loudspeakers, and hall acoustics. Equalization may also be used to eliminate or reduce unwanted sounds, make certain instruments or voices more (or less) prominent, enhance particular aspects of an instrument's tone, or combat feedback (howling) in a public address system. Equalizers are also used in music production to adjust the timbre of individual instruments and voices by adjusting their frequency content and to fit individual instruments within the overall frequency spectrum of the mix.
5-6 periods, 47 minute periods watercolor paper (the author used Shizen Design Punjab Watercolor Paper, 9 x 12 Inches, 140 lb, White, 25 Sheets sold by School Specialty), light table, (or window), pencil, basic drawing paper, colored and black sharpies, brushes, liquid watercolor paint For the student to… carefully observe and draw reference pictures with attention to detail. draw light at all times. follow compositional techniques to create a pleasing and interesting composition that is not overly busy. understand warm and cool colors and use them in painting your leaves. display good craftsmanship and an understanding of wet and dry applications of watercolor when painting the leaves and background, e.g., control the paint flow so you stay within the boundaries when working on a leaf. The teacher should introduce warm and cool colors using a color wheel. The teacher should provide reference materials of leaves, flowers, acorns, pinecones, etc. for students to draw from. In this instance, the teacher felt using images that were 2D helped students draw realistically and increases successful outcomes. Drawing from life could be an extra challenge a teacher might consider. On white drawing paper, the students will use PENCIL to draw a leaf, flower, or other natural objects as realistically as they can. Students will then check in with their teacher and then use a black Sharpie over their favorite drawing carefully. This will help the drawing be visible when tracing in the next step. On a new piece of watercolor paper, students should use a pencil and a light table, (or window) to repeatedly trace their drawing several times. Encourage students to try turning or flipping their original drawing to create a variety of positions for their tracings. Students will create at least TWO areas of realistic overlap and have tracings touch or go off all sides. Warn students not to “overfill” the paper to the point where things get confusing. Work neatly! Check-in with your teacher after this step is complete. At all times, remind students to draw light and use an eraser if needed to lighten up pencil lines. Next, students choose either a WARM or COOL color scheme for their leaves/objects. Choose one or more Sharpies in your chosen color scheme and neatly trace over your composition. Students will then choose at least three Crayola Markers in their chosen warm or cool color scheme. Students will emphasize outlines and interior details with the markers, switching colors frequently so that each leaf/object has a minimum of two colors. DON’T color anything in solid, just accent existing lines neatly. NOTE: Don’t worry if the marker lines look “rough” or sketchy. Students will now use liquid watercolors in spray bottles to create a cool splatter effect in the negative space in the artwork. Students will use water to neatly but thoroughly wet all their remaining white areas. Encourage students to try to leave a small dry space around all your leaf/objects. DO THIS STEP QUICKLY BUT CAREFULLY: you want students to be consistent about how close they get to each object. Students will choose colors that are the OPPOSITE color scheme of your leaf/objects, mist the background areas. It is ok, and even desirable, for the spray to also hit your leaves/objects a little! Where the paper is WET, the color will bleed. Where the paper is DRY, the color will be splattered. See the author’s slide show to accompany the project. Author & Website/Blog Ursina Amsler, https://amslerartroom.wordpress.com/
Search Within Results Common Core: Standard Common Core: ELA Common Core: Math - In this module, students build on their understanding of probability developed in previous grades. In Topic A the multiplication rule for independent events introduced in Algebra II is generalized... - This module revisits trigonometry that was introduced in Geometry and Algebra II, uniting and further expanding the ideas of right triangle trigonometry and the unit circle. New tools are introduced... - Students revisit the fundamental theorem of algebra as they explore complex roots of polynomial functions. They use polynomial identities, the binomial theorem, and Pascal’s Triangle to find roots... - Module 2 extends the concept of matrices introduced in Module 1. Students look at incidence relationships in networks and encode information about them via high-dimensional matrices. Matrix... - Precalculus Module 1: Complex Numbers and Transformations Module 1 sets the stage for expanding students' understanding of transformations by exploring the notion of linearity. This leads to the...
Eye color is a hereditary trait that depends on the genes of both parents, as well as a little bit of mystery. The color of the eye is based on the pigments in the iris, which is a colored ring of muscle located at the center of the eye (around the pupil) that helps to control the amount of light that comes into your eye. Eye color falls on a spectrum of color that can range from dark brown, to gray, to green, to blue, with a whole lot of variation in between. The genetics of eye color are anything but straightforward. In fact children are often born with a different eye color than either of their parents. For some time the belief was that two blue-eyed parents could not have a brown-eyed child, however, while it’s not common, this combination can and does occur. Genetic research in regards to eye color is an ongoing pursuit and while they have identified certain genes that play a role, researchers still do not know exactly how many genes are involved and to what extent each gene affects the final eye color. Looking at it simply, the color of the eye is based on the amount of the pigment melanin located in the iris. Large amounts of melanin result in brown eyes, while blue eyes result from smaller amounts of the pigment. This is why babies that are born with blue eyes (who often have smaller amounts of melanin until they are about a year old) often experience a darkening of their eye color as they grow and develop more melanin in the iris. In adults across the globe, the most common eye color worldwide is brown, while lighter colors such as blue, green and hazel are found predominantly in the Caucasian population. Abnormal Eye Color Sometimes the color of a person’s eyes are not normal. Here are some interesting causes of this phenomenon. Heterochromia, for example, is a condition in which the two eyes are different colors, or part of one eye is a different color. This can be caused by genetic inconsistencies, issues that occur during the development of the eye, or acquired later in life due to an injury or disease. Ocular albinism is a condition in which the eye is a very light color due to low levels of pigmentation in the iris, which is the result of a genetic mutation. It is usually accompanied by serious vision problems. Oculocutaneous albinism is a similar mutation in the body’s ability to produce and store melanin that affects skin and hair color in addition to the eyes. Eye color can also be affected by certain medications. For example, a certain glaucoma eye drop is known to darken light irises to brown, as well as lengthen and darken eyelashes. Eye Color - It's More Than Meets the Eye It is known that light eyes are more sensitive to light, which is why it might be hard for someone with blue or green eyes to go out into the sun without sunglasses. Light eyes have also shown to be a risk factor for certain conditions including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Color Contact Lenses While we can’t pick our eye color, we can always play around with different looks using colored contact lenses. Just be sure that you get a proper prescription for any contact lenses, including cosmetic colored lenses, from an eye doctor! Wearing contact lenses that were obtained without a prescription could be dangerous to your eyes and your vision.
Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points. [#paragraph1]Lightning is a brilliant flash of light produced by an electrical discharge from a storm cloud. The electrical discharge takes place when the attractive tension between a region of negatively charged particles and a region of positively charged particles becomes so great that the charged particles suddenly rush together. The coming together of the oppositely charged particles neutralizes the electrical tension and releases a [#highlight2]tremendous[/highlight2] amount of energy, which we see as lightning. The separation of positively and negatively charged particles takes place during the development of the storm cloud. [#paragraph2]The separation of charged particles that forms in a storm cloud has a sandwich-like structure. Concentrations of positively charged particles develop at the top and bottom of the cloud, but the middle region becomes negatively charged. Recent measurements made in the field together with laboratory simulations offer a promising explanation of how this structure of charged particles forms. What happens is that small (millimeter- to centimeter-size) pellets of ice form in the cold upper regions of the cloud. When these ice pellets fall, some of them strike much smaller ice crystals in the center of the cloud. The temperature at the center of the cloud is about -15˚C or lower. At such temperatures, the collision between the ice pellets and the ice crystals causes electrical charges to shift so that the ice pellets [#highlight4]acquire[/highlight4] a negative charge and the ice crystals become positively charged. Then updraft wind currents carry the light, positively charged ice crystals up to the top of the cloud. The heavier, negatively charged ice pellets are left to concentrate in the center. This process explains why the top of the cloud becomes positively charged, while the center becomes negatively charged. The negatively charged region is large: several hundred meters thick and several kilometers in diameter. Below this large, cold, negatively charged region, the cloud is warmer than -15˚C, and at these temperatures, collisions between ice crystals and falling ice pellets produce positively charged ice pellets that then populate a small region at the base of the cloud. [#paragraph3]Most lightning takes place within a cloud when the charge separation within the cloud collapses. However, as the storm cloud develops, the ground beneath the cloud becomes positively charged and lightning can take place in the form of an electrical discharge between the negative charge of the cloud and the positively charged ground. [#highlight7]Lightning that strikes the ground is the most likely to be destructive[/highlight7], so even though it represents only 20 percent of all lightning, it has received a lot of scientific attention. [#paragraph4]Using high-speed photography, scientists have determined that there are two steps to the occurrence of lightning from a cloud to the ground. First, a channel, or path, is formed that connects the cloud and the ground. Then a strong current of electrons follows that path from the cloud to the ground, and it is that current that [#highlight8]illuminates[/highlight8] the channel as the lightning we see. [#paragraph5]The formation of the channel is [#highlight12]initiated[/highlight12] when electrons surge from the cloud base toward the ground. When a stream of these negatively charged electrons comes within 100 meters of the ground, it is met by a stream of positively charged particles that comes up from the ground. When the negatively and positively charged streams meet, a complete channel connecting the cloud and the ground is formed. The channel is only a few centimeters in diameter, but that is wide enough for electrons to follow the channel to the ground in the visible form of a flash of lightning. The stream of positive particles that meets the surge of electrons from the cloud often arises from a tall, pointed structure such as a metal flagpole or a tower. That is why the subsequent lightning that follows the completed channel often strikes a tall structure. [#paragraph6] [#insert1] Once a channel has been formed, it is usually used by several lightning discharges, each of them consisting of a stream of electrons from the cloud meeting a stream of positive particles along the established path. [#insert2] Sometimes, however, a stream of electrons following an established channel is met by a positive stream making a new path up from the ground. [#insert3] The result is a forked lightning that strikes the ground in two places. [#insert4]
Jan. 16, 2017 Coping with Bullying Bullying is a persistent challenge for many children, associated with numerous long- and short-term consequences. Students may be victimized by their peers for a number of reasons, but those in vulnerable populations, such as students with exceptionalities, may be particularly at risk. For instance, students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may experience rates of bullying that are four times higher than their typically developing peers. Students with exceptional needs often occupy a lower social status in school settings, making them susceptible to bullying from ‘higher status’ students. ASD is frequently associated with difficulties with peer relationships – such as in making conversation and social awareness – and these students are often targeted as there is little risk of retaliation. Thus, while these students are often the victim of bullying, they often lack the social skills and support to address it effectively. Working with 38 adolescents with ASD, Dr. Adam McCrimmon investigated the coping strategies these students generate when confronted with bullying situations. Using online scenarios, these students shared their responses to the various forms of bullying presented in animated videos. Their responses fell into three categories: actively trying to change the situation (approach strategies), avoiding the situation and the stressors associated with it (avoidance strategies), and uncertainty based on the various factors and complexity of the scenario. In trying to change the situation, students commonly reported seeking social support from adults. Students also reported that they would try to stand up to the bully, using ‘comebacks’ and strategies described in social skills intervention resources for students with ASD. Only seven students reported trying to problem-solve the situation themselves with creative and peaceful means. In contrast, eleven students suggested externalizing behaviours, such as physical aggression, revenge, etc. Avoidance strategies such as ignoring, walking away, and avoiding the bully represented more ‘passive’ responses to the situation. Instead of addressing the problem, fifteen students reported trying to “not listen” to the bully, or to endure the bullying until it subsided. Twelve participants discussed hiding and using various means to avoid contact with the bully, either as their first response or after other strategies proved ineffective. The third theme highlighted the complexities of bullying and the difficulties that make coping with victimization additionally challenging for students with ASD. Eleven participants identified that selecting a solution is not always straightforward and that bullying may continue after using the strategies. Other participants reported being unsure of which strategy to select and spoke to the realities of bullying that may seem uncontrollable. Building Effective Responses Dr. McCrimmon’s research emphasizes the need to help students with exceptionalities select and balance short-term and long-term strategies and goals to address bullying. Given that many students with ASD struggle with social skills, executive function, and emotional regulation – all of which support effective coping – this support is particularly important. The study’s results indicate that the students’ response to bullying is often based on their prior experiences with victimization and the results of their past efforts to address it. Addressing issues of bullying requires other stakeholder involvement, beyond just the child’s own coping strategies. Understanding the context, the relational nature of bullying, and the unique perspective of each student is essential to this process. Supportive adults must also be prepared with appropriate responses on how to help students who approach with them with concerns of being bullied; promoting a positive school climate, which fosters empathy and understanding among students, is a considerable facet for in-school intervention. Dr. McCrimmon is currently pursuing effective interventions for students with ASD who experience bullying. This research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Altomare, A. A., McCrimmon, A. W., Cappadocia, M. C., Weiss, J. A., Beran, T. N., & Smith-Demers, A. D. (2016). When push comes to shove: How are students with Autism Spectrum Disorder coping with bullying? Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 32(3-4), 209-227. Available online.
Robot vacuums are quickly becoming an essential part of every home. In fact, global shipments for these vacuums are predicted to reach 22.1 million units by 2025. The main difference between robots and traditional vacuums is the amount of human intervention needed to operate. This is determined by the complexity of its major components, like its sensors and the advanced printed circuit boards (PCBs) behind them. Traditional vacuum cleaners have simple PCBs with switches and resistors that enable them to just raise, suction, and filter dust. Meanwhile, robot vacuums contain more complex PCBs since they’re also designed to move on their own aside from simply cleaning the floor. Its circuitry involves interactive routing, providing automation and giving users human-quality results at the speed of a machine. As a replacement for the aforementioned manual switches, robot vacuums utilize touch sensors that address past issues like physical wear and tear and waterproofing concerns. Aside from this, touch sensors improve the user experience and enable the robot to "sense" its surroundings, thereby avoiding collisions. This technology is currently seen in popular robot vacuums like the Roomba. Depending on other technical components that the robot vacuum has, designers may opt to use either rigid and flexible circuits. Robot vacuums are equipped with a navigation system that determines its actions, and they normally have one of three kinds of systems. The first calls for a combination of collision, wheel, and brush and cliff sensors that tell the robot if it’s about to hit something. These sensors also make sure it doesn’t fall down the stairs. The second kind of system relies on a navigation algorithm called VSLAM. This optical system can calculate the robot’s relative position in real time in a room, enabling it to create a map as it cleans. Finally, laser navigation would be the most efficient. It senses the environment through lidar that helps detect the size and shape of anything in its path. It’s also paired with the SLAM algorithm, which lets the robot make detailed floor maps so it also knows which places it has already cleaned. Benefits of getting a robot vacuum A robot vacuum has a small and flat design, making it perfect for tight, hard-to-reach spots, such as under sofas and beds, without having to move anything around. Even when it’s at the charging base, it doesn’t take up a lot of space. Cleaning the house is a routine that can take up a lot of time. Fortunately, a robot vacuum gives you one less chore to worry about. Some robot vacuums come with an app, such as the Lefant M210, so you can schedule for them to clean the house anytime, even when you’re away. You can also control the vacuum using voice control. Robot vacuums are typically self-charging – they automatically go back to the charging base when they run out of battery or when they’re done vacuuming. The navigation system in a robot vacuum allows for more efficient cleaning. The Lefant T800 cleans the floor in a zigzag route by default. However, it’s also equipped with object mapping software and multiple cleaning modes so it can adjust its route accordingly. In a single charge, it can last 120 minutes and clean 1076 square feet. One of its features is an AUTO Carpet Boost, increasing the suction power on carpets for better deep cleaning. If you’re still worried about how efficient a robot vacuum’s navigation system is, you can also set virtual boundaries. This feature lets you limit where your vacuum can go. In exchange for you no longer having to maneuver a big vacuum cleaner around the house, the kind of maintenance you’ll need to put into the robot vacuum is not a big deal. For instance, check the wheels at least once a week to see if any threads or hair are wrapped around the axle. Check the main brush as well, and hand wash it if the manual says you can. Robot vacuums typically run on rechargeable lithium batteries – to keep them going strong, replace them every two to three years. Robotic vacuums have certainly come a long way. However, it’s important to keep in mind that they are made to do cleaning touch-ups rather than to completely replace traditional human-operated vacuuming.
Australopithecus sediba – Bio-mechanical Study Hints at Diet South Africa might be regarded by many as the “cradle of humanity”, thanks to the wealth of Australopithecus and early hominin fossils found in that part of the world. Thanks to a collaborative research effort involving a bio-mechanical study of skull strength and bite forces, it seems that further light is being shed on the diet of one of southern Africa’s most famous early residents Australopithecus sediba. This new research may help palaeoanthropologists to further refine the evolutionary position A. sediba in relation to the hominins and ultimately this Australopith’s relationship to our own species. H. sapiens Compared to A. sediba and Pan troglodytes (Chimpanzee) Picture Credit: University of Witwatersrand Fossils which came to be known as A. sediba were discovered in 2008 at the famous dig site of Malapa in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, located around thirty miles north-west of the city of Johannesburg. Research published in 2012 suggested that this gracile, possible early human ancestor, had lived on a eclectic woodland diet including hard foods mixed with tree bark, fruit, leaves and other plants. Other research, reported upon by Everything Dinosaur in 2013, provided further insight into the dietary habits of early hominins. To see the article on research into early hominin diets: From a Forest Diet to a Savannah Smorgasbord To read an article explaining how A. sediba came to be named: South African “Cradle Fossil” Named This new study carried out by an international team of researchers, including Professors Lee Berger and Kristian Carlson from the Evolutionary Studies Institute (ESI) at the University of the Witwatersrand, now shows that Australopithecus sediba did not have the jaw and tooth structure necessary to exist on a steady diet of hard foods. This may have important implications on how this species of Australopith is viewed in terms of its evolutionary link to that line of hominins that eventually led to our own kind. Bio-mechanical Study Indicates that A. sediba Did Not Have “Nutcracker Jaws” Picture Credit: Image of MH1 by Brett Eloff provided courtesy of Lee Berger (University of the Witwatersrand). The picture above show the fossilised skull of A. sediba (specimen number MH1) and a finite element model of the skull depicting strains experienced during a simulated bite on the its back teeth (premolars). “Warm” colours indicate high mechanical strain, whilst “cool” colours indicate areas of low strain on the skull. Commenting on the research, published today in the scientific journal “Nature Communications”, Professor David Strait (Washington University, St Louis, USA) stated: “Most Australopiths had amazing adaptations in their jaws, teeth and faces that allowed them to process foods that were difficult to chew or crack open. Among other things, they were able to efficiently bite down on foods with very high forces.” Co-author Dr Justin Ledogar, researcher at the University of New England in Australia added: “Australopithecus sediba is thought by some researchers to lie near the ancestry of Homo, the group to which our species belongs, yet we find that A. sediba had an important limitation on its ability to bite powerfully; if it had bitten as hard as possible on its molar teeth using the full force of its chewing muscles, it would have dislocated its jaw.” Not Biting Off More Than It Could Chew Bio-mechanical modelling based on a computer generated replica of the fossil skull material does not provide conclusive evidence that Australopithecus sediba was on the direct evolutionary line towards Homo, but it does indicate that dietary changes were shaping the evolutionary paths of early human species. The data acquired from the bio-mechanical analysis does not dispute the possibility that A. sediba occasionally ate hard foods such as nuts and bark. However, limitations on the amount of bite force that the skull could withstand suggests that hard foods needing to be processed with high bite forces were not an important component of the diet of this species. About Australopithecus sediba: Australopithecus sediba, a diminutive pre-human species that lived about two million years ago in southern Africa, has been heralded as a possible ancestor or close relative of Homo, our own family. Australopiths appear in the fossil record about four million years ago, and although they have some human traits such as the ability to walk upright on two legs, most of them lack other characteristically human features such as a large brain, flat faces with small jaws and teeth, and advanced use of tools. Humans, members of the genus Homo, are almost certainly descended from an Australopith ancestor, and A. sediba is a candidate to be either that ancestor or something similar to it. Dr Justin Ledogar explained: “Humans also have this limitation on biting forcefully and we suspect that early Homo had it as well, yet the other Australopiths that we have examined are not nearly as limited in this regard. This means that whereas some Australopith populations were evolving adaptations to maximise their ability to bite powerfully, others (including A. sediba) were evolving in the opposite direction.” Foods that were important to the survival of Australopithecus sediba probably could have been eaten relatively easy without the need for high bite forces. Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the support of the University of Witwatersrand in the compilation of this article.
A literal equation is one in which some or all of the constants are represented by letters. Arguably any mathematical formula expressing an actual relationship between its variables is a literal equation. Take the Pythagorean theorem formula as an example. It consists of three variables, a and b are the side lengths while c represents the length of the hypotenuse. It can manipulated in a couple of ways: When a formula contains numbers as well, such as the area of a circle, A = πr², it’s called a numerical equation – π is an irrational number. Therefore, given that literal equations don’t have numbers, rearranging them should never yield any numbers. Let’s try rearranging a few equations in the following video:
Heat is the form of energy transferred between two (or more) systems or a system and its surroundings by virtue of temperature difference. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to physics: . Questions organised by topic, past papers & mark schemes. 249 Please Download Physics Notes-2 PDF Go to All General Science Notes PDF Basic Physics up to Class X level is asked in Competitive Exams such as Indian Railways –ALP and Group D exams and SSC exams. Larger the amplitude – louder the sound, Determines the pitch of the sound – higher the frequency, higher the pitch, The energy possessed by a body due to its change in position or shape is called the potential energy, The energy which a body possesses by virtue of being in motion, a conductor is an object or type of material that allows the flow of an electrical current in one or more directions, An electrical insulator is a material whose internal electric charges do not flow freely; very little electric current will flow through it under the influence of an electric field, A material that is neither a good conductor of electricity nor a good insulator, but has properties of electrical conductivity somewhere between the two, which is a constant stream of charges in one direction, Which is a stream of charges that reverses direction, A magnet attracts magnetic materials towards itself, Unlike poles attract each other and like poles repel each other, A freely suspended bar magnet always aligns in the north-south direction, If a magnet is cut into two pieces each piece will behave like an independent magnet, with a north pole and a south pole, A magnet with a single pole does not exist, The rate at which someone or something is able to move or operate, The distance covered by an object in a specified direction in unit time interval is called velocity, Acceleration, in physics, is the rate of change of velocity of an object with respect to time. Total internal reflection is complete reflection of a ray of light within a medium such as water or glass from the surrounding surfaces back into the medium. In this we have given Important Physics study materials for all competitive exams like UPSC, and all state government exams like TNPSC, TSPSC, RPSC, OPSC etc,. Mass and Weight. Physics is the study of matter and energy as well as their interactions with one another. So to help them know the topic we have prepared NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 2 that will help them with the topic in which they face difficulty. Check deleted portion of CBSE 12th Physics Syllabus 2020-21. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. Vector addition [external] Plotting Graphs. 31 years NEET Physics Chapter Wise and Topic Wise Solved Papers pdf Free (Go to bottom of the page for Download Links) DISCLAIMER : This blog does no longer very own this e-book neither created nor scanned. There are at present seven fundamental quantities internationally accepted as the International System of Units, The speed of light in vacuum is 299,792,458 meters per second, The medium through which light can pass easily is transparent medium, The medium through which light can pass partially is translucent medium, The medium through which light cannot pass is opaque medium. S3P-4-15: Diagram electric fields using lines of force with respect to a positive test charge. Have you been searching for recent final year project topics and materials for your department, you are … Download CBSE Class 12th Physics Important Questions Chapter Wise PDF. CSEC Topics Everyday Physics You can use these links to my old site while I move them over to this one. CSEC Topics Everyday Physics You can use these links to my old site while I move them over to this one. Mechanics. An image which can be obtained on a screen is called a real image. 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Research Topics; Astrophysics, Fusion and Plasma Physics . Basic Physics up to Class X level is asked in Competitive Exams such as Indian Railways –ALP and Group D exams and SSC exams. physics-past-paper-by-topic 1/1 Downloaded from browserquest.mozilla.org on November 26, 2020 by guest [eBooks] Physics Past Paper By Topic Eventually, you will totally discover a additional experience and execution by spending more cash. It can help you identify the topics and skills where further learning would benefit your students. As we all know in many competitive exams like SSC, Railways, UPSC and other sate PCS Physics Questions asked repeatedly, so you cannot ignore Physics section of General Science. Cengage Physics pdf is a vital book in the world of Physics Physics, which should be read by every engineer and doctor. 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The ray of light which strikes the surface of a medium before reflecting back, The ray of light which strikes back from the medium after reflection is called reflected ray, The ray of light which that is transmitted into the second medium and travels in a different direction than the incident ray, Angle of Incidence is equal to the angle of reflection, When all parallel incident rays reflected from a plane surface are not parallel, it is diffused reflection, p The process by which heat is transferred from the hotter end to the colder end of an object, p Convection is the heat transfer due to bulk movement of molecules within fluids such as gases and liquids, p The emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles which cause ionization, The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1gram of a substance through 1° is called. 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The goal of the Physics Seminar Powerpoint Presentation is to increase the knowledge about fundamental principles and to search for new … GENERAL LEARNING OUTCOME CONNECTION Students will… Understand how stability, motion, forces, and … Academia.edu is a platform for academics to share research papers. Sample. Being able to think of a good topic is one of the most difficult things for students. Therefore, choosing topics in physics either for a project, research, or presentation may be quite demanding, and this is why we offer you this list of interesting physics topics. an apparatus for measuring the amount of heat involved in a chemical reaction or other process. Access Free High School Physics Paper Topics High School Physics Paper Topics The Study of Human Energy Consumption and Nuclear Physics. Physics Notes PDF for Competitive Exams – General Science. This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it.Please introduce links to this page from May 2009) There are many other topics related to physics, many of which are intertwined with the list of topics below. Studying Resting State and Stimulus Induced BOLD Activity using the Generalized Ising Model and Independent Component Graph Analysis, Sivayini Kandeepan. You may want to make your own variation of one of the suggested Physics Seminar Topics below. 3. in the topic (3,770 papers). Sample. This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it.Please introduce links to this page from related articles; (May 2009) This book has been written in a very timely way so that it can be beneficial for an engineer or a doctor or a student preparing for a board. We have got you covered. The Physics Classroom Tutorial presents physics concepts and principles in an easy-to-understand language. Physics: principles and problems. Liquids have only definite volume but no definite shape as the Intermolecular forces are less as the Intermolecular space is large, Gases have no definite shape and volume as the Intermolecular forces are negligible as the Intermolecular spaces are very large, Stress is defined as the restoring force per Unit Area, The restoring force is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the applied force also known as deforming force. How Physics … Physics Study Materials – Important Topics. Download Physics Notes in PDF (General Science): Study plan for CAT 2018 – Excellent Timetable and Daily schedule, SBI SO Recruitment 2018 Notification – Specialist Cadre Officers, Top-30 Physics Questions for RRB Group D PDF, Top-30 Biology questions for RRB NTPC PDF, Top-30 Chemistry Questions for RRB NTPC PDF, General Science Questions and Answers for Competitive Exams PDF - Railways ALP & Group-D Notes - MCQ Quiz - Cracku, A German Theoretical Physicist who developed the theory of relativity and often referred to as one of the Fathers of Modern Physics, English Theologian considered as one of the Fathers of Modern Physics for his groundbreaking law of Motion and Gravitation, Italian Scientist considered as the Father of Scientific Revolution, Danish Physicist who made tremendous contributions to the understanding of Atomic Structure and Quantum Theory, German Physicist and winner of Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918 for discovering “Energy Quanta”, German Physicist considered as one of the Pioneers of the Quantum Mechanics, British Physicist referred to as the Father of Nuclear Physics, English Scientist whose contribution to Electromagnetism and Electrochemistry is considered crucial discoveries, French Physicist and Nobel Laureate, considered to be the first person to discover evidence of radioactivity, English Physicist awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of Neutron, English Physicist and Nobel Laureate credited with the discovery of Electron, Dutch Physicist and Nobel Laureate in 1902 for the discovery and explanation of Zeeman Effect, American Physicist and the only Person to win Nobel Prize in Physics twice in1956 and 1972, German Astronomer known for his laws of Planetary Motion, Indian Physicist and Nobel Laureate in 1930 for his research in the field of Light Scattering, American Physicist who won Nobel prize in 1927 for the discovery of Crompton effect which demonstrated the particle nature of Electromagnetic radiation, American Physicist known for the significant contribution to LASER and founder of MASER, Irish Physicist often credited as the first person to artificially split an atom, Italian Inventor Pioneer in the field of radio and transmission and development of Radio Telegraph System, Austrian Physicist whose contribution to the field of Nuclear Physics is groundbreaking, often credited with the first discovery of Nuclear Fission of an Uranium, German chemist and pioneer in the field of radioactivity, considered as the father of Nuclear Chemistry, German Physicist credited with the founding of X-RAYS, Irish Physicist considered as the father of Modern Chemistry, German Physicist and Nobel Laureate for the discovery of Diffraction of X-RAYS, Greek Philosopher considered as the father of Western Philosophy, Italian Physicist credited with the Invention of Electrical Battery and discovery of Methane, American Physicist who is credited as the “Father of the Atomic Bomb”, The property of the body by virtue of which it tends to regain its Original Shape and Size when the applied force is removed. Brownian Motion. There are three types on nuclear radiation: Incident Ray, Reflected Ray and the Normal drawn to the point of incidence all lie in the same plane, p The materials which allow heat to pass through them easily are conductors of heat. The book has been divided into 17 chapters. Magnetic poles exert forces on each other in such a way that like poles repel and unlike poles attract each other. Whenever current is passed through a straight conductor it behaves like a magnet. A substantial part of a program is the dissertation. In addition, the inclusion of certain topics (e.g. This requires conducting an original PhD i… Simulation. good question and answer pdf but it will be more better when there exist more information. Created by our team of teachers for your Physics exams. It uses the scientific method to formulate and test hypotheses based on observation. IMPORTANT ONE-LINERS IN PHYSICS FOR RRB, SSC AND UPSC EXAMS, Viscosity is defined as the state of being thick, sticky, and semi-fluid in consistency, due to internal friction, The combined system of both Fundamental and Derived Quantities is called system of units. The goal of the Physics Seminar Powerpoint Presentation is to increase the knowledge about fundamental principles and to search for new … Physics – natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. It is freely available in its entirety in a downloadable PDF form or to be read online at: ... and they cover and omit topics according to my own view of what is or isn’t Cornell’s research programs in planetary astronomy, infrared astronomy, theoretical astrophysics, and radio astronomy are internationally recognized. Ex: Aluminum, p The materials which do not allow heat to pass through them easily, are poor conductors of heat and are called Insulators Ex: Wood, p Convection happens in Liquids and Gases, SSC CGL Important Questions & Answers PDF, FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY – ENERGY CAN NEITHER BE CREATED NOR DESTROYED, CAN ONLY BE TRANSFORMED FROM ONE FORM TO ANOTHER, 1500+ Free SSC Solved Questions (with solutions). This collection contains theses and dissertations from the Department of Physics, ... PDF. Paper Topics pdf free high school physics paper topics manual pdf pdf file Page 1/14. Evaporation and Boiling. Gas Laws. Edustore.ng is an online education platform for all quality project topics and materials for final year students in OND, NCE, HND, BSC, PGD, MSC, and Ph.D. Written by teachers for teachers and students, The Physics Classroom provides a wealth of resources that meets the varied needs of both students and teachers. \|, Terrorism and Foreign Relation (A Case Study Of Buhari Administration), Cross Border Crimes And Socio-Economic Development Of ECOWAS States. Performance Analysis of LSB, MSB and Combined LSB-MSB Algorithm Interms of Image Quality and Encoding time. Read more. A Study on the Role of Physics in the Reduction of Global Warming. The topics roughly correlate with the types of units that physics teachers cover in their courses. 31 years NEET Physics Chapter Wise and Topic Wise Solved Papers pdf Free (Go to bottom of the page for Downloa... 31 years NEET Physics Chapter Wise and Topic Wise Solved Papers pdf Free (Go to bottom of the page for Download Links) DISCLAIMER : This blog does no longer very own this e-book neither created nor scanned. Topic 4: Fields• SENIOR 3 PHYSICS Topic 4.2 – 22 SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES S3P-4-14: Define the electric field qualitatively as the region of space around a charge where a positive test charge experiences a force. Physics project topics and research materials in PDF and DOC complete free download for final year undergraduate and master's students . The list here is made up of topics addressed in a typical high school level course. Research. Unit 1 General physics. 1. The current edition of ’41 Years’ Chapter wise and Topic-wise Solved Paper’ provides knowledge about the subject (Physics) as it clarifies all the doubts and queries regarding the concepts and formulas about the subject. Section 1.1 Length and time. Before selecting a subject, students may need to get their professor's approval. Find all the important topics and derivations which can be asked in CBSE Class 12 Physics … The Physics Subject Test assesses your understanding of concepts from one year of introductory physics on the college-preparatory level, as well as reasoning and problem-solving skills derived from lab experience. In this article, we have provided the details of the topics … A few of the topics listed here are of very basic concepts and links to the author's notes are provided. There are two main types of current in our world. It corresponds to −273.15 °C on the Celsius temperature scale and to −459.67 °F on the Fahrenheit temperature scale. We have got you covered. Home Stellar Atmospheres Celestial Mechanics Classical Mechanics Geometric Optics Electricity and Magnetism ... For viewing offline, the archives below contain all chapters as PDF files. Weight: the force exerted on a body by gravity and is dependent quantity. View mathrevslides.pdf from PHY 231 at Michigan State University. A Great Selection of Intriguing Physics Essay Topics . Specific Heat Capacity and Latent Heat. Plasma physics is the science of electrically conducting fluids and high-temperature ionized gases. depth finder for determining depth of water or a submerged object by means of ultrasound waves. A Great Selection of Intriguing Physics Essay Topics . Important: Jump-Start Your Practice Order the Official SAT Subject Test Study Guide in Physics and get two full-length practice tests, detailed answer explanations, tips, and more. The simplest form of matter which can retain complete physical and chemical Properties, The force of attraction between similar kind of molecules is called Force of cohesion, The force of attraction between different kind of molecules is called Force of adhesion. Revision for AQA Physics GCSE, including summary notes, exam questions by topic and videos for each module The magnitude of magnetic effect increases with the increase in the strength of current. Cracku brings to you the capsule – One Liners covering exam specific topics in Physics. Physics Physics A-Level (7408) Complete Topics Revision Checklists. Today we have compiled an “Important Physics … On this page, we have listed 200 interesting Physics Seminar Topics and interesting Powerpoint Presentation topics for school and graduate students. Investigatory Projects Physics Class 12 Cbse [Download pdf] [Read More] Source : pdfsdocuments.com Aliran Tenaga Kopling Tipe Manual FREE Download - Ebookread Title Investigatory Projects Physics Class 12 Cbse Keywords Investigatory Projects Physics Class 12 Cbse Created Date 982014 91239 Am Investigatory Projects Physics Class 12 Cbse PDF [Download pdf] [Read More] Source : ebookread.org [PDF … Thermal Measurements. Important Physics Questions and Answer PDF for SSC. Get help and support . Practicing important questions of physics class 12 will give you idea of important topics and you will get to know important derivations, important notes and important numericals of physics. Physics is the study of matter, motion, energy, and force. The particles do not move from one place to another but they simply oscillate back and forth about their position of rest. In 1960 an international committee agreed on a system of standards, called SI system. 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Learning about the ocean can be fascinating. There are many mysterious and unknown creatures in the depths that haven’t been discovered yet — in fact, about 80% of the sea is still unexplored! Unlike the mystery of living sea creatures, however, there is a whole school of information available to us when it comes to wave cycles and how they work. Tides are more complex than you might think, and they fall into several different oceanographic categories. Monitoring tides is helpful when understanding or predicting climate change. In addition to this, tides and tide schedules also give beachgoers information about the best times to swim and alert fishermen about what to expect of the open seas. What is a Tidal Wave? A tidal wave is an unusually high wave triggered by events such as an earthquake or high surface winds. To understand a tidal wave, we first need to understand how tides themselves work. For a long time, tides were monitored by mechanical systems. These systems were located in the water and collected data based on water pressure and movement over time. Today, electronic systems (powered by satellites) use acoustics to monitor the tides. High and Low Tide High and low tides occur several times throughout the day. Tidal waves follow a generally predictable pattern — high tides usually happen in the evening and morning, whereas low tides occur throughout the day. During low tide, the water does not reach the shore as it would during a mid-tide. The opposite is true for high tide. During high tide, the water is much closer to the edge of the coast than normal. Tides are primarily related to the times of day when both the moon and sun are visible in the sky as the placement of the moon or sun can affect the tides. Timetables can be used to record what the tides are doing at a specific place at a particular time and can also be used to predict future tide patterns. Tidal waves are much larger and much more powerful than average oceanic waves. Tidal waves are dangerous, especially if they are able to reach cities close to beaches and coasts. Usually, high winds or other natural disasters accompany tidal waves — these additional natural disasters can inflict severe damage on coastal cities if the infrastructure is unable to withstand the high winds or the pressure from the water hitting its structures. How Do Tidal Waves Form? Tidal waves, in their most basic form, are waves that follow a tide and are moved by the wind. However, when talking about the more dangerous and more significant tidal waves, we find that they are usually formed as the result of an earthquake or extremely high speed winds. While some people use the phrases “tidal wave” and “tsunami” interchangeably, the two phenomena do have their differences. A tidal wave is formed by high winds or a seismic interruption (usually an earthquake), while a seismic interruption is the sole cause of a tsunami. Tidal waves are understandably very dangerous. When high winds and the seismic force of an earthquake combine, they can create a powerful disturbance on the surface of the ocean that can have devastating effects. The higher the wind speed and the stronger the earthquake, the more dangerous the tidal wave becomes. A wave officially becomes a “tidal wave” when it gathers enough water and momentum to crash into the coastline. What Can Cause Tidal Waves? Volcanic eruptions and atmospheric debris hitting the earth are among the reasons tidal waves form. When this happens, water in the ocean is displaced vertically, equating to around 3,000 tons of water per meter. If an earthquake or volcanic eruption displaces enough water, the situation can quickly become quite dire. Islands or other landmasses bordering water are all susceptible to damage by tidal waves. Fortunately, most coastal cities tend to modify their infrastructure to protect against extreme damage during the unlikely event of a tidal wave or tsunami. However, it’s not unheard of for this kind of natural disaster can occur in places without historical precedent. Certain countries experience tidal waves more often than others and by extension have spent quite a long time updating and wave-proofing their infrastructure in order to prevent tidal waves from doing irreversible damage. Some even have alarm systems set far out in the ocean that will detect tidal waves before they ever break the shore, ensuring that the cities and countries offer citizens ample time to evacuate if needed. Different Types of Tidal Waves There are a few different types of tidal waves to know about. Understanding the differences of tidal waves can better prepare you to respond in situations that require quick action. A tidal surge happens when a wave crashes into the shore and a funneling motion forms. It can also happen if a wave crashes into a river or any basin of water. Like the movement of water sloshing back and forth in a bathtub. The momentum of the water crashing into another body of water creates a tidal wave. A tidal bore is the presence of a tidal surge, except significantly stronger. A tidal bore is longer than a tidal surge and is capable of breaking the flood defenses in coastal cities due to the strength of the water and its trajectory. A tsunami is not a tidal wave. They are caused solely by seismic activity and are bodies of water that have been displaced by tectonic plate movement. However, these phenomena — tsunamis and tidal waves — are often conflated due to apparent similarities. They’re both incredibly large bodies of water moving at extremely high speeds. More often than not, tsunamis will break coastal boundaries and are extremely dangerous. If a city’s infrastructure cannot withstand the strength of tsunami winds or water, significant damage is almost certain. Learning more information about tides allows us to understand the effects they can have on the environment. Having this knowledge also helps individuals stay safe while swimming in the ocean because they can evaluate for themselves the state of the tides and their potential consequences. Of course, we should always pay attention to signs on the beach and any additional public safety advisories; tides are powerful and should always be taken seriously.
What is bursitis? Bursitis is a common condition that causes swelling and pain around muscles and bones. Bursitis is the swelling of the bursa, a small, fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between a bone and other moving parts, such as muscles, tendons, or skin. What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. Children and teens with scoliosis have an abnormal S-shaped or C-shaped curve of the spine. The curve can happen on either side of the spine and in different places in the spine. With treatment, observation, and follow-up with the doctor, most children and teens with scoliosis have normal, active lives. What is tendinitis? Tendinitis is swelling and pain in a tendon, which is tissue that connects muscles to bones. It is a common condition, usually caused by repeated injuries to a tendon.
In teaching Mexican history, it is integral to select books that present a concise and comprehensive depiction of events, places, and historical figures. A proper syllabus will contain events depicting the Spanish Conquest, as well as literature detailing the tumultuous events of the country throughout the Nineteenth, and Twentieth Centuries. It is also important to ensure that there is also a depiction of the cultural life of the country, including the viewpoints of its most influential painters, writers, and thinkers. Diego Ruiz Durán enjoys reading about Mexico’s history. The first recommendation for reading in this syllabus is ‘The Conquest of New Spain’ written by Bernal Diaz Del Castillo. Transcribed and translated from a soldier in the army of the Conquistadors, this book depicts the events from the initial landing of the Spaniards in New Spain in 1520 to the conquest of the Aztecs. This book ranks among one of the most in depth resources that can be utilized in understanding the Spanish Conquest for a beginning to intermediate student. In addition, one can also find interesting to read ‘The Broken Spears: An Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico’, by Miguel Leon-Portilla. Unlike other books on the subject, ‘The Broken Spears’ is written from an indigenous viewpoint, collecting accounts from Native Aztec peoples. These accounts serve to present a more balanced description of the Spanish Conquest, and the native perspective of the events as they occurred. One would find it most beneficial to read both the above book and this one for comparison purposes during a study of the Spanish Invasion. Another important book a student, is ‘The Life and Times of Mexico’, by Earl Shorris. This text covers the prehistory of the country, the Spanish Conquest, Mexican Independence, and the 1910 revolution, covering a scope of over three thousand years of history in total. One would find this work written from a Mexican viewpoint, and includes a broad scope in it’s coverage of the most important events all the way to the modern day. In addition, it also includes in-depth coverage of Mexican artisans, thinkers, and poets, detailing their experiences. One can also find recommended for a student of Mexican History to read ‘Mexico: A Biography of Power’ by Enrique Krauze. This book describes Mexican events from 1810 through 1996, and details the events of Mexican Independence, through the Revolutionary era, onto it’s present day status as a modern state. This is one of the definitive works for understanding the formation of the modern day state, as it covers the influential figures of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These four books that Diego Ruiz Durán enjoys are present a balanced picture of the Mexican experience from it’s beginnings, to it’s modern day status. It is important to understand these influences and cultural histories, as well as learn about the people and events that have made this country into the modern state it is today. One would be best able to teach a comprehensive syllabus of Mexican histories through presenting different viewpoints to the student or casual reader.
Space exploration is EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. We live in the deep valley of Earth’s gravitational well. Very large rockets are required to put small payloads into space. Launch mass must be reduced to create a sustainable future in space. A large fraction of spacecraft mass is propellant for in-space propulsion. Large reductions in launch mass will come from production of in-space rocket propellant from in-space water. Vast quantities of water are present at the lunar poles, on Mars, comets, and some asteroids. Using the in-space resource, solar energy, in-space water can be split into hydrogen and oxygen for propellant. Molecular water can even be used for the reaction mass ejecta with ion engines for missions to Mars and beyond. Returning from the surface of Mars will REQUIRE in-situ production of propellant. A manned Mars mission might need ~200 tons of propellant. With Earth launch costs of ~$10,000 per pound, space produced propellant could save billions of dollars that could be used to bootstrap the development of water extraction and rocket propellant production. This would go far to help develop the “cis-Lunar Space” architecture, ”The Transcontinental Railroad” of the 21st century. We have been developing methods for microwave heating and water extraction for several years. Microwaves will penetrate the low thermal conductivity permafrost regolith to sublime subsurface water ice with subsequent recondensation of the water in an external cold trap. This simple vapor transport process could eliminate the need to excavate the soil and reduce the complexity of surface operations. But most importantly, it could greatly reduce the mass of mining equipment to be transported to the surface of the moon and to other planetary bodies. Microwave extraction laboratory experiments and numerical simulations over the past 7 years demonstrate the utility of these innovative processes. FEM Multiphysics numerical analysis is being used to model laboratory experiments as well as to simulate possible space experiment scenarios of microwave heating of lunar, Martian, and asteroidal regolith. Different scientific experiments and mining scenarios have been simulated for different frequencies, power, heating times, water concentrations, and for regolith with different dielectric properties. Numerical simulations of energy beamed at the surface as well as delivery of energy down bore holes illustrate possible ways to determine spatial water concentration and subsequent mining operations. Simulations at high frequencies and low power demonstrate possible volatiles science experiments with decomposition of compounds at high temperatures to release chemically bound volatiles in asteroids. Ongoing simulation of water sublimation and vapor transport through regolith will permit the estimation of extraction engineering efficiency metrics. Future simulations of the different microwave processes will permit the design of space experiments, recommendations of potential spacecraft hardware requirements, and optimization of water extraction equipment and operations. In order to create this new future in space, we need a paradigm shift to utilization of in-space resources, especially water, to leverage the sustainable and growing presence in space for scientific exploration, planetary protection, space debris mitigation, satellite servicing, and even space tourism to help “Create The Future” in Space.
Memorial is a distinctly American holiday. While other nations have created their own memorial holidays to their fallen soldiers, it was here that the tradition was born. Conceived after the savagery of our Civil War, it was known as Decoration Day for man decades. In the ashes of this war, America established national cemeteries, and legend says newly freed slaves decorated the graves of fallen Union soldiers. In 1868, an organization for Northern Civil War vets , lead by General John A. Logan, petitioned for a Remembrance Day in the month of May saying: “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.” That date was picked as their were no battles of the Civil War fought on that date. The first official Decoration Day was held at Arlington National Cemetery where the graves of over 20,000 Union soldiers were decorated, and General James Garfield, soon to be President, presided over the ceremony. As the U.S. entered WWI, it became apparent that as a nation reunited, we needed a holiday to honor all of our fallen heroes, and in 1966, the U.S. government ‘declared Waterloo, New York as the official birthplace of Memorial Day.’ This small iconic town was the first to suggest, create, and annually celebrate Decoration Day starting back in 1866. Time moved forward, and in 1968, the U.S. Congress ‘passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.” This would ensure the holiday would always be held on the last Monday in May, which as a bonus, would create a three-day holiday weekend, and make the day a ‘federal holiday. While we still honor our military fallen on this day, it has become more of a holiday than a solemn event. Many of you see veterans with booths or tables of Poppies during this weekend. The Poppy flower has become an international symbol for this holiday in many corners of the world, including the U.S., and a symbol for fallen veterans. The reason behind this little red flower becoming such a heartfelt symbol, was because of a poem written in a WWI battlefield by Canadian physician Lt. Col John McCrae. “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
Presentation on theme: "Fundamentals Of Genetics"— Presentation transcript: 1 Fundamentals Of Genetics Chapter 9FundamentalsOfGeneticsRevised by: R. LeBlancBiology1/’12 2 Section 1 Mendel’s Legacy Chapter 9 ObjectivesDescribe how Mendel was able to control how his pea plants were pollinated.Describe the steps in Mendel’s experiments on true-breeding garden peas.Distinguish between dominant and recessive traits.State two laws of heredity that were developed from Mendel’s work.Describe how Mendel’s results can be explained by scientific knowledge of genes and chromosomes. 3 Mendel's Legacy What is genetics? Section 1Mendel's LegacyWhat is genetics?The field of biology devoted to understanding how characteristics are transmitted from parents to offspring 4 Introduction to Mendel's Legacy Section 1Introduction to Mendel's LegacyHow does this alligator differ from other alligators? (Notes: This is NOT an albino and NOT a different species, but it just has different traits (genetic condition) which are rare.)White and brown are contrasting traits of skin color.What are other characteristics that are examples of contrasting traits?Did you write down: color, height, texture, etcNote: Skin color and eye color are genetically controlled characteristics of alligators. Skin traits: white & brown; eye color traits: blue & brown 5 Mendel's Legacy List 5 characteristics that are passed on in families: Section 1Mendel's LegacyList 5 characteristics that are passed on in families:Did you list: eye color, hair color, etc ??Name one characteristic that may also be inherited but that is also influenced by behavior or environment:Muscle size, body weight, having a suntan, height. 6 Mendel’s Experiment Observe the pea plants in the given image. List the noticeable characteristics of the pea plants:See the next slide 8 Mendel's Legacy “Father of Genetics” – 1800’s Carried out the first experiments on heredity using pea plants.Carefully controlled his experiments, studying only one trait at a time and analyzed data mathematically.Was the first to succeed in predicting how traits are transferred from generation to generation.Heredity-Passing on of characteristics from parent to offspring.Genetics- Branch of biology that studies inherited traits. 9 Plant reproductive terms GAMETES - Male or Female sex cell. In plants, pollen (male) and ovule (female).FERTILIZATION- Fusion of the male and female gametes within the flower.POLLINATION - Transfer of pollen from the anther to the pistil, usually by wind, water, or insects.CROSS-POLLINATION - Transfer of pollen from one flower (tall) to another flower (short) 12 Mendel’s ExperimentsMendel bred plants for several generations that were true-breeding for specific traits and called these the P generation.Offspring of the P generation were called the F1 generation.Offspring of the F1 generation were called the F2 generation. 14 Mendel’s Results and Conclusions Recessive and Dominant TraitsMendel concluded that inherited characteristics are controlled by factors that occur in pairs.In his experiments on pea plants, one factor in a pair masked the other. The trait that masked the other was called the dominant trait. The trait that was masked was called the recessive trait. 16 Mendel’s Results and Conclusions The Law of SegregationThe law of segregation states that a pair of factors is segregated, or separated, during the formation of gametes.The Law of Independent AssortmentThe law of independent assortment states that factors for individual characteristics are distributed to gametes independent of one another.The law of independent assortment is observed only for genes that are located on separate chromosomes or are far apart on the same chromosome. 17 Support for Mendel’s Conclusions We now know that the factors that Mendel studied are alleles, or alternative forms of a gene.One allele for each trait is passed from each parent to the offspring. 18 Objectives Chapter 9 Section 2 Genetic Crosses Differentiate between the genotype and the phenotype of an organism.Explain how probability is used to predict the results of genetic crosses.Use a Punnett square to predict the results of monohybrid and dihybrid genetic crosses.Explain how a testcross is used to show the genotype of an individual whose phenotype expresses the dominant trait.Differentiate a monohybrid cross from a dihybrid cross. 19 Calculating Probability Section 2 Genetic CrossesChapter 9Calculating Probability 20 Punnett Square Method for Solving Genetics Problems Section 2 Genetic CrossesChapter 9Punnett Square Method for Solving Genetics Problems 21 A Cross Between One Pair of Contrasting Traits A Monohybrid crossA Cross Between One Pair of Contrasting TraitsPunnett Square - Prediction of offspring (F1) using genotypes from parents (P)Using the letters T= tall and t= short show a cross between a homozygous dominant and homozygous recessive plant.Example #1:TTThe letters T and t represent alleles (characteristics of various traits)tTtTttTtTt 22 Monohybrid CrossGenotype Ratio: This ratio list the number of off-spring with the 3 possible allele combinations:Homozygous Dominate : Heterozygous : Homozygous Recessive(PURE DOMINANT : MiXeD DoMiNaNt : pure recessive)Phenotype Ratio: This ratio list the number of off-spring with physical trait characteristics:Example: # of Tall : # of shortWhat would be the Genotype and Phenotype ratios for Example #1?Genotype Ratio 0 : 4 : 0 (Pure tall / mixed tall / short)Phenotype Ratio 4 : 0 (Tall / short) 23 (Homozygous Dominant to Heterozygous to Homozygous recessive) Ex. 2 - Monohybrid CrossShow a cross between two heterozygous tall plants. Complete the Punnett square below and give the phenotypic and genotypic ratios for the possible offspring!TtPhenotype ratio3:1 (Tall to short)TTTTtGenotype ratio1:2:1(Homozygous Dominant toHeterozygous to Homozygous recessive)tttTt 24 Predicting Results of Monohybrid Crosses Chapter 9Section 2 Genetic CrossesPredicting Results of Monohybrid CrossesA testcross, in which an individual of unknown genotype is crossed with a homozygous recessive individual, can be used to determine the genotype of an individual whose phenotype expresses the dominant trait. 26 Law of Independent Assortment Traits are inherited independently of each other.To determine which trait a parent will contribute during fertilization, the F.O.I.L Method is used.FirstOutsideInsideLast 27 RY Ry rY ry (see blackboard) Dihybrid CrossesDihybrid cross - Cross between two pairs of contrasting traits. Ex. Cross a pea plant with heterozygous round and heterozygous yellow pea plant with a pea plant that has the same genotype. (Round is dominant over wrinkled; and Yellow is dominant over green)First, identify the correct genotype for each parent.(RrYy x RrYy).Next, identify all the possible types of gametes each parent can produce. (use the F.O.I.L. Method)RY Ry rY ry (see blackboard)Using a punnett square show the possible offspring that may be produced from these parents. 28 Dihybrid Example #1 Each parent produces 4 possible gametes RY,rY,Ry,ryRyryRYrYRYRrYyRRYYRrYYRRYyRrYyrrYyrYRrYYrrYYRRYyRrYyRRyyRryyRyryrrYyRrYyRryyrryyPhenotypic Ratio = 9:3:3:1 (Round and Yellow, Round and Green, Wrinkled and yellow, Wrinkled and Green) 29 Note: G = green g = yellow and N = Smooth n = constricted Dihybrid Example #2What are the genotype and phenotype ratios in the offspring resulting from a cross between two pea plants; a heterozygous Green, constricted plant with a yellow , heterozygous Smooth plant.Note: G = green g = yellow andN = Smooth n = constricted 30 Dihybrid Example #2 Step 1 (Parents Genotype?) Ggnn x ggNn Step 2 (F.O.I.L for each parents gametes)Gn Gn gn gngN gn gN gnStep 3 (Fill in the Punnett Squares)Step 4 (Calculate Phenotype Ratio (what are the physical traits)gngnGnGngNGgNnGgNnggNnggNngnGgnnGgnnggnnggnngNGgNnGgNnggNnggNngnGgnnGgnnggnnggnn 31 Multiple Choice Chapter 9 Standardized Test PrepMultiple Choice1. What is a procedure in which an individual of unknown genotype is crossed with a homozygous recessive individual to determine the genotype of the unknown individual called?A. a monohybrid crossB. a dihybrid crossC. a hybrid crossD. a testcross 32 Multiple Choice, continued Chapter 9Standardized Test PrepMultiple Choice, continued1. What is a procedure in which an individual of unknown genotype is crossed with a homozygous recessive individual to determine the genotype of the unknown individual called?A. a monohybrid crossB. a dihybrid crossC. a hybrid crossD. a testcross 33 Multiple Choice, continued Chapter 9Standardized Test PrepMultiple Choice, continued2. In a monohybrid cross of two heterozygous parents (Pp), what would the expected genotypes of the offspring be?F. 1 PP : 2 Pp : 1 ppG. 1 pp : 3 PPH. 3 Pp : 1 ppJ. all Pp 34 Multiple Choice, continued Chapter 9Standardized Test PrepMultiple Choice, continued2. In a monohybrid cross of two heterozygous parents (Pp), what would the expected genotypes of the offspring be?F. 1 PP : 2 Pp : 1 ppG. 1 pp : 3 PPH. 3 Pp : 1 ppJ. all Pp 35 Multiple Choice, continued Chapter 9Standardized Test PrepMultiple Choice, continued3. Which of the following is an example of a genotype of a heterozygous individual?A. pB. YYC. ZzD. rr 36 Multiple Choice, continued Chapter 9Standardized Test PrepMultiple Choice, continued3. Which of the following is an example of a genotype of a heterozygous individual?A. pB. YYC. ZzD. rr
Students of GCSE Chemistry will be expected to know the atomic structure of certain elements in the Periodic Table. They should know the numbers and arrangement of protons, neutrons and electrons as well as their atomic numbers and their atomic mass. This is the second in our series of three GCSE Chemistry quizzes on atomic structure and it helps to familiarise students with these elements. Towards the end of the 18th Century, the scientist John Dalton introduced his theory of atoms to the scientific community. He was trying to help science make sense of the world by bringing his ideas of the atom to the centre of scientific theory. His ideas were not new but science was becoming more popular than before and so ideas like this were more likely to be noticed, discussed, modified and accepted more widely than in the past. Dalton used small wooden balls and sticks to explain his theory. It took many years for the theory to become accepted - 'Atoms are round bits of wood invented by Mr Dalton' wrote a critic of John Dalton on reading his theory of 'atomism'. Dalton's theory had four parts; first that chemical elements are made of atoms, secondly and thirdly, that atoms of an element are identical to each other, but different from those of different elements. The new science here was that Dalton was able to work out the weight or mass of these atoms. The final part of his theory was that atoms combine in whole number ratios. Although it had taken some time for Dalton's theory to be accepted, it is now the basis for all chemical calculations. The models of atoms that you have seen, and possibly used in lessons, are not much different to those of Dalton's models. One of the things that Dalton believed was that the atoms of an element were identical to each other. Something that seems obvious to you, but was revolutionary at the time. We now understand why this is the case and can include the number of protons in the definition of an element as follows - atoms that have the same number of protons are the same element. So it doesn't matter about how many electrons or neutrons there are, atoms of the same element always contain the same number of protons. Where two atoms exist that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, we say that they are isotopes. Isotopes are forms of the same element with a different atomic mass, one example being a radioactive form of an element. Now try these question about atomic structure - you will find it helpful to have your copy of the Periodic Table handy.
The hibiscus is a tropical flower with five leaves and a long pistil, whose basic shape can be outlined to start with five larger circles drawn around a smaller one. Drawing the remaining details of the hibiscus flower takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes, and requires a pencil with an eraser and paper. Colored pencils, or other mediums are optional.Continue Reading Start by outlining the shape of the hibiscus. Using a light touch, draw five linked circles around a smaller circle. The five circles are the outline for the petals. Use two dots to map out the position of the pistil. One dot goes in the central circle. The other dot indicates in which direction the pistil is growing. It should be in the center of one of the larger circles. Hibiscus petals have a frilly appearance. Using a stronger pressure, turn the five circles into petals by converting the even lines into wavy ones. Keep the petals overlapping by terminating the wavy lines before they reach the central circle. Gently erase the original circles. The pistil of a hibiscus resembles a horn with orbs on the end. Starting at the first dot, draw a curve out to the second dot, then return to the original dot. Add a collection of circles at the tip to create the pollen. If desired, color the flower using colored pencils. Hibiscus flowers come in red, pink or yellow. The pollen orbs should be a bright yellow.
Hummingbirds drink nectar, a sweet liquid inside flowers. They are attracted to red, orange, and yellow flowers. When hummingbirds feed, they pollinate flowers. Pollination is the transfer of flower pollen, the male sex cells, from the stamen to the pistil, the organ that bears seeds. This transfer allows seeds to form and new flowers to grow. Hummingbirds pollinate thousands of flowering plants. Hummingbirds also eat insects. The size of this prey, creature hunted for food, depends on the size of the hummingbird. - Hummingbirds: Trochilidae - Behavior And Reproduction - Hummingbirds: Trochilidae - Physical Characteristics - Other Free Encyclopedias Animal Life ResourceBirdsHummingbirds: Trochilidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Hairy Hermit (glaucis Hirsuta): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, HUMMINGBIRDS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
The vi or vim is a console based text editor in Linux. It is probably the most useful of Linux applications, in that you can quickly view and edit the text files right at the command shell. When viewing the text files, one of the useful features is the ability to search for a word or some text in the file. The vi editor provides some powerful search and replace features. We will look some of the commonly used search feature that come in handy. search single word or string You can search for a single word or a character string by using the forward slash (/). A character string is one or more character that occur in succession and can be a single word or part of a word. It can contain letter, number, spaces, punctuations etc. When the file is open in the vi editor, change the editor to the normal or command mode by pressing Esc (or Escape) key. The command mode is the default mode. When in command mode type the forward slash (/) and followed by the string (or word) you want to search. You can see the string you typed at the bottom left side of the vi editor or the screen. Once you have typed in the string you want to search, hit enter and the vi editor will place the cursor at the first occurrence of that string in the editor and highlight the string. So, if you wanted to search for the string apple, then type /apple and hit enter. After finding the first occurrence of the string, you can type n to find the next occurrence of the same string in the editor. The editor will place the cursor at the next occurrence from the current cursor location. Similarly, you can find the previous occurrence by typing N (n in caps). search multiple strings or words Sometimes you would want to search for multiple strings such that it matches either of them. Let’s say you want to search for the occurrence of either apples or oranges. You can separate the strings in the query string by using the pipe (\|) character. When the file is open in command mode in the vi editor, type forward slash (/) and the type the strings separated by the \| character. So in this case, you will type /apples\\|oranges into the editor. You will need to escape the \| character so that the editor identifies it as a separator and not use it as a literal character. search just the word or the whole word As you might have already noticed, the default search will match any part of the string which makes it difficult to search for whole words in the file. In order to match the beginning of a word you need to use the less than (<) character and to match the end of the word you will use the greater than (>) character. Of course, you will need to escape both < and > characters with the backslash. So, as always type forward slash (/) and then the backslash and < character, followed by the word you want to search. You can finish the query with another backslash and then the > character. So, to search for the word apple, you will type /\<apple\>. This will find all occurrences of apple but will not match apples. advanced search and special characters There are several special characters that you can use to further filter or narrow your search patterns. We will see some of the commonly used expressions. - The ^ (caret) character will match the start of a line in the file. So, the search term /^apple will match any string that starts a line with apple. - The $ (dollar) will match the end of the line. The search term /apple$ will only match those strings that has apple at the end a line. - The . (dot) will match any one or single character. So, the search term /apple. will match strings like apples or appled etc etc. - The * (asterisk) will match zero or more occurrence of the preceding character. So, the term /apples* with match strings like apples, appless and applesss. - The square brackets ([..]) can be used to match multiple characters. So, a search term /[ky] will match the character k or the character y. You can also specify character ranges using square bracket notation. So, the term /[k-y] will match all characters between k and y. You can use the above characters together as well. An example of using * and . with the bracket notation can be something like: /a[p]le. that will match strings such as apples, apppples, ales etc. Another example would be /a[p-s]le that will match strings like apple, aprole, appoorrle etc etc. We covered the way to search in a forward fashion in the previous sections. The use of forward slash (/) at the start of the search term denotes that the search is to be done in a forward fashion with in the file. You can always use n and N characters to find matched strings in a forward or backward fashion respectively. Alternatively, if you wish perform a backward search instead of forward search then you should use the ? (question mark) instead of the / (forward slash) when performing the search. So, the term ?apple will search backwards for the string apple in the file. The n and N now will now traverse in opposite directions compared to the forward search. case insensitive search You must have already noticed that search in the vi editor is case sensitive by default. So, if you want to do case insensitive searches you will need to turn it off. You can do that by using the command :set ic when in command mode. You can turn it back on using the command :set noic again when in the command mode. You know by now that there are several characters that have special significance in the search term. Some of these characters are / (forward slash), ? (question), ^ (caret), $(dollar), . (dot), * (astericks), \| (pipe) etc. You will need to treat these characters differently if you want use them in the search string. You can do so by escaping them by using the backward slash (\). So, to search for the term question? , you will use the term /question\? which will find all the strings that match question?. The backward slash before a character will treat that character as a literal character rather than a meta character.
High-Speed Video Shows Sea Butterflies 'Flying' Like Insects Through the Water Snails aren't exactly known for being graceful creatures, but the way this species of sea snail gets around is unique. Where a land-based snail’s foot would be, the aptly nicknamed “sea butterfly” has a pair of wing-like structures it uses to flutter through the water. According to New Scientist, video has been recorded for the first time of the snail in motion that shows it moving in water similarly to how an insect flies in the air. In their new study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology [PDF], scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology detail how they were able to capture this phenomenon on tape. The team released 20 sea snail specimens into a tank of salt water, hoping that the 3-millimeter creatures would pass in front of one of the four high-speed cameras inside. The movements they were lucky enough to capture revealed something surprising about the snails. Instead of using their appendages like paddles to drag them through the ocean, like most zooplankton do, the sea butterflies flapped their wings to produce lift. The familiar figure-eight pattern the snails demonstrated is remarkably similar to what’s seen in fruit flies and other insects, even though the species are separated by 550 million years of evolution. Because sea snail wings flap at a much slower pace than the wings of insects like fruit flies—about five beats per second compared to 200 beats per second—further studying this behavior could help scientists better understand how insects fly. Brad Gemmell, an assistant professor at the University of South Florida who studies swimming in sea creatures, believes the mechanism could be used to design new micro flying vehicles. [h/t New Scientist] Header/Banner images courtesy of New Scientist via YouTube
DAY CARE SETTINGS Day Care: a temporary care for infants and children which is provided by someone other than the primary caregiver/s. Day Nurseries: where children attend an established day care setting. Childminders: where a small group of children are cared for in the childminder's home. Nannies: where a professional cares for a child in their own home. Non-residential family: where children are cared for at home by non-residential family members, like grandparents. Social development: changes that take place in regards to social development: - ease and strength of making relationships with peers - child's ability to cooperate with others - how well a child can aquire and use certain behaviours to adjust to a new environment or situation POSITIVE EFFCTS OF DAY CARE ON AGGRESSION Anderson conducted research in Sweden. Used a longitudinal method, followed 128 children who had been placed in day care from a young age. Assessed at 8 and 13 years old. Found that those put in daycare before 12 months of age performed better at school and scored higher in measures of social adjustment and social competence - may lack cross-cultural validity, findings may be specific to the Swedish child care system where there is a lot of funding, so results may not apply to all cultures. NEGATIVE AFFECTS OF DAY CARE ON AGGRESSION National Institute of Child Health and Development in America used over 1000 children as a part of longitudinal research. When cohort were 5 years old NICHD found a correlation between spending more than 10 hrs a week in day care and aggressive and disobedient behaviour. Children in full time daycare were 3 times more likely to display behavioural problems e.g. tantrums. Research shows daycare has a negative impact on development and causes aggression. - Follow up research on the same children shows that they still show aggressive behaviour at the end of the primary schooling, suggesting daycare has long-term effects. - There is contradictory research such as Anderson POSITIVE EFFECTS OF PEER RELATIONSHIPS Clarke-Stewart studied 150 2-3 yr olds form Chicago who attended day care. Found that they displayed more advanced social development than those who were raised at home. They were better at coping social situations. - may be issues with cause and effect. The shy children may prefer to stay at home, and those who are innately sociable attend daycare. Could be a result of their temperament not day care. Shea videotaped 3-4 yr olds in the playground for 1st 10 weeks of nursery. She found that those who attended daycare 5 days a week had a greater increase in sociability than those who attended only 2 days a week. Suggesting that daycare increases a child's ability to interact with its peers. - shows a clear difference between sociability and time spent in day care. NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON PEER RELATIONS Soufre believed that the 1st yr of life with mother was important for the development of a healthy mother-child attachment and those who don't start daycare until the age of 2 go on to form healthy attachments are are more likely to be popular. Belsky and Rovine used the strange situation to compare the types of attachment between infants receiving less than 20 hrs/week of daycare and those who had less than 20. More than 20 hours/week Securely attached: 59% Insecurely attached: 41% Less than 20 hours/week Securely attached: 74% Insecurely attached: 26% most nurseries in the UK can provide for 26-40 children, although numbers can vary depending on size. The children usually get seperated in smaller groups, depending on age. There should be a good child-staff ratio: - 1 member of staff : 8 children aged 3-5 - 1 member of staff : 4 children aged 2-3 - 1 member of staff : 3 children aged under 2 Staff are regularly inspected to conform to regulations and the staff must be qualified. Can have a maximum of 6 children in their care but only 3 or less children who are under the age of 3. They tend to look after the children in a home environment. They must be registered and inspected by the Office for Standards in Education who carry out regular checks on the home and childminder. Not all have qualitifications. Quality of day care Quality of day care The quality can vary along a number of dimensions: - the number ratio of staff to children - the staff turnover - the physical provisions - the training of staff - the dedication of staff - the type of children recruited - stimulating environment - 1/4 caregivers provided sensitive emotional care - 1/2 provided moderately sensitive care - 1/5 emotionally detached Howes et al trained staff to improve the sensitivity. Six months later it was found that it had improved the attachment security of children compared to a control group who didn't receive training. Key Worker Systems Key Worker Systems Bowlby's theory suggests that children need healthy attachment for healthy development. Belsky and Rovine found that long time in day care can lead to insecure attachments. For this reason, the Key Worker System was introduced. This is where a child worker is introduced to a small group of children to act as a substitute attachment figure whilst in day care. As a result, the child gets more stability and and consistency in their care. They are present during stressful times and provide emotional security and inform parents on the child's development.
The Great-tailed Grackle, or Mexican Grackle, was historically almost exclusively found in Central and South America, but human alteration of the environment has caused the birds to expand their range to include parts of the United States. Their current range in the United States is north to eastern Oregon, with individuals sighted as far north as Canada, south to northwest Peru, and northwest Venezuela in the south; the grackle's range has been expanding north and west in recent years. It is common in Texas and Arizona in the southern regions and as far east as Western Arkansas. Great-tailed and Boat-tailed species are primarily resident in their ranges, but have been undergoing dramatic range expansion northward during the twentieth century. Populations of Boat-tailed and Great-tailed grackles in northern, recently-colonized areas, move southward during winter months. This animated chart shows this northern movement over the last 100 years: Our biggest grackle; this big, brash blackbird, the male Great-tailed Grackle shimmers in iridescent black and purple, and trails a tail that will make you look twice. The rich brown females are about half the male’s size. Flocks of these long-legged, social birds strut and hop on suburban lawns, golf courses, fields, and marshes in Texas, the Southwest, and southern Great Plains. In the evening, raucous flocks pack neighborhood trees, filling the sky with their amazing (some might say ear-splitting) voices. This huge blackbird is hard to ignore due to its boisterous nature. Long, deeply keeled tail; large, thick bill, with nearly straight culmen; flat crown, shallow forehead and the adult male is entirely black with obvious violet-blue iridescence. Eyes yellow; bill and legs black. Adult female: smaller than male and doesn’t have the keeled tail. She is brown above with dull iridescence on wings and tail; buffy on head and below, becoming darker brown on belly and vent; eyes are yellow and the dark lateral throat stripes usually obvious. Immature male: smaller than the adult male, with shorter tail, dull iridescence, browner wings, and frequently dark eyes. Juvenile: like female, but paler and shows diffuse streaking below. Great-tailed Grackles - females Eight great-tailed grackle subspecies are recognized, but only 3 are found in North America. These northern subspecies are prosopidicola, found in the east of the great-tailed's range west to central Texas; monsoni, found from central Arizona east to western Texas; and nelsoni, found in California and western Arizona. All 3 subspecies of the great-tailed are spreading northward in the United States. For the most part, there is little information regarding which subspecies have spread to which areas; therefore the range descriptions given above are tentative. And some intergradation may be occurring now that these subspecies are coming widely into contact. - Bright yellow eyes - Iridescent black body, usually more blue-purple - Larger, longer tail; held in deep ‘V’ during display flights - Very large, long bill; nearly as long as head Size & Shape The Great-Tailed Grackle has a disproportionately small, slightly rounded head on a neck that’s thin in relation to its large body. Males are long-legged, slender blackbirds with a somewhat flat-headed profile and stout, straight bills. The male’s tapered tail is nearly as long as its body and folds into a distinctive V or keel shape. Females are about half the size of males with long, slender tails. - Length: 18.1 in - Wingspan: 22.8 in - Weight: 6.7 oz - Length: 15 in - Wingspan: 18.9 in - Weight: 3.7 oz - Exceptionally long-tailed and large songbird. Much smaller by weight than an American Crow, but about the same length. - Male Great-tailed Grackles are iridescent black with piercing yellow eyes, and black bills and legs. - Females are dark brown above, paler below, with a buff-colored throat and stripe above the eye. - Juveniles have the female’s dark brown plumage, with streaked under parts and a dark eye. Favored habitat includes partly open situations with scattered trees, cultivated lands, pastures, shores of watercourses, swamps, wet thickets, around human habitation, sometimes in marshes. Often roosts in village shade trees or urban parks. South America: common locally in mangroves and along shorelines and on lawns and in parks in towns and. Nests in trees, bushes, man-made structures, mostly near or over water; marsh vegetation where no trees or bushes are available near water. Sometimes nests in heron colony. Short, but sweet little clip - In winter, enormous flocks of both male and female Great-tailed Grackles gather in “roost trees.” These winter roosts can contain thousands of individuals, with flocks of up to half a million occurring in sugarcane fields in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley. - In 1900 the northern edge of the Great-tailed Grackle’s range barely reached southern Texas. Since the 1960s they’ve followed the spread of irrigated agriculture and urban development into the Great Plains and West, and today are one of North America’s fastest-expanding species. - The Great-tailed and Boat-tailed grackles have at times been considered the same species. Current thinking is that they are closely related, but different species. They do hybridize. - Because they’re smaller and require less food, female Great-tailed Grackle chicks are more likely than their brothers to survive to fledgling. Likewise, adult females may outlive males, resulting in a “sex-biased” population with greater numbers of females than males. - Although you’ll usually see them feeding on land, Great-tailed Grackles may also wade into the water to grab a frog or fish. - Great-tailed Grackles—especially females—learn to recognize individual researchers working in their breeding colonies, and will react with a chut alarm call when they see the researcher, even away from the nesting site. According to Birdzilla.com, an unusual trick for a blackbird, the Great-tailed Grackle can plunge-dive to catch small fish in the same way terns are commonly seen foraging. A fine little slideshow of several many photos of the life of a Boat-tailed Grackle - Low chut; males may give a louder clack. This bird has a large variety of raucous, cacophonous calls. - Song is a strange mix of slurred whistles and electrical static-type sounds, usually ending in a staccato, mechanical rattle; call is a soft tchut. The male Great-tailed Grackle's horribly loud "song" is a series of harsh rattles, squeaks like that of styrofoam rubbing together, whistles, sounds like the tuning of an old radio, and gravelly "Check!" calls. You can hear three here: - Cornell’s All About Birds - The Crossley Guide – Eastern Birds - Kaufman Focus Guide – Birds of North America - Smithsonian Field Guide to Birds of North America - Stokes Field Guide to Birds of North America
Early African Kingdoms Lesson Focus: Ancient African Kingdoms Grade Level: 9-12 Prior Knowledge: none Materials: outline maps and reference maps below Time Needed: 1 – 2 class periods. Educational Standards Met: NCSS (National Council for the Social Studies) Thematic Standard: III People, Places, and Environment. plateau-flat, raised ground. savannas-grasslands without trees. Bantu Migration-the eastward movement of peoples from thr Bantu language group. First, have your students examine the geography of the continent. Use the Facts About The Continent of Africa Handout below to review the basics. Facts About The Continent of Africa Handout The world’s second largest continent, Africa is three times as large as the United States. The continent’s geography is varied, containing both lush rain forests, arid deserts, expansive grasslands, and coastal beaches. Of course, its geography has impacted the settlement of its people. Africa has five regions: West Africa, East Africa, North Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. - West Africa: The geography in this area ranges from rainforests to desert. The area includes part of the Sahara Desert. - East Africa: The Great Rift Valley descends from the Sahel. It is 40 miles wide, 2000 feet deep and 3000 miles long beginning at the Red Sea and ending in Southern Africa. To the east of the valley is Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Mount Kenya. - North Africa: This region is made up of the coastal area and an inland area. The northern coastal area sits on the Mediterranean and has a mild climate with a large amount of rain. Inland and south, lays the Sahara which is the largest desert on earth. The Sahara covers about 3500 miles. A large plateau known as The Sahel is south of the Sahara and is covered by grassland or savannas. - Central Africa: Verdant tropical rain forests with hot and humid weather occupy this area near the equator. South of the forests, the land becomes another desert, the Kalahari. The Congo River (previously known as Zaire) runs through Central Africa. - Southern Africa: This area is mostly productive highland. Next, discuss Early African kingdoms: - Nubia – around 3000 BC in the southern Nile Valley. .The Nubians were skilled warriors who used bows and arrows and interacted greatly with the Egyptians to the north. Nubians and Egyptians shared similar customs and political systems. - Kush-By 2000 BC Nubia had become Kush. The people of Kush developed a vibrant trade in goods from the interior (elephant tusks, gold, timber) along the river’s caravan crossings. The two most prominent cities were Napata and Meroe.. The Kush were ruled by the Egyptians for approximately 500 years. In or about 1000 BC, King Piankhi of Kush threw off Egypt’s dominance and both kingdoms were governed by Kushite kings. The capital was Napata. - Egypt was invaded by the Assyrians in 671 BC and drove the Kushites back to the turn of the Nile River, their native soil. The Kushites learned iron making from their conquerors and used this skill to make their new capital, Meroe, a significant iron production center. The merchants of Kush traded iron, ebony, and leopard skins to trade with societies from the Red Sea and Mediterranean regions. They also traded with people from the areas near the Indian Ocean. Meroe’s wealth enabled it to build extravagant homes around central courtyards and public baths similar those in Rome. The Kush survived for around 150 more years until a kingdom from the area by the Red Sea, Axum, invaded and defeated them. - Axum-(700 – 200 BC), a trading power that dealt with India, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Persia. Axum’s primary port was at the city of Adulis where the citizens of Axum traded ivory for goods such as olive oil, cotton, and copper. Axum adopted many Roman ways, including Christianity. King Ezana made Christianity Axum’s official religion in 330AD. The spread of Islam would see the end of Axum in 7th century, and its rulers would form a Christian kingdom, Ethiopia. - The Nok-a West African culture that expanded in the Niger And Benue river valleys. Archeological evidence has revealed the Nok produced metal and worked their farms with iron hoes, making farming more productive. Successful farming increased population and used up the fertile land. A thousand year migration eastward began that is now referred to as the Bantu Migration a descendants of these settlers speak languages with Bantu components. Using the reference maps below, have the students label the locations of the Kush, Nubian, Assyrian, Axum, and Nok kingdoms on the blank outline map. They should also label the Red Sea, Mediterranean, Nile River, Niger River, Benue River, and the Congo River. Students should answer the following for each culture. - What natural features made this location suitable for settlement? - What elements enhanced or hindered trade? Explain your answer. - Which geographical features made them vulnerable to attack? Which provided protection? Have students research the following: - How tall is Mount Kilimanjaro and in what country is it? - What event caused King Ezana of Axum to convert to Christianity? - Investigate the various patterns the Bantu Migrations followed? Reference and Outline Maps - https://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/rivers/nile.htm ? This post is part of the series: World History in a Year (or 10 months) Part 3 - Republic to Empire: The History of Ancient Rome - Assignments and Interactive Activities on The Roman Empire - Webquests on Julius Caesar - A Quest to Find World War One - Early Africa and Its Kingdoms
The Great Migration Era In the 400 years following the dissolution of the Hun empire, the inhabitants of the territory of Hungary often changed in the turbulence of the Great Migration Era: Gepids, Longobards, Avars and other long forgotten peoples of Germanic and Central Asian stock followed one another. Avar rule was the longest, lasting more than 200 years. The Avars were followed by the Franks, when the Danube again became the eastern borderline of a West European empire. In the ninth century Pannonia became part of the Morvian empire. There is no trace of any significant urban development during the Great Migration Era.
Illustrate why and how the himalayan mountains generalized geological cross- section nepal himalaya in summary: 2004 photo mosaic the himalayas. Outline geological map of the himalayan mountain belt showing its major tectonic subdivisions across the range the lesser himalayan range in general. Geologic formation and structure the middle himalayas range, which has a width of about 80 km (about 50 mi), borders the great himalayan range on the south. 24022010 the himalaya range or himalayas for short, is a mountain range in asia, separating the indian subcontinent from the. The geology of the himalaya is a record of the most dramatic and visible creations of modern plate tectonic forces the himalayas, which stretch over 2400 km are the result of an ongoing orogeny, the result of a collision between two continental tectonic plates this immense mountain range was. Geology and tectonics of the himalayan region of , an overview of tectonosedimentary framework of the salt range, northwestern himalayan fold and. Overview of the geology of the himalayas executive summary the himalaya mountain range stretches over this report on himalayan geology covers its. Mountains are beautiful taking a journey through the geology of mountains the idea that a huge slab of hot rock flowed out from under tibet into the himalaya. Geology of india by dn wadia geography and the geology of the himalayas the other mountains are all of a to memorise the dry summary of facts. An online resource from the geological society, these scraped-off sediments are what now form the himalayan mountain courtesy of the us geological survey. New study finds major earthquake threat from the riasi fault in the himalayas date: may 18, 2016 source: oregon state university summary: new geologic mapping in the himalayan mountains of kashmir between pakistan and india suggests that the region is ripe for a major earthquake that could endanger the lives of as many as a million.Geography india physical aspect the himalayan mountains are young, weak, and flexible in their geological structure. Pitt in the himalayas offers you the the foothills of the himalayan mountains the himalayas define a geographical region of enormous geological. The geology of the himalaya is a record of the most dramatic and visible creations of this immense mountain range was formed by tectonic forces and sculpted by. The formation of the himalayas the himalayas are known to be youngfold mountains young, because these have been formed relatively recently in the earth's history, compared to older mountain ranges like the aravallis in. Himalayas - study and exploration: compiled the first map of tibet and the himalayan range based on systematic exploration geology cenozoic era. Across most of the great himalayan range in india the inner himalayas, about ed study of the geography and geology of the entire himalayan range. The himalayas are a mountain range in south asia the west end is in pakistanthey run through jammu and kashmir, himachal pradesh,uttaranchal, sikkim and arunachal pradesh states in india, nepal, and bhutan. Part iv—the geology of the himalaya the main himalaya range runs, west to east, from the indus river valley to the brahmaputra river valley,. Geologic formation of the himalaya we have gained much knowledge about himalayan geology that can enrich the experience of rising mountains summary. An overview of the stratigraphy and tectonics of the basin deposits and forms the himalayan mountain topics in the himalayan geology has been. Himalayas: himalayas, great mountain system of asia that includes the highest peaks in the world. The geology of mount everest helps explain the presence of marine fossils at the top of the world' the himalayan range, geology of the appalachian mountains. Helpful diagrams the himalayan mountains span the countries of pakistan, india, nepal, and tibet the indian plate is converging with the eurasian plate, creating the himalayas.Download 2018. Term Papers.
What's Wrong With Nuclear Power, Anyway? This What's Wrong With Nuclear Power, Anyway? lesson plan also includes: - Join to access all included materials Students see that the production and use of nuclear energy has been both praised and condemned as a source of electrical power for our daily living. They examine the reasons for the conflict of opinions in our society. 15 Views 30 Downloads - Activities & Projects - Graphics & Images - Handouts & References - Lab Resources - Learning Games - Lesson Plans - Primary Sources - Printables & Templates - Professional Documents - Study Guides - Graphic Organizers - Writing Prompts - Constructed Response Items - AP Test Preps - Lesson Planet Articles - Interactive Whiteboards - All Resource Types - Show All See similar resources: Power Pellets! Nuclear Energy in the United States Nuclear power provides about 20 percent of the energy generated in the United States. The seventh activity in the series of 12 tackles nuclear power. After sharing what they know about nuclear energy, scholars complete a WebQuest make a... 5th - 8th Science CCSS: Adaptable What Determines and Limits an Atom's Mass? Provide learners with the tools to further understand nuclear energy and isotopes. Young chemists investigate the components of an atom's nucleus, use symbols to represent various isotope forms, and use the percent abundance of an atom's... 7th - 12th Science How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity B In this second of three activities, energy engineers plan and create a hydropower dam as they learn how hydroelectric power plants generate electricity. A hydropower puzzle is also included, which can be worked on by teams that finish... 6th - 8th Science What's Wrong with Our Food System 11-year-old Birke Baehr describes what he calls "the dark side of the industrialized food system". Explaining everything from genetically engineered seeds and organisms to Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), Baehr encourages his... 5 mins 6th - 12th Science CCSS: Adaptable Before and Beyond the Constitution: What Should a President Do? Learners discuss the powers and responsibilities of the President, list some precedents established during Washington's presidency, and match presidential actions with the type of Executive power it is. 7th - 12th Social Studies & History
quasicrystal, also called quasi-periodic crystal, matter formed atomically in a manner somewhere between the amorphous solids of glasses (special forms of metals and other minerals, as well as common glass) and the precise pattern of crystals. Like crystals, quasicrystals contain an ordered structure, but the patterns are subtle and do not recur at precisely regular intervals. Rather, quasicrystals appear to be formed from two different structures assembled in a nonrepeating array, the three-dimensional equivalent of a tile floor made from two shapes of tile and having an orientational order but no repetition. Although when first discovered such structures surprised the scientific community, it now appears that quasicrystals rank among the most common structures in alloys of aluminum with such metals as iron, cobalt, or nickel. While no major commercial applications yet exploit properties of the quasicrystalline state directly, quasicrystals form in compounds noted for their high strength and light weight, suggesting potential applications in aerospace and other industries. Structure and symmetry Microscopic images of quasicrystalline structures Dan Shechtman, a researcher from Technion, a part of the Israel Institute of Technology, and his colleagues at the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology) in Gaithersburg, Md., discovered quasicrystals in 1984. A research program of the U.S. Air Force sponsored their investigation of the metallurgical properties of aluminum-iron and aluminum-manganese alloys. Shechtman and his coworkers mixed aluminum and manganese in a roughly six-to-one proportion and heated the mixture until it melted. The mixture was then rapidly cooled back into the solid state by dropping the liquid onto a cold spinning wheel, a process known as melt spinning. When the solidified alloy was examined using an electron microscope, a novel structure was revealed. It exhibited fivefold symmetry, which is forbidden in crystals, and long-range order, which is lacking in amorphous solids. Its order, therefore, was neither amorphous nor crystalline. Many other alloys with these same features have subsequently been produced. The electron microscope has played a significant role in the investigation of quasicrystals. It is a versatile tool that can probe many important aspects of the structure of matter. Low-resolution scanning electron microscopy magnifies the shapes of individual grains. Symmetries of solid grains often reflect the internal symmetries of the underlying atomic positions. Grains of salt, for example, take cubical shapes consistent with the cubic symmetries of their crystal lattices. Quasicrystalline aluminum-copper-iron has been imaged using a scanning electron microscope, revealing the pentagonal dodecahedral shape of the grains. Its 12 faces are regular pentagons, with axes of fivefold rotational symmetry passing through them. That is to say, rotations about this axis by 72° leave the appearance of the grain unchanged. In a full 360° rotation the grain will repeat itself in appearance five times, once every 72°. There are also axes of twofold rotational symmetry passing through the edges and axes of threefold rotational symmetry passing through the vertices. This is also known as icosahedral symmetry because the icosahedron is the geometric dual of the pentagonal dodecahedron. At the centre of each face on an icosahedron, the dodecahedron places a vertex, and vice versa. The symmetry of a pentagonal dodecahedron or icosahedron is not among the symmetries of any crystal structure, yet this is the symmetry that was revealed in the electron microscope image of the aluminum-manganese alloy produced by Shechtman and his colleagues. High-resolution electron microscopy magnifies to such a great degree that patterns of atomic positions may be determined. In ordinary crystals such a lattice image reveals regularly spaced rows of atoms. Regular spacing implies spatial periodicity in the placement of atoms. The angles between rows indicate rotational symmetries of the atomic positions. In a high-resolution electron microscope image of quasicrystalline aluminum-manganese-silicon, parallel rows occur in five sets, rotated from one another by 72°, confirming that the fivefold symmetry suggested by the shape of the pentagonal dodecahedron grain reflects a fivefold symmetry in the actual placement of atoms.
A Career in Astronomy: What Does an Astronomy Career Entail? Astronomy is a branch of physics that focuses on the scientific study of celestial objects, including the sun, moon, planets, stars, galaxies, and comets. It is concerned with the formation and development of the universe and the chemistry, physics, and movement of celestial objects. Astronomers are scientists who are specially trained to concentrate on a variety of astronomy topics. Astronomers strive to gain a further understanding of the properties and behavior of the universe and celestial objects by studying, researching, and analyzing observations. They use their knowledge of the laws of physics and mathematics to analyze the nature of energy and matter throughout the universe. They take astronomical observations using a variety of millimeter, infrared, and radio ground-based telescopes as well as satellite-based telescopes. They also create techniques and instruments to observe and collect data. Astronomers typically spend little time operating telescopes; they often spend a few weeks carrying out observations and the rest of their time analyzing the data. Astronomers often use computer analysis to analyze their observations and perform calculations that are required to develop multifaceted hypotheses. Astronomers focus a great deal of their time conducting research to gain new information and develop or modify theories. They also create methodologies to solve mathematical and physical problems including issues related to space flight, navigation, and satellite communications. Astronomers spend the majority of their time creating new theories, hypotheses, and mathematical models. They often concentrate on one specific area such as the sun, planets, or development of new techniques. Astronomers usually need a doctorate degree in astronomy or other closely related field such as astrophysics. Astronomy programs provide students with a solid understanding of science, physics, chemistry, computer science, and mathematics. They focus on comprehensive training of the mathematics, theories, and methodologies involved in the field of astronomy. Many aspiring astronomers gain practical experience by working as research assistants at universities or observatories. Most astronomers complete fellowships after completion of their doctorate degree. Fellowships typically last two to three years. Others complete internships and work-study programs at science institutes or universities. Astronomers must complete regular continuing education throughout their careers to keep their skills current and stay up to date with new discoveries in the field. Many astronomers are members of the American Astronomical Society or the International Astronomical Union. Colleges and universities and research institutions employ astronomers. Many provide instruction on astronomy and physics and others perform a variety of research tasks. Some work in museums, planetariums, and observatories to help explain the concepts of astronomy and the universe to the general public. Others work for government agencies including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and U.S. Naval Observatory. The theories and discoveries of astronomers have been extremely useful for a variety of topics such as improving time measurements, air and sea navigation, and weather forecasts. \|\|Annual Salary (Salary.com) To learn more about schools providing astronomy degree programs please visit DegreeFinders.com. A well known program is available at Swinburne Astronomy Online and James Cook University, both are in Australia. Back to Top
An artificial protein fragment that behaves like a primitive enzyme has been make by three groups of American chemists. This brings closer an understanding of the chemical origins of life, because the fragment binds haem groups in the same way as it might have been done in a primitive enzyme. The artificial protein was made by teams led by Leslie Dutton at the University of Pennsylvania, William De Grado of the chemicals company Du Pont and Jeffrey Urbauer of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The haem groups that it binds to are large ring-shaped molecules, which in nature form part of the haemoglobin molecule and can grip and hold an iron atom at their centre. Dutton and colleagues call their protein fragments ‘maquettes’, taking the term from the models made by sculptors and architects. They found their maquette, which consists of a pair of linked chains of amino acids, can attach itself to two haem units (Nature, vol 368, p 425). Dutton and colleagues see their maquette as a model for enzymes such as haemoglobin peroxidase and especially cyctochromes, which play a key role in oxidation processes in cells. They based the protein on a subunit of cytochrome bc1, which has two haem groups attached to a pair of a-helixes. The chemists used conventional methods of protein synthesis to construct the chains of 31 amino acid units that form their maquette. The amino acids they used included glutamic acid and leucine to make the peptide soluble, and histidine, which is known to bind to haems. They also placed arginine units adjacent to the histidines because these amino acids are known to interact with nearby haem units and raise their redox potential. The protein chains were linked in pairs, through a sulphur-sulphur bond. When ferric haem was added to a solution of these artificial proteins, two haems were incorporated automatically into the maquette by attaching themselves to histidine units on opposite chains. Absorption spectra and nuclear magnetic spectroscopy showed the haems to be like those in normal enzymes. The chemists then studied the electrochemistry of this complex, and were surprised to find that the haem groups worked in concert, just as in natural complexes of proteins and metals. A change in the oxidation state of one haem group immediately affected the other, even though they are not connected by any chemical bonds.
We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen is the text chosen for this particular lesson however for older children a different text/script can be used. Rosen’s book is excellent for Early Years lessons and can be used for cross curricular learning from Numeracy to Health and Wellbeing. The following lesson focuses on using the text as a stimuli for exploring the outdoors. This lesson could be adapted depending on the age of the children to explore the following possible Experience and Outcomes: I listen or watch for useful or interesting information and I use this to make choices or learn new things. As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, key words and main ideas of the text, and use this information for a specific purpose. As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, main ideas and supporting detail contained within the text, and use this information for different purposes. I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances. EXA 0-01a / EXA 1-01a / EXA 2-01a I have used the skills I have developed in the expressive arts to contribute to a public presentation/performance. I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for different audiences. I have experienced the energy and excitement of being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances. I use drama to explore real and imaginary situations, helping me to understand my world. I can use theatre arts technology to enhance tension, mood and atmosphere in drama work
Activity: Seeing Stars Students use activity sheets to define "celebrity" versus "important person", as well as to explore the online exhibition, Face to Face: The Canadian Personalities Hall. WHAT YOU'LL NEED - About 45 minutes of classroom time, plus homework time or time in the computer lab - Student copies of Sheet 1: Seeing Stars and Sheet 2: Canadian Personalities - Pieces of paper or nametag stickers - Internet access WHAT TO DO Photocopy the student sheets for this activity. Sheet 1: Seeing Stars is for classroom use. Sheet 2: Canadian Personalities can be done in the computer lab, or as homework. Have all sheets ready before you start. Write the word "celebrity" on the board. Ask students to come up with definitions. Example: "A widely-recognized person who commands a high degree of public and media attention." Once you have a working definition, ask students to suggest a list of celebrities and what they are famous for (e.g., Wayne Gretzky, hockey player), and write these on the board. After a few minutes, ask students how many of their suggested celebrities are Canadian. Note which ones are Canadian on the board. Do the students see any groupings (e.g., musicians, athletes, politicians)? Hand out Sheet 1: Seeing Stars, and have students work on it for a few minutes. On this sheet, students will be asked to differentiate between "famous" and "important" figures. When they have finished filling in their sheets, they will have identified one famous Canadian and one important Canadian. Once the students are finished filling in Sheet 1: Seeing Stars, ask them to write the name of their "famous" Canadian and their "important" Canadian on two pieces of paper (or nametag stickers). Begin by having students identify themselves as their "famous" Canadian. Ask them to divide into groups based on the categories already suggested above (i.e., musicians, athletes, politicians, etc.). Which category is the largest? Why do students think this might be? Are there any other differences, such as male versus female celebrities, regional differences, language differences, or ethnic diversity? Repeat the process with their "important" Canadians. Do the students feel that anyone is missing from their groupings (e.g., women, visible minorities, etc.)? Ask students how many of their Canadians are living or dead. Ask all students representing living Canadians to sit down. Are there many dead Canadians? Why, or why not? (Note: You may wish at this point to explore how students find out about celebrities and famous people - television, Internet, word of mouth, news media, textbooks, movies, etc. - then ask if they find it harder or easier to learn out about Canadians who lived a long time ago, such as Samuel de Champlain or Sir John A. Macdonald.) Explain that the Canadian Museum of Civilization has created a special exhibition to celebrate important Canadians. Give the students Sheet 2: Canadian Personalities. Do any of them match the people selected by your students? Ask students if they can guess the selection criteria for choosing these personalities (see below, "Selecting Canadians for Face to Face: The Canadian Personalities Hall" for more information). Assign each student one of the Canadians from the sheet. They can complete this sheet as homework, or in the computer lab.
BONN, GERMANY. Kidney stones affect up to 10 per cent of adults in developed countries at some point in their lifetime. They develop in the urinary system, usually due to an increase in dissolved solids in the urine. Crystals begin to stick together and slowly form a stone which may grow for months or years before it causes symptoms. Nutrition is widely believed to play a role in calcium oxalate stones, the most common type of kidney stone. Earlier studies have focused on individual dietary constituents, so researchers from the University of Bonn undertook a study of a specially-designed diet to prevent recurrence in patients with previous calcium oxalate stones. They recruited 107 men and women and compared their urine composition while on their normal diet and after a week spent on a diet incorporating food advised for the prevention of stone recurrence. This consisted of increased intake of water (to 2.5 liters per day), fiber, potassium and vitamin B6, and a decreased intake of protein, sodium, fat and cholesterol, and no alcohol. Results showed high levels of metabolic abnormalities linked to stone formation on their normal diets, but a significant reduction on the study diet. This manifested through an increase in volume of urine, increased pH (reduced acidity) and increased levels of citrate, a key inhibitor of stone formation. Calcium and uric acid levels in the urine were reduced on the stone-preventing diet. Analysis of the participants' usual diet identified low fluid intake, excretion of less than two liters of urine per day, and increased intake of protein and alcohol as the most important risk factors. These have also been highlighted in previous studies. The shift to a nutritionally balanced diet according to the recommendations for kidney stone formers reduced the risk of further stones by 42 per cent, the researchers conclude.
Did you know the fish and bugs, or biological communities, living within Minnesota’s rivers and streams can tell a story about the quality of the water and habitat within them? Each year, the MPCA’s Biological Monitoring Unit samples biological communities from about 200 to 400 sites on rivers, streams, and ditches throughout Minnesota. These waterways range in size from a few feet wide to large main-stem waterways, such as the Mississippi or Minnesota river. So, how are the biological communities sampled this past summer, and what can they tell us? Fish are sampled once per site from June through September, using electrofishing methods where an electric current is placed into the water, temporarily stunning any fish within range of the current. MPCA crews use a net to collect the fish, regardless of size, from the smallest minnows to the largest game fish, and then place them into a tub of water. Fish are separated by species, and counted, measured, weighed, then released back into the stream. Depending on stream width and depth, a variety of electrofishing methods are used to maximize sample efficiency and quality. For small streams, a sampler walks through a stream carrying a shocker wand and backpack that houses a battery. For large rivers, samplers use boats with shocking equipment attached. Bugs, or macroinvertebrates, are sampled once from August through September at the same locations where fish are sampled. A specialized net is used to take 20 individual samples from the most dominant habitat types: rocky areas, instream vegetation, undercut banks, woody debris, and/or and piles of leaves in the stream. The macroinvertebrates are placed in a jar with alcohol to preserve the sample and brought to a laboratory for identification. Fish and macroinvertebrates are a great indicator of stream health because some species are sensitive to disturbances. This sensitivity allows biologists to assess where issues may exist based on the communities present. For example, some fish are very tolerant of low dissolved oxygen levels while others are extremely sensitive to low dissolved oxygen levels. Looking at biological samples, habitat assessments, and water chemistry samples can provide a good picture of the stream health. Examples of potential problems may include low dissolved oxygen, high sediment concentrations, agricultural or industrial runoff, or lack of habitat. The information gathered can guide watershed partners to restoration or protection efforts.
Hamilton Education sells hard copy teaching resources that support Hamilton plans at very low cost. Group Readers, phonics books, number lines and 'Five Minute Fillers' can help you teach literacy and numeracy skills in your classroom. Year 1/2 English Plans (Set A) Hamilton's Y1/2 English plans cover all of the statutory objectives of the National Curriculum for England for Years 1 and 2. The Coverage Chart lays out how these are met in a two-year rolling programme (Set A & Set B). Medium and Long Term Plans summarise books used and grammar taught. Individual plans include an outcomes table. For Hamilton's phonics programme and texts to use with children (Oral Stories and Rhymes) appropriate for this age range, see Year 1 and Year 2. Read and explore fantastic versions of Hansel and Gretel and Rapunzel. Children use puppets and masks to really get to know the stories and their characteristics. They then retell or write a new version of a fairy tale of their choice. This plan looks at Hansel and Gretel by Anthony Browne and Rapunzel by Sarah Gibb. Hamilton Group Reader Hansel and Gretel is used to build confidence in reading aloud. Using the wonderful Sand Horse (Michael Foreman) children learn the story, retell it, use role play and then create their own version. They explore settings and invent characters using Morpurgo’s Jo Jo the Melon Donkey. Finally they write their own story. Letters are a great way to communicate! Whether sharing facts, asking for information or saying thank you, this unit will teach children the format of writing a letter or postcard. Children will practise writing statements and asking questions to compose their own letters. Books required are Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell and Dear Greenpeace by Simon James. Hamilton Group Reader, Letters from the Zoo, is used to stretch more confident readers. Use information books about minibeasts to identify features of information texts. Compare with stories about minibeasts which also provide information. Look at sentence punctuation and structure. Children write some information about their favourite minibeast. Example books are Minibeasts (Little Science Stars), Where to find minibeasts, The Very Busy Spider and RSPB first book of minibeasts. Use Where the Forest Meets the Sea and poems by C Warren and A Shavick to describe emotions stimulated by poetry. Explore use of rhyme, adjectives and expanded noun phrases. Study sentence structure including use of capital letters/question marks. Write poems. Favourite toys can inspire great writing! The author of Winnie-the-Pooh models how to write rhyming couplets, questions, exclamations and extended noun phrases. Safe within the world of The Hundred Acre Wood children produce original poems in a familiar style.
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are generally triesters of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at normal room temperature, depending on their structure and composition. Although the words "oils", "fats", and "lipids" are all used to refer to fats, "oils" is usually used to refer to fats that are liquids at normal room temperature, while "fats" is usually used to refer to fats that are solids at normal room temperature. "Lipids" is used to refer to both liquid and solid fats, along with other related substances. The word "oil" is used for any substance that does not mix with water and has a greasy feel, such as petroleum (or crude oil) and heating oil, regardless of its chemical structure. Fats form a category of lipid, distinguished from other lipids by their chemical structure and physical properties. This category of molecules is important for many forms of life, serving both structural and metabolic functions. They are an important part of the diet of most heterotrophs (including humans). Fats or lipids are broken down in the body by enzymes called lipases produced in the pancreas. Examples of edible animal fats are lard (pig fat), fish oil, and butter or ghee. They are obtained from fats in the milk, meat and under the skin of the animal. Examples of edible plant fats are peanut, soya bean, sunflower, sesame, coconut, olive, and vegetable oils. Margarine and vegetable shortening, which can be derived from the above oils, are used mainly for baking. These examples of fats can be categorized into saturated fats and unsaturated fats.
Read more: “10 biggest puzzles of human evolution“ WITHOUT language we would struggle to exchange ideas or influence other people’s behaviour. Human society as we know it could not exist. The origin of this singular skill was a turning point in our history, yet the timing is extremely difficult to pin down. We do know that Homo sapiens was not the only hominin with linguistic abilities. Neanderthals, who evolved some 230,000 years ago, had the neural connections to the tongue, diaphragm and chest muscles necessary to articulate intricate sounds and control breathing for speech. Evidence comes from the size of holes in the skull and vertebrae through which the nerves serving these areas pass. What’s more, Neanderthals shared the human variant of the FOXP2 gene, crucial for forming the complex motor memories involved in speech. Assuming this variant arose just once, speech predates the divergence of the human and Neanderthal lines around 500,000 years ago. Indeed, it appears that Homo heidelbergensis already had the gift of the gab 600,000 years ago when they first appeared in Europe. Fossilised remains show they had lost a balloon-like organ connected to the voice box that allows other primates to produce loud, booming noises to impress their opponents. “That’s a big disadvantage – we can’t have lost them for nothing,” says Bart de Boer at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. His models suggest that air sacs would blur differences between vowels, making it hard to form distinct words. For older ancestors, the fossil record does not speak so eloquently. However, Robin Dunbar at the University of Oxford …
No Child Left Behind The No Child Left Behind Act, signed in 2002 by President George W. Bush, was created to address the widening achievement gap among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds as well as provide accountability for academic results. The Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills. To receive federal school funding, states must give these assessments to all students at select grade levels. The Act does not assert a national achievement standard, and individual states develop their own standards. Critics have argued that the Act has done little to increase student performance and address the issues it sought to fix. This section provides information on the No Child Left Behind Act, including the Act's provisions, criticisms, and consequences for failing to make adequate yearly progress goals, and more. No Child Left Behind Act and Teacher Accountability The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was intended to ensure that children across the U.S. receive an education that adequately prepares them for life after high school. Studies found that teacher quality is one of the biggest indicators of students' future success. NCLB therefore sought to ensure and improve teacher quality and to ensure that teachers are held accountable for their students' progress. The NCLB provides standards for the certification of teachers intended to ensure highly qualified teachers and streamlined processes for teacher certification to allow those with valuable practical experience to share. It also allows school districts to use federal money for the creation and execution of professional development programs for teachers, though these investments are limited to programs that are scientifically proven to improve student performance. Finally, NCLB requires that students make adequate progress from year to year in their understanding of core subjects. Test results are submitted by the state and sometimes federal departments of education. The results are then distributed to parents. Some school districts also tie teachers' salaries and job security on their students' standardized test results. Failure to meet standards can result in the implementation of an improvement plan or requirements relating to the spending of NCLB funds. Criticism of No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind has resulted in a storm of criticism from various groups and individuals. There are three basic kinds of criticism relating to NCLB. Critics complain that the NCLB causes the federal government to intrude into areas traditionally under the control of states. They also contend that the NCLB has resulted in unfunded federal mandates, passing financial problems from the federal to state and local governments. Finally, detractors allege that the law places too much emphasis on standardized testing and teacher qualifications. These complaints, rather than coming from a small group of malcontents, are the talking points of prominent educational institutions such as the National Education Association. Educators often feel that NCLB restricts the ability of teachers to deal with their student using creativity, innovation, and an understanding of local culture. The concerns about federal control and local expense are commonly at the forefront of individuals who oppose NCLB. Critics feel that communities have the traditional right to direct the education of their children and argue that they are best equipped to determine the tools their children need to succeed. Critics also argue that the requirements stifle students' learning and teachers' ability to find creative ways to help their kids learn. It is also felt that the law creates expectations that are unreasonable for some students, such as the learning disabled and non-English speakers.
- Iceland has honoured the passing of Ok Jokull glacier.It is the first glacier lost to climate change in the world. - The glacier was officially declared dead by the Icelandic Meteorological Office when it was no longer thick enough to move.What once was glacier has been reduced to a small patch of ice atop a volcano. - A bronze plaque was also unveiled in a ceremony to mark Okjokull which translates to “Ok glacier” in the western Iceland. - The plaque was labelled with “415 ppm CO2” referring to the record level of carbon dioxide measured in the atmosphere. - Iceland loses about 11 billion tonnes of ice per year.Scientists fear that all of the island country’s 400-plus glaciers will be gone by 2200. - Since the early 1900s,many glaciers around the world have been rapidly melting.Human activities are at the root of this phenomenon. - Further,since the industrial revolution,carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions have raised temperatures even higher in the poles.This has led to glaciers rapidly melting by calving off into the sea and retreating on land. 2 min read
When was the last time you saw a bumble bee? These magnificent yellow and black critters are supposed to fly from plant to plant, pollinating them and allowing these flowers to grow into fruitful crops; but, something has happened. The bees are slowly disappearing — and with them the world’s hope of becoming sustainable. Broccoli, cantaloupes, cucumbers, pumpkins, blueberries, watermelons, almonds, apples, and cherries are few of many fruits and vegetables that rely on bee pollination to grow. When bees drink nectar from a flower, they brush against the stamens (the male reproductive organ of a flower) and pollen sticks to the hairs on the bee’s body. The bee then transfers the pollen to the stigma (female reproductive organ) of the next flower it visits and fertilization occurs, which creates a fruit with seeds. Unfortunately, bee populations have been decimated due to genetically modified crops and increased amounts of pesticides used on foods. According to Honeylove, an American urban beekeeper’s non-profit, there were over five million bee colonies after WWII. There are less than half that amount today. There is also a common misconception that the honey industry actually helps the bees, but this is not the case. Instead, large commercial honey brands use corn syrup to feed the bees instead of letting them keep their honey, and it results in sick colonies that have a lower rate of survival. Honey is also an essential food source for bees to survive in the wintertime and replacing this vital resource with a sugar substitute like corn syrup does not provide bees with nutrients and vitamins they need to pollinate properly. Instead, there are rising occurrences of bee colonies dying off entirely from a corn syrup diet because it lacks the enzymes and nutrients found in honey. If society leaves the bees in their current situation, the insect may go extinct and many of our essential foods will die off permanently with them. So, what can people do about it? First of all, try planting some bee-friendly plants, vegetables, and fruits in your garden. Bee populations vary depending on their region, and the best way to ensure bees flourish is to plant native plants. Bees thrive with open native blooms where they can access the nectar and carry pollen easily from flower to flower. Second of all, build and hang a bee hotel near the garden. Simply nail together a box with one open side, and fill with blocks of wood or logs that have small holes drilled into them. This provides tunnels for the bees to nest in and wind-protection on the other side. Join a local beekeeper’s group to learn more about bees in your particular region. Ontario’s ecosystem really does depend on the buzzing creatures — with the world claiming a sustainable future, let’s not forget about these small and easily ignored insects. Not many people enjoy having a buzzing sound in their ear, but without it, the world is so much bleaker. When was the last time you saw a bee? Let us know in the comments below!
Why your preschool child needs to develop their ‘learning abilities’ more than knowledge and skills By Galina Dolya and Katie Burns “Abilities are those qualities that provide successful learning.” Nikolai Veraksa What are learning abilities? Where do they come from? The answer to these questions may appear obvious. Learning abilities are whatever it is that determines the speed and flexibility with which we acquire, and are able to apply, new knowledge and skills. There is a window of opportunity until the age of 7 to secure these abilities. We all know how abilities reveal themselves. Some children are more able than others. They are quick to learn new things, surprise us with their verbal fluency, their precocious achievements in reading and mathematics, in art or in music. If they surprise us enough, we may call them gifted or talented. If they do not, by the time they are seven, we may have decided that they are ‘just average’ (the majority), or even ‘less able’ and already marked down for a future full of educational challenges. All of us find ourselves thinking about and judging young children’s different abilities in this way from time to time. We also tend to believe that while children’s educational and life experiences may affect for better or for worse the way they put their abilities to use, the abilities themselves are a given. We behave as though they are a part of our genetic inheritance, like the colour of our eyes, or the number of fingers on our hands. However, Vygotsky considered that we must view human psychological development as a social achievement rather than an individual one. Young children’s abilities are not innate, or simply determined by biology. Children acquire their abilities with and from the others around them — from the social, cultural and educational context of their lives. The core of what young children learn is not a particular body of knowledge or a specific set of skills. After all, the skills and knowledge children need for survival depend on where they happen to be born, and vary from place to place. At the heart of what all young children learn, are the universal higher mental functions required to analyse reality. How deeply and securely children are able to acquire them ultimately determines the differences in their abilities. The classification of abilities When we think about what our children might be good at, we often have in mind a specific list. For example, we might think about Linguistic, Mathematical, Musical, Physical, Visual, Intra-personal or Inter-personal abilities. The Russian psychologists Olga Diachenko and Nickolai Veraksa stress that young children must develop communicative, self-regulative and cognitive abilities. Children need to be able to understand others and to make themselves understood. They need to be able to plan and to manage their own attention and behaviour. And they need to be able to build mental models of how the world works. These are the general abilities we need. They are the learning abilities that are the prerequisites for success at school and for creative and intellectual achievement. More than 12 outstanding thinkers — prominent Russian educationalists and developmental psychologists — including Leonid Venger, Olga Diachenko and Nickolai Veraksa, over a period of 30+ years, have extended and adapted Vygotsky’s ideas about learning and development in young children. Their work has led to the development of principles, curriculum content and methods, called Key to Learning, aimed at developing the cognitive abilities of young children (3–7 year olds). The approach makes it possible to substantially increase the developmental effect of education and its influence on the development of cognitive abilities. The Key to Learning curriculum offers a unique and specific approach to the development of each of this trio of general learning abilities -communication, self-regulation and cognition - through shared play. It is already being used in specialist schools worldwide but will shortly be available for home use too. Click here for more information.
This article is part of our reviews of AI research papers, a series of posts that explore the latest findings in artificial intelligence. Hundreds of millions of years of evolution have blessed our planet with a wide variety of lifeforms, each intelligent in its own fashion. Each species has evolved to develop innate skills, learning capacities, and a physical form that ensure its survival in its environment. But despite being inspired by nature and evolution, the field of artificial intelligence has largely focused on creating the elements of intelligence separately and fusing them together after development. While this approach has yielded great results, it has also limited the flexibility of AI agents in some of the basic skills found in even the simplest lifeforms. In a new paper published in the scientific journal Nature, AI researchers at Stanford University present a new technique that can help take steps toward overcoming some of these limits. Titled “Deep Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning,” the new technique uses a complex virtual environment and reinforcement learning to create virtual agents that can evolve both in their physical structure and learning capacities. The findings can have important implications for the future of AI and robotics research. Evolution is hard to simulate In nature, body and brain evolve together. Across many generations, every animal species has gone through countless cycles of mutation to grow limbs, organs, and a nervous system to support the functions it needs in its environment. Mosquitos have thermal vision to spot body heat. Bats have wings to fly and an echolocation apparatus to navigate dark places. Sea turtles have flippers to swim and a magnetic field detector system to travel very long distances. Humans have an upright posture that frees their arms and lets them see the far horizon, hands and nimble fingers that can manipulate objects, and a brain that makes them the best social creatures and problem solvers on the planet. Interestingly, all these species descended from the first lifeform that appeared on Earth several billion years ago. Based on the selection pressures caused by the environment, the descendants of those first living beings evolved in many different directions. Studying the evolution of life and intelligence is interesting. But replicating it is extremely difficult. An AI system that would want to recreate intelligent life in the same way that evolution did would have to search a very large space of possible morphologies, which is extremely expensive computationally. It would need a lot of parallel and sequential trial-and-error cycles. AI researchers use several shortcuts and predesigned features to overcome some of these challenges. For example, they fix the architecture or physical design of an AI or robotic system and focus on optimizing the learnable parameters. Another shortcut is the use of Lamarckian rather than Darwinian evolution, in which AI agents pass on their learned parameters to their descendants. Yet another approach is to train different AI subsystems separately (vision, locomotion, language, etc.) and then tack them on together in a final AI or robotic system. While these approaches speed up the process and reduce the costs of training and evolving AI agents, they also limit the flexibility and variety of results that can be achieved. Deep Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning In their new work, the researchers at Stanford aim to bring AI research a step closer to the real evolutionary process while keeping the costs as low as possible. “Our goal is to elucidate some principles governing relations between environmental complexity, evolved morphology, and the learnability of intelligent control,” they write in their paper. Their framework is called Deep Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning. In DERL each agent uses deep reinforcement learning to acquire the skills required to maximize its goals during its lifetime. DERL uses Darwinian evolution to search the morphological space for optimal solutions, which means that when a new generation of AI agents are spawned, they only inherit the physical and architectural traits of their parents (along with slight mutations). None of the learned parameters are passed on across generations. “DERL opens the door to performing large-scale in silico experiments to yield scientific insights into how learning and evolution cooperatively create sophisticated relationships between environmental complexity, morphological intelligence, and the learnability of control tasks,” the researchers write. For their framework, the researchers used MuJoCo, a virtual environment that provides highly accurate rigid-body physics simulation. Their design space is called UNIversal aniMAL (UNIMAL), in which the goal is to create morphologies that learn locomotion and object-manipulation tasks in a variety of terrains. Each agent in the environment is composed of a genotype that defines its limbs and joints. The direct descendant of each agent inherits the parent’s genotype and goes through mutations that can create new limbs, remove existing limbs, or make small modifications to characteristics such as the degrees of freedom or the size of limbs. Each agent is trained with reinforcement learning to maximize rewards in various environments. The most basic task is locomotion, in which the agent is rewarded for the distance it travels during an episode. Agents whose physical structure are better suited for traversing terrain learn faster to use their limbs for moving around. To test the system’s results, the researchers generated agents in three types of terrains: flat (FT), variable (VT), and variable terrains with modifiable objects (MVT). The flat terrain puts the least selection pressure on the agents’ morphology. The variable terrains, on the other hand, force the agents to develop a more versatile physical structure that can climb slopes and move around obstacles. The MVT variant has the added challenge of requiring the agents to manipulate objects to achieve their goals. The benefits of DERL One of the interesting findings of the DERL is the diversity of the results. Other approaches to evolutionary AI tend to converge on one solution because new agents directly inherit the physique and learnings of their parents. But in DERL, only morphological data is passed on to descendants, the system ends up creating a diverse set of successful morphologies, including bipeds, tripeds, and quadrupeds with and without arms. At the same time, the system shows traits of the Baldwin effect, which suggests that agents that learn faster are more likely to reproduce and pass on their genes to the next generation. DERL shows that evolution “selects for faster learners without any direct selection pressure for doing so,” according to the Stanford paper. “Intriguingly, the existence of this morphological Baldwin effect could be exploited in future studies to create embodied agents with lower sample complexity and higher generalization capacity,” the researchers write. Finally, the DERL framework also validates the hypothesis that more complex environments will give rise to more intelligent agents. The researchers tested the evolved agents across eight different tasks, including patrolling, escaping, manipulating objects, and exploration. Their findings show that in general, agents that have evolved in variable terrains learn faster and perform better than AI agents that have only experienced flat terrain. Their findings seem to be in line with another hypothesis by DeepMind researchers that a complex environment, a suitable reward structure, and reinforcement learning can eventually lead to the emergence of all kinds of intelligent behaviors. AI and robotics research The DERL environment only has a fraction of the complexities of the real world. “Although DERL enables us to take a significant step forward in scaling the complexity of evolutionary environments, an important line of future work will involve designing more open-ended, physically realistic, and multi-agent evolutionary environments,” the researchers write. In the future, the researchers will expand the range of evaluation tasks to better assess how the agents can enhance their ability to learn human-relevant behaviors. The work can have important implications for the future of AI and robotics and push researchers to use exploration methods that are much more similar to natural evolution. “We hope our work encourages further large-scale explorations of learning and evolution in other contexts to yield new scientific insights into the emergence of rapidly learnable intelligent behaviors, as well as new engineering advances in our ability to instantiate them in machines,” the researchers write. This article was originally published by Ben Dickson on TechTalks, a publication that examines trends in technology, how they affect the way we live and do business, and the problems they solve. But we also discuss the evil side of technology, the darker implications of new tech, and what we need to look out for. You can read the original articlehere.
Flying model rockets is a relatively safe and inexpensive way for students to learn the basics of forces and the response of vehicles to external forces. Like an airplane, a model rocket is subjected to the forces of weight, thrust, and aerodynamics The thrust force is supplied by a small solid rocket engine. There are two main categories of rocket engines; liquid rockets and solid rockets. In a the fuel and the source of oxygen (oxidizer) necessary for are stored separately and pumped into the combustion chamber of the where burning occurs. the fuel and oxidizer are mixed together into a solid propellant which is packed into a solid cylinder. Under normal temperature conditions, the propellant does not burn; but the propellant will burn when exposed to an external source of heat. Some type of igniter is used to initiate the burning of a solid rocket motor at the end of the propellant facing the nozzle. As the propellant burns, hot exhaust gas is produced which is used to propel the rocket, and a "flame front" is produced which moves into the propellant. Once the burning starts, it will proceed until all the propellant is burned. With a liquid rocket, you can stop the thrust by turning off the flow of fuel or oxidizer; but with a solid rocket, you must destroy the casing to stop the engine. Liquid rockets tend to be heavier and more complex because of the pumps used to move the fuel and oxidizer, and you usually load the fuel and oxidizer into the rocket just before launch. A solid rocket is much easier to handle and can sit for years of building and flying model rockets is the result of the production and availability of pre-packaged solid model rocket engines. The engines are produced by several manufacturers and are available in a variety of sizes with a range of The engines can be bought at most hobby stores and some toy stores for a modest price (average current price is 3 engines for $5). The engines are used once and discarded; a new engine is inserted into the rocket for the next flight. Before these engines became available, many young rocket builders lost limbs or life in the process of mixing rocket fuels. With these engines, you can still have the fun of building and flying rockets, learn the fundamentals, and then move on to the more dangerous and complex problems of propulsion. On this slide we show a drawing of the parts of a model rocket engine so that you can learn how it works. We have laid the engine on its side, and "cut" the engine in half so that we can see what is inside. Never disturb, cut, or modify a real model rocket engine. The propellant can ignite at any time if there is a source of heat. The engine is installed in a rocket shown by the dashed lines on the figure. The engine casing is a cylinder made of heavy cardboard which contains the nozzle, propellants, and other explosive charges. At the right side of the engine is the nozzle, a relatively simple device used to accelerate hot gases and produce thrust. Model rocket nozzles are usually made of clays or ceramics because of the high temperature of the exhaust. The hot gases for a model rocket are produced by the solid propellant, shown in green. An electric igniter is used to launch a model rocket. As the flame burns through the propellant, the rocket experiences When the flame front reaches the far left of the propellant, thrust goes to zero, and a delay charge, colored blue, begins to burn. delay, no thrust is produced and the rocket coasts up to its maximum altitude. The length of the delay varies between engines from 2 to 8 seconds and the amount of the delay is listed on the engine casing. When the delay charge is completely burned through, the ejection charge,shown in red, is ignited. This produces a small explosion which ejects hot gas out the front of the engine through the engine mount, ejects the nose cone, and deploys the parachute for a safe Beginner's Guide Home
STATIC OPERATIONS IN THE DECIMAL SYSTEM To realize the concept of addition (putting together), subtraction (taking away), multiplication (adding the same number many times), and division (distributing equally) Control of Error: The teacher checks the quantities counted. – golden bead materials including wooden hundred squares and thousand cubes – large numeral cards – three sets of small numeral cards – a box containing symbols for operations +, -, x,÷ – small pieces of paper – a thin rod to be used for the = line – a soft cloth. a. Presentation of Addition: Small Group Presentation. Each of two or three children takes a tray. The teacher states a different numeral for each and they find the appropriate small numeral cards and the quantity, placing the cards on top of the respective quantity. The teacher controls. The child arranges the cards, places the numeral on the table and dumps the quantity on the cloth. When all the quantities are on the cloth, the teacher gathers up the cloth, mixing all the quantities together. The cloth is opened and the materials are sorted. The child begins with units counting the quantity and bringing the large numeral card. When all has been counted, the child arranges the cards and reads the quantity that the combination has produced. Pointing to small numeral cards: ‘The children brought these small quantities. When we put them together we made this large quantity.” (indicating the large numeral cards which is seperated from the addends by the thin rod) ‘We have done addition.’ The numerals are arranged in a column. The plus sign and its function is presented. The line (which was formed by the thin rod) is equivalent to the = sign. The teacher reads the problem (equation) ‘2,512 plus 1,234 equals 3,746.’ b. Presentation of Subtraction: Group Presentation: Initially the teacher may play the “Rich Man, Poor Man” game to demonstrate the concept of “taking away.” The teacher has a large quantity from which several children take away small quantities until there is nothing left. The purpose of this game is to make the impression of taking away and nothing remaining. The child has an empty tray. The teacher has a large quantity on his tray. The quantity is counted beginning with the units and large numeral cards are placed on the quantities. The child arranges these cards and reads the numeral. Offering the child some of this large quantity, the teacher chooses some small numeral cards. The child arranges these cards and reads what shall be taken away. The teacher counts out this quantity from what is on the tray, beginning with units. What is left? This quantity is counted and small numeral cards placed on the quantities, arranged and read. What remains on the tray is the result of subtraction. When we take away, we are subtracting. The problem is set up with the minus sign and read. The large cards tell us the large quantity; the smaller cards are for the small quantity that was taken away and the small quantity that remains. c. Presentation of Multiplication: Group Presentation: Each child is given a tray and is asked to get the cards and quantities for a stated number. The teacher controls each child’s tray; the cards are arranged, the numeral is read and the quantity is placed on the table. As in addition the quantities are put together, sorted, counted, labeled and the sum is read. The problem is then set up as in addition with the plus sign. Now it is observed that in this ‘special’ addition, all of the quantities put together (addends) are the same. This special addition is called multiplication. Taking one small numeral : ‘We can say that we took this quantity three times.’ The times sign is presented and the numeral three is written on a blank piece of paper. The result has not changed; this is just an easier way to write the problem. Note: After this initial presentation, the child no longer sets up the addition problem first. d. Presentation of Division: Group Presentation: The children are seated in a circle. One child is asked to pick up the large numeral cards for the stated quantity, and he brings the golden bead material. ‘This large quantity must be distributed to each of these other children equally. ‘Starting with the thousands, one thousand for you, one thousand for you, another thousand for, another thousand for you’… until all of the quantity has been distributed. The children who received count their quantity to be sure that everyone received the same amount. One child is asked to get the small numeral cards. It is emphasized that each child received this amount. When we distribute equally to many others, we divide. The division problem is set up, using a small piece of paper for the divisor, and it is read. The result of division is what one child receives. After each problem has been demonstrated and set up with numeral cards and symbols, the child may write this in his notebook, preferably on paper with columns and in colors for the hierarchical orders. After all of the operations have been presented, it is important for the child to understand the function of each operation. ‘What is addition?… putting together…etc.
Feel the ground. It’s nice and cool, right? Well, dig down a few kilometers and things really heat up. Once you’re down more than 30 km, and temperatures can reach more than 1,000 degrees C; that’s hot enough to melt rock. The melted rock is called magma, and it collects into vast chambers beneath the Earth’s surface. The molten rock is less dense than the surrounding rock and so it “floats” upwards through cracks and faults. When the magma finds its way to the surface, it erupts as lava, rock, ash and volcanic gases; this is a volcanic mountain. A volcanic mountain starts out as a simple crack in the Earth called a volcanic vent. Magma erupts out of the ground as lava flows, clouds of ash, and explosions of rock. This material falls back to Earth around the vent, and piles up around it. Over time (and sometimes quite quickly) a volcanic mountain builds up, with the familiar cone shape. There are different kinds of volcanic mountains. Cinder cone mountains are made up of material blasted out that rains back down. They don’t usually grow too large. Shield volcanoes are built up by many lava flows of low viscosity lava (low viscosity means that it flows more easily). The lava can flow for dozens of kilometers, and the volcano can be very wide. A stratovolcano or composite volcano is made up of many layers of ash, rock and hardened lava. Some of the largest, most impressive volcanoes in the world are stratovolcanoes (think about Mount Fuji or Rainier). And we don’t just have volcanic mountains here on Earth. The largest mountain in the Solar System is Olympus Mons on Mars. This enormous shield volcano has grown to more than 21 km tall. There are also active volcanoes on Jupiter’s moon Io. We have also recorded an episode of Astronomy Cast about Earth, as part of our tour through the Solar System – Episode 51: Earth.
Your passwords are the most common way to prove your identity when using websites, email accounts and your computer itself (via User Accounts). The use of strong passwords is therefore essential in order to protect your security and identity. The best security in the world is useless if a malicious person has a legitimate user name and password. Passwords are commonly used in conjunction with your username. However, on secure sites they may also be used alongside other methods of identification such as a separate PIN and/or memorable information. In some cases you will also be asked to enter only certain characters of your password, for additional security. The risk of using weak passwords and not having a separate password for your email account People impersonating you to commit fraud and other crimes, including: - Accessing your bank account - Purchasing items online with your money - Impersonating you on social networking and dating sites - Sending emails in your name - Accessing the private information held on your computer Choosing the best passwords - Always use a password. - Use a strong, separate password for your email account. - To create a strong password, simply choose three random words. Numbers, symbols and combinations of upper and lower case can be used if you feel you need to create a stronger password, or the account you are creating a password for requires more than just letters. - There are alternatives, with no hard and fast rules, but you could consider the following suggestions: - Choose a password with at least eight characters (more if you can, as longer passwords are harder for criminals to guess or break), a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and keyboard symbols such as @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ +. (for example SP1D3Rm@n – a variation of spiderman, with letters, numbers, upper and lower case). However, be aware that some of these punctuation marks may be difficult to enter on foreign keyboards. Also remember that changing letters to numbers (for example E to 3 and i to 1) are techniques well-known to criminals. - A line of a song that other people would not associate with you. - Someone else’s mother’s maiden name (not your own mother’s maiden name). - Pick a phrase known to you, for example ‘Tramps like us, baby we were born to run’” and take the first character from each word to get ‘tlu,bwwbtr’ - Use the following as passwords: - Your username, actual name or business name. - Family members’ or pets’ names. - Your or family birthdays. - Favourite football or F1 team or other words easy to work out with a little background knowledge. - The word ‘password’. - Numerical sequences. - A single commonplace dictionary word, which could be cracked by common hacking programs. - When choosing numerical passcodes or PINs, do not use ascending or descending numbers (for example 4321 or 12345), duplicated numbers (such as 1111) or easily recognisable keypad patterns (such as 14789 or 2580). Looking after your passwords - Never disclose your passwords to anyone else. If you think that someone else knows your password, change it immediately. - Don’t enter your password when others can see what you are typing. - The routine changing of passwords is not recommended, unless the accounts to which they apply have been hacked, in which case they should be changed immediately. This also applies if another account or website for which you use the same login details have been hacked. - Use a different password for every website. If you have only one password, a criminal simply has to break it to gain access to everything. - Don’t recycle passwords (for example password2, password3). - If you must write passwords down in order to remember them, encrypt them in a way that is familiar to you but makes them indecipherable by others. - An alternative to writing down passwords is to use an online password vault or safe. Seek recommendations, and ensure the one you choose is secure and reputable. - Do not send your password by email. No reputable firm will ask you to do this. The fact that you should use different passwords for each of your accounts can make them very difficult to remember. Consider using one of the many password vaults available on the internet, but read reviews and get recommendations. There are a number of password managers (otherwise known as password vaults, safes or perhaps another term) available for your use – some paid for, some free of charge. These enable you to store all of your passwords in one, easy-to-access location so that you do not need to remember them all, or write them down. You merely need to remember one set of login details. You should read reviews or get personal recommendations before entering your passwords into a password vault. Whichever you choose, our recommendation is that it features two-factor authentication (2FA) – in other words, it sends a code to your mobile phone or other device, which you need to enter into the password vault in order to gain access, much like when you confirm an online bank payment. For additional security, we recommend that you encrypt passwords in some way prior to entering them into the vault, although we realise that for the average user, this is not always practical. Controlling user accounts Everybody who uses a computer should be assigned their own user account so that only they can access their files and programs. Each user account should be accessible only by entering a username and password in order to safeguard users’ privacy. Do not use an account with administrator privileges for everyday use, as malware could assume administrator rights. Even if you are the only user, set up an administrator account to use when you need to carry out tasks such as installing programs or changing the system configuration, and another ‘standard user’ account as your regular account. If you are not logged in as administrator, you will be prompted to enter an administrator password when you install a new device driver or program. You can manage user accounts in Windows Control Panel.
Water and air pollution have altered the course of the earth’s history. Along with amazing technological advances, the Industrial Revolution of the mid-19th century introduced new sources of air and water pollution. By the middle of the 20th century, the effects of these changes were beginning to be felt in countries around the world. In the 1960s, an environmental movement began to emerge that sought to stem the tide of pollutants flowing into the planet’s ecosystems. Out of this movement came events like Earth Day and legislative victories like the Clean Air Act (1970) and the Clean Water Act (1972). Global warming caused by air pollution continues to be a threat that the scientists of the world are racing to address. The Industrial Revolution In the latter part of the 13th century, in an effort to reduce air pollution, England’s King Edward I threatened Londoners with harsh penalties if they didn’t stop burning sea-coal. However, the king’s regulations–and those of subsequent leaders–had little effect. By the late 18th century and first part of the 19th century, coal came into large-scale use during the Industrial Revolution. The resulting smog and soot had serious health impacts on the residents of growing urban centers. In the Great Smog of 1952, pollutants from factories and home fireplaces mixed with air condensation killed at least 4,000 people in London over the course of several days. A few years earlier, in 1948, severe industrial air pollution created a deadly smog that asphyxiated 20 people in Donora, Pennsylvania, and made 7,000 more sick. Acid rain, first discovered in the 1850s, was another problem resulting from coal-powered plants. The release of human-produced sulfur and nitrogen compounds into the atmosphere negatively impacted plants, fish, soil, forests and some building materials. Leading Cause of Air Pollution Today, the leading cause of air pollution in the U.S. is motor vehicles, which were first mass-produced in the U.S. by Henry Ford in the early 20th century. Auto emissions also increase the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which in turn contribute to global warming. The Keeling Curve developed by geochemist Charles Keeling in the late 1950s revealed a steady rise in CO2 levels that can lead to climate change, and by the 1980s, computer models were showing that a doubling of CO2 could cause global temperatures to rise between 2.6 degrees F within the next century. The Clean Air Act In 1963, in an effort to reduce air pollution, the U.S. Congress passed the Clean Air Act, legislation which has been amended and strengthened in the ensuing decades. However, in 2007, almost half (46 percent) of all Americans resided in counties with unhealthy levels of either ozone or particle pollution, according to the American Lung Association (ALA). Ozone, or smog, is described by the ALA as “an irritating, invisible gas that is formed most often by a reaction of sunlight and vapors emitted when fuel is burned by cars and trucks, factories, power plants and other sources. Ozone reacts chemically (“oxidizes”) with internal body tissues that it comes in contact with, such as those in the lung.” It irritates the respiratory tract and can lead to a number of health problems, including asthma attacks, chest pain and even death. The ALA defines particle pollution (formerly referred to as soot) as “the most dangerous, and deadly, of the widespread outdoor air pollutants.” Particle pollution is microscopic and derived from “a complex mixture that can include ash, soot, diesel exhaust, chemicals, metals, and aerosols. Recommended for you In the eastern U.S., many particles come from power plants that burn coal to produce electricity. In the western U.S., many come from diesel buses, trucks, and heavy equipment, as well as agriculture and wood burning,” according to the ALA. “Breathing particle pollution year-round can shorten life by one to three years. It causes many other health effects, premature births to serious respiratory disorders, even when the particle levels are very low. It makes asthma worse and causes wheezing, coughing and respiratory irritation in anyone with sensitive airways. It also triggers heart attacks, strokes, irregular heartbeat, and premature death.” What Is Water Pollution? Just like air, water is under assault from numerous types of pollution. For centuries, humans unknowingly contaminated sources of drinking water with raw sewage, which led to diseases such as cholera and typhoid. According to a CNN report, one gram of human excrement contains approximately “10 million viruses, 1 million bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts and 100 parasite eggs.” Today, over 1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe water and every 15 seconds somewhere on the planet, a child dies from a water-related disease, according to WaterPartners International (www.water.org) . Water pollution intensified with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, when factories began releasing pollutants directly into rivers and streams. In 1969, chemical waste released into Ohio’s Cuyahoga River caused it to burst into flames and the waterway became a symbol of how industrial pollution was destroying America’s natural resources. In 2007, CNN reported that “up to 500 million tons of heavy metals, solvents and toxic sludge slip into the global water supply every year. In the developing world [according to UNESCO] as much as 70 percent of industrial waste is just dumped untreated into the rivers and lakes. China is a perfect case in point. According to Greenpeace, around 70 percent of China’s lakes and rivers are now polluted from industrial waste, leaving 300 million people ‘forced to rely on polluted water supplies.'” Water sources are also contaminated by rain runoff from such things as oil-slick roads; construction, mining and dump sites; and livestock wastes from farm operations. Leaky septic tanks, pesticides and fertilizers are among the other sources that can contaminate groundwater. Over half the American population (including the majority of those living in rural areas) relies on groundwater for drinking water, according to The Groundwater Foundation, which also notes that the largest use for groundwater is crop irrigation. The Clean Water Act In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act to reduce water pollution. Various pieces of anti-pollution legislation have followed since that time and today the U.S. has relatively clean, safe drinking water compared with much of the world. However, water pollution is still a problem. In 2006, the Environmental News Service (ENS) reported that “more than 62 percent of industrial and municipal facilities across the country discharged more pollution into U.S. waterways than their Clean Water Act permits allowed between July 2003 and December 2004.” The ENS also noted that over 40 percent of American waterways were unsafe for swimming and fishing. Additionally, water resources face an ongoing threat from man-made environmental disasters such as the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, during which approximately 11 million gallons of crude oil were accidentally dumped into the sea off Alaska’s Prince William Sound. The disaster, which created a 3,000-square-mile oil slick, instantly killed hundreds of thousands of birds, fish and other wildlife and devastated the area for years afterward. How Can We Stop Air and Water Pollution? According to EPA.gov, air pollution can be lessened by carpooling or using mass transit or hybrid vehicles that reduce your carbon footprint. To avoid water pollution, do not dispose of oils, grease, fat, or chemicals down the sink. Flushing pills or medications can also negatively impact groundwater. Since 1970, environmental activists and allies have been celebrating Earth Day in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of water and air pollution to our environment and health.
What is atopic dermatitis? Atopic dermatitis, often called eczema, is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that causes the skin to become inflamed and irritated, making it extremely itchy. Scratching leads to: Redness. Swelling. Cracking. “Weeping” clear fluid. Crusting. Scaling. In most cases, there are times when the disease is worse, called flares, followed by times when the skin improves or clears up entirely, called remissions. Atopic dermatitis is a common condition, and anyone can get the disease. However, it usually begins in childhood. Atopic dermatitis cannot be spread from person to person. No one knows what causes atopic dermatitis. Depending on What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. Children and teens with scoliosis have an abnormal S-shaped or C-shaped curve of the spine. The curve can happen on either side of the spine and in different places in the spine. With treatment, observation, and follow-up with the doctor, most children and teens with scoliosis have normal, active lives. What is osteonecrosis? Your bones are made up of living cells that need a blood supply to stay healthy. In osteonecrosis, blood flow to part of a bone is reduced. This causes death of bone tissue, and the bone can eventually break down and the joint will collapse. Osteonecrosis can happen to any bone, but most often it develops in the ends of long bones, such as the: Thigh bone. Upper arm bone. Less often, the bones of the elbows, ankles, feet, wrists, and hands are affected. When the disease involves part of a bone in a joint, it can What is scleroderma? Scleroderma is an autoimmune connective tissue and rheumatic disease that causes inflammation in the skin and other areas of the body. This inflammation leads to patches of tight, hard skin. Scleroderma involves many systems in your body. A connective tissue disease is one that affects tissues such as skin, tendons, and cartilage. There are two major types of scleroderma: Localized scleroderma only affects the skin and the structures directly under the skin. Systemic scleroderma, also called systemic sclerosis, affects many systems in the body. This is the more serious type of scleroderma and can damage your blood What is acne? Acne is a common skin condition that happens when hair follicles under the skin become clogged. Oil and dead skin cells plug the pores, and outbreaks of lesions (often called pimples or zits) can happen. Most often, the outbreaks occur on the face but can also appear on the back, chest, and shoulders. For most people, acne tends to go away by the time they reach their thirties, but some people in their forties and fifties continue to have this skin problem. What are sports injuries? Sports injuries are injuries that happen when playing sports or exercising. There are two kinds of sports injuries: Acute injuries occur suddenly when playing or exercising. For example: Sprained ankles. Strained backs. Broken bones. Chronic injuries happen after you play a sport or exercise for a long time. What are sprains and strains? A sprain is an injury to a ligament (tissue that connects two or more bones at a joint). When a sprain happens, one or more ligaments is stretched or torn. A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon (fibrous cords of tissue that connect muscle to bone). In a strain, a muscle or tendon is stretched or torn. What is gout? Gout is a type of arthritis that causes pain and swelling in your joints, usually as flares that last for a week or two, and then go away. Gout flares often begin in your big toe or a lower limb. Gout happens when high levels of a substance called serum urate build up in your body. When this happens, needle-shaped crystals form in and around the joint. This leads to inflammation and arthritis of the joint. However, many people with high levels of serum urate will not develop gout. With early diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes, gout What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become weak and brittle. This increases your risk of broken bones (fractures). Osteoporosis is a “silent” disease because you may not have symptoms. You may not even know you have the disease until you break a bone. Breaks can occur in any bone but happen most often in: Hip bones. Vertebrae in the spine. Wrist. You can take steps to help prevent osteoporosis and broken bones by: Doing weight-bearing exercises, such as walking or dancing, and lifting weights. Not drinking too much alcohol. Quitting smoking, or not starting if
What Is The Difference Between Material Culture And Nonmaterial Culture? Material culture refers to the objects or belongings of a group of people. … Nonmaterial culture in contrast consists of the ideas attitudes and beliefs of a society. Material and nonmaterial aspects of culture are linked and physical objects often symbolize cultural ideas. What is the difference between material and non-material culture give an example of each? What is the difference between material and nonmaterial culture quizlet? material culture is the things a group of people physically create and use while nonmaterial culture is abstract/non-physical rules or expectations a group of people choses to live by. … The belief that cultures should be judged by their own standards rather than applying the standards of another culture. What is the difference between material culture and nonmaterial culture answers com? Material culture includes all of the physical things that people create and attach meaning to. Nonmaterial culture includes creations and abstract ideas that are not embodied in physical objects. What is the difference between material and non? Material culture is the physical objects that represent a particular culture whereas non-material culture contains ideas attitudes or beliefs in a certain culture. What is meant by material culture? Why does material culture change faster than nonmaterial culture? A culture’s objects and ideas can cause not just generational but cultural gaps. Material culture tends to diffuse more quickly than nonmaterial culture technology can spread through society in a matter of months but it can take generations for the ideas and beliefs of society to change. What defines nonmaterial culture quizlet? nonmaterial culture. – intangibles produced by intellectual or spiritual development. – the use of artifacts in a given culture. – include language knowledge symbols customs morals beliefs and practices that help organize and give meanings to our social world. Which is an example of nonmaterial culture quizlet? Beliefs about the supernatural customs and rules of behavior are examples of nonmaterial culture. What is nonmaterial culture in sociology? Thoughts or ideas that make up a culture are called the non-material culture. In contrast to material culture non-material culture does not include any physical objects or artifacts. Examples of non-material culture include any ideals ideas beliefs values norms that may help shape society. How do you fill the gap between material and non-material culture? Media is a powerful institution that can shape our values and beliefs. Hence media can play role in bridging the gap between material and non-material culture. Lastly sociologists can advise the country’s policymakers. Government help and policies can definitely go a long way in fixing cultural lag in society. What is the difference between material and symbolic culture? Material culture refers to the relationship between artifacts and social relations while symbolic (or nonmaterial) culture refers to the ideas beliefs values or norms that shape a society. How is the material culture influenced by the nonmaterial culture? The material culture is influenced by the non-material culture by having people apply their attitudes towards the production of artifacts. What is the difference between material and non-material resources? Material resources include all things that can be physically touched nonmaterial resources like our feelings cannot be physically touched. What is the difference between a need and a want? … A want is anything you feel like having that is not a need. What is the difference between ideal culture and real culture? Ideal culture includes the values and norms that a culture claims to have while real culture includes the values and norms that are actually followed by a culture. Is religion a non-material culture? Examples of nonmaterial culture include languages and words dress codes etiquette rituals business and social transactions religion laws punishments and values. Non-material culture does not include any physical objects or artifacts. What is the meaning of non-material culture? Thoughts or ideas that make up a culture are called the non-material culture. In contrast to material culture non-material culture does not include any physical objects or artifacts. Examples of non-material culture include any ideas beliefs values norms that may help shape society. What is the importance of material and non-material culture? What is material culture in simple words? Definition of material culture : the totality of physical objects made by a people for the satisfaction of their needs especially : those articles requisite for the sustenance and perpetuation of life. What is a material culture in sociology? Can society exist without culture Why or why not? ANSWER: No society cannot exist without culture. EXPLANATION: A culture is an accumulation of thoughts practices and norms and behaviors that the society practices and implements in their everyday life. Is music a material culture? The truth about culture Nonmaterial culture includes language customs rituals values and beliefs that define a society. Material culture includes all of the society’s physical objects like entertainment food art music fashion and celebrations. Is sports material or nonmaterial culture? A group of people includes the things they construct such as art houses clothing sports dance and foods. things that were tangerable . That could be part of your culture. How is the material culture influenced by the nonmaterial culture quizlet? How we see and use physical objects is a matter of nonmaterial culture. Values beliefs and norms are dictating how are we going to use anything material. … These two groups of people obviously don’t share same values and beliefs so that would use a physical object a camper van in this case in a different way. Is patriotism an example of material or nonmaterial culture? Non-material culture includes the behaviors ideas norms values and beliefs that contribute to a society’s overall culture. Material and non-material culture are two parts of culture. For example patriotism is a type of value and is therefore part of non-material culture. What is true material culture? Material culture consists of physical or tangible creation that members of a society make use and share. language beliefs values rules of behavior familiar patterns and political systems are examples of material culture. verbal language and nonverbal language help us describe reality. Which of the following is not included in non-material culture? Answer: In contrast non-material culture does not include physical objects or artifacts. Examples include any ideas beliefs values or norms that shape a society. What is non material culture in America? Nonmaterial culture consists of the intangible aspects of a culture such as values and beliefs. Nonmaterial culture consists of concepts and ideas that shape who we are and make us different from members of other societies. Which of the following is an example of a non material aspect of culture? Examples include cars buildings clothing and tools. Nonmaterial culture refers to the abstract ideas and ways of thinking that make up a culture. Examples of nonmaterial culture include traffic laws words and dress codes. Unlike material culture nonmaterial culture is intangible. What is the elements of non material culture? The four primary components of nonmaterial culture are language norms symbols and values. Where does nonmaterial culture exist? In contrast to material culture non-material culture does not include physical objects or artifacts. It includes things that have no existence in the physical world but exist entirely in the symbolic realm. Are Symbols material or nonmaterial? As physical objects they belong to material culture but because they function as symbols they also convey nonmaterial cultural meanings. Some symbols are valuable only in what they represent. Trophies blue ribbons or gold medals for example serve no other purpose than to represent accomplishments. Is food a material culture? What is meant when one says that culture gives meaning to objects and activities? Culture gives meaning to objects. What is meant when one says that “culture gives meaning to objects and activities?” It shapes cultural norms that appropriate behavior in a given situation within a specific culture. Socialization process that have shaped your current food preferences as a consumer. Intro to Soc: Material and Nonmaterial Culture Difference between Material Culture and Non material culture What is Material culture and non material culture #material culture #nonmaterial culture n sociology Lecture 5.2 Material culture and non-material culture
The human eye is an exquisitely complicated organ. It acts like a camera to collect and focus light and convert it into an electrical signal that the brain translates into images. But instead of photographic film, it has a highly specialized retina that detects light and processes the signals using dozens of different kinds of neurons. So intricate is the eye that its origin has long been a cause célèbre among creationists and intelligent design proponents, who hold it up as a prime example of what they term irreducible complexity—a system that cannot function in the absence of any of its components and that therefore cannot have evolved naturally from a more primitive form. Indeed, Charles Darwin himself acknowledged in On the Origin of Species—the 1859 book detailing his theory of evolution by natural selection—that it might seem absurd to think the eye formed by natural selection. He nonetheless firmly believed that the eye did evolve in that way, despite a lack of evidence for intermediate forms at the time. Direct evidence has continued to be hard to come by. Whereas scholars who study the evolution of the skeleton can readily document its metamorphosis in the fossil record, soft-tissue structures rarely fossilize. And even when they do, the fossils do not preserve nearly enough detail to establish how the structures evolved. Still, biologists have recently made significant advances in tracing the origin of the eye—by studying how it forms in developing embryos and by comparing eye structure and genes across species to reconstruct when key traits arose. The results indicate that our kind of eye—the type common across vertebrates—took shape in less than 100 million years, evolving from a simple light sensor for circadian (daily) and seasonal rhythms around 600 million years ago to an optically and neurologically sophisticated organ by 500 million years ago. More than 150 years after Darwin published his groundbreaking theory, these findings put the nail in the coffin of irreducible complexity and beautifully support Darwin’s idea. They also explain why the eye, far from being a perfectly engineered piece of machinery, exhibits a number of major flaws—these flaws are the scars of evolution. Natural selection does not, as some might think, result in perfection. It tinkers with the material available to it, sometimes to odd effect. To understand how our eye originated, one needs to know something about events that occurred in deep time. We humans have an unbroken line of ancestors stretching back nearly four billion years to the beginning of life on earth. Around a billion years ago simple multicellular animals diverged into two groups: one had a radially symmetrical body plan (a top side and bottom side but no front or back), and the other—which gave rise to most of the organisms we think of as animals—was bilaterally symmetrical, with left and right sides that are mirror images of one another and a head end. The bilateria themselves then diverged around 600 million years ago into two important groups: one that gave rise to the vast majority of today’s spineless creatures, or invertebrates, and one whose descendants include our own vertebrate lineage. Soon after these two lineages parted ways, an amazing diversity of animal body plans proliferated—the so-called Cambrian explosion that famously left its mark in the fossil record of around 540 million to 490 million years ago. This burst of evolution laid the groundwork for the emergence of our complex eye. Compound vs. Camera The fossil record shows that during the Cambrian explosion two fundamentally different styles of eye arose. The first seems to have been a compound eye of the kind seen today in all adult insects, spiders and crustaceans—part of an invertebrate group collectively known as the arthropods. In this type of eye, an array of identical imaging units, each of which constitutes a lens or reflector, beams light to a handful of light-sensitive elements called photoreceptors. Compound eyes are very effective for small animals in offering a wide-angle view and moderate spatial resolution in a small volume. In the Cambrian, such visual ability may have given trilobites and other ancient arthropods a survival advantage over their visually impaired contemporaries. Compound eyes are impractical for large animals, however, because the eye size required for high-resolution vision would be overly large. Hence, as body size increased, so, too, did the selective pressures favoring the evolution of another type of eye: the camera variety. In camera-style eyes, the photoreceptors all share a single light-focusing lens, and they are arranged as a sheet (the retina) that lines the inner surface of the wall of the eye. Squid and octopuses have a camera-style eye that superficially resembles our own, but their photoreceptors are the same kind found in insect eyes. Vertebrates possess a different style of photoreceptor, which in jawed vertebrates (including ourselves) comes in two varieties: cones for daylight vision and rods for nighttime vision. Several years ago Edward N. Pugh, Jr., then at the University of Pennsylvania, and Shaun P. Collin, then at the University of Queensland in Australia, and I teamed up to try to figure out how these different types of photoreceptors could have evolved. What we found went beyond answering that question to provide a compelling scenario for the origin of the vertebrate eye. Like other biologists before us, Pugh, Collin and I observed that many of the hallmark features of the vertebrate eye are the same across all living representatives of a major branch of the vertebrate tree: that of the jawed vertebrates. This pattern suggests that jawed vertebrates inherited the traits from a common ancestor and that our eye had already evolved by around 420 million years ago, when the first jawed vertebrates (which probably resembled modern-day cartilaginous fish such as sharks) patrolled the seas. We reasoned that our camera-style eye and its photoreceptors must therefore have still deeper roots, so we turned our attention to the more primitive jawless vertebrates, with which we share a common ancestor from roughly 500 million years ago. We wanted to examine the anatomy of such an animal in detail and thus decided to focus on one of the few modern-day animals in this group: the lamprey, an eel-like fish with a funnel-shaped mouth built for sucking rather than biting. It turns out that this fish, too, has a camera-style eye complete with a lens, an iris and eye muscles. The lamprey’s retina even has a three-layered structure like ours, and its photoreceptor cells closely resemble our cones, although it has apparently not evolved the more sensitive rods. Furthermore, the genes that govern many aspects of light detection, neural processing and eye development are the same ones that direct these processes in jawed vertebrates. These striking similarities to the eye of jawed vertebrates are far too numerous to have arisen independently. Instead an eye essentially identical to our own must have been present in the common ancestor of the jawless and jawed vertebrates 500 million years ago. At this point, my colleagues and I could not help but wonder whether we could trace the origin of the eye and its photoreceptors back even further. Unfortunately, there are no living representatives of lineages that split off from our line in the preceding 50 million years, the next logical slice of time to study. But we found clues in the eye of an enigmatic beast called the hagfish. Like their close relatives the lampreys, hagfish are eel-shaped, jawless fish. They typically live on the ocean floor, where they feed on crustaceans and fallen carcasses of other marine creatures. When threatened, they exude an extremely viscous slime, hence the nickname “slime eels.” Although hagfish are vertebrates, their eye departs profoundly from the vertebrate norm. The hagfish eye lacks a cornea, iris, lens and all of the usual supporting muscles. Its retina contains just two layers of cells rather than three. Furthermore, each eye is buried deep underneath a translucent patch of skin. Observations of hagfish behavior suggest that the animals are virtually blind, locating carrion with their keen sense of smell. The hagfish shares a common ancestor with the lamprey, and this ancestor presumably had a camera-style eye like the lamprey’s. The hagfish eye must therefore have degenerated from that more advanced form. That it still exists in this diminished state is telling. We know from blind cavefish, for instance, that the eye can undergo massive degeneration and can even be lost altogether in as little as 10,000 years. Yet the hagfish eye, such as it is, has hung on for hundreds of millions of years. This persistence suggests that even though the animal cannot use its eye to see in the dim ocean depths, the organ is somehow important for survival. The discovery also has other implications. The hagfish eye may have ended up in its rudimentary state by way of a failure of development, so its current structure may be representative of the architecture of an earlier evolutionary stage. The operation of the hagfish eye could thus throw light on how the proto-eye functioned before evolving into a visual organ. Hints about the role the hagfish eye might play came from taking a closer look at the animal’s retina. In the standard three-layered vertebrate retina, the cells in the middle layer, known as bipolar cells, process information from the photoreceptors and communicate the results to the output neurons, whose signals travel to the brain for interpretation. The two-layered hagfish retina, however, lacks the intervening bipolar cells, which means that the photoreceptors connect directly to the output neurons. In this regard, the wiring of the hagfish retina closely resembles that of the so-called pineal gland, a small, hormone-secreting body in the vertebrate brain. The pineal gland modulates circadian rhythms, and in nonmammalian vertebrates it contains photoreceptor cells that connect directly to output neurons with no intermediary cells; in mammals those cells have lost their ability to detect light. Based in part on this parallel to the pineal gland, my collaborators and I proposed in 2007 that the hagfish eye is not involved in vision but instead provides input to the part of the animal’s brain that regulates crucial circadian rhythms, as well as seasonal activities such as feeding and breeding. Perhaps, then, the ancestral eye of proto-vertebrates living between 550 million and 500 million years ago first served as a nonvisual organ and only later evolved the neural processing power and optical and motor components needed for spatial vision. Studies of the embryological development of the vertebrate eye support this notion. When a lamprey is in the larval stage, it lives in a streambed and, like the hagfish, is blind. At that point in its young life, its eye resembles the hagfish eye in being structurally simple and buried below the skin. When the larva undergoes metamorphosis, its rudimentary eye grows substantially and develops a three-layered retina; a lens, cornea and supporting muscles all form. The organ then erupts at the surface as a camera-style vertebrate eye. Because many aspects of the development of an individual mirror events that occurred during the evolution of its ancestors, we can, with caution, use the developing lamprey eye to inform our reconstruction of how the eye evolved. During embryological development the mammalian eye, too, exhibits telltale clues to its evolutionary origin. Benjamin E. Reese and his collaborators at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have found that the circuitry of the mammalian retina starts out rather like that of the hagfish, with the photoreceptors connecting directly to the output neurons. Then, over a period of several weeks, the bipolar cells mature and insert themselves between the photoreceptors and the output neurons. This sequence is exactly the developmental pattern one would expect to see if the vertebrate retina evolved from a two-layered circadian organ by adding processing power and imaging components. It therefore seems entirely plausible that this early, simple stage of development represents a holdover from a period in evolution before the invention of bipolar cell circuitry in the retina and before the invention of the lens, cornea and supporting muscles. Rise of the Receptors While we were studying the development of the three layers of the retina, another question related to the eye’s evolution occurred to us. Photoreceptor cells across the animal kingdom fall into two distinct classes: rhabdomeric and ciliary. Until recently, many scientists thought that invertebrates used the rhabdomeric class, whereas vertebrates used the ciliary class, but in fact, the situation is more complicated. In the vast majority of organisms, ciliary photoreceptors are responsible for sensing light for nonvisual purposes—to regulate circadian rhythms, for example. Rhabdomeric receptors, in contrast, sense light for the express purpose of enabling vision. Both the compound eyes of arthropods and the camera-style eyes of mollusks such as the octopus, which evolved independently of the camera-style eyes of vertebrates, employ rhabdomeric photoreceptors. The vertebrate eye, however, uses the ciliary class of photoreceptors to sense light for vision. In 2003 Detlev Arendt of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, reported evidence that our eye still retains the descendants of rhabdomeric photoreceptors, which have been greatly modified to form the output neurons that send information from the retina to the brain. This discovery means that our retina contains the descendants of both classes of photoreceptors: the ciliary class, which has always comprised photoreceptors, and the rhabdomeric class, transformed into output neurons. Pressing an existing structure into use for a new purpose is exactly how evolution works, and so the discovery that the ciliary and rhabdomeric photoreceptors play different roles in our eye than in the eye of invertebrates adds still more weight to the evidence that the vertebrate eye was constructed by natural processes. We wondered, though, what kinds of environmental pressures might have pushed those cells to take on those new roles. To try to understand why the ciliary photoreceptors triumphed as the light sensors of the vertebrate retina, whereas the rhabdomeric class evolved into projection neurons, I analyzed the properties of their respective light-sensing pigments, or rhodopsins, so named for the opsin protein molecule they contain. In 2004 Yoshinori Shichida of Kyoto University in Japan and his colleagues had shown that early in the evolution of vertebrate visual pigments, a change had occurred that made the light-activated form of the pigment more stable and hence more active. I proposed that this change also blocked the route for reconversion of the activated rhodopsin back to its inactive form, which for rhabdomeric rhodopsins uses the absorption of a second photon of light; thus, of necessity, a biochemical pathway was needed to reset the molecule in readiness to signal light again. Once these two elements were in place, I hypothesized, the ciliary photoreceptors would have had a distinct advantage over rhabdomeric photoreceptors in environments such as the deep ocean, where light levels are very low. As a result, some early chordates (ancestors of the vertebrates) may have been able to colonize ecological niches inaccessible to animals that relied on rhabdomeric photoreceptors—not because the improved ciliary opsin conferred better vision (the other essential components of the camera-style eye had yet to evolve) but because it provided an improved way of sensing the light that enables circadian and seasonal clocks to keep time. For these ancient chordates dwelling in darker realms, the less sensitive rhabdomeric photoreceptors they had in addition to the ciliary ones would have been virtually useless and so would have been free to take on a new role: as neurons that transmit signals to the brain. (At that point, they no longer needed opsin, and natural selection would have eliminated it from these cells.) An Eye Is Born Now that my colleagues and I had an idea of how the components of the vertebrate retina originated, we wanted to figure out how the eye evolved from a light-sensing but nonvisual organ into an image-forming one by around 500 million years ago. Here again we found clues in developing embryos. Early in development, the neural structure that gives rise to the eye bulges out on either side to form two sacs, or vesicles. Each of these vesicles then folds in on itself to form a C-shaped retina that lines the interior of the eye. Evolution probably proceeded in much the same way. We postulate that a proto-eye of this kind—with a C-shaped, two-layered retina composed of ciliary photoreceptors on the exterior and output neurons derived from rhabdomeric photoreceptors on the interior—had evolved in an ancestor of vertebrates between 550 million and 500 million years ago, serving to drive its internal clock and perhaps help it to detect shadows and orient its body properly. In the next stage of embryological development, as the retina is folding inward against itself, the lens forms, originating as a thickening of the embryo’s outer surface, or ectoderm, that bulges into the curved empty space formed by the C-shaped retina. This protrusion eventually separates from the rest of the ectoderm to become a free-floating element. It seems likely that a broadly similar sequence of changes occurred during evolution. We do not know exactly when this modification happened, but in 1994 researchers at Lund University in Sweden showed that the optical components of the eye could have easily evolved within a million years. If so, the image-forming eye may have arisen from the nonvisual proto-eye in a geologic instant. With the advent of the lens to capture light and focus images, the eye’s information-gathering capability increased dramatically. This augmentation would have created selective pressures favoring the emergence of improved signal processing in the retina beyond what the simple connection of photoreceptors to output neurons afforded. Evolution met this need by modifying the cell maturation process so that some developing cells, instead of forming ciliary photoreceptors, instead become retinal bipolar cells that insert themselves between the photoreceptor layer and the output neuron layer. This is why the retina’s bipolar cells so closely resemble rod and cone cells, although they lack rhodopsin and receive input not from light but instead from the chemical (called a neurotransmitter) released by the photoreceptors. Although camera-style eyes provide a wide field of view (typically of around 180 degrees), in practice our brain can sample only a fraction of the available information at any given time because of the limited number of nerve fibers linking our eye to our brain. The earliest camera-style eyes no doubt faced an even more severe limitation, because they presumably had even fewer nerve fibers. Thus, there would have been considerable selective pressure for the evolution of muscles to move the eye. Such muscles must have been present by 500 million years ago because the arrangement of these muscles in the lamprey, whose lineage dates back that far, is almost identical to that of jawed vertebrates, including humans. For all the ingenious features evolution built into the vertebrate eye, there are a number of decidedly inelegant traits. For instance, the retina is inside out, so light has to pass through the whole thickness of the retina—through the intervening nerve fibers and cell bodies that scatter the light and degrade image quality—before reaching the light-sensitive photoreceptors. Blood vessels also line the inner surface of the retina, casting unwanted shadows onto the photoreceptor layer. The retina has a blind spot where the nerve fibers that run across its surface congregate before tunneling out through the retina to emerge behind it as the optic nerve. The list goes on and on. These defects are by no means inevitable features of a camera-style eye because octopuses and squid independently evolved camera-style eyes that do not suffer these deficiencies. Indeed, if engineers were to build an eye with the flaws of our own, they would probably be fired. Considering the vertebrate eye in an evolutionary framework reveals these seemingly absurd shortcomings as consequences of an ancient sequence of steps, each of which provided benefit to our long-ago vertebrate ancestors even before they could see. The design of our eye is not intelligent—but it makes perfect sense when viewed in the bright light of evolution.
Pogonomyrmex maricopa. © 2003 Alex Wild - Habitat characterization - Scientific illustration - Designing a study - Pitfall trapping - Analyzing diversity data Overview & Opportunities - Learn about insects and other arthropods through images and video - Observe, record and analyze data about local arthropod diversity - Learn how to make and set simple traps for arthropod collection - Analyze data from a PhD student at UA - Use technology to share data, media (images, movies, audio) and to talk about your work Biodiversity is the variety of life that exists on our planet. We can think about this variety at many different scales, from the diversity of genetic material within a single species to the diversity of biomes within an entire geographical region. When biologists set out to study the diversity of a specific place they usually focus on the diversity of one or a few taxa. A taxon (plural: taxa) is simply a group of related organisms. Why don’t biologists study the diversity of all life within their study areas? One reason is simply because species identification requires expert knowledge. A person with expert knowledge in species identification is called a taxonomist. It often takes a taxonomist many years of work to develop the skills needed to be able to quickly identify the species they study. Thus most taxonomists have knowledge of only a few groups of organisms, which limits the scope of most diversity studies. For example, it took a group of scientists studying the diversity of several taxa (birds, butterflies, beetles, ants, termites, and nematodes) in a forest reserve in Cameroon 10,000 hours to identify the 2,000 species that were collected during the study1. So how do we decide which taxa we should study? Although arthropods can be difficult to identify, they make good focal taxa because they are essential to many ecosystem processes such as decomposition and pollination. Because humans depend on arthropods to carry out these processes, it is important to monitor the health of arthropod communities in the environment. Another reason that arthropods make good focal taxa is that they often exhibit a high degree of habitat specificity. For example, many herbivorous insect species depend entirely on one or a few species of plant for food. Very few vertebrate species are as specific in their dietary requirements. Thus, by studying the diversity of arthropods we are often able to gain insight into other habitat characteristics, such as the diversity of the plant community. What do you know about arthropods? Think about the different arthropods that you have seen around the schoolyard and in your neighborhood (USE SCIENCE YOUR SCIENCE NOTEBOOK and perhaps your class blog or wiki, see Online: Collaborate /Talk about it /Contribute / Share: below) - On your own, or with a friend or your classmates, make a list of the bugs you have seen around your school or home. In what kinds of habitats have you seen the different insects? At what time of day do you see particular bugs? - Next, make a web of how the different types of arthropods you know are related either through food chains or through their evolutionary history. (Hint: It may be helpful to first categorize the arthropods on your list.) Choose a few spots to observe and see what you find. How do you want to organize your observations? You may want to view: View Exploring Backyard Ant Diversity in the Sonoran Desert: Pogonomyrmex Science / Field Notebook Draw and take notes in a notebook. - time of day, date - names of people in your group - site name/location - weather conditions: for example, is it hot, cool, windy, sunny? - Ground cover, canopy (tree, bushes etc) cover You can also record: - Organisms present (and also not present). You can use this identification guide if you would like: Backyard Insects of Tucson - Temperature of soil, air and water temperature As you make your observations try to note the different microhabitats within your schoolyard or backyard. It will be important to understand the microhabitats within your schoolyard when we design our study. What is a microhabitat? For that matter, what is a habitat? A habitat is simply the place in which an organisms lives. Smaller habitats can be found within larger habitats, and a microhabitat is simply a smaller specialized habitat contained within a larger habitat. For example, we might speak of a grassland as a habitat and an individual clump of grass as a microhabitat within the grassland. A different suite of species can be found in each type of microhabitat. This means that if want to estimate the total diversity of the schoolyard environment we must make sure to sample from each microhabitat within the schoolyard. If you decide to focus on a particular species: - What time of day is the species active? - Where does the species forage (look for food)? - Where does it make its home? In the summer? In the winter? - Does it forage in groups or alone? - What type of locomotion does the species have? Offline: Collaborate/Talk about it/Contribute: - Science notebook: (have link to tips on how to keep sci notebook): keep notes and drawings in your notebook. - As a class make a map of the different locations and then add your observations on a daily basis. Online: Collaborate /Talk about it /Contribute / Share: - Blog to share some of your observations. Your class can make a blog by using wordpress, blogger, or a host of other blogging platforms (we like wordpress). - Use a class wiki - your class can use pbwiki.com, or wikispaces.com to create a class wiki. What is an Arthropod? Now that you have done some observations and some thinking and you are going to set your traps, it's a good idea to find out a little more about the organisms that will be falling into your traps. Although we are primarily concerned with insects, we will discover many other types of arthropods as we explore the variety of microhabitats that exist within our backyards and schoolyards. What is an arthropod? Arthropoda is one of many phyla (singular: phylum) in the kingdom Animalia. The principal characteristics of an arthropod are: - A segmented body - Bilateral symmetry - Hard exoskeleton - Paired segmented appendages (jointed legs) Within the phylum Arthropoda are many different classes of arthropods. For example, spiders, scorpions, and ticks are in the class Arachnida, and horseshoe crabs are in the class Merostomata. Insects are classified as Hexapoda. The Hexapoda all share the following characteristics: - Three segmented body (Head + Thorax + Abdomen) - Six legs arising from the thorax - One pair of antennae - One pair of mandibles More information on arthropods: - The Arthropod Story (http://tolweb.org/treehouses/?treehouse_id=3923) - Introduction to the Arthropods (www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/arthropoda.html) Meet A Researcher Who studies this kind of stuff? - Kim Franklin, PhD Student in the Interdisciplinary Program for Insect Science at the University of Arizona. Kim’s main interest is in the incredible diversity of insects found in the Sonoran Desert and the roles that these insects play in the ecosystem processes that maintain our environment in its normal healthy state. Find out more about Kim’s work and how she crafted her study that is her PhD research. - You do! How do we measure diversity? Above we discussed why and how scientists select which group of organisms to study. We also have to decide if we want to measure the diversity of this group at the species level or at some higher level such as genus, family, or order. (Remember Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species?) Most often scientists describe diversity at the species level. But what exactly is a species and how is a species different from a genus? A species is group of organisms that is genetically distinct from all other groups of organisms. An individual of a given species can only breed with another individual also from the same species. A genus is a group of closely related species. And if we continue up the chain of biological classification we find that families are groups of related genera and so on. We can choose to measure diversity at any level of classification. The diversity of arthropods is often measured at the level of family or order simply because the expertise to identify most arthropods to species does not exist. When we set out to measure diversity, it is important that we have a clear question in our heads. Sometimes scientists need to inform policy makers of the diversity of a geographical area such as a park or an area targeted for development. Often scientists want to compare the diversity of different habitat types. In order to be able to compare the diversity of one area or habitat to another we have to employ standardized sampling methods. This simply means that we have to sample the diversity of the two habitats in exactly the same manner. Often there are standardized sampling methods used by many scientists across the planet. By conforming to these methods we may be able to compare the results of our study with those of scientists working in different locations. Designing a study Before we start sampling the arthropods in our schoolyards, we need to think carefully about the purpose of our study. Two questions that we'd like you to try to answer are: - What is the diversity of arthropods of the different microhabitats within your schoolyard? - How does the abundance and diversity of your schoolyard compare with the diversity of other schoolyards in Tucson? We will use pitfall traps, which are are simply open containers set into the ground in such a way that unsuspecting arthropods walking along the soil surface fall into the container. These traps are widely used by scientists to monitor insect diversity and to investigate effects of different land uses. Refer back to your field notebooks to make a list of the different microhabitats you encountered in your schoolyard. If we want to capture the total diversity of ground dwelling arthropods in the schoolyard we need to sample from each microhabitat. Although you might have recorded many microhabitats in your initial observations, you might only be able to sample some of them. Formulating Specific Questions and Hypotheses Although we have given you two questions to answer, you should think of your own questions about the abundance and diversity of arthropods in your schoolyard. The first step in developing your own questions is to think about the observations you made during your initial explorations of the schoolyard habitat. Did you notice any patterns in these observations? You may already have had some ideas that led you to choose particular microhabitats that you'd like to sample, but also look over the observations you took in your field notebook and think about the following questions: - In which microhabitat did you observe the most arthropods? - What types of arthropods were found in the different microhabitats you observed? - What types of behaviors did you observe in different arthropods? In different microhabitat? Brainstorm on your own and then with the class. As a class, select one "why" question about that you'd like to answer about the observations you made. Now come up with a hypothesis, or a potential answer to your question. A hypothesis is a possible explanation for your observations. A hypothesis is thought of as an educated guess because you use what you have already observed and your prior knowledge to formulate an explanation for your observations. Now it’s time to set your traps. The first decisions you have to make are how many traps and how to arrange the traps. Since we are hoping that you will compare your data to data from other schools, it will be important that classes from all schools follow a similar protocol. We suggest that you use five pitfall traps in each microhabitat you will be sampling and that you space your traps five meters apart along a line that runs through the center of the microhabitat. This would result in a line 20 meters long. Although this seems like a reasonable distance you might have smaller microhabitats in which a 20 meter long line will not fit. For example, suppose you only have one tree in your schoolyard, and the rest of the area is open and sunny. You’ve decided that the tree constitutes one microhabitat and the rest of the schoolyard another microhabitat, but there isn’t enough room under the tree canopy to set a 20 meter long line of pitfall traps. In this case you will have to decide on your own protocol. It is extremely important that you record your protocol in your field notebook because if you don’t know how the data were collected, the data become almost useless. Pitfall Trapping View Exploring Local Arthropod Diversity, Part 1 Creating Pitfall Traps - plastic cups - isoproply alcohol (don't use if a concern, some educators advise against its use) - forceps (plastic) - masking tape - garden, school grounds or other outdoor area - science notebook - *digital camera A pitfall trap can be made from almost any cup-like container, but plastic cups that fit into each other are the most convenient. The first step is to dig a hole slightly deeper than the cups themselves. Then place three stacked cups into the hole. You will understand why we need three cups shortly. Fill in the area around the cups with dirt until the cups are snuggly in place. You will probably knock a lot of dirt into the top cup while doing this, but when you are finished pull out the top cup, leaving two cups in the ground. At this point you should make sure that the lip of the remaining cups is flush with ground level such that a tiny insect walking along the ground would not encounter any obstacles as they go towards the cup. This is the most important part of setting a pitfall trap. Some insects are more wary than others and if they bump into the lip of the cup or an unusual dip or bump in the ground surface, they will head off in some other direction, which would bias your pitfall trap samples to the less wary insects walking around the schoolyard. After you are satisfied with the positioning of your cups you will pour a mixture of mildly soapy water and isopropyl alcohol to fill your cup about 1/3rd full. This mixture will preserve the arthropods until you return to collect the cups. The traps should be left in the ground for 72 hours, which will allow plenty of time for insects to fall into the traps. In addition, if each school uses the same length of time, we will be able to make more rigorous comparisons of arthropod diversity among schools. Before leaving your field site you should record the date and time that you set your traps in your field notebook. During the 72 hours that the traps are operating you should occasionally return to your traps to make sure that they are still set properly. Animals such as birds and rodents will often take an interest in the traps and even attempt to eat insects that have fallen into the trap. If the top cup has been filled with dirt, you can remove it, empty the dirt into another container, and replace the cup with fresh mixture of water and alcohol. You should look through the emptied dirt for any arthropods that might have fallen into the trap. Remove these arthropods and place them in a container with alcohol and label the container. Collecting Your Pitfall TrapsAfter 72 hours you will collect your pitfall traps. The most important part of collecting you traps is labeling. The content of each pitfall trap should be transferred to a separate container and clearly labeled. The label should be written in pencil on a piece of sturdy paper and placed inside the container. We use pencil because almost all ink will dissolve in alcohol, and we place the label inside the container because labels taped to the outside of containers frequently fall off or are somehow destroyed. The label should contain the following information: - number and location of trap (eg. pitfall trap 3 from grassy microhabitat) - date that the trap was collected - name of the collector Sorting the Contents of Your Pitfall Traps Now you will sort through the contents of your trap, removing all arthropods from the tray and placing them in a permanent container filled with alcohol. Alcohol evaporates very easily in our arid climate, so you should check your containers every few weeks to ensure that the alcohol has not evaporated. As you are sorting, you will occasionally encounter a bit of material that you are not able to identify as plant or animal. Keep this material. Examination with a microscope at a later date should be able to clear up any confusion. After all of the arthropods have been removed from the tray, make a permanent label with pencil on sturdy paper to be stored inside the jar. Identifying the different types of arthropods that have fallen into your traps is not an easy task, but there are many online resources that will make this task much easier. We are hoping that you will be able to identify the different orders of insects that have fallen into your traps, as well differentiate among the different types of non-insect arthropods. Most likely the only non-insect arthropods you will find in your trap are spiders and mites, both member of the class Arachnida. Below are links to some online resources to help you identify your insects to the level of order. Record your own data \| Analyze Data (your own and others) The data that you record from your pitfall trap will include both abundance (the number of individual arthopods) and diversity (the number of kinds of arthropods). Counting the number of arthropods in each pitfall trap should be easy, counting the number of different kinds of arthropods can be quite difficult. Ideally we would be able to record the number of different species of arthropods in each pitfall trap, but differentiating species is not a simple task. Sometimes species differ from each other in something as trivial as the number of hairs on a certain body part. Therefore we will record the number of different arthropod orders rather than species. Refer to the identification pages in this module to learn about the different arthropod orders we will likely find in our pitfall traps. As you examine the contents of each pitfall trap you should have your pitfall trap data sheet handy. You may actually be mounting a representative specimen of each arthropod order. As you work through your sample you should record the number of individuals of each order listed on the Pitfall Traps Abundance data sheet. This data sheet and the others you might want to use for your pitfall data can be found as shared spreadsheets on Google Docs. The link below will take you to these spreadsheets on Google Docs. If you find orders of arthropods in your trap that are not on the data sheet, you may simply add them at the bottom of the list. After you have finished sorting all your traps, you will tally the numbers from each trap and order to be entered into the abundance and diversity data sheets. From these tables you should construct bar charts that show the differences in the abundance and diversity of your habitats. Examine the bar chart below that was created with imaginary data. This is an example of the type of chart you might construct with real data. Finally, we would like you to be able to compare the arthropods in your schoolyard with those of other schoolyards across Tucson. To do so you must add your data to the schoolyard comparisons spreadsheet stored on Google Docs. Below is an example using imaginary data. Communicating Your Results An important part of any type of science is communicating the results of your work. In this stage you take all the work that you did forming your questions and hypotheses, observing, following the steps of the experiment, creating graphs and analyzing your data and write it up to share in text, graphic and spoken form with others. Usually scientists write a paper, then create a power point or other type of presentation in order to share their research at a conference or meeting as an oral presentation. Here are the components that should be in your report: - Background Information - Questions, Hypotheses - Figures (graphs) - Future Research Information on the Internet - Arthropods in Their Microhabitats American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Get ready for an ant's eye-view of the world. Students learn techniques for observing, identifying, and classifying arthropods within a microhabitat; they'll also learn how to trap specimens, and how to kill and preserve specimens for further study. Students apply these skills to their own field sites as part of a study of local biodiversity, finding out exactly how biodiverse is each microhabitat within their site, and graphing their findings. - Biodiversity Counts Welcome to Biodiversity Counts! This special resource collection takes students into the field and engages them in life science research: the inventory of plants and arthropods outside their own backdoors. Resources in this collection include lesson plans, profiles of scientists and Museum staff, essays, and Web-based interactives that help students explore, analyze, and apply their field observations. - Ecology Explorers Doing Science in Your Schoolyard. Part of Arizona State University's Global Institute for Sustainability
Zinc is a mineral classified as an essential trace element, meaning that very small amounts are necessary for bodily functioning. Zinc acts as a catalyst for a number of enzymes, helps synthesize proteins and DNA in cells, and boosts the immune system. Zinc is one of 16 essential minerals that must be obtained from dietary sources or supplements because your body can’t manufacture them. Both vitamins and minerals are essential to support life, but unlike proteins, carbohydrates and fats, they don’t supply energy. Instead, they are used for a number of essential physiological processes. Vitamins are organic compounds, meaning that they contain carbon, found in all living things and different types of atoms. Minerals are inorganic elements containing just one type of atom. Mineral have a simpler chemical structure than vitamins. Zinc, like many minerals, is found in a number of foods. Red meat and poultry are the largest sources of zinc for most Americans, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, although oysters contain more zinc than any other food source. Legumes, nuts, certain seafood such as crab, whole grains and fortified cereals also serve as good sources of zinc. Phytates in plant sources of zinc bind it and decrease its availability, so plant sources don’t supply as much zinc as meat. Supplements containing zinc are also available and often sold as over-the-counter cold medications. The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA of zinc for men age 19 and over is 11 mg per day; women over 19 should consume 8 mg per day. The 1988 through 1991 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, called NHANES III, found that between 35 and 45 percent of adults over age 60 consumed less than the RDA of 9.4 mg for elderly men and 6.8 mg for elderly women, the ODS reports. Other groups at risk for zinc deficiency include vegetarians and people with gastrointestinal disorders that affect absorption. Because alcohol decreases zinc absorption and increases urinary excretion, between 30 and 50 percent of alcoholics have zinc deficiencies, according to the ODS. Zinc nasal sprays used to treat cold symptoms can cause loss of smell, medically called ansomia. The USDA has advised consumers not to use nasal sprays containing zinc. Taking more than 100 mg per day of zinc for a 10-year period doubles the risk of developing prostate cancer in men, MedlinePlus warns. Typical side effects of zinc include stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, loss of appetite and headache.
Have you ever studied a foreign language and been puzzled by the words in the textbook? Imagine that feeling every time you pick up a book, and you'll have some idea what it means to be a child who's dyslexic. Children with dyslexia see letters on the page, but can’t “break the code” to make sense of the words. The word dyslexia literally means to have difficulty with words. Where that difficulty occurs can vary. Dyslexic children may have trouble with reading, writing, comprehension, and spelling. They may also struggle to discriminate differences in letter sounds, and may reverse letters in a word or words in a sentence. It's important to realize that dyslexia isn't the result of a lack of intelligence. In fact, many dyslexics are also gifted. Hopefully, if your child is dyslexic, he or she was diagnosed early and is receiving special help with reading. But parents can help their dyslexic children at home, too. Lynette Blough, a special education teacher for elementary students, has these suggestions for getting dyslexic students to approach reading with confidence and enthusiasm: Children who have been diagnosed as dyslexic need to be practicing reading even more than their peers. Encourage them to read all types of material such as comic books, magazines, and newspapers as well as books, and to practice reading aloud to parents and siblings are well as to themselves. The type of reading material is less important than the fact that they are improving their reading skills. So let them choose what appeals to them, without judgement. Looking for books specifically made for dyslexics? Blough recommends a type of book called hi/lo-- so-called because these books have a high interest level and a low reading level. Hi Lo books look like regular chapter books, with cool cover pictures and interesting plotlines. The only difference is that the chapters are shorter than usual and the sentence length and vocabulary are controlled. There are many publishers that publish Hi Lo books, but Ms. Blough recommends that you start with High Noon Books at www.HighNoonBooks.com. Books on tape have been around for years, but they can be a great tool for dyslexic students. Blough recommends that students with dyslexia follow along in the book while listening to the tape, CD, or digital file. By listening to the intonation of the voice and expression, children learn how letters and words are “chunked,” and work their word recognition into the bargain. You’ve heard of family game night. Why not do the same with reading? Turn off the TV for one night a week and gather in the family room with a stack of books. Make it a weekly routine and your kids will start to look forward to it. You can read out loud or everyone can read silently – or both! Mix it up so that kids read to parents, and parents read to kids. Your child will start to see you as a role model for reading, and begin to feel empowered by having a receptive audience.
This week has been an amazing week for science in our school. Every class has thoroughly enjoyed taking part in their science day to mark the importance of British Science Week 2018. Throughout 'Enquiry Time' the children have turned into mini scientists and worked with great enthusiasm whilst developing their 'Working Scientifically' skills. Parental involvement and Science - March 2018 This week the 'Family Learning Science Workshop' was a huge success! It was great to see so many parents and family members getting involved in many different exciting science activities with your children. Thank you to all who attended. It was great to hear such positive comments from you all. We hope to run similar workshops in the future so look out for these. Purpose of the Science National Curriculum The aim is for all teachers to provide a high-quality science education so children develop a good understanding of the world around them, which weaves biology, chemistry and physics learning throughout. Science has changed our lives and it will continue to do so in the future, therefore it is vital that our new science curriculum excites and stimulates curiosity about the natural phenomena for all children. It is imperative that children to continue to develop an understanding of the different processes and methods used in science, through different scientific enquiries, by ‘Working Scientifically’. Here at Kensington Primary school we believe that science stimulates and excites pupils’ curiosity about phenomena and events in the world around them. In our school children enjoy exploring the world around them from a very early age and it is important for them to practically explore and interact with their physical environment. Children thoroughly enjoy their Science lessons, especially practical investigative work. It is important for teachers to develop pupils’ curiosity, enjoyment, skills and a growing understanding of science knowledge through an approach whereby children raise questions and investigate the world in which they live. Daily we strive to provide lots of opportunities for children to develop their own knowledge and skills. We aim to promote Children's scientific thinking and ensure that children develop to think 'like real Scientists'. There is a big focus on ‘Science and spoken language’ in the new curriculum, as what children hear and speak are key factors in developing their scientific vocabulary and articulating of scientific concepts. It is important for our teachers to be open minded and almost ‘let go’ when our children are planning investigations to enable children to follow their own lines of enquiry and their curiosity. Our aim is for teachers to be creative by finding new and exciting ways to enable children to discover for themselves the science which lies hidden. ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.’ ‘If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.’ Science Experiment Web Links Visit the web links below for simple experiments you can do at home. SAFETY: Please do not try the experiments without an adult to supervise. * With adult supervision take some time to try out a mini experiment and record your findings in a creative way. You could create a poster, a comic strip, a leaflet, your findings as jottings or even complete one of our planning, do, results and conclusion booklets. Have fun and further your own learning! Note for Parents: If you would like to help support your child’s knowledge and understanding of the topics that they are exploring and investigating in Science then feel free to use the links provided. If you have any questions regarding Science and the National Curriculum for Science then feel free to contact me. Also, if you find any resources that you think would be beneficial to add to our resource bank, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can email me at school mailto: [email protected] FAO: Science Coordinator : Miss L Telfer
Smallpox is a contagious, disfiguring and often deadly disease that has affected humans for thousands of years. Naturally occurring smallpox was eradicated worldwide by 1980 the result of an unprecedented global immunization campaign. Samples of smallpox virus have been kept for research purposes. This has led to concerns that smallpox could someday be used as a biological warfare agent. No cure or treatment for smallpox exists. A vaccine can prevent smallpox, but the risk of the vaccine's side effects is too high to justify routine vaccination for people at low risk of exposure to the smallpox virus.
Maybe it’s the recession, or our increasingly inescapable connectivity, or even the various looming environmental crises, but for whatever reason people these days care a lot about finding life in space. Several purely astronomically- or geologically-focused missions to Mars were proposed as alternatives to Curiosity, but it was the life-finding mission that ultimately warranted funding. Everyone understands why the quest is important, that even a purely dry, technical proof of single-celled life with no specifics or visual detail would revolutionize our understanding of chemistry, of the origin of life, and of the basic nature of our universe. Still, Mars is right there; it would be overly optimistic to expect to find aliens literally as close-by as they could possibly be. If we want to maximize our chances of finding proof of life, we’ll have to cast a much wider net than that. Exoplanetology (which really should not be distinct from regular planetology) isn’t just concerned with the search for life, but as with so many astronomical sub-fields these days, that’s where the majority of the work is being done. Particularly, there is a lot of work into detecting “biosignatures” that indicate the presence of life on a planet, or at least the capacity for it. The problem has been that planets are too small and, more importantly, too dark to give off much useful information. Astronomy works with light, and usefully analyzing the purely reflected or refracted starlight coming off of planetary surfaces and atmospheres requires specialized equipment — even the famous Hubble workhorse has struggled to collect the kind of information we’re increasingly beginning to demand. In just a few years, though, the James Webb Space Telescope will launch with some powerful new abilities, and researchers are already coming up with ways to use them to look deep into the data bouncing off of alien worlds. In Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, researchers from Harvard and Tel Aviv universities published a paper arguing that the new telescope could be used to look at supposedly “dead” star-systems, and they think doing so could finally lead us to history’s most monumental piece of proof. (See: NASA discovers three Earth-sized planets right in the habitable zone.) We need a space telescope like the upcoming James Webb one because most of the light we’re looking to collect has been filtered through a planetary atmosphere, so the effects of our planetary atmosphere can be pretty disastrous on data collection. On the other hand, previous space telescopes lacked the ability to collect sensitive enough readings from deep enough into the EM spectrum, specifically from the infrared portion. The JWST has the ability to look through obscuring clouds of dust and space debris, and more importantly to pick up the emissions of colder objects, like planets orbiting dead stars. Why would you want to do that? Because too much light can be just as frustrating as too little. Since exoplanetologists work mostly with refracted and reflected light, it’s important to have enough light to work with. As a result, many studies require us to wait for a planet to pass directly between us and a star, which should let us see how the light changes as it filters through the thin circle of atmosphere around the satellite. But too much light bleeds in and muddies up the precious data — I still think it’s crazy that we detected the bending of light from a distant star right next to the blinding brightness of Sol, even if it was an eclipse. So, logically, the solution would be to find dimmer stars. The first and most obvious candidate for a dim star is, of course, a white dwarf — a small or mid-sized star that has passed through the red giant phase and collapsed down to a form uncharitably referred to as “dead.” It still gives off some radiation though, and the JWST is designed specifically to pick up on it. The researchers used a “simulated spectrum” of infrared radiation to show that the hardware proposed for the next great spyglass in space will be capable for carrying out their experiments. Free from excessive background brightness, and imbued with a pupil big enough to collect the information, we can begin to walk back from readings to chemistry, finding everything from oceans of surface water to unexpected levels of oxygen in the atmosphere. The list of possible biosignatures goes on from there, including things like the telltale reflections of photosynthetic pigments. With just a few hours of exposure time (collected over many two-minute observation intervals) we could fully characterize a planet’s capacity to support life. That said, white dwarfs aren’t called dead stars for nothing. It’s unlikely we’d find a thriving society on any of these bodies, unless it was so advanced it could live without significant energy input from a star. Even humanity hasn’t progressed to that point, yet. This technique will likely be more useful in expanding our knowledge about the fraction of planets that could support life, and the full spectrum of conditions in which life might be able to get its start.
This creeping caterpillar can really contort! How many segments are on his body? To find out, your child will first need to color the little bug using the key at the top of the page. Depending on whether it is a capital or lowercase C he will color each segment a different color. After he has completed coloring the caterpillar, he will need to count how many segments there are. This worksheet will give your child practice with the upper and lowercase letter C, work his addition skills, and give him a bug-tastic picture to color!
Support parents, teachers, students, and administrators in a collaborative effort to enhance curriculum, instruction, and assessment so that all students graduate ready for college and careers. Canyons School District Principles for Student Achievement - All CSD students and educators are part of ONE proactive educational system. - Evidence-based instruction and interventions are aligned with rigorous content standards. - Data are used to guide instructional decisions, align curriculum horizontally and vertically, and allocate resources. - CSD educators use instructionally relevant assessments that are reliable and valid, including screening/benchmarking, diagnostic, and progress monitoring. - CSD educators make decisions based on student needs. - Quality professional development supports effective instruction for ALL students. - Leadership at all levels is vital. The time that students are in school is valuable and limited. CSD is committed to implementing educational practices that are the most likely to result in student success by using the best evidence from educational research and ongoing data-based problem solving. CSD recognizes that we can always improve practices and that student outcome data must guide necessary adjustments. We strive to implement what works best for all students not simply what works for some students. What is Evidence-based? Evidence-based practices are those that demonstrate a strong, positive relationship between the practice and improved outcomes through multiple, high quality studies. High quality studies: Effect size is a research-based estimate of the effectiveness of an intervention. The larger the effect size, the more effective the intervention. An effect size above .40 is considered desirable for educational practice, while an effect size of 0 indicates no discernible effect. Effect sizes guide identification of the most effective interventions to put into practice.
Laki or Lakagígar (Craters of Laki) is a volcanic fissure in the south of Iceland, not far from the canyon of Eldgjá and the small village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Lakagígar is the correct name, as Laki mountain itself did not erupt, as fissures opened up on each side of it. Lakagígar is part of a volcanic system centered on the volcano Grímsvötn and including the volcano Þórðarhyrna. It lies between the glaciers of Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull, in an area of fissures that run in a southwest to northeast direction. The system erupted over an eight-month period between 1783 and 1784 from the Laki fissure and the adjoining volcano Grímsvötn, pouring out an estimated 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydrofluoric acid and sulfur dioxide compounds that killed over 50% of Iceland's livestock population, leading to a famine which then killed approximately 25% of the island's human population. The Laki eruption and its aftermath caused a drop in global temperatures, as sulfur dioxide was spewed into the Northern Hemisphere. This caused crop failures in Europe and may have caused droughts in India. The eruption has been estimated to have killed over six million people globally, making it the deadliest in historical times. On 8 June 1783, a fissure with 130 craters opened with phreatomagmatic explosions because of the groundwater interacting with the rising basalt magma. Over a few days the eruptions became less explosive, Strombolian, and later Hawaiian in character, with high rates of lava effusion. This event is rated as 6 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index, but the eight-month emission of sulfuric aerosols resulted in one of the most important climatic and socially repercussive events of the last millennium. The eruption, also known as the Skaftáreldar ("Skaftá fires") or Síðueldur, produced an estimated 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava, and the total volume of tephra emitted was 0.91 km3 (0.2 cu mi). Lava fountains were estimated to have reached heights of 800 to 1,400 m (2,600 to 4,600 ft). The gases were carried by the convective eruption column to altitudes of about 15 km (10 mi). The eruption continued until 7 February 1784, but most of the lava was ejected in the first five months. Grímsvötn volcano, from which the Laki fissure extends, was also erupting at the time, from 1783 until 1785. The outpouring of gases, including an estimated 8 million tons of hydrogen fluoride and an estimated 120 million tons of sulfur dioxide, gave rise to what has since become known as the "Laki haze" across Europe. Consequences in Iceland The consequences for Iceland, known as the Móðuharðindin "Mist Hardships", were catastrophic. An estimated 20–25% of the population died in the famine and fluoride poisoning after the fissure eruptions ensued. Around 80% of sheep, 50% of cattle and 50% of horses died because of dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis from the 8 million tons of hydrogen fluoride that were released. The parish priest and dean of Vestur-Skaftafellssýsla, Jón Steingrímsson (1728–1791), grew famous because of the eldmessa ("fire sermon") that he delivered on 20 July 1783. The people of the small settlement of Kirkjubæjarklaustur were worshipping while the village was endangered by a lava stream, which ceased to flow not far from town, with the townsfolk still in church. This past week, and the two prior to it, more poison fell from the sky than words can describe: ash, volcanic hairs, rain full of sulfur and saltpeter, all of it mixed with sand. The snouts, nostrils, and feet of livestock grazing or walking on the grass turned bright yellow and raw. All water went tepid and light blue in color and gravel slides turned gray. All the earth's plants burned, withered and turned gray, one after another, as the fire increased and neared the settlements. Consequences in monsoon regions There is evidence that the Laki eruption weakened African and Indian monsoon circulations, leading to between 1 and 3 millimetres (0.04 and 0.12 in) less daily precipitation than normal over the Sahel of Africa, resulting in, among other effects, low flow in the River Nile. The resulting famine that afflicted Egypt in 1784 cost it roughly one-sixth of its population. The eruption was also found to have affected the southern Arabian Peninsula and India. Consequences in Europe An estimated 120,000,000 long tons (120,000,000 t) of sulphur dioxide was emitted, about three times the total annual European industrial output in 2006 (but delivered to higher altitudes, hence more persistent), and equivalent to six times the total 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption. This outpouring of sulphur dioxide during unusual weather conditions caused a thick haze to spread across western Europe, resulting in many thousands of deaths throughout the remainder of 1783 and the winter of 1784. The summer of 1783 was the hottest on record and a rare high-pressure zone over Iceland caused the winds to blow to the south-east. The poisonous cloud drifted to Bergen in Denmark–Norway, then spread to Prague in the Kingdom of Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) by 17 June, Berlin by 18 June, Paris by 20 June, Le Havre by 22 June, and Great Britain by 23 June. The fog was so thick that boats stayed in port, unable to navigate, and the sun was described as "blood coloured". Inhaling sulphur dioxide gas causes victims to choke as their internal soft tissue swells – the gas reacts with the moisture in lungs and produces sulfurous acid. The local death rate in Chartres was up by 5% during August and September, with more than 40 dead. In Great Britain, the records show that the additional deaths were among outdoor workers; the death rate in Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire and the east coast was perhaps two or three times the normal rate. It has been estimated that 23,000 British people died from the poisoning. The weather became very hot, causing severe thunderstorms with large hailstones that were reported to have killed cattle, until the haze dissipated in the autumn. The winter of 1783–1784 was very severe; the naturalist Gilbert White in Selborne, Hampshire, reported 28 days of continuous frost. The extreme winter is estimated to have caused 8,000 additional deaths in the UK. During the spring thaw, Germany and Central Europe reported severe flood damage. The meteorological impact of Laki continued, contributing significantly to several years of extreme weather in Europe. In France, the sequence of extreme weather events included a surplus harvest in 1785 that caused poverty for rural workers, as well as droughts, bad winters and summers. These events contributed significantly to an increase in poverty and famine that may have contributed to the French Revolution in 1789. Laki was only one factor in a decade of climatic disruption, as Grímsvötn was erupting from 1783 to 1785, and there may have been an unusually strong El Niño effect from 1789 to 1793. Consequences in North America In North America, the winter of 1784 was the longest and one of the coldest on record. It was the longest period of below-zero temperatures in New England, with the largest accumulation of snow in New Jersey, and the longest freezing over of the Chesapeake Bay, where Annapolis, Maryland, then the capital of the United States, is located; the weather delayed Congressmen in coming to Annapolis to vote for the Treaty of Paris, which would end the American Revolutionary War. A huge snowstorm hit the south, the Mississippi River froze at New Orleans and there was ice in the Gulf of Mexico. - The summer of the year 1783 was an amazing and portentous one, and full of horrible phaenomena; for besides the alarming meteors and tremendous thunder-storms that affrighted and distressed the different counties of this kingdom, the peculiar haze, or smokey fog, that prevailed for many weeks in this island, and in every part of Europe, and even beyond its limits, was a most extraordinary appearance, unlike anything known within the memory of man. By my journal I find that I had noticed this strange occurrence from June 23 to July 20 inclusive, during which period the wind varied to every quarter without making any alteration in the air. The sun, at noon, looked as blank as a clouded moon, and shed a rust-coloured ferruginous light on the ground, and floors of rooms; but was particularly lurid and blood-coloured at rising and setting. All the time the heat was so intense that butchers' meat could hardly be eaten on the day after it was killed; and the flies swarmed so in the lanes and hedges that they rendered the horses half frantic, and riding irksome. The country people began to look, with a superstitious awe, at the red, louring aspect of the sun; [...] Benjamin Franklin recorded his observations in America in a 1784 lecture: - During several of the summer months of the year 1783, when the effect of the sun's rays to heat the earth in these northern regions should have been greater, there existed a constant fog over all Europe, and a great part of North America. This fog was of a permanent nature; it was dry, and the rays of the sun seemed to have little effect towards dissipating it, as they easily do a moist fog, arising from water. They were indeed rendered so faint in passing through it, that when collected in the focus of a burning glass they would scarce kindle brown paper. Of course, their summer effect in heating the Earth was exceedingly diminished. Hence the surface was early frozen. Hence the first snows remained on it unmelted, and received continual additions. Hence the air was more chilled, and the winds more severely cold. Hence perhaps the winter of 1783–4 was more severe than any that had happened for many years. - The cause of this universal fog is not yet ascertained [...] or whether it was the vast quantity of smoke, long continuing, to issue during the summer from Hekla in Iceland, and that other volcano which arose out of the sea near that island, which smoke might be spread by various winds, over the northern part of the world, is yet uncertain. Note that, according to contemporary records, Hekla did not erupt in 1783; its previous eruption was in 1766. The Laki fissure eruption was 45 miles (72 km) to the east and the Grímsvötn volcano was erupting about 75 miles (121 km) north east. Additionally Katla, only 31 miles (50 km) south east, was still renowned after its spectacular eruption 28 years earlier in 1755. Sir John Cullum of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, recorded his observations on 23 June 1783 (the same date on which Gilbert White noted the onset of the unusual atmospheric phenomena), in a letter to Sir Joseph Banks, then President of the Royal Society: - ... about six o’clock, that morning, I observed the air very much condensed in my chamber-window; and, upon getting up, was informed by a tenant that finding himself cold in bed, about three o’clock in the morning, he looked out at his window, and to his great surprise saw the ground covered with a white frost: and I was assured that two men at Barton, about 3 miles (4.8 km) off, saw in some shallow tubs, ice of the thickness of a crown-piece. Sir John goes on to describe the effect of this "frost" on trees and crops: - The aristae of the barley, which was coming into ear, became brown and withered at their extremities, as did the leaves of the oats; the rye had the appearance of being mildewed; so that the farmers were alarmed for those crops ... The larch, Weymouth pine, and hardy Scotch fir, had the tips of their leaves withered.
Spider silk is the strongest, most durable, most elastic fiber in the world. It’s 5 to 6 times stronger than steel by weight. A strand that could circle the globe would weigh less than a bar of soap! Given these remarkable properties, scientists have studied it closely. Spiders make silk with their spinnerets, tiny organs beneath their abdomens. Before it’s spun, the silk is a gel of liquid proteins. The spinnerets remove water from the gel and extrude it through an acid bath, aligning the proteins into a solid fiber. Each spinneret has multiple spigots. And each of those makes a single filament that the spider combines to create different silks: fine or coarse, sticky or not. Scientists haven’t been able to re-create spider silk chemically, so they’ve enlisted another silk-spinning creature to help: the silkworm. While spiders are almost impossible to domesticate, the silkworm has thrived in captivity for centuries. Its silk is beautiful but comparatively weak. So scientists turned the worms into real-life Peter Parkers, giving them genes from the spider. These genetically modified silkworms spin their cocoons as always, from a single kilometer-long strand—but this time of spider silk. Other scientists have developed genetically modified bacteria that organize proteins similar to how spider spinnerets work. With these developments, we may soon have fabric and other materials with the amazing properties of spider silk. Background: Spidey Silk Synopsis: Spiders might be scary to some, but they certainly produce amazing natural materials. Scientists are studying their silk and glue to create super-strong materials for human use. - The more-than-45,000 species of spiders on Earth today are mostly harmless. - Although many humans suffer from arachnophobia (an irrational fear of spiders), only about 100 deaths from spider bites were reported in the entire 20th century! - Spiders have been around for more than 300 million years. - The earliest spiders could produce silk that was probably used to cover eggs and the ground, and for lining holes or building trap doors for burrows. - By about 250 million years ago, webs had evolved to trap prey on the ground and to provide protective draglines for escape. - By about 136 million years ago, orb spiders had developed their distinctive circular webs for trapping flying insects. - Modern spiders use silk to make webs to trap insects for food, wrap and immobilize their prey, transfer sperm, and build protective nests or cocoons. Some even recycle their webs by eating them. - Spiders can use their silk for transportation, or ballooning (which we’ll talk about in another EarthDate episode). - Spiders spin webs using their spinnerets, which are organs at the rear of the underside of the spider’s abdomen. - Most spiders have six spinnerets that can move and operate either independently or together, but some spiders have two, four, or eight of the organs. - Spinnerets don’t just produce a single thread; each has multiple spigots that produce single filaments that combine to create various types of silk. - Spider silk is a protein fiber called gossamer, an amazing natural material that is the strongest, most durable, and most elastic natural or manmade fiber that exists. - Spider silk is made up of complex proteins and repetitive DNA sequences. - Before entering the spinnerets, the silk consists of a gel of liquid proteins. When the spider is ready to spin, the spinnerets remove water from the gel and extrude it through an acid bath, aligning specific proteins and instantly transforming it into a solid fiber. - Spiders can vary both the thickness and the composition of the filaments to create sticky or nonsticky silk that is fine or coarse—whatever they need. - Gossamer is 5–6 times stronger than steel by weight. It is even stronger than Kevlar, which is used for bulletproof vests! A strand long enough to circle the globe would weigh less than a bar of soap, and it can stretch 140 percent without breaking. - To create manmade gossamer, material scientists have tried to solve the puzzle of how spiders create their silk—but the very fast process has proven elusive. - Scientists sprayed spiders and their environments with graphene mixtures so the spiders would ingest the high-strength carbon material. - These spiders then produced graphene-enhanced gossamer with up to three times the strength and ten times the toughness of normal spider silk. - To produce faux spider gossamer in the laboratory, other scientists have developed genetically modified bacteria that organize proteins similar to the way spider spinnerets work. - Spider glue, a hydrogel that is one of the most effective natural glues in humid conditions, is also interesting to scientists. - Most glues and paint separate in moist conditions because of interfacial water, which gets between the glue and the surface it is meant to stick to. - But spider glue, located on the outside of spider silk, sticks to wet surfaces. Scientists have just figured out that the glue has water-absorbing compounds that pull interfacial water away from the surface so the sticky glycoproteins can adhere to it. - While spiders are virtually impossible to domesticate, silkworms have been farmed for their silk for centuries. Silkworm silk is beautiful but weaker than spider silk. - Scientists have developed transgenic silkworms, which are genetically engineered to produce spider silk instead of silkworm silk. - Per a usual life cycle, transgenic silk moths lay their eggs, eggs hatch, larvae feed on mulberry leaves, and silkworms spin cocoons made of continuous threads a half-mile long—but the threads are made of spider silk, which is harvested for use in textiles. - These silk moths are also genetically marked with red eyes so they can be identified. References: Spidey Silk Contributors: Juli Hennings, Harry Lynch
The origins of Madhubani painting are shrouded in the ancient history of India. The technique is still done by women from villages around the town of Madhubani. The style features spirals and curved lines, vines, tendrils, arches, crescent moons, and the globe of the sun. Madhubani paintings depict the diversity, color, and spontaneity of India and are representations of the all-encompassing nature of Indian culture. Generally, no space in a Madhubani painting is left empty; gaps are filled by images of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs. In this activity, your child will recreate the Madhubani style by using flowers, plants and animals that are familiar to her own surroundings. The main subject of the painting should represent an event in her life. Take a moment to look up Madhubani paintings online and notice how every inch of the picture surface is filled with color and line. It is a truly beautiful art form! What You Need: - Stretched canvas or canvas board, a piece of thick cardboard that has been painted with gesso, or paper (all of which can be found in crafts stores) - Colored pencils - Fine brush - Newspapers to protect your work surface What You Do: - Have your child draw an event in the middle of her painting surface. The depiction of the event should be larger enough to fill up most of the canvas (or paper) while still leaving enough blank space for a large border around the edge of the picture. - Have your child design a pattern to fill a border around the outside of your image - Help her to choose a small design and have her practice drawing it before she begins on the canvas. This will be the filler motif that she will use between the figures in her image. She can choose from natural objects such as flowers, vines, leaves, birds or shells. Once she has decided on her motif, she can then draw it in all the "in-between" places. Make sure to space them evenly. - Have her draw all of the elements of her painting before she starts to paint. The pencil outlines will help when her paint backgrounds. - Plan your color choices. Will the background be white (which is best if your child is using colored pencils) or will it colored? It is important to know where your white will be ahead of time because you won’t paint those parts in. Have your child fill any white areas in with a white colored pencil. The wax from the pencil will keep paint from soaking into the paper. Make sure to press hard! - If the backgrounds are going to be darker than the fill design, color the fill designs with colored pencil first. Press hard on the pencil. After the paint is dry you can erase the colored pencil and the design will be left as a reverse. - Use a wash (a little paint in a lot of water) to paint light backgrounds. You can paint or use colored pencil to outline or draw over your fill design outlines when the background is completely dry. - Let the paint dry in between each step. If you paint on dry paint you can achieve sharper edges - if the paint is wet it will blend and the edges will smudge. - Let dry and display with pride! Madhubani painting is rich with color and many layers of design. The interweaving elements organize the painting and suggest a taste of an old and unfamiliar culture. Your child will gain a new understanding of pattern and composition and when she's done with this project, she'll have made a stunning work of art!
The end of the school year gives plenty of opportunities to help students reflect. Use this Rose, Thorn, Bud activity to help your students think about the successes and challenges they encountered this year and to consider new ideas they’ve had or things they look forward to learning or experiencing. STEP 1: Define terms for the activity Rose = A highlight, success, small win, or something positive that happened. Thorn = A challenge you experienced or something you can use more support with. Bud = New ideas that have blossomed or something you are looking forward to knowing more about or experiencing. STEP 2: Brainstorm Give students 30 seconds to a few minutes to sit silently and reflect on their their rose, bud, and thorn. Then give students 5-10 minutes to jot down ideas on a piece of paper or print out the graphic organizer provided here. STEP 3: Debrief Share your own rose, bud, and thorn, and then go around the room asking students to share their rose, bud, or thorn or reflect on the activity itself. STEP 4: Reflection Check in after completing the activity and ask students to notice their energy level and thoughts before and after the activity. A possible extension for this activity is to brainstorm strategies for turning thorns into roses or to describe ways thorns might support learning and growing. Share with your community! Lead your students through this Rose, Thorn, Bud activity and ask them how they liked it. What success, challenges, and opportunities did your students share? Share with fellow teachers in your school or on social media with #mindfulschools.
Clear and to the Point, by Dr. Stephen M. Kosslyn, is one of the better books on how to use PowerPoint effectively. This is not water-cooler advice, or guidance on how to make pretty slides, but a smart book on what brain science says about how your audience’s mind works and what makes a slide effective. Says Dr. Kosslyn, there are 8 principles to attend to when building PowerPoint slides: 1. Principle of Relevance. Slides should contain as much information as your audience needs, but not more. 2. Principle of Appropriate Knowledge. Speak to your audience’s level of knowledge, which means: avoid jargon, use the words your audience uses. 3. Principle of Salience. Attention goes toward the things with the greatest contrast. So big bold letters stand out well on a simple background, but less so on a background with distracting swirling lines. 4. Principle of Distinguishability. Items must have enough contrast, or they will not look different. So blue text next to greenish-blue text may not have enough contrast to stand apart from each other. 5. Principle of Perceptual Organization. This is a set of Gestalt principles which says the eye tries to “chunk” things into groups. For instance, four red circles in a straight line will be seen as one thing. If that’s not your goal, give each circle a different color. 6. Principle of Compatibility. We draw meaning from the form of things, so be careful you don’t choose images that convey the wrong meaning. For instance, don’t have text saying “Things are going great” in alarming red font color. Don’t use a 3-D pie chart because the slice tilted toward the audience will show the top as well as the side of the pie slice and look larger than the slices that only show the top. 7. Principle of Informative Changes. When we see something change, we expect it to mean something. So don’t use motion paths, animations or transitions just for novelty. It confused the audience. 8. Principle of Capacity Limitations. People have a limited capacity to search for and retain information. Complex slides that are poorly organized become such a chore that audiences simply give up trying to understand. Although many of these principles appear straightforward, most PowerPoint slides could be improved if more people actually FOLLOWED these principles. Clear and to the Point is not a breezy read; it’s definitely written for the serious student. For instance, some of these principles could have more playful names. But it’s wonderful foundational stuff and when you turn these principles into habits, your PowerPoints will be more effective. Dr. Kosslyn’s book is one of the few that takes a scientific look at how to use PowerPoint effectively, rather than depending on rule-of-thumb advice or enthusiastic but baseless rhetoric. Other books that also look at PowerPoint with a scientific lens include my own (Speaking PowerPoint), Advanced Presentations by Design by Dr. Andrew Abela and (to a lesser extent) Beyond Bullet Points by Cliff Atkinson. About the author: Bruce Gabrielle is author of Speaking PowerPoint: the new language of business, showing a 12-step method for creating clearer and more persuasive PowerPoint slides for boardroom presentations. Subscribe to this blog or join my LinkedIn group to get new posts sent to your inbox.
For fertilization to occur, sperm cells must be released in the vagina during the period that the egg cell is alive. The sperm cells move through the uterus into the fallopian tube, where one sperm cell may fertilize the egg cell. The fertilization brings together 23 chromosomes from the male and 23 chromosomes from the female, resulting in the formation of a fertilized egg cell with 46 chromosomes. The fertilized cell is a zygote. The zygote undergoes mitosis to form two identical cells that remain attached. This takes place about 36 hours after fertilization. Mitosis then occurs more frequently. Soon a solid ball of cells, a morula, results. Morula formation occurs about six days after fertilization. During that time, the cells are moving through the fallopian tube. Within the next two days, a hollow ball of cells called a blastocyst forms. The blastocyst enters the uterus. At one end of the blastocyst, a group of cells called the inner cell mass continues to develop. About eight days after fertilization, the blastocyst implants itself in the endometrium of the uterus. During implantation, the outer cells take root in the endometrium. This outer layer of cells, called the trophoblast, gives rise to projections that form vessels. These vessels merge with the maternal blood vessels to form the placenta. The trophoblast also develops into three membranes: the amnion, the chorion, and the yolk sac membrane. The inner cell mass undergoes changes to form three germ layers known as the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm. The ectoderm becomes the skin and nervous system, the mesoderm becomes the muscles and other internal organs, and the endoderm becomes the gastrointestinal tract. The embryo is formed at about the fourth week when all the organs of the body have taken shape.
Soils and potting media provide plants and other organisms with nutrients and habitats. Because bacterial and fungal microorganisms (a.k.a. microbes) in soils and potting media are constantly vying for food, water and space, soils are regarded as dynamic living environments. Microbes in these substrates obtain nutrients by competing with each other for dead organic matter, feeding on other living organisms (including each other), and/or interacting cooperatively with other organisms. How soil microorganisms directly or indirectly affect plant growth and health determines if they are considered beneficial, harmful or insignificant to plants. Microbes that harm plants are plant pathogens since the harm that they cause is considered disease. On the other hand, beneficial microorganisms can either enhance plant growth, suppress plant diseases or both. Plant disease suppression Beneficial microbes help to control plant diseases by the following mechanisms: Predation and hyperparasitism = feeding on pathogens; Antagonism, competitive exclusion and microbiostasis = competing for nutrients or space by producing metabolites that kill pathogens or inhibit their growth and movement; Rhizosphere competency = blocking pathogen access to plant roots; Induced systemic resistance and systemic acquired resistance = stimulating or priming the plant’s own natural defense system. As a general rule, disease-suppressive microorganisms work best at preventing rather than curing diseases. Examples of commercially available beneficial microbes include bacterial strains belonging to the genera Bacillus, Streptomyces, and Pseudomonas, and fungal isolates belonging to the genera Trichoderma and Glomus. The list of commercially available beneficial microbes is dwarfed in comparison to the wide variety of native beneficial soil microbes found in healthy soils. Commercially available beneficial bacterial strains of Bacillus and Streptomyces grow near the roots, releasing secondary metabolites that inhibit pathogen growth by causing cell membranes to become “leaky.” Some of these commercial microbes and certain native bacterial strains also act as plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria or PGPRs by improving nutrient availability to the plant and through their interactions with host plants. Many PGPR strains of the bacteria described above have also been shown to induce systemic resistance in some plant species. Certain beneficial fungi grow near, on and inside root tissue. The mycoparasite, Trichoderma harzianum isolate T-22 provides several beneficial effects. It preventively controls diseases through rhizosphere competence, hyperparasitism, and competitive inhibition and antagonism. T-22 also promotes plant growth as do other Trichoderma isolates. Mycorrhizal fungi from the genus Glomus grow in and around roots of many mycorrhizal plant species to help supply host plants with insoluble phosphorus, especially in highly mineralized soils and container media. Several different mycorrhizal products are commercially available either as mycorrhizal spore preparations or formulated with fertilizers. Keys to effective use Understanding the strengths, requirements, limitations and general biology of a beneficial microorganism is crucial for obtaining the greatest benefits. Commercial microbes are added in large numbers to the soil by mixing in granules or by drenching before pathogen pressure is high. Knowing the environmental conditions under which the beneficial microbe performs best will help ensure the health and protection of the plant. Additionally, compatibility with the crop production system and grower inputs should be considered for the proper use of beneficial microorganisms. Soil pH, temperature, humidity, soil or container medium composition, and target plant tissue (root, tuber, etc.) all affect the establishment of beneficial microbes in the soil. Also important are how pesticide inputs, nutrient inputs, irrigation method and frequency, plant growth regulators, etc., affect beneficial microbe performance or longevity. Longevity of a beneficial microbe or microbes in the soil or potting mix environment is a benefit for long-term crops. Bacteria tend to release their protective secondary metabolites for up to four weeks after application, even though they may persist in the soil environment longer. Fungi tend to survive longer with protection documented for up to 12 weeks. Ultimately all introduced beneficial microbes must be re-introduced to maintain protective levels in soils and potting media. Chris Hayes is the BioWorks Southeast Technical Sales Manager and Matthew Krause is the Product Development Manager, Plant Disease Management for BioWorks.
Why do Zebras have stripes? Zebras belong to the Horse family, and they fall under domestic horses. There are three kinds of Zebra. The Common Zebra, Mountain Zebra and Grevy’s Zebra. The first type is common, while the other two types are endangered. These three types differ in their distribution of stripes on the rump, belly and all over the body. Their habitat and distribution is varied all over the African continent. Zebras have strong bodies and legs, big ears, stiff manes, and small hooves which are striped. The different kinds of Zebras differ because some have white legs, brown shadowed stripes in between black and white stripes, narrow stripes, and leg stripes all the way down to the hooves. Grevy’s Zebras have large rounded ears. It is strange to know that no two Zebras have the same stripe pattern, just like the human DNA fingerprint. The reason behind the stripes on zebras is not exactly known, but there are theories like that air above the black stripes is warm, and above the white stripes it is cool, swirling around, to fan the animal. There is another theory that the stripes act like a camouflage for the zebra to protect it from its predator, the lion. Though the stripes are black and white while the grasses are green and yellow, the lion is colorblind, and cannot identify zebras in between the grasses. So the stripes will mix up with the grasses, and help the animal to escape from the lion. As they travel in herds, lions cannot make out a single zebra in the giant mass of them. So stripes protect them in the herd from the lion’s identification. When the female zebra gives birth to a foal, the foal will have the same stripes as the mother zebra for few days, so that it can learn the stripe pattern on its mother, and identify its mother from the other zebras in the group. The zebra stripes also confuse the lion as to the distance it is away from the lion. i.e. the distance the Lion has to travel in order to attack the zebra. Do you think the article can be improved? Share Your Expertise
Dr Daren Knoell Researchers say they have gained a key insight into how zinc helps the immune system fight infection. A study shows that zinc stops the immune system from spiralling out of control, as happens when people develop sepsis. The researchers say the findings could also explain why taking zinc supplements at the start of a cold can stem its severity. It is thought the finding could have implications for other diseases. Although research has highlighted the importance of zinc for the immune system, because the mineral has many complex roles in the body it is not understood in any detail how it helps fight off infection. After previous studies in mice, the researchers from Ohio State University had shown that zinc-deficiency could lead to excessive inflammation. This is what happens in sepsis, when in response to a severe infection, the body goes into overdrive, with potentially fatal consequences. Through further experiments in human cells and animal studies, the researchers found that a protein called NF-kB lured zinc into the immune cells that responded fastest to fight infection. Once inside, the zinc then put the brakes on further activity in the NF-kB pathway, slowing down the immune response and limiting the amount of inflammation, the study, in Cell Reports, indicated. It was effectively a feedback loop, stopping the process getting out of hand, the researchers said. Study leader, Dr Daren Knoell, said: “The immune system has to work under very strict balance, and this is a classic example of where more is not always better.”We want a robust inflammatory response, which is part of our natural programming to defend us against a bug.’’ “But if that is unchecked, and there is too much inflammation, then it not only attacks the pathogen but can also cause much more collateral damage.” He added that the finding narrowed the gap in scientists’ understanding of the role zinc had in fighting infection, but that it was too early to make the leap to zinc as a treatment for sepsis. Zinc has been shown to reduce the severity of the common cold in humans and possibly shorten its duration. “Whether this is because of improved balance in immune function, similar to what we report with sepsis, remains to be proven but perhaps requires further study,” Dr Knoell said.
One of the deepest divisions among living things is the split between prokaryote and eukaryote cells. In eukaryote cells, the chromosomes are enveloped in a layer of phospholipids – these cells have a ‘true’ nucleus surrounded by a nuclear membrane, something that’s absent from prokaryotes. And there are other differences: eukaryotes either have, or have had, mitochondria (tiny organelles where aerobic respiration occurs) and plants & algae also have chloroplasts, & there’s a lot of other cellular infrastructure besides. Now, we teach students about the origins of mitochondria & chloroplasts (most likely by the process of endosymbiosis, first put forward as an explanation by Lynn Margulis), but what about that nucleus? There have been various hypotheses put forward to explain the origin of the eukaryote nucleus. One is that the chromosomes of the ‘pre-eukaryote’ were somehow surrounded by a section of the cell membrane. Certainly some prokaryotes have extensive infoldings of the cell membrane, but if this hypothesis was correct it should mean that the nuclear membrane is a single continuous sheet of phospholipid bilayer, & it’s not. As well as ‘how’, scientists have also tried to answer the ‘why’ question – just why do eukaryotes surround their chromosomes in a membrane. The usual answer – the one I was taught – is that this protects the nuclear contents; against what, we weren’t told. If a nucleus is so useful, why did this structure never evolve in bacteria? Reading Nick Lane’s Life Ascending pointed me in the direction of another possible answer, first proposed in 2006 by Koonin & Martin. Introns are non-coding sequences. apparently the molecular corpses of jumping genes, found within eukaryote genes. ‘Active’ jumping genes are able to cut themselves out of a sequence of DNA using what could be described as molecular scissors, & reinsert a copy of themselves somewhere else. Introns have lost this ability to cut themselves out of a gene, but the cell must do so in order to remove these non-coding sequences prior to the process of translation & production of a functional protein. It seems that eukaryote cells do this using the same molecular scissors as jumping genes, modifying messenger RNA sequences by ‘splicing’ out the introns. However, this process takes time (Martin & Koonin, 2006). In general, prokaryotes don’t have introns. A piece of prokaryote mRNA will be translated into a protein almost as fast as the mRNA is itself being produced, because DNA, mRNA, and everything else needed to manufacture proteins are all in very close proximity within the cell. It’s suggested that eukaryotes acquired introns very early on, picking them up from their new endosymbionts, the mitochondria. Supporting this hypothesis, the presumed bacterial ancestors of mitochondria do have a particular type of intron; and Martin & Koonin note that the evolutionary relationships of the proteins associated with the nuclear membrane also suggest that this membrane formed in cells that already contained mitochondria. The presence of introns would have presented significant problems for the early eukaryote cells. Because RNA splicing is relatively slow, if mRNA was translated into proteins as soon as the mRNA was produced, many of those proteins would be faulty because they’d be produced by translating the ‘wrong’ intron information as well as the ‘right’ information encoded in the functional part of the gene (the exons). Any cell with structural features that provided at least some separation of transcription & translation would thus be at a selective advantage, because they wouldn’t be wasting energy in producing faulty proteins . Martin & Koonin are suggesting that the nuclear membrane evolved in response to this selection pressure, providing a mechanism to separate the two processes – production of mRNA & production of proteins – to give sufficient time for the introns to be splieced out before the assembly of a protein could begin. It’s a fascinating hypothesis, although only time (& lots of research) will tell us if it’s a good model for the origin of the eukaryote nucleus. (NB introns aren’t always spliced out in the same way every time a gene is expressed. This underlies the fact that, while the human genome contains around 25,000 genes, our cells can contain 60,000+ diffierent proteins!) W,Martin & E.V.Koonin (2006) Introns and the origin of nucleus-cytosol compartmentalisation. Nature 440: 41-45. doi:10.1038/nature04531 PS below is a good explanation of how & why introns are spliced out (there is a large range of excellent science videos at the site this came from):
view a plan Writing About The Holocaust, Intro, Overview, Culminating Activity Language Arts, Social Studies Title – Writing About The Holocaust, Intro, Overview, Culminating Activity By – Kristy Brooten Primary Subject – Language Arts Secondary Subjects – Social Studies Grade Level – 6 Writing About The Holocaust Thematic Unit Contents: - Books Used and Multidisciplinary Connections - Introductory Lesson, Lesson Overviews, Culminating Activity, and Materials - Lesson 1 – Writing A Research Report - Report Worksheets - Lesson 2 – Writing A Narrative - “Grandpa” Worksheets - Lesson 3 – Writing Poetry - Terezin Overheads - Lesson 4 – Writing An Editorial - Writing a Thesis Statement Worksheet - Writing an Introduction Worksheet I. Writing about the Holocaust II. Grade Level: 6th III. Objective to be achieved TSWBAT use a variety of writing forms to communicate ideas, information, feelings and beliefs TSWBAT react intellectually, emotionally and morally to the events of the IV. Initiation Lesson Before beginning this unit, a letter should be sent home informing parents that their children will be engaging in a study of the Holocaust. As this will be a difficult study, parents are asked to support their children and be prepared to discuss the issues surrounding the Holocaust with their children. The unit will be introduced through Holocaust Remembrance Centers. Several centers (four to five) will be set up before students come into classroom. Each center will cover a specific aspect of the Holocaust, such as historical contexts, key figures, agenda of the nazi party, etc. and will include informational paragraphs or brief articles, stories, poems and editorials about the Holocaust (writing forms to be covered in unit). Centers will also include photographs, maps, timelines, artwork, oral interviews, video clips, quotes, and web sites. Each center will pose questions for students to answer, problems for students to solve and/or issues for students to discuss in their groups. Prior to visiting the centers, students will be given Holocaust Journals to be used throughout the unit. The first page of the Journal will be a K-W-L chart. As students visit centers, students fill in their previous knowledge of the Holocaust under “What I Know,” record questions raised in heir minds under “What I Want to Know,” and begin to write new information, opinions and issues under “What I Learned.” Students will continue to fill in this chart throughout the unit. It is critical that the teacher be available for questions, supervision and support as students visit centers. Students may have deep emotional responses to what they’re learning: they may share their feelings with the teacher or in their Holocaust Journal whenever necessary. A. Writing a Research Report 1. Choosing a topic 2. Gathering information a. library resources b. note taking c. citing references 3. Organizing information into a report a. writing a thesis statement b. arranging basic structure of report c. writing rough draft of body d. writing introduction and conclusion B. Writing a narrative 1. Writing a main idea 2. Selecting characters, plot, setting 3. Using description 4. Using dialogue 5. Forming these elements into a rough draft of a story C. Writing poetry 1. Choosing something to describe 2. Describing using five senses 3. Using literary devices such as personification, comparison, etc. 4. Forming these descriptions into a poem D. Writing an editorial 1. Locating editorials in newspaper 2. Identifying and using elements of an editorial a. choosing an event to respond to b. identifying what writer feels is the problem c. proposing a solution d. suggesting reasons to support solution E. The Holocaust 1. Historical context 2. Key figures and events 3. Vocabulary of the Holocaust 4. Life of the Jews (and other “undesirables”) during the Holocaust 5. Literature of the Holocaust VI. Development of the Unit Lesson 1: TSWBAT write a research report about the Holocaust. Students will be shown a short research report about the Holocaust and asked to analyze it as a form of writing. From this discussion, students will identify the necessary elements of a report and determine criteria for a good informational report (organization, clarity, appropriate use of detail, interest to reader). Special attention will be given to writing thesis statements, introductions, and conclusions. Students will choose a Holocaust topic from Holocaust Remembrance Centers, research topic, and begin to write using the writing process. A final edited copy of the report will be submitted to the teacher. Lesson 2: TSWBAT write a story about someone involved in the Holocaust. Students will read a short story about the Holocaust compare and contrast this writing form with report writing, picking out key elements of a story. Special attention (and practice) will be given to description and dialogue. Students will formulate ideas for a story from their research in the previous lesson and use the story elements to compose their own stories about the Holocaust. Writing will begin in this lesson using the writing process. A final edited copy of the narrative will be submitted to the teacher. Lesson 3: TSWBAT write a poem describing a concentration camp. Students will brainstorm descriptive words phrases about a concentration camp based on what they’ve learned in the last two lessons. They will be shown two poems written by children in a concentration camp and asked to compare the descriptions. From this discussion, literary devices to be used in writing poetry will be identified and developed (description using the five senses, repetition, personification, comparison). Students will then develop class descriptions into a poem about a concentration camp. Writing will begin in this lesson using the writing process. A final edited copy of the poem will be submitted to the teacher. Lesson 4: TSWBAT write an editorial in response to an event of the Holocaust. Students will search a newspaper for readers’ opinions about news events. Through class discussion, students will identify the elements and purpose of an editorial based on sample editorials (including one about the Holocaust). Students will in their literature circles respond to an event they have read about in their Holocaust novels as Americans during World War II. Ideas will be formulated and discussed n groups then writing individual editorials will begin using the writing process. A final edited copy of the editorial will be submitted to the teacher. VII. Culminating Activity Students will use what they have learned through their writings and their Holocaust Journals to create their own Holocaust Remembrance Centers. Each group of students will design and create a themed center consisting of at least one of each of the four writing forms plus art work, artifacts (genuine or created), oral interviews, skits, posters, charts, videos, etc. If scheduling allows, centers will be exhibited to other 6th grade and middle school classes and parents on Holocaust Remembrance Day.* Groups will write project proposal to be approved by teacher. The Holocaust Research Center Home Page. Adler, David A. The Number on My Grandfather’s Arm. New York: UAHC Press, 1987. Bachrach, Susan D. Tell Them We Remember: The Story of the Holocaust. Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1994. Elmer, Robert. A Way Through the Sea. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1994. Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. New York: Dell Publishing, 1989. Matas, Carol. Daniel’s Story. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1993. Miller, Marcia K. The Holocaust: A Scholastic Curriculum Guide. New York: Scholastic Professional Books, 1998. Reiss, Johanna. The Upstairs Room. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1990. —- The Journey Back New York: Scholastic Inc, 1993. Streicher, Julius. “The Poisonous Mushroom.” van der Rol, Ruud and Rian Verhoeven. Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1995. Volavkova, Hana, Ed. …I never saw another butterfly… Second Ed. New York: Schocken Books, 1993. Vos, Ida. Anna is Still Here. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1995. *Holocaust Remembrance Day Calendar 2000 – 2010: Tuesday, May 2, 2000; Thursday, April 19, 2001; Tuesday, April 9, 2002; Tuesday, April 29, 2003; Sunday, April 18, 2004; Thursday, May 5, 2005; Tuesday, April 25, 2006; Monday, April 15, 2007; Thursday, May 1, 2008; Tuesday, April 21, 2009; Sunday, April 11, 2010 E-Mail Kristy Brooten!
Elements that make up Earth's crust include silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium and magnesium. Oxygen is also present and bonds with these other elements to create oxides. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the crust, followed by silicon. These elements form rocks and minerals.Continue Reading Silicon, whose atomic number is 14, is a semimetallic, dark gray element with a blue tint. It's not found in a free state but in silicates and oxides, such as sand, quartz and flint. Aluminum is a bright, silvery metal whose atomic number is 13. Like silicon, it's not found in a free state and needs to be extracted from ores, such as bauxite. Though it's soft, it gains strength when it's alloyed with other metals, such as copper and silicon. Though iron, with atomic number 26, is renowned for its toughness and strength, it also rusts easily. However, it is used to make a variety of super-strong alloys. Of the three major layers of Earth, the crust is the outermost and also the thinnest. Some scientists believe that the continental crust is only between 6 and 47 miles deep, and the oceanic crust is even thinner, only about 4 miles deep. In general, the oceanic crust is also younger than the continental crust.Learn more about Layers of the Earth
Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) uses pulses of electromagnetic energy to produce a continuous cross-sectional image of what the human eye cannot see. When the energy reflects off an object, the returning signal is used to construct a real-time image of what lies beneath; the image is determined by the depth and composition of whatever item the energy contacts. In the absence of an embedded item, GPR can also detect cracks and voids in a variety of materials, including concrete, pavement, rock and soil. The technology provides immediate, precise and non-destructive results, eliminating the need preemptive drilling, probing or digging. The required radar frequencies for an accurate GPR survey depend on the application and materials involved. Low frequencies are ideal for large and deep targets, while high frequencies are used to map targets that are small and shallow. Affordable, Safe, Fast and Accurate Thanks to advances in computers and software, GPR is evolving rapidly and its benefits as an investigative tool are becoming even more impressive. In the past decade, the technology has become faster, more efficient and cheaper than X-rays, all while maintaining a critical advantage in safety: GPR does not expose technicians to harmful radiation. Furthermore, where X-ray’s film process limits its application to structures with two accessible sides, ground-penetrating radar yields reliable images from just one angle.
6.3. The flux-redshift test: Supernovae Ia Type I supernovae are thought to be nuclear explosions of carbon/oxygen white dwarfs in binary systems. The white dwarf (a stellar remnant supported by the degenerate pressure of electrons) accretes matter from an evolving companion and its mass increases toward the Chandrasekhar limit of about 1.4 M (this is the mass above which the degenerate electrons become relativistic and the white dwarf unstable). Near this limit there is a nuclear detonation in the core in which carbon (or oxygen) is converted to iron. A nuclear flame propagates to the exterior and blows the white dwarf apart (there are alternative models but this is the favored scenario ). These events are seen in both young and old stellar populations; for example, they are observed in the spiral arms of spiral galaxies where there is active star formation at present, as well as in elliptical galaxies where vigorous star formation apparently ceased many Gyr ago. Locally, there appears to be no difference in the properties of SNIa arising in these two different populations, which is important because at large redshift the stellar population is certainly younger. The peak luminosity of SNIa is about 1010 L which is comparable to that of a galaxy. The characteristic decay time is about one month which, in the more distant objects, is seen to be stretched by 1+z as expected. The light curve has a characteristic form and the spectra contain no hydrogen lines, so given reasonable photometric and spectroscopic observations, they are easy to identify as SNIa as opposed to type II supernovae; these are thought to be explosions of young massive stars and have a much larger dispersion in peak luminosity . The value of SNIa as cosmological probes arises from the high peak luminosity as well as the observational evidence (locally) that this peak luminosity is the sought-after standard candle. In fact, the absolute magnitude, at peak, varies by about 0.5 magnitudes which corresponds to a 50%-60% variation in luminosity; this, on the face of it, would make them fairly useless as standard candles. However, the peak luminosity appears to be well-correlated with decay time: the larger Lpeak, the slower the decay. There are various ways of quantifying this effect , such as where MB is the peak absolute magnitude and m15 is the observed change in apparent magnitude 15 days after the peak . This is an empirical relationship, and there is no consensus about the theoretical explanation, but, when this correction is applied it appears that Lpeak < 20%. If true, this means that SNIa are candles that are standard enough to distinguish between cosmological models at z 0.5. In a given galaxy, supernovae are rare events (on a human time scale, that is), with one or two such explosions per century. But if thousands of galaxies can be surveyed on a regular and frequent basis, then it is possible to observe several events per year over a range of redshift. About 10 years ago two groups began such ambitious programs [48, 49]; the results have been fantastically fruitful and have led to a major paradigm shift. The most recent results are summarized in : at present, about 230 SNIa have been observed out to z = 1.2. The bottom line is that SNIa are 10% to 20% fainter at z 0.5 than would be expected in an empty (tot = 0) non-accelerating Universe. But, significantly, at z 1 the supernovae appear to become brighter again relative to the non-accelerating case; this should happen in the concordance model at about this redshift because it is here that the cosmological constant term in the Friedmann equation (eq. 3.7 ) first begins to dominate over the matter term. This result is shown in Fig. 8 which is a plot of the median m, the observed deviation from the non-accelerating case, in various redshift bins as a function of redshift (i.e., the horizontal line at m = 0 corresponds to the empty universe). The solid curves show the prediction for various flat (tot = 1) models with the value of the cosmological term indicated. It is evident that models dominated by a cosmological term or by matter are inconsistent with the observations at extremely high levels of significance, while the concordance model agrees quite well with the observations. Figure 8. The Hubble diagram for SNIa normalized to an empty non-accelerating Universe. The points are binned median values for 230 supernovae The curves show the predictions for three flat (tot = 0) cosmological models: The dashed line is the model dominated by a cosmological constant ( = 0.9), the solid curve is the concordance model ( = 0.7), and the dotted curve is the matter dominated model ( = 0.1). It is also evident from the figure that the significance of the effect is not large, perhaps 3 or 4 (quite a low level of significance on which to base a paradigm shift). When all the observed supernovae are included on this plot, it is quite a messy looking scatter with a minimum 2 per degree of freedom (for flat models) which is greater than one. Moreover the positive result depends entirely upon the empirical peak luminosity-decay rate relationship and, of course, upon the assumption that this relation does not evolve. So, before we become too enthusiastic we must think about possible systematic effects and how these might affect the conclusions. These effects include: 1) Dust: It might be that supernovae in distant galaxies are more (or less) dimmed by dust than local supernovae. But normal dust, with particle sizes comparable to the wavelength of light, not only dims but also reddens (for the same reason, Rayleigh scattering, that sunsets are red). This is quantified by the so-called color excess. Remember I said that astronomers measure the color of an object by its B-V color index (the logarithm of a flux ratio). The color excess is defined as where obs means the observed color index and int means the intrinsic color index (the color the object would have with no reddening). In our own galaxy it is empirically the case that the magnitudes of absorption is proportional to this color excess, i.e., where RV is roughly constant and depends upon average grain properties. So assuming that the dust in distant galaxies is similar to the dust in our own, it should be possible to estimate and correct for the dust obscuration. Significantly , it appears that there is no difference between E(B-V) for local and distant supernovae. This implies that the distant events are not more or less obscured than the local ones. 2) Grey dust: It is conceivable (but unlikely) that intergalactic space contains dust particles which are significantly larger than the wavelength of light. Such particles would dim but not redden the distant supernovae and so would be undetectable by the method described above . It is here that the very high redshift supernovae (z > 1) play an important role. If this is the cause of the apparent dimming we might expect that the supernovae would not become brighter again at higher redshift. 3) Evolution: It is possible that the properties of these events may have evolved with cosmic time. As I mentioned above, the SN exploding at high redshift come from a systematically younger stellar population than the objects observed locally. Moreover, the abundance of metals was smaller in the earlier Universe than now; this evolving composition, by changing the opacity in the outer layers or the composition of the fuel itself could lead to a systematic evolution in peak luminosity. Here it is important to look for observational differences between local and distant supernovae, and there seem to be no significant differences in most respects, the spectrum or the light curve. There is, however, a suggestion that distant supernovae are intrinsically bluer than nearby objects . If this effect is verified, then it could not only point to a systematic difference in the objects themselves, but could also have lead to an underestimate of the degree of reddening in the distant SN. It is difficult, in general, to eliminate the possibility that the events themselves were different in the past and that this could mimic the effect of a cosmological constant ; a deeper theoretical understanding of the SNIa process is required in order to realistically access this possibility. 4) Sample evolution: The sample of SN selected at large redshift may differ from the nearby sample that is used, for example, to calibrate the peak luminosity-decline rate correlation. There does appear to be an absence, at large redshift, of SN with very slowly declining light curves - which is to say, very luminous SN that are seen locally. Perhaps a class of more luminous objects is missing in the more distant Universe due to the fact that these SN emerge from a systematically younger stellar population. One would hope that the luminosity-decline rate correlation would correct for this effect, assuming, of course, that this relation itself does not evolve. 5) Selection biases: There is a dispersion in the luminosity-decline rate relationship, and in a flux-limited sample, one tends to select the higher luminosity objects. Astronomers call this sort of bias the "Malmquist effect" and it is always present in such observational data. Naively, one would expect such a bias to lead to an underestimate of the true luminosity, and, therefore an underestimate luminosity distance; the bias actually diminishes the apparent acceleration. But there is another effect which is more difficult to access: The most distant supernovae are being observed in the UV of their own rest frame. SNIa are highly non-uniform in the UV, and K-corrections are uncertain. This could introduce systematic errors at the level of a few hundredths of a magnitudes . We see that there are a number of systematic effects that could bias these results. A maximum likelihood analysis over the entire sample , confirms earlier results that the confidence contours in m - space are stretched along a line = 1.4m + 0.35 and that the actual best fit is provided by a model with m 0.7 and 1.3 - not the concordance model. Of course, if we add the condition that tot = 1 (a flat Universe) then the preferred model becomes the concordance model. In it is suggested that this apparent deviation is due to the appearance of one or more of the systematic effects discussed above near z = 1 at the level of 0.04 magnitudes. The result that SNIa are systematically dimmer near z = 0.5 than expected in a non-accelerating Universe is robust. At the very least it can be claimed with reasonable certainty that the Universe is not decelerating at present. However, given the probable presence of systematic uncertainties at the level of a few hundredths of a magnitude, it is difficult to constrain the equation of state (w) of the dark energy or its evolution (dw / dt) until these effects are better understood. I will just mention that lines of constant age, to Ho, are almost parallel to the best fit line in the m - plane mentioned above. This then gives a fairly tight constraint on the age in Hubble times ; i.e. to Ho = 0.96 ± 0.4, which is consistent with the WMAP result. In a near flat Universe this rules out the dominance of matter and requires a dark energy term.
1. Students will experiment with wet on wet technique of watercolor. - apply watercolor wash of any color or wet a blank part of the paper -while the first wash is wet, apply second color -can apply as many colors they choose but warn them that all the colors mixed together will make brown. 2. When the paint dries, they may notice interesting parts of the paint (i.e. the way a certain color blends into another). The students will outline that spot with a thin black marker. 3. Students will cut out the blocks of color into any shape they want. They may notice that the paint made interesting shapes on its own. 4. Next, they will glue down the shapes anywhere on the drawing paper. 5. With a black marker, students will draw contour lines around the shapes Keep drawing lines expanding outwards from the shape until they are at least one pinky finger length from your watercolor shape. See attachment. You can adjust the assessment based on the needs of your students. 1. You can relate this lesson to Earth Science and contour maps. 2. You can include fun watercolor techniques like putting salt over wet watercolor wash, masking, and adding drops of rubbing alcohol to wet watercolor. 3. Good intro lesson about watercolor techniques. Visual Arts Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes [K-4] Students know the differences between materials, techniques, and processes [K-4] Students describe how different materials, techniques, and processes cause different responses [5-8] Students intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of their experiences and ideas [9-12 Proficient] Students apply media, techniques, and processes with sufficient skill, confidence, and sensitivity that their intentions are carried out in their artworks Visual Arts Standard 6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines [K-4] Students identify connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum
How Does a Blood Clot Form? \| eHow Conditions that can trigger excessive blood clotting in the heart and brain: Atherosclerosis is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside your arteries.Use of birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy Cancer Genetic Risk Factors The genetic, or inherited, source of excessive blood clotting is less common and is usually due to genetic defects.Arterial thrombi form when a plaque ruptures and promotes an acute clot formation.A thrombus in a large blood vessel will decrease blood flow through that vessel (termed a mural thrombus).They work by reducing the formation of blood clots in your arteries or veins. Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot, called a thrombus, that blocks part or all of a blood vessel, such as a vein.Blood clots are semi-solid masses of blood that can be stationary (thrombosis) and block blood flow or break loose (embolism) and travel to various parts of the body.Endothelial injury (injury to the endothelial cells that line enclosed spaces of the body, such as the inside of blood vessels) (e.g. trauma, atheroma ).These conditions can lead to atherosclerosis, which increases the risk of clots. Thrombosis - body, causes, How Does Thrombosis Happen Conditions That Can Trigger Excessive Blood Clotting in the Limbs Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): Blood clots can form in the veins deep in the limbs, a condition called deep vein thrombosis or DVT.Embolization occurs when the thrombus breaks free from the vascular wall and becomes mobile. Home - Rowan Foundation - Women & Blood Clots How Does Blood Clot? - Womens Health Advice Blood Clots - MedicineNet They occur in large vessels such as the heart and aorta, and can restrict blood flow but usually do not block it entirely. How to Prevent a Blood Clot - Health.com The risk of blood clots is highest in HIV patients who have infections, are taking certain medicines, have been hospitalized, or are older than 45.Red thrombi (characterized by predominance of Red Blood Cells).Johns Hopkins neurologists report success with a new means of getting rid of potentially lethal blood clots in the brain safely without cutting through easily damaged. This may be aided by drugs (for example after occlusion of a coronary artery). Does a blood clot look like a bruise? - Quora Also, catheters and shunts have a man-made surface that may trigger blood clotting.Platelets immediately begin to adhere to the cut edges of the. Your Guide to Preventing and Treating Blood Clots Despite their name, blood thinners do not actually thin the blood.Then, if it has not been used to make a blood clot, cells in the spleen and liver destroy it. HoG Handbook. Propagation of a thrombus occurs towards the direction of the heart.Treatment involves the use of fresh frozen plasma to restore the level of clotting factors in the blood, platelets and heparin to prevent further thrombi formation.To treat or prevent abnormal blood clotting, doctors must understand the multifaceted aspects of the clotting mechanism.Atherosclerosis: A disease in which plaque builds up in the wall of an artery.If the clot travels to the lungs and blocks blood flow, the condition is called pulmonary embolism.Blood clots can travel to the arteries or veins in the brain, heart.Another clot-dissolving enzyme that works faster and is more specific is called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). ClotCare FAQ: Will the blood clot in my leg go away now Blood Clot: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, Medications and Treatments.Phasouk on does blood clot after death: Blood clotting is a normal protective mechanism when there is. DVT: Myths vs. Facts - The American Society of Hematology Know the signs and symptoms of blood clots as well as your risk for blood clots and ways to prevent blood clots. Blood Clots - American Society of Hematology In a small blood vessel, blood flow may be completely cut off (termed an occlusive thrombus), resulting in death of tissue supplied by that vessel. How Does Blood Clot But even greater danger awaits if that clot breaks free and does some. Platelets may stick to areas where the blood vessels are damaged and form clots.Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is caused by a blood clot that forms in one or more of the deep veins in your body, typically in your legs. Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is damaged or weakened. Should You Be Worried About Blood Clots? - Women's Health Blood clots are dangerous and should be examined and treated by a physician.Dissolution occurs when the fibrinolytic mechanisms break up the thrombus and blood flow is restored to the vessel.Coagulation of unmoving blood on both sides of the blockage may propagate a clot in both directions.A thrombus is a healthy response to injury intended to prevent bleeding, but can be harmful in thrombosis, when clots obstruct blood flow through healthy blood vessels.Blood Clot (Definition) A blood clot or thrombus is the final step of the coagulation cascade.Smoking also damages the lining of the blood vessels, which can cause clots to form.

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