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| 13 June 2013 1253 ISTSeating arrangement questions are one of the most consistent parts of Logical Reasoning section in Common Admission Test (CAT). This expert article brings you tips on solving such questions.
Seating arrangement questions are one of the most consistent parts of Logical Reasoning section in Common Admission Test (CAT).
Though the questions of seating arrangement look complex in first read, an organised way of approaching these questions will make it much simpler to solve than other questions. Also, with multiple ways of approaching the question, you can easily cross-check the accuracy factor by a quick revisit of the question.
How to solve?
Questions in Logical Reasoning based on Seating Arrangement sets should be solved by preparing a sketch in mind or preferably, on the paper so that you are able to answer more than one questions comfortably.
There may be multiple conditions and it is expected from the aspirant to logically understand the same. The only way is however, is to practice more and gradually you will develop required skill sets and logical short cuts to solve these problems. Initially, while going to solve such questions, you should go by the following steps:
1. Do not jump to the answer options unless and until you have carefully read the problem and have understood it.
2. After understanding the questions, you should go for elimination method. When you go through the options, ensure to understand and eliminate the incorrect option. If you are able to pin point the incorrect ones you are the winner. To achieve this, go through all the given options carefully, and don’t skip any of them.
3. The problem has to be solved on the basis of given information and not on the assumptions. Therefore, do not assume any formation which is not available in the problems. Only the given facts should be used.
4. Two most important things that will guide you to lead to the conclusions. The information you are provided with, will lead to a valid conclusion since it definitely follows. But, the conclusion which does not definitely follow from the given information will be invalid one. This you have to remember, while solving the questions.
5. Words like “all” “some”, “none”, “other than”, “only” or “unless” etc. have to be given due care and special attention, since questions will be based on such information.
Let us have example problems and try to solve it -
Example problems 1 & 2 – Read the information given below and answer the questions based on the small paragraph
Problem-1 (with a multiple questions)
One of the renowned NGOs in India has taken on the challenge to save tigers in the country and has invited five film personalities to pose for photographs with the specially designed shirts and placards to convey the message. However, Shahrukh doesn’t want to stand next to Salman as they have some problems between them. Vidya and Vivek wish to pose standing close to each other as there is more understanding between them. Bobby has some issues with vivek as he misbehaved with him in a party and both are at logger heads. Vivek always loves to stand at the extreme right and would seldom compromise the position. Nevertheless, the problem was resolved somehow and it became a great message for the world in the best manner.
Question 1: If Shahrukh is standing to the extreme left, who is standing in the middle?
Question 2: If Shahrukh stands to the extreme left, who stands fourth from left?
Question 3: If Vidya gets a conflict with Vivek and doesn’t want to stand next to him and Vivek is ready to give-up his claim on extreme right position while Sharukh wants to stand second from right, who will stand on extreme right position.
(d) Unable to decide
1. Shahrukh 2.Bobby 3.Salman 4. Vidya 5.Vivek , Therefore -
Answer 1: B
If Shahrukh is standing at the extreme left, this arrangement will be fine satisfying all the personalities. It is, therefore Salman who is in the middle.
Answer 2: A
Once you have understood the arrangement, you can solve all the questions. Looking at the arrangement the fourth position from left will be occupied by Vidya.
Answer 3: C
Going by the question and changed situation following arrangement may be made -
Left to right –
1.Vidya 2.Salman 3.Vivek 4.Shahrukh 5.Bobby
Problem-2 (with a single question)
Abhishek, Bharat, Chakradhar, Damodar and Elizabeth are sitting on a bench. Abhishek is sitting next to Bharat, Chakradhar is sitting next to Damodar, Damodar is not sitting with Elizabeth who is on the left end of the bench. Chakradhar is on the second position from the right. Abhishek is to the right of Bharat and Elizabeth. Abhishek and Chakradhar are sitting together. In which position Abhishek is sitting ?
A. Between Bharat and Damodar
B. Between Bharat and Chakradhar
C. Between Elizabeth and Damodar
D. Between Chakradhar and Elizabeth
Explanation: From Left to Right – 1. Elizabeth 2.Bharat 3.Abhishek 4.Chakradhar 5.Damodar. Hence Abhishek is sitting between Bharat and Chakradhar
Author of this article Mr S K Agarwal is a CAT Expert, a seasoned CAT trainer with over 25 years of experience, & author of many CAT books. He also guides Verbal Ability and LR Section to CAT Aspirants through MBAUniverse.com online coaching classes.
MBAUniverse.com offers a comprehensive preparation package coupled with over 200 online interactive classes with Top CAT experts including from IIMs for CAT 2013 preparation.
Visit the link below for more information and new batch schedules:
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more news and CAT 2013 prep articles. | <urn:uuid:94dc5e31-46ed-4518-9872-714615ce202d> | {
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Researchers are urging candy makers to remove two blue food colors from hard candies and lollipops because they may pose a health risk to children.
Brilliant Blue (E133) and Patent Blue (E131), both authorized as food coloring additives in the EU, have been found to disrupt cell metabolism when entering the bloodstream in a recently published study in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology by Jarmila Hojerová et al.
Too long on the tongue
Speaking to ConfectioneryNews.com, Hojerová said: “Health risks of these dyes are mainly attributed to their inhibitory effects on mitochondrial respiration of human cells.”
She called for candy makers to stop using the colors in lollipops and hard candies.
“These products are too long in contact with the mucous membranes of the tongue,” she said.
Fewer risks in soft candy and drinks
According to Hojerová the colors may be partially decomposed and destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract after oral intake in common soft colored candies or drinks. But this wasn’t always the case for lollipops and hard candies.
“If the dye penetrates through the dorsum of the tongue, it can penetrate undecomposed directly into the bloodstream.“
“Due to these results we consider that hard candies and lollipops containing Brilliant Blue, as well as Patent Blue pose some health risk especially when products are repeatedly licked by most vulnerable consumers – children,” she said.
The researchers exposed ex vivo pig tongues to human saliva containing 15,000 ng/cm2 of each color for 20 minutes.
After 24 hours, they found that 34 ng/cm2 of Brilliant Blue and 86 ng/cm2 of Patent Blue could be directly absorbed into the blood system.
The permitted acceptable daily intake of Brilliant Blue as a food additive in the EU stands at 10 mg/kg bw/day, while Patent Blue is allowed at 15 mg/kg bw/day.
The research assessed the colors at the maximum permitted levels and found them to pose a health risk.
Brilliant Blue is authorized as a food additive in the US, but Patent Blue is not allowed in many countries including the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand.
The colors have in the past been linked to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), allergies, and asthma, said Hojerová.
Nestlé had used Brilliant Blue to color its blue Smarties before moving to Spirulina, a seaweed derivative, in 2008. The company has since removed all artificial colors in confectionery items in the UK as of last year.
The research, funded by the Slovak University of Technology, found 134 lollipops and hard candies in the Slovak Republic that contained artificial colors, 24% of which used the two blue colors.
Food and Chemical Toxicology 52 (2013) 19–27
‘Absorption of triphenylmethane dyes Brilliant Blue and Patent Blue through intact skin, shaven skin and lingual mucosa from daily life products’
Authors: Marianna Lucová, Jarmila Hojerová, Silvia Pažoureková and Zuzana Klimová | <urn:uuid:f7229436-4b0b-41a2-ac87-f474ea8664be> | {
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Analysis of the Standard Enthalpy of Combustion for Alcohols Essay
Analysis of the Standard Enthalpy of Combustion for Alcohols
To investigate the standard enthalpy change of combustion for 5 consecutive alcohols in the alcohol homologous series, methanol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol and pentan-1-ol, by using a calorimetric method to calculate the heat gained by the 100cm3 water in the experiment, and thus the heat lost by the alcohol lamp at standard temperature and pressure (298 K and 101.3 kPa).
Alcohols are organic compounds containing Oxygen, Hydrogen and Carbon. The alcohols are a homologous series containing the functional –OH group. As we move down the homologous series of alcohols, the number of Carbon atoms increase. Each alcohol molecule differs by –CH2; a single Carbon atom and two Hydrogen atoms.
Combustion is the oxidation of carbon compounds by oxygen in air to form CO2 and H2O. Combustion produces heat as well as carbon dioxide and water. The enthalpy change of combustion is the enthalpy change that occurs when 1 mole of a fuel is burned completely in oxygen.
When alcohol undergoes complete combustion it produces carbon dioxide and water as products, and energy is released. The standard enthalpy of combustion of an alcohol (âH°comb) is the enthalpy change when one mole of an alcohol completely reacts with oxygen under standard thermodynamic conditions (temperature of 25°C and pressure of 101.3 kPa). The standard enthalpy change of combustion of alcohols varies depending on their molecular size. The greater the number of carbons, the higher the standard enthalpy of combustion, as there is the presence of more bonds. The larger the alcohol molecule, the more bonds will be broken and formed, and therefore more heat will be produced. Using experiments, the standard enthalpy of combustion of an alcohol can be found, buy first finding the heat released during the reaction using the equation
Heat=mass of water ×specific heat capacity of water ×rise in temperature of water
Note: The specific heat capacity of water is 4.18 Jg-1°C-1.
and then finding the number of moles of alcohol burnt, and dividing the heat by this number.
1. 250 cm3 Conical flask
2. 100 cm3 ± 0.08 cm3 pipette
3. Loggerpro thermometer
4. 5 x different consecutive alcohol spirit burners (eg. methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol and pentanol)
6. 2 x clamps
8. 1500 cm3 distilled water
9. Heat proof mat
1. Connect the temperature sensor to the datalogger. Connect the datalogger to the computer. Ensure the datalogging software is loaded and set to record the temperature of the sensor. Set the sampling rate to 1 sample per second for 210 seconds.
2. Using the pipette, pipette 100 cm3 distilled water into the conical flask.
3. Set up the stand, and clamp the conical flask 25 cm from the table. Also clamp the temperature probe 30 cm from the table, so that it is submerged in the distilled water but not in contact with the conical flask walls.
4. Weigh the alcohol lamp (including its cap) using the scales and record the mass.
5. Place alcohol lamp directly under the conical flask on a heat proof mat.
6. Click ‘collect’ on datalogger to start recording the temperature. After 30 seconds, light the alcohol lamp.
7. When the datalogger reaches 210 seconds immediately extinguish the flame by replacing the cap. ‘Store the latest run’ in loggerpro.
8. Re-weigh the alcohol lamp (including cap) as soon as possible after extinguishing the lamp.
9. Repeat steps 2 – 8 with the same alcohol to obtain trail 2, and trial 3 results.
10. Repeat steps 2 – 9 for 4 other consecutive alcohols.
11. Calculate the average change in mass of each alcohol and calculate the change in temperature of water for each trial.
12. Calculate energy absorbed by this using q=mcâT then calculate âH°comb=qn
13. Plot the graph of âH°combversus number of carbons in alcohol.
loggerpro collector on computer
100 cm3 distilled water
The alcohol used to heat water will be changed, however all alcohols will be primary.
The range of alcohols will be 5 consecutive alcohols from the homologous series; methanol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol, pentan-1-ol.
The change in temperature of the 100cm3 distilled water when heated by an alcohol lamp.
1. Measure the initial temperature and final temperature using loggerpro. The change in temperature can be calculated by: ΔT=T(final)-T(initial)
Finding the âH using âH°comb=qn
How is it controlled?
Effect on experiment if uncontrolled
Type of liquid
Using only distilled water for all trials throughout the experiment.
Different liquids could result in a difference in the strength of attractive forces between particles, meaning a different specific heat capacity which would affect the calculation of energy gain to water using the equation q=mcâT, and thus an incorrect enthalpy change value.
Volume of liquid used
Measure 100cm3 of distilled water by using 100 cm3 ± 0.08 cm3 graduated pipette for each trial.
If the volume was not exactly 100 cm3 it would directly affect the mass of the water which will affect the q=mcâT value and thus the âH value.
Use the same brand and materials of a conical flask for all trials.
Different materials have different conductivity and may absorb more heat from the alcohol lamp, affecting the overall heat absorbed by the distilled water. Using the same material and brand of conical flask ensures that this is the same for each experiment.
Temperature of surroundings
For standard enthalpy of combustion, the temperature must be 25°C however in a classroom this is hard to control, so for each experiment the temperature will stay constant at 19°C.
If the surrounding temperature was to be changing, the distilled water could be losing more, or gaining more heat energy from the surroundings, directly affecting the temperature change and therefore, q=mcâT and the âH value.
Distance between the conical flask and alcohol lamp
A clamp will be set at a distance of 25 cm from the table, and this the flask will sit at the same height each trial.
If the distance changes, the heat lost to the surroundings varies and the heat that reaches the bottom of the calorimeter also varies. This will lead to a difference in rise in temperature of water (âT), and therefore an incorrect calculation for q=mcâT and âH value.
Pressure of surroundings
For standard enthalpy of combustion the pressure must be 1 atm, however in a classroom this is hard to obtain, so all experiments will be done in a room with the same pressure.
Might influence the vapour pressure point, which will affect the q=mcâT value, and thus the âH.
Duration of heating
The water will be headed for 180 seconds.
This ensures that all experiments have the same time to heat the water which directly effects the change in temperature and thus the q=mcâT calculation and the âH value.
University/College: University of Chicago
Type of paper: Thesis/Dissertation Chapter
Date: 11 November 2017
Let us write you a custom essay sample on Analysis of the Standard Enthalpy of Combustion for Alcohols
for only $16.38 $13.9/page | <urn:uuid:28502be9-5b99-4f1a-8b97-359308f71ac6> | {
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Scientists from the Ural State Mining University won a grant worth over $230,000 (US) at a recent competition.
The contestants, who also represented the Russian Science Foundation, created a project to address economic and ecological problems being faced today. The team's results reflected the premise that once society makes the environment a priority, economic gains will progress to their full potential.
“They developed scientific approaches for world experts, scientists, industrialists and managers at all levels to address social and economic problems related to underground mining resources and recycling industrial waste,” technical sciences doctor Yuri Valdimirovich Lebedev said. “The promise of our concept proposes to change the structure of consumption, moving away from the principle of 'more and cheaper' to provide the necessary level of consumption of various goods without disturbing the natural environment.”
Researchers believe this is the first time scientists have used a purely scientific method to develop ecological sustainability, as opposed to relying on the abstract method typically employed. | <urn:uuid:9036253b-e6a6-40c8-9e43-f2a981700a04> | {
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20 May, 2016
Cocker Spaniel Dog
Cocker Spaniel Dog
- The modern Cocker Spaniel is descended from the Spaniel family, a large group that dates to antiquity. The word spaniel means “Spanish dog,” and it’s generally believed that they indeed originated in Spain. By the 1800s, Spaniels were divided into two groups: toys (primarily companions) and large hunting dogs. Hunting dogs were further divided into land and water spaniels. The Cocker Spaniel was named so for his excellence in the field hunting woodcock.In England, spaniels were a functional category, rather than an individual breed of dog, for several hundred years. The first kennel to gain recognition for the Cocker Spaniel as a distinct breed in England was the Obo Kennel of Mr. James Farrow. In 1892, the Cocker Spaniel was recognized as a breed in England.
Shortly before, in the late 1870s, American fanciers began importing English Cockers to the United States. A liver-and-white Cocker Spaniel named Captain was registered in the first studbook of the National American Kennel Club (later called the American Kennel Club). The second volume of the studbook, printed in 1885, registers a black Cocker named Brush II. This dog was imported from England by Commings Cocker Spaniel Kennel of New Hampshire.
Right around this time, in 1881, Clinton Wilmerding and James Watson formed the American Spaniel Club. The oldest breed club in America, it originally included breeders of many types of Spaniels. Eventually, however, breeders split off into separate organizations as differences among the Spaniel breeds were refined.
For more information click here: Cocker Spaniel
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© 2010 – Routledge
Originally published in 1969 this book analyzes the development of moral judgement in children and adolescents. Interviews were held with 360 children aged 7 to 17, with equal numbers of either sex. Original visual devices were planned to elicit judgements in moral areas known to be of universal significance, such as the value of life, cheating, stealing and lying. In addition, analyses of concepts of reciprocity, of the development of conscience and of specificity in moral judgement were derived from the tests. The book inlcudes a critical survey of previous work in this field and places the research in its wider philosophical, psychological and sociological context.
1. The Study of Moral Judgement 2. The Patterns of Development 3. The Research Project 4. The Value of Life 5. Reciprocity and Conscience 6. Cheating 7. Stealing 8. Lying 9. Specificity and Generality in Lying 10. Written Tests 11. Statistical Analysis | <urn:uuid:b5d4aa27-eea7-4bce-8803-84193e3636c6> | {
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1A plant of the dock family that typically has sheaths where the leaves join the stems. It is often an invasive weed.
- Polygonum and other genera, family Polygonaceae: several species, in particular Japanese knotweed
More example sentences
- Barberry, knotweed, and ailanthus are just some of the horticultural immigrants that continue to out-compete many of our indigenous species.
- Abundant goosefoot, some knotweed (both erect knotweed and other species), some wild rice, and seeds of various grasses and weeds were also recovered.
- Dock-leaved knotweed appeared in 1998, and overwhelmingly dominated the submergent littoral zone in 1999.
Definition of knotweed in:
- The British & World English dictionary | <urn:uuid:885e5e77-c831-4265-8dac-c026e0c6d9a6> | {
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A Quranic Name for Girls
|Short meaning of Ammuna||Loyal and Trustworthy
See below for detailed meaning
|Pronunciation Guide To Learn Ammuna||
Up + Moon + MOOn + NUmber
Each block is a syllable (sequence of speech sounds). Solid black borders point out stress/emphasis. Other ways in which this name is pronounced are acceptable.
|Arabic Spelling (How to write Ammuna in Arabic)||أَمُّوْنَة|
|All possible spellings of Ammuna||Amounah Ammoona Ammounah Ammunah Emouna Ammouna Emuna Ammoonah Amouna
In preference to above alternate spellings; these are acceptable alternative for this name. You can as well make your own spelling.
All Quranic baby names derived from A-M-N:
Meaning of Ammuna
Ammuna is an Arabic name for girls that means “trustworthy”, “faithful”, “loyal”.
Disclaimer: You will find here muslim name meanings (Arabic, Urdu, English): The name Ammuna is a A Quranic Name for Girls and Quranic Nature of the name Ammuna is (Indirectly Mentioned); also you can find all Alternate Spellings. In Arabic language you can write Ammuna like this (أَمُّوْنَة). | <urn:uuid:71dff606-3e0c-42c2-93b9-f0d34b04a459> | {
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Some fish scorn the easy life of the shoreline, and instead spend most of their lives out to sea, wandering in the wild blue yonder. In a new book from the University of Chicago Press, Fishes of the Open Ocean, author Julian Pepperell lets readers get up close and personal with these impressive and mysterious ocean denizens.
Whale sharks' habits are still poorly understood, but electronic tagging is beginning to reveal their secrets. Scientists recently realized that whale sharks aren't slow, lumbering creatures as previously thought; instead they leverage their massive weight to dive-bomb through the water like a hawk falling through the sky.
The black marlin is a giant of the ocean, measuring up to 13 feet in length and weighing up to 1,500 pounds. The fish cruises the Pacific and Indian oceans in search of smaller fish to devour, and sometimes uses its spear-like upper jaw to stun its prey.
The power and size of this athletic fish make it a prize for sport fisherman, and the marlin's strength and capacity for struggle was famously celebrated in Ernest Hemingway's novella, The Old Man and the Sea.
The most distinctive feature of the hammerhead shark is also the one that scientists have struggled to explain: the shark's bizarre head anatomy, with its flattened snout and widespread eyes.
Researchers have put forth a number of theories for why the oddly shaped heads evolved. One recent study confirmed that the eye arrangement does give the shark a vision advantage. Not only does it have binocular vision like humans, where its two fields of vision overlap, but by swinging its head to and fro it can see through 360 degrees of vision.
Other researchers have suggested that the head acts as a hydrofoil to help the shark swim, or that the shark benefits from having chemical, electrical, and pressure sensors spread out along the head's leading edge.
Because of the patchy availability of food in the open ocean, predatory species like this yellowfin tuna have to travel vast distances to survive. Its torpedo-shaped body is designed for speed, allowing the mighty fish to chase down fast-moving prey.
Adult yellowfin, which are also known as ahi tuna, have few predators of their own, except for humans. The yellowfin is tremendously important to commercial fisheries, and the total world catch amounts to at least 800,000 tons per year. But because the fish reproduce rapidly (a spawning female produces several hundred thousand eggs, Pepperell writes), researchers believe the yellowfin is not in danger of being overfished. That's a stark contrast to the situation facing its endangered relative, the bluefin tuna.
The tales of sea serpents that terrified seafarers in days of yore may have been inspired by the mysterious oarfish. This creature gained its name from the two delicate fins that extend down from beneath its head, which resemble long oars. However, while the function of these odd "oars" isn't yet known, experts say they're too flimsy to help with locomotion.
The oarfish in this picture was stranded in Mexico, and it appears to be about 20 feet long. Pepperell writes that there have been reports of oarfish that measure up to 55 feet long, but these unsubstantiated accounts are most likely just fish tales.
The elegant sailfish is a swift seafarer: it's capable of swimming at speeds as high as 60 miles per hour in short bursts.
The oversized dorsal fin that gives the sailfish its name is usually kept folded down to the side while the fish is swimming, but it's hoisted up when the fish feels threatened or in the course of a hunt. Sailfish hunt cooperatively, encircling a school of anchovies or sardines and leaping dramatically to herd the baitfish into a tightly packed, panicked ball. Then the predators move in. If the ball begins to disperse, the sailfish dramatically raise their sails like capes to frighten the prey and herd them together again.
Of all the ocean's dangerous creatures, none strike more fear into the human heart than the great white shark. The largest predatory fish on the planet inspired Steven Spielberg's movie Jaws, which sealed the shark's image as a man-eater.
But experts insist that while the great white's hunting habits do earn it the title of a seal serial killer, attacks on humans are rare. As marine biologist Francesco Ferretti says: "Spielberg has a lot to answer for. In reality you have about as much chance of being eaten by a shark as you have of winning the lottery twice."
The remarkable thresher shark sports a tail that's as long as the rest of its body, and it puts this extraordinary appendage to good use. When the solitary shark is hunting, it first uses its tail to herd prey by violently slapping the water's surface. Researchers believe that the shark also uses its tail when it goes in for the kill, whacking its prey to stun it into submission.
In Fishes of the Open Ocean, Pepperell writes that historic accounts tell of thresher sharks attacking whales, and notes that while these stories seem highly unlikely, they do make for fascinating reading. One eyewitness claimed that the thresher's tail was "like the lashing of a gigantic whip, while the blows are audible for two miles on a calm day. So heavy are they that strips of blubber are cut by them from the back of the hapless whale." | <urn:uuid:f431e5ae-3f5a-4e46-bf99-b59d3c210700> | {
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Teiji Uchida,a doctor in Hamamatsu City during the Meiji period wrote volumes of diary named Meiji-nenchu-zatsuroku, which includes concrete explanations and records about the construction of his own garden. The construction of the garden started in Meiji 20th and nearly completed in 24th. The majority of the garden plants were purchased in the neighborhood. Noticeably, the cherry trees were transplanted from the neighboring private garden. The record about the engaged people and pay proves the situation of the apprenticeship in gardening business at the time. The research on a gardener Niwahei that took a leading part in construction, his other garden projects, and the comparison between the other gardens of doctors' offices in the district clarified the cultural character of the gardens in Hamamatsu in the middle of the Meiji period.
The purpose of this paper is to consider characteristics of space use of recreational facilities with gardens depicted in Meisyo-zue. The facilities were mainly divided into two categories, such as restaurants and hot spring inns. The restaurants thrived around the Kyoto and Osaka areas, while the hot spring inns were represented by Hyogo, Nagano and Hakone areas. The restaurants were mainly enjoyed in the group, while the hot spring inns were mostly used by individuals. Neverthless, the restaurants and hot spring inns shared a number of common characteristics in terms of recreation and space structures. Recreational facilities had major options, such as scenic appreciation, igo, kemari, shamisen, cha-no-yu. Hot spring inns also had lending libraries and outdoor recreational options in fields and rivers. These recreational options were complemented with excellent scenic locations, gardens with high buildings for scenic appreciation, ponds and springs for refreshing in the cool air,fields for playing kemari and tea ceremony rooms with the adjacent gardens for enjoying cha-no-yu. The recreational facilities with gardens were characterized by a space structure with elements not for personal pleasure, but to fulfill various kinds of pleasure considering many and unspecific customers.
This paper examines the characteristic of the view in the space construction of the Saien garden and the meaning of the view in Daimyos garden in Edo city. It is resolved through the clarification of the location and creation of the views in Saien garden of the Kii Clan during Edo period. Saien garden makes use of the natural topography, in its space construction, the design of the view is strongly emphasized. The view from Bougakutei to Mt. Fuji is a typical example. The design is to cut the scene of Mt. Fuji through the frame of window. And this scenery design reminds us an ideal Chinese poetry expression. The act of viewing then changes from the stationary action of merely watching a picture to the action of utilizing the natural space to create scenery.
Japanese gardens, mainly built on natural materials, have special needs for particular kind of maintenance and care, as their landscape is very susceptible to both natural and human impact. In Japan, strenuous efforts have been made and resources have been allocated for the state-designated gardens of cultural properties. This study aims to investigate the actual changes of landscape of Katsura Imperial Villa garden from the Meiji era until today, and analyze techniques and philosophy on its daily maintenance and recovery from natural disaster like typhoon damage. The study relied on interviews and materials including photograph records and the restoration investigation design material.
Shigemori Mirei (1896-1975), who was the famous scholar and gardener in Showa era based his theory about Japanese traditional gardens upon a great many on-the-spot investigation of gardens. He described four existing gardens at Jhouei-ji, Manpuku-ji, Iko-ji, and Kyu-kameishibou, as designed by Sesshu. The aim of this paper is to clarify Shigemori's understanding about "Picturesque Stone arranging by Sesshu". Through detailed investigation into his description in An Illustration Book on the History of Japanese Garden, vol.3, 4, and Japanese Garden History Survey, vol.5, 6, 7, we made it clear that Shigemori pointed out following three characteristics which show the influence of landscape painting of North Song (1) - (3), and two characteristics, which show the same style and touch peculiar to drawings of Sesshu (4) - (5) : (1) the right-handed movement of stone arrangement ; (2) the emphasis on lines of stone ridge ; (3) the form of stone arranging brought from a landscape painting ; (4) the slanted line to lower right from the stone in the center ; (5) the movement of stone arranging unique to Sesshu. Finally, the picturesque characteristics in these gardens are divided into three aesthetic category of plastic art : composition, form, and movement.
Japanese gardens are visited by many people, but the reasons why there are so many visitors and how these visitors evaluate the gardens are not so clear. This study aims to observe the new type of evaluation of Japanese gardens through the "text mining" of blogs. Firstly, the blog sites related to the evaluation of Japanese gardens were found from the Yahoo blog search. Secondly, a set of data of evaluation was extracted from these blogs. Thirdly, the contents of these blogs were analyzed using the text mining techniques. The results of these analysis found many curious responses. Evaluation of Japanese garden consists of complex elements. They are "nature" and "design" as a core, additionally "surrounding scenery", "feeling", "architecture" "action" and "history". This study found that Japanese garden visitors understand the artistry and advanced techniques of garden. From text mining of blogs by Japanese garden visitors, various aspects of evaluation of Japanese garden were obtained.
In 1934,an area of Seto Inland Sea was nominated as National Park depended on the discover of the view from the top of the mountain,Mt.Washu in Shimotsui-cho by Dr.Tsuyoshi Tamura et al. However,the panoramic view from the top was prepared by Shimotsui-cho government and Shimotsui Train Co.Ltd. There is a leaflet on the view of the top of Mt.Washu published by the Shimotsui Train Co.Ltd.before the visit of Tamura.The view of the top can see around the whole area of Bisan Seto,islands and running ships. It was the discovered landscape by Dr.Tamura,but also prepared one by the local government and other stakeholders. Ushimado-cho government also prepared the landscape from the top of a hill,Kameyama that was developed as a view point. Dr.Tamura did not adopt the landscape and estimated not to be panoramic view. This paper discuss on the performance of the Committee of National Park represented by Dr.Tamura and the preparation by the local stakeholders.
This article attempts to ascertain the relationship between names and spaces of the Kangxi 36 and Qianlong 36 scenic spots in the Chengde Summer Resort of China. Through document research and fieldwork, the study deciphered and analyzed the connotations, ways of naming, expression contents, and elements of names and spaces of these scenic spots. It was found that the names of the 72 scenic spots mainly describe the natural scenery and buildings in the resort and reflect the aesthetic, ethical, and political thinking of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong. This study defines the close relationship between the names and spaces of the scenic spots, and shows that an understanding of their relations is essential to renovation, protection and reconstruction of the Summer Resort.
This paper shows the processes of designating Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park and Kushiro-Shitsugen National Park,and the relationship between them on the national parks designations and the significance of their designations as national parks.Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park was first designated in 1950 as a prefectural park. It was subsequently designated as a quasi-national park in 1965, and finally as a national park in 1974 along with the major part of the Sarobetsu-Genya Moor area. And the latter, Kushiro-Shitsugen National Park designation started with the Quasi-National Park Plan of 1971, at the same time as Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park designation was officially decided.As the result, the two designation processes were not directly connected. The Environment Agencys initial conclusion was that a new national park was unnecessary in the Long-Term Plan on Environmental Protection decided in 1977. And Kushiro-Shitsugen progress to a national park was accelerated after it was designated as Japans first Ramsar site in 1980. As consequences, both national parks designations reflect the evolution in the roles of national parks from initially that of protecting scenery, then to nature protection, and subsequently protection of ecosystems. Their designations can be linked with the priorities existing at the time. And Kushiro-Shitsugen National Park designation indicates the Agencys policy change.
The starting point of the pollution of our country is an Ashio mineral pollution event of the 19th century. Shozo Tanaka described flood control theory about the necessity of the protection of natural environment through practice by this event. The purpose of the present study is to consider how to succeed to from Tanaka's flood control theory to a modern citizen volunteer concretely. As a result,Shozo Tanakas flood control theory has four sides of Traditional river technology by character of geographical features and water, Erosion control as the head of a river training, Flood control the mountain and river on earth, and Ideal way of the man activity that enjoys the life of the natural gift. At the present period, Watarasegawakenkyukai, which was succeeded to through elaborate study of Shozo Tanakas thoughts, was the center of the group that developed with the activity as a recovery of natural environment. Tanaka described the ideal way of the flood control and the man activity along working of natural environment. On the other hand, it was considered that a present civic group aimed at the recovery for past natural environment, and was adapting oneself to present natural environment.
The puprpose of this study is to compare the subjectivity judgement of the condition of compost made from plant waste with the result of the analysis of ingredients (carbon, nitorogen, C/N, moisture content, humus, EC, pH (H2O), microbia activity). We showed 5 kinds of compost taken from the different factories to 76 subjects who work as a landscape architecture and asked them those condition in seven grades. Our results show that the compost that contain a lot of nitorogen or humus and the lower C/N compost are considered available. On the other hand there is compost that is considered unavailable, though it has the available result of the analysis of ingredients .And career have little effect on the judgement of compost condition.
The effects of trunk wrapping and leaf removal at the transplanting of Prunus yedoensis Matsum. in vegetable season are experimentally studied. Transplanting were held in June of rainy season and in August of mid summer, and in each month trunk wrapping, leaf removal,both treatments of two, and control sections were set in the experimental field, and the growth after planting were analyzed until November. Five individual trees of three years after grafting were planted in each treatment, and their height were around three meters. Leaf removal sections show significantly lesser growth including root system than trunk wrapping and control sections in June transplanting. Contrarily in August transplanting leaf removal and trunk wrapping are effective to keep alive, but tree form is changed compared with the ordinal form and root growth becomes also poor.
Turf surface moisture (TSM) of Polytrichum commune Hedw.,stretched in traditional moss gardens of Kyoto,would be affected by urban climate.TSM was measured for a total number of 33 days with microclimate observation in naturally cultivated habitat in a campus of Kyoto University.The mean TSM was 13.2 g m-2 among 28 no-rainfall days while there was only 5 days when it exceeded over 21.1 g m-2, which value is the total that standard deviation (7.9 g m-2) added to the mean value in the dry period.Relatively higher TSM for the dry period can occur due to water droplet formation process on leaves by nocturnal radiation after increases of turf humidity and soil moisture by rainfall, named as Rainfall-Distillation Process (RDP), in these 5 days. Positive photosynthesis condition may appear on account of simultaneous presence of both higher TSM and bright sunlight at clear morning with RDP. We concluded that it is more necessary to preserve and maintain moss-suited microclimate condition related to RDP. The control method of horizontal wind and vertical space, neither to blend inner and outside air nor to disturb accumulation of calm cool air mass, should be recognized to develop for moss gardens surrounded with urban changing climate.
Forest occupies most of Japanese domain. Nevertheless there is not enough area of flat forest park. Thus a forest footpath is an important element as the space of contact of city people and forest. Yet,a research which analyzed the relationship evaluation of forest footpath and the relaxation effect of walking in the forest is not enough. Thus,this paper analyzed the relationship between the relaxation effect of forest bathing by POMS and the evaluation of the forest footpath. The evaluation of the forest footpath : A number of photographs of favorable space during walk, an error in assessing time and distance in the walk. In the result, amount of stress reduction and vitality increase of the participants are likely to be improved in the footpath which was as follow. : Higher diversity of forest landscape, easier walking road, many attractive scene.In addition, The number of pictures of the good scenery is related to the value of the stress response before walking and frequency forest trail.
Uncultivated periods are important in rice paddy fields for the survival of species favoring unaerated soils. Clarifying the mechanisms affecting the floristic diversity of in-field habitats is a key part of sustainable agriculture. We hypothesized that the timing of crop harvest influences the flora in the subsequent uncultivated period in rice paddy fields. To confirm this hypothesis, surface soils were sampled in cultivated paddy fields at the beginning of August.The sampled soils stored in ≤ 5% relative light intensity were exposed to direct light at different periods varied from late August to the beginning of October. Germinated seedlings were counted until spring the next year. Observation in autumn showed that the numbers of species, germinated individuals, and flowering individuals differed as a function of the duration of light exposure, although these differences were less clear in the subsequent spring. These differences can be explained by differences in ecological traits such as maturation rate and optimum germination temperature. Timing of the rice harvest is closely linked to the timing of rice planting, which in turn can affect the germination of species maturing before the rice is planted.
We aimed to investigate the control effect of season and time of mowing on Coreopsis lanceolata. To this end, we conducted a 2-year mowing experiment on the vegetation of gravely beds of Kiso River. Mowing was conducted either once, twice, or thrice a year, in June, October, and/or February, since 2007. We observed that the number of flowering shoots decreased in the plot mowed in February (once) ; in plots mowed in June and February and in October and February (twice) ; and in plots mowed in June, October, and February (thrice). In addition, overall, mowing had no effect of reducing the number of individuals, but the number decreased in plots selectively-removed only in June. This experiment shows that mowing in February is effective in decreasing the flowering of Coreopsis lanceolata, and mowing more than once (in February and another season) enhances this effectiveness. Moreover, in this 2-year experiment, we found that mowing does not decrease the number of individuals of Coreopsis lanceolata.
The earth hummock in the Utsukushigahara highlands in central Nagano Prefecture in Central Japan has been a valuable example of this type of rare micro-topography of the mid-latitude. The loss of species from the plant community of the earth hummock as a result of the influence of alien plant species and human activities is of much concern.Because of their ecological value, these plant communities must be conserved. Therefore, the plant communities and the environmental conditions on the hummock and its immediate surroundings were investigated to determine the relationship between community structures and environmental conditions so that conservation strategies could be developed. The results of TWINSPAN analysis showed that the study area contained mainly two community types and that the species identified could be classified into nine species groups. The height of the representative community type on the earth hummock was higher than that of the community type of the surrounding area. Soil moisture percentage and the amount of snow cover in the hummock were lower than in the surrounding area. The results suggest that alien plant species were able to invade and become established in the representative community type on the earth hummock as a result of these characteristic environmental conditions.
A study was conducted on Orthoptera (Acrididae, Tettigoniidae, Gryllidae) in 56 sites of reclaimed land of Kanazawa District, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture through May to October of 2008. 28 species and 1941 individuals were recorded during this study. By using TWINSPAN and partitioning, classifications of the Orthoptera and study sites were made based on the results of this study. Also we investigated concerning vegetation, soil, distance from original land,and area coverd with vagetation around field as environmental factors. The study sites were sorted into 5 groups and the Orthoptera were sorted into 4 groups by using TWINSPAN. Based on 5 study site groups, partitioning analysis was conducted.Results suggest vegetation height, coverings of evergreens and deciduous trees of middle to high height, and distance from original land are related to Orthoptera inhabitation. However, it has not been clearly understood the distance from original land was selected as explanatory variable. A further verification is necessary because of the possibility that area coverd with vegetation around the field is related was suggested.
In our country, it is reported that a decrease in the rice field in various places causes the extinction of frogs populations. Fresh large-scale development of a rice field by the reclamation by drainage development is being done on one side. It provides important information as an example for the conservation biodiversity to grasp the distribution movement of the frogs in the creative area of the new rice field environment. We explained the tendency of the inhabiting distribution of the frogs in the reclaimed land of mouth area of the Kiso river which reclamation by drainage proceeded through gradually from the Edo Period middle, and added a consideration about that regulation factor. The whole distribution tendency was divided into three of the type that it is distributed in the whole of the reclaimed land (Hira japonica, Rana limnocharis), the type that it is distributed by the fixed tendency (Rana nigromaculata, Rana porosa brevipoda) and a type to be confined for just a little distribution (Rana japonica). Specially, we thought that the existence of the shrubbery zone was the regulation factor of the distribution of nigromaculata and Rana porosa brevipoda.
We investigated distributions of 3 species of crabs,Uca lactea, Macrophthalmus japonicus and Helice tridens, and soil conditions at random 364 plots in the mouse of the Onosato River, Osaka in September 2008. We also surveyed microtopography using a terrestrial laser scanning system in this area and made digital elevation model (DEM). Classification tree models were developed using distribution data of crabs and soil and topographic condition dataset. Deviance weighted scores (DWS) of explanatory variables at these models suggested that the most influential variables for distributions of crabs was the ratio of sediment particles which diameter under 0.250 mm. DWSs of explanatory variables at other classification tree models without using soil condition dataset were indicated that influential variables were distance to vegetation, distance to tidal flat and elevation. Prediction accuracies of distributions of crabs at later models were almost same compared to prior models. Mapping predicted suitable habitats of crabs on later models generally worked well, but had some mispredictions, because these models could not represent soil conditions adequately.
Japanese gardens had been widely created outside Japan and may also have generated various levels of awareness and impressions overseas. It is therefore interesting to study how foreigners understand Japanese gardens to unfold ideas for the future development of Japanese gardens outside Japan as instrument for cultural exchange. This study was conducted to determine and understand the awareness and impressions of Filipinos on Japanese gardens and analyze the factors of appreciation. A photo survey questionnaire was prepared using the semantic differential method. Japanese informants were also surveyed as the control treatment, while Filipino and Western informants in Japan as the comparative group. Results then were analyzed using factor and cluster analyses. The results showed that the individuals impression differ depending on ones exposure to Japanese garden. Filipinos who had visited Japanese gardens have had their impression based on the visual and emotional factors while those who had not, expressed their appreciation strongly on a visual level. Filipino and Western informants in Japan expressed similar results but still incomparable to Japanese informants results. Cluster analysis revealed that amongst the three types of Japanese gardens, Filipinos idea of a Japanese garden is strongly represented by the Hill-and-pond garden (Rinsen) type.
This paper aims to compare two processes of fusion in design-the fusion between French and Chinese landscape styles and that between English and Chinese landscape styles-via a comparison of the facilities and transformations in Fuxing Park and Zhongshan Park, Shanghai. The period studied includes the period of concessions (Period I ) and that of the Peoples Republic of China (Period II ). Through a literature survey tracing the development of the facilities and features and quantitative analysis based on the plan drawings of elements such as hills, water bodies, flowerbeds, lawns, architectural installations, and pathways, this paper describes a comparison of the facilities and transformations in the two parks. Conclusions: (1)As former settlement parks, both have a diverse landscape style, because of the eclectic landscape style popular in the 1920s. (2)As modern Chinese parks in the stage before the Cultural Revolution and the stage after Economic Reform, both parks developed recreation facilities with Chinese elements. (3)In Period II, Zhongshan Park made more changes to its English style landscaping facilities than Fuxing Park made to its French style landscaping facilities; thus, the increase in Chinese style landscaping features was more marked in Zhongshan Park than in Fuxing Park.
To arrest global warming,it is also expected that the effect of carbon storage and sequestration of urban green spaces will be an important factor. On the other hand,the life cycle CO2 (hereafter, LCCO2) evaluation to reduce CO2 emissions is watched with interest by each sector. Because of this situation, the purpose of this study was to discuss the planning and design of urban Parks based on LCCO2. The study parks estimated in this study were selected 5 block parks in Sapporo City, Hokkaido. The results are follows: 1) It were possible to apply the LCCO2 evaluation method to all study parks. 2) In the study parks under the present conditions, the average amount of LCCO2 per area of 1 hectare of each sample was estimated about 58.4t-C/ha (range:45.9–78.6t-C/ha). 3) In the study park (3 types) changed basing on a landscape planning considered to reduce the amount of LCCO2, the average reduction rate of LCCO2 was estimated about 17.1–42.0%. 4) Therefore, we grasped to be important to discuss landscape planning considered to reduce the amount of LCCO2.
This research is investigation for improvement of the urban environment using the minute weather effect of SHINSUI Park. The measurement survey was done in SHINSUI Park in Edogawa Ward using the water and green network to SHINSUI Park. As a result, changing of the minute weather effect in the park by the cycle of the season of the deciduous tree, and having improved SHINSUI Park and minute weather urban in the surrounding became emerged. A way to scatter of the minute weather effect to the urban area in the surrounding, it is important to forest with roadside tree in succession in the park. We aim at improvement of the urban environment by making use of a minute weather formation effect formed around these SHINSUI Park.
The purpose of this study was to examine future directions for housing complex renovation using its open space through a field survey on actual utilization of that space. We investigated the renovated open space to evaluate the renovation, and sort out the challenges facing the space, as well as the possibilities for it in housing complex renovation. The results revealed that its most required use was as a children's playground, indicating the importance of response to this requirement. This was followed by usage for taking a walk or resting, which indicated a need for the renovation plan to promote diverse usage. This study suggests that open space should be renovated by making full use of the existing space characteristics so that all generations, from children to elderly, can use it, which may lead to successful housing complex renovation acceptable in an aging society with a low birthrate.
In National Government Parks, a large number of exhibition facilities have been constructed and are managed and operated for purposes such as introduction of projects related to parks and open green space, popularization and education activities related to the nature and culture of the region, etc. Issues for these exhibition facilities include renewal of exhibits, specialization of content, and the like. Study of efficient/effective management and operation techniques referring to case studies of museums, which are similar facilities, is considered effective in responding to these issues. In this research, the date of establishment, area, items displayed, condition of installation of fixtures and furniture of the exhibition facilities, and the purpose, period, location, content, and management and operation of the operation system, etc. of permanent exhibits and thematic exhibits were arranged, and the features and effects of exhibits in National Government Parks were analyzed and considered from the viewpoint of museum-like functions.
areas and facilities use of mobility impaired people on takino suzuran hillside national park was discussed. Monitoring results of activity surveys for wheel chair users, powered wheel chair users, stick users and stroller users showed that powered wheel chair greatly contributed to improve accessibility of park facilities and programs. On the other hand, many facilities were still difficult for wheel chair user. These results were considered that various assistive technologies and management on walking distance would be effective tools for making accessible park.
In order to create safe public parks that are accessible to everyone, the role of neighborhood residents is important. The aim of this study is to identify the factors that affect the intention of the residents to deal with various problems in public parks, especially in terms of the types and extent of social networks among neighborhood residents, based on a survey conducted in Suma Ward, Kobe City. 837 respondents of the survey were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Three latent variables were set in the model -the trust among neighborhood residents, the size of personal networks in neighborhoods, and the participation in neighborhood activities. Results are as follows. 1)In order to form the intention to act for the problems in public parks, the trust is important. 2)The size of personal networks and the participation in neighborhood activities can stimulate the creation of the trust. 3)The role of the trust is important for large parks while the extent of social networks is important for small parks. Based on these results, this paper discusses the direction of the risk management of public parks by neighborhood residents.
The number of people who climb Mt.Fuji,a symbol of Japan is on the increase these past few years and reached around 350,000 in 2007. Most climbers can descend the mountain safely but some despair of climbing to the summit because of altitude sickness, injury, physical strength and other things. Some accidents of falling down led to climbers death. Therefore, it is very important to grasp hidden danger in order to evade and lessen risk. The purpose of this study is 1)to analyze all accidents in the mountain in summer for 20 years and grasp the characteristics of them by using police documents and 2)to grip the attributes of actual climbers and anxiety and risk recognized by them, and to examine the relationship between the attributes and consciousness of anxiety and risk clear. As a result, people of middle and advanced age have a tendency to be drawn into direct involvement in accidents at Mt. Fuji like other mountains in Japan. In addition to this, the contents of anxiety and risk recognized by actual climbers are different from the characteristics of accidents and the discrepancy between their consciousness and practice should be paid attention to.
As ecotourism become popular,the importance of enhancing ecotourism guides (ET-guide) has been pointed out. Recently, many ET-guide training lectures had held. The ET-guides were expected to skillfuly understand the natural environment and historical culture,and take the responsibility in managing and maintaining the resources. It is rare that ET-guides operate the whole tour by themselves only, and ET-guide assistants (assistants) usually support them. Therefore,assistants are candidates of ET-guides. The subject of this research is the sea kayaking ecotour operators which is carried out by an ET-guide and assistants in south Kujuku-shima Islands. The aim of this study is to examine a way to produce the enviromental awareness, by 1)to classify a role of ET-guides, 2)to classify a work structure of sea kayaking ecotourism and 3)clarifing the ET-guides experience and enviromental awareness. Results suggest that the ET-guides are expected to conduct a natural environment monitoring and substantial management for sustainable use of the specific field. With the work load leveling up, assistants give primary attenton to the enviromental elements which directly affect clients, such as physical danger, weather change, etc, and only give secondary attention to other fields, such as culture,geography, etc. In conclusion, term and work contents have relationship for enhancing the environmental recognition of assistants.
Based on the data obtained from mail-back questionnaire to visitors in Shiretoko national park, this study was conducted in order to examine visitors first source of provided information about traffic control, their understanding of environmental information on Shiretoko Goko which was one of most visitors destinations, their expectation to contents of both prior and on site information, and factors affecting their cognition and expectation. About 30 percent of visitors eventually noticed the traffic control under enforcement after they arrived at Shiretoko. Visitors showed a tendency to have less understanding some information on visitors safety of risk management and control of visitors behavior for environment friendly consciousness. Main contents of visitor expectation to both prior and on-site information were weather forecast, encounter with brown bears and traffic control which could influence visitor activity and their destination. Visitors prior experience in Shiretoko, type of their transportation and location of their dwelling place affected their tendency to access source of information and level of cognition. Visitors prior experience affected their expectation to the contents of provided information. It is necessary to provide environment friendly information with visitors by well designed system corresponding to each stage from their planning to arrival.
The purpose of this study was to survey the information which was needed by recreational users in advance for their appropriate management on Ishikari Coast, Hokkaido.1,000 questionnaire surveys which asked advanced information, information source and information facilities they used and also asked to evaluate their importance and quality were distributed on the beach of Ishikari Coast, 375 were returned back by mail, and 341 were analyzed.About a half of respondents did not used advance information before their visit, but other most of all visitor checked the weather report. The advance information they needed were different with their purpose of visit, their age and their experience of visit.Thirty's years old (and/or younger) visitors and 10 times or more repeated visitors did not check any information and did not visit any information facilities in Ishikari Coast. As a conclusion,on-site interpretive activities are important to establish the appropriate recreational management of visitors, and should turn gently to the off-site information provision, like a portal web site of Ishikari Coast, in the future.
In Japanese national parks,the designation of a park and its zoning boundaries is influenced by land ownership. There has been criticism that zoning is influenced by timber production or other commercial activities. We examined the relationship between the national park plan and national forest plan in the Shikotsu-Jozankei area in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. We overlaid the national forest management plan map with the park plan map using a GIS. We found that half of the park boundaries have commonality with a national forest unit and 36% with municipal boundaries. The special protection zone and special zone I of the national park plan are similar to the Protection Forest in a national forest. Special zone II is similar to the Recreation Forest in a national forest. National forest functional zones have many similarities with national park zoning. These results clarified the significant effect of a national forest plan on the definition of national park zoning.
A large-scale fence which prevented the invasion of the deer was formed of area about 900ha on Senjogahara moor of Nikko National Park in 2001, for the purpose of keeping moor in good condition from the deer which increased very much.I clarified this article about the change of the anti-deer measures on Senjogahara moor by analyzing measures and investigations that had been carried out. As a result, confirmation of the moor recovery situation by the vegetation investigation played a key role until 2005, but anti-deer measures were carried out in earnest from 2006, and the investigation changed into it to help the enforcement of measures. In addition, recovery of the vegetation did not advance very much by the invasion of the deer to the inside of the fence until 2005, but after measures were carried out, the number of deer deceased and vegetation recovered in the fence. This result shows the possibility of the conservation of the moor by a large-scale fence preventing the invasion of the deer.
In this study,we investigated the distribution of three semi-terrestrial crabs in Sennan-Satoumi Park in Osaka Prefecture, and gave management suggestions for conservation of those crabs. Semi-terrestrial crabs spend larval stage in the sea area, while juvenile and adult crabs inhabit coastal forests. The park was constructed at the Osaka Bay on natural coast by bay reclamation in 1996. Before the park was constructed, the crabs were commonly observed at the natural coast; however, after the reclamation project, since the project broke the continuity between the bay and the coastal forest, the less number of the crabs were found in the area. We investigated population and distribution of adult crabs and juvenile crabs in 2008. The populations of all three species were decreased and the activity patterns were changed by environmental changes, such as channel construction, compared with the data from previous study conducted in 2002. We also found that the adult crabs mainly inhabit near water, and the activity patterns of the juvenile crabs are affected by the continuity of coastal forest.Discontinuity of the coastal forest prevents juvenile crabs from migrating their habitat. In conclusion, in order to conserve the crabs, it is important to ensure the continuity of the coastal forest and preserve water holes in the park.
"Kanenowaraji, a book of a journey on springs of Hakone, Enoshima, and Kamakura" was the travel literature of early modern Kamakura by Jippensha-Ikku. Noted place are 107 spots in all composition, and then 17 spots of noted places were described for the scenery. Moreover, 11 of 17 spots were noted coastal landscape. In the pilgrimage, a route was full of topographic variety, and then travelers could see coastal places from all noted palace on high ground. Especially, a landscape from bird's - eye view was used a conversion point from scene to scene. It is necessary for coastal landscape to improve the journey. Hence, Ikku used the effective routing. The effective routing is characterized that the the topography of Kamakura is small plain and mountainous near the seashoreline and the section between "Entrance of Enoshima" and "Shichiri-no-hama" was direrected by Ikku's original technique that horizontal sequence.
This study aims to clarify the differences in crowding evaluation between people on-site and off-site. To achieve this purpose we showed the above people seven different photographs with the number of visitors ranging from 3 to 165 people. The photographs were taken at Ozegahara in Oze National Park. Ozegahara was chosen as the place for on-site locations, and a university campus and two regional parks in Tokyo were chosen for off-site locations.We had people select one appropriate photograph in the above seven photographs to address the following: (1) what was considered to be the most suitable conditions for use; (2) considered crowded if the number of visitors increased; (3) not to go to the park if there were more visitors; (4) suitable visitor numbers; and (5) less visitors would be desirable. As a result, there was a clear difference between on-site and off-site about all items. In the case of the point (3) photographs which had 20 % fewer visitors were selected off-site compared to on-site. This result was the most different.
The object of this study is to examine the visitor evaluation of the Diaoshuilou Waterfall and the Changbai Waterfall landscape and its surrounding in Northeast China. In addition, We how improve the surrounding of waterfalls. The respondents of this study were 55 visitors of Diaoshuilou Waterfall and 117 visitors of Changbai Waterfall. The result showed that the best season to visit the two waterfalls is autumn, then followed by summer, winter and spring. According to the visitors the best spot to see the scenery is from the front side. The artificials in the scenic spots have some influences on the Changbai Waterfall, though there are no influences in the Diaoshuilou Waterfall. Both the survey with the SD method and the research on the image of the Waterfall show that the differences between the two Waterfalls are about their [Geenery Amount], [Water Amount], [Drop] and their [Spread]. The result showed visitors evaluation of waterfall, in not only by viewing the waterfall, but also by the surrounding of waterfall.
The purpose of this research was to clarify how an individual personality will be reflected in the appraisal for on-site forest environment. We looked into individual personality for the each respondent with using some questionnaire such as the profile questionnaire, Neo-FFI, GSES, TBS-test that were executed before the forest bathing experiment. Then to examine the appraisal in the on-site forest environment, we tried to survey the impressive appraisal experiment for each respondent by the semantic differential method in each on-site forest environment after the forest bathing experiment, and to do the correlative analysis and the contrastive analysis. As a result of Neo-FFI, Neuroticism and Extroversion were significantly related to the evaluation of vigor for on-site forest environment. As to GSES, the higher group on Social position of their own abilities evaluated more natural than the lower relatively on the contrary to Uneasiness to failure. Form TBS-test, it was clarified that the relations between individual personality and the appraisal of on-site forest environment, such as the higher group on Anthropocentrism evaluated more crowded and densely than the lower significantly. Finally, the personality-based-designs and programs for on-site forest environment were suggested to be healed more.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible future direction of space design for direct and indirect contact with animals. We conducted a questionnaire survey among university students and their parents to obtain a general consensus of what their most unforgettable experiences with animals were. The results showed that, among those who responded, the most cherished experiences were the ones that they had with their parents before starting and during elementary school. It also indicated that they had different impressions,depending on the type of animals. Specifically, in contact with companion animals, the subjects were most impressed by the experiences of tending to small animals at school. In contact with exhibition animals, they were most impressed by the experiences they had during university and after graduating from it. In contact with small animals and other creatures living in their natural environments, they were most impressed by the experiences they had at public space.
Touching water is one of the key elements composing one's feeling of water-familiarity within riparian spaces. The objective of this study is to clarify the spatial factors affecting the behaviors of those who touch river water on three fixed weirs, Daiju-zeki, Hata-zeki, and Ichinoi-zeki. 285 sets of behaviors and spaces observed on the sites were classified into 6 groups. In each set, the relationships among the human body, the touched water and the surface of weir were analyzed. The accessibility from the river sides to those touching points was also analyzed. The results were compared among the three weirs in order to finding similarities and differences. It turned out that the levels of both surface and bottom of the river to the weir surface, and the sectional forms of the weirs were the spatial factors affecting the touching water behaviors. The points for utilizing and maintaining the weirs as water-familiar spaces were presented based on the outcomes.
The transition of biodiversity policies in national environmental policies and of the influence of national trends on prefectural plans have not been clarified to date. We examined the basic environment plans drawn up by the nation and each prefectural government. First, we studied the transition of policies for biodiversity at the national level, and then analyzed which policies for conserving biodiversity were valued at the prefectural government level compared with the national trend. As a result, we showed that the concept and policies of biodiversity were broad at the national level, and that many prefectures thought of biodiversity conservation within a limited scope related to wildlife conservation, and that it had not been treated as an important issue in their own region. By classifying environment plans and strategies for conserving biodiversity in each prefecture into several types, we also clarified, that local conditions and needs affect the priorities and policies for biodiversity conservation.
This study aimed to clarify the historical recognition to the Conservation of the Forest of 17th and 19th century Kiso-yama in Tumago-juku. That is concerned with the landscapes of MACHI-NAMI Conservation and Regeneration. The meanings to the forest conservation are widely different between present and that time. The wood was used for the taxes and the construction of castle towns. But, in 1724, Shiro-yama and Mizukami-yama were designated for tomeyama for sustainable use. On the other hand, in akeyama, the village people got daily trees from bush. Some forests had been used for Ise-shrine-forests with special focus on the Sikinen-Sengu Ceremony through that times. In 1904, Tumago and Otaru as crown forests were designated for Ise shrine forests. In that foresty works the people organized lumbering workers and women were paid by the day. The site of the forest of the Tumago-juku Preservation district was systematically managed through the feudal utilization and control politics.
Several research methods are available for landscape assessment and conservation in enclosed landscapes, with which we interact constantly in our daily lives.The extraction of landscape elements in enclosed landscapes, however, is considered to be more difficult than in panoramic landscapes. This study examined several research methods using various materials,question survey and field survey. These databases were constructed by using geographic information system (GIS) and global positioning system (GPS). The landscape elements database measured straight line distances between roads and landscape elements, and property line of administration field and landscape elements. The land use has been determined from the position of the landscape elements. According to results, about 70% of the land use was consisted of landscape elements from the road within 25m. When the landscape elements were extracted, this was able to be shown as one technique.The result suggests when the landscape elements were extracted, GIS becomes one technique to simplify the methods.
The purpose of this study was to propose effective use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) in analyzing landscape characteristics of a local area which serve as the fundamental data for setting up landscape plan, using Asuka Mura, whose landform is representative of microtopography, as a case example. Specifically, geographic data about elevation and land use were acquired via GIS, and its three-dimensional analysis was used to examine the range of visibility of visitors and residents standing on a main road. Next, key ridge lines which characterize the studied area were identified by using the results obtained above, in order to classify the studied area into landscape units. Then, the extent of field of view and the presence of superimposition were investigated for each landscape unit, and components of each landscape unit were identified by overlapping the landscape unit made with land use and landform classifications. The combination of these procedures successfully confirmed the landscape characteristics of the whole studied area.
In order to achieve an appropriate balance between regional maintenance and tourism demand, we applied the NDVI for moss vegetation covering the stone pavement along the Kumano Pilgrimage Routes, one of the World Heritage Sites located in Wakayama Pref., Japan and conducted periodic research into their changes. We employed the NDVI imaging system, which consists of two commercially available digital cameras by which the reflected radiance in RGB and NIR images is respectively obtained. The NDVIIM value calculated by the digital image analysis was used for the evaluation of vegetation. The NDVI in "Daimonzaka" is quite a bit smaller than that of Waroudaishi, which corresponds to the number of visitors to the individual sites. According to the NDVI image from both sites, the damaged portion appeared around the center of the pavement due to the influence of human tread pressure. Moreover, there was significant correlation between the NDVI and NDVIIM, in which the existence of moss vegetation exceeding constancy was detected, although differences in the distribution values of 2007 and 2008 were respectively observed. Therefore, proximity remote sensing of the moss vegetation via digital imaging was considered an effective way to index the influences of the increased visitor traffic.
In order to create more attractive urban spaces by greening, we need to take into account the various effects of greenery, for example solar shading of tree crown and cooling effect by transpiration, when designing green urban spaces. The purpose of this study is to develop numerical tree model of a deciduous tree for simulating the effects of solar shading by tree crown on the surface temperature, brightness distribution and illuminance distribution under tree crown. As a fundamental study, this paper investigates relationship between tree geometry and solar transmittance using the CG tree model. The solar transmittance ratio is determined as the ratio of sunlight through a tree into the tree shadow. Several tree species and variation are created by a CGsoftware. Hourly the solar transmittance ratio is calculated by the ray-tracing method using the CG model. The relationship between the tree geometry depending on tree species and the solar transmittance ratio is analyzed. The result shows that the solar transmittance ratio of Prunus x yedoensis and Platanus x acarifolia have no relationship to these factors, although the ratio of Zelkova serrata, which has similar geometry type to plant community, is depended on LAI. These indicate that a tree model for solar transmittance need several parameters such as LAI, size of leaf and density of branch.
The fixed-point observation of the forest by video and sound has been continued in the university forest in Chichibu, the University of Tokyo since 1995. The purpose of this observation is record and analysis of the forest landscape, and the educational use. To use this forest video archive in the science class, it is necessary to upgrade metadata related to content of the science class. The tree phenology exerted a big influence on the forest landscape. Then, it is tried to upgrade tree phenology information. In this study, it is examined whether teaching materials concerning phenology by the forest video archive apply to the science class in the elementary school. As a result of examination of course of study, it is thought that the class about tree phenology can be done by the fourth grader or more. In this study, the tree phenology of the beech was able to be treated in the sixth grader. In this case, there is a possibility that the video which takes a picture of the near view is effective. Moreover, it is thought that it is preferable to do an enough explanation of the targeted tree phenology before the video teaching material is presented.
Green Architecture Techniques such as green roof and façade greening have been recently increasing in many cities.It brings many benefits to people in urban area such as mitigating an urban heat island effect, increasing the amenity of the cities and relaxation and conservation of biodiversity, and other benefits. Because of a lack of tools for quantifying the value, Green Architecture Techniques have not been well recognized by decision makers such as building owners of private sector. This study therefore aims at finding out this tool by doing various researches.First, we made a questionnaire by using Contingent Valuation Method, in which examinees are given several photographs of different scale of Green Architecture Techniques. The examinees will consequently understand that the effect of Green Architecture Techniques is proportional to the scale of greening. Next, these examinees are divided into several groups and receive different information about Green Architecture Techniques. One group receives only positive information while next group receives only negative information. We also give other group typical information of the effects. As the result, it was proved that the valuations of each examinee were subjectively influenced by types of given information.
Image sequence of the walking direction in Oze national park were taken by camcorder, and analysis of sequential landscape was performed by theory of fractal in this paper. Moreover, positioning by GPS was also performed during the walking, and distance from start point and altitude were acquired. Such processing was performed in summer and autumn, and comparing of landscapes in these 2 seasons were also performed. As a result, complexity of the landscape for certain object and overall could be expressed by using 2 kinds of fractal analysis respectively. Particularly, the difference of these landscapes for 2 seasons or each position could be understood quantitatively. Therefore, quantitative analysis for sequential landscape in Oze national park was realized. On the other hand, position for the each scene of the landscape could be obtained by GPS, the landscape was analyzed by relation between distance and altitude. These proposal methods could acquire quantitative data for landscape, however subjective information by the visitors are also required for landscape planning. Such data or information will be combined to be analyzed, consequently it can be seen that the supply of the objective and reliable information for the nature landscape by visitors will be realized. | <urn:uuid:df1c1ae9-d4a3-41f3-92d6-4a24ab1582d1> | {
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The best way to learn Japanese is through a variety of methods. You need to work on your grammar, listening, speaking, reading and writing. Its best to think of these as separate categories and focus on each specific category as these require different methods and techniques.
Start by learning the basics through grammar. These books really helped me:
• Shin Nihongo no Kiso I & II
• An Introduction to Modern Japanese by Osamu Mizutani & Nobuko Mizutani
• Japanese Demystified by Eriko Sato a self-teaching guide
These books cover both polite Japanese, which is extremely important to learn in order to speak Japanese effectively and causal Japanese, which is great for everyday conversations.
I also recommend trying to learn a certain amount of vocab or kanji each day as this helps you build up your vocab and kanji ability. I tried to learn 5 kanji per day or about 20 a week and did the same with vocab.
Watching Japanese anime or any Japanese TV program is a good idea for improving your listening skills and also your vocabulary. Keep a notebook and jot down any new words you hear. Then look them up and find out the meaning.
The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently
How to Speak Japanese Fluently | <urn:uuid:68d7e5e7-f252-4c5e-a718-9239f13b8f87> | {
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Microsoft digs Doppler to effect gesture detection
Microsoft Research took motion detection to new levels this week when it unveiled a new gesture recognition system for laptops.
Called SoundWave, the rig utilises the Doppler effect, picking up subtle changes in sound wave frequencies to calculate how a user's hand is moving in front of a laptop. It's said to work even in noisy environments.
SoundWave works by emitting an inaudible tone between 18 and 22kHz. As these waves reflect off an object, the frequency is changed slightly. The changes are detected by the computer's array of microphones.
Combined with the changes in a sound wave's amplitude, direction, speed and time variation, the system determines which gesture is being made.
While it is unlikely to have much effect from a distance - we'll keep using Kinect for that - SoundWave could come in handy for close-up computer gesturing.
Check out the demonstration video: | <urn:uuid:dfff0f87-263a-4b8e-9bcb-2e11a92b8d20> | {
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Introduction The DataGridView control available as a part of Windows Forms controls in Visual Studio 2008 is much more powerful than it's previous versions. This tutorial is a basic introduction of how to write a simple data driven application using Visual Studio 2008 wizards without writing a single line of code. In my next articles, I will talk about more detailed features of the DataGridView control. The DataGridView control provides a powerful and flexible way to display data in a tabular format. You can use the DataGridView control to show read-only views of a small amount of data, or you can scale it to show editable views of very large sets of data. This control also let's you display data in a master-details view. With the DataGridView control, you can display and edit tabular data from many different kinds of data sources. Binding data to the DataGridView control is straightforward and intuitive, and in many cases it is as simple as setting the DataSource property. When you bind to a data source that contains multiple lists or tables, set the DataMember property to a string that specifies the list or table to bind to. The DataGridView control supports the standard Windows Forms data binding model, so it will bind to instances of classes described in the following list:
C# Corner. All contents are copyright of their authors. | <urn:uuid:a51853c8-71ee-47c3-9e91-4d7035fedbbe> | {
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The 1980s were the decade in which computers began to influence all levels of education. The number of computers available for students' use changed from 800,000 to 1.7 million during the 1980s (U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, 1988). Today there are two million computers in American schools, which represent about one computer for every twenty five students. Many higher education institutions utilized newly available technology to enrich the curriculum and assist the teaching-learning process. Infusions of technology resulted in recommendations from accrediting agencies to develop formal evaluation procedures to assess the outcomes of technological innovations in the teaching-learning process and to determine their effectiveness in relation to the human and fiscal resources expended.
Need for the Study
Reports such as Everybody Counts (National Research Council, 1989) and Moving Beyond the Myths (National Research Council, 1991) supported the position that the society has much to gain from the increasing role of technology in mathematics education. The role of technology in mathematics education presented in Everybody Counts was:
Schroeder and Lester (1989) indicated that there
is an urgent need to provide teachers with information about “teaching
via problem solving.” Kaput and Thompson (1994) urged that educators should
assume responsibilities for shaping the roles of new technologies in school
mathematics and researchers should turn issues raised by new technologies
into research-able questions.
Clearly, there seems to be a need in mathematics education to find some effective uses for technology. It appears, also, that more research is necessary about the effect of a technology-based curriculum on mathematical reasoning skills and students' attitudes toward their own problem solving abilities.
The purpose of this study is to prepare computer-based instructional materials for use in a mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills course at the college level, and to test the effects of these materials in a college setting. Among the questions to be addressed in this study are:Purpose of the Study
The students in the computer groups received three sessions of instruction in the use of Lotus 1-2-3. Additional instruction was given as needed for the purpose of the project. The instructional content was textbook oriented and was identical for both treatment C1, C2 and comparison NC groups.
The following procedures were followed to achieve the purpose of the study. First, a review of relevant literature to obtain information about investigations related to the study was undertaken. Based upon this review instruments for evaluating achievement of problem solving skills were developed. Instruments to assess students' attitudes toward the usefulness of mathematics and confidence of learning mathematics; their own problem solving abilities; and computers were chosen.
The investigator and a mathematics colleague constructed two measures, the pretest and the posttest, (See Appendix B). The problems on the two examinations were matched in that the strategies that can be used to solve a pretest problem can also help to solve a posttest problem.
The Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scales, (See Appendix C) instruments were used to measure attitudes toward the learning of mathematics by males and females (Fennema & Sherman, 1976) and to asses the students' attitudes toward the usefulness of mathematics and their confidence of learning mathematics. The Student Attitude Questionnaire (See Appendix D), developed for the Mathematical Problem-Solving Project at Indiana University (Moses, 1976) was selected to assess problem solving abilities. The students' attitudes toward computers (See Appendix E) were assessed using instruments developed by the Office of Planning, Development and Evaluation in the university where the study was conducted. Permission for the use of the instruments was requested and received (See Appendix A).
The study required other activities. There was a review of the software available in the Mathematics and Computer Assisted Instruction Laboratories. The investigator developed and selected from the literature reviewed computer-based activities for the mathematical reasoning skill course. She also organized the computer-based curriculum project, including the curricular materials and the schedule for computer laboratory visits. Other activities were the administration of the pretest, the posttest, and the self-assessment instruments. The investigator and the colleague working in the study interviewed a selected sample from the treatment groups to get student's thoughts and feelings about the treatment.
The plan of the report follows the sequence established in the procedure of the study. The review of literature is presented in Chapter II. The review includes studies involving problem solving, the use of computers in mathematics, and the use of computers to provide concrete experience as an aid to problem solving.Plan of the Report
Information about the subjects of the study, treatment groups and comparison group, the course, the environment, the instructional materials and the instruments appears in Chapter III. The analysis of the data is presented in Chapter IV, and the Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations in Chapter V. | <urn:uuid:c22a0357-2c2b-48c8-9062-44a475e37034> | {
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The landscapes of the province of Granada are wonderfully diverse. Very few geographical areas offer such a striking variety of natural scenery, landscapes and habitats in such proximity, an even fewer with such good weather conditions.
Granada’s marked and heterogeneous terrain makes it possible to drive, in just 90 minutes, from the idyllic beaches of the Costa Tropical, with an average annual temperature of 20ºC, to the towering, snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the highest on the Iberian Peninsula.
But if one prefers to travel more tranquilly, right along the ground, this microcosm of nature offers a chance to marvel at the charms of other equally suggestive scenery, forests of native Mediterranean forest, oak, pine and juniper, deciduous and riverside, steep limestone mountains traversed by steep ravines and canyons, arid bushland and open plains, fertile green meadows, and mosaics of crops alongside harsh, deserts, wetlands and sea cliffs. A genuine showcase of biodiversity that entails, among many other charms, considerable ornithological wealth. | <urn:uuid:85cfeca5-6b57-40de-a587-240ae7be8922> | {
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When I was browsing through the recent issue of Current Archaeology, I came across a review of a book, The Artificial Ape: How Technology Changed the Course of Human Evolution by Timothy Taylor. Intrigued, I did a search for it and found this review from The Guardian, also quite good. I might consider picking up the book at some point. Here is the gist:
In the new theory, proto-human beings, through innovative technologies, created the conditions that led to a rapid spread of new mutations. In other words, we didn’t evolve a big brain (three to four times the size of a chimp’s) and then use it to develop human culture; we first departed from genetically fixed behaviour patterns, and this led to ever-increasing brain capacity and hence more innovations. The plethora of speculations as to how this happened is fascinating and will probably lead to a true understanding of the course of human evolution, but most people will want proof.
Impeccably detailed evidence is now emerging from the genomics revolution. Taylor cites one of the best attested examples of a human cultural innovation leading to genetic change: the drinking of cow’s milk. In the ancestral human condition only babies up to the age of weaning could digest milk, but tolerance to cow’s milk has spread though all populations that have practised cattle farming. Globally, this process is still incomplete and genomics has revealed that milk tolerance has evolved on several separate occasions by different genetic mechanisms.
The conclusion of the reviewer?
The new understanding of human evolution should be a massive relief to many. The anguish that Darwin caused – all purpose gone, chance and brute necessity rule – seems to be have been misplaced. There is no goal in nature, nor any God-given purpose, but human evolution has been driven by striving towards a better way of living. As they domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, cats, dogs and bees, humans were simultaneously domesticating themselves. By our own efforts we made ourselves human.
via The Artificial Ape: How Technology Changed the Course of Human Evolution by Timothy Taylor | Book review | Books | The Guardian.
The blurb from the book is this:
A breakthrough theory that tools and technology are the real drivers of human evolution
Although humans are one of the great apes, along with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, we are remarkably different from them. Unlike our cousins who subsist on raw food, spend their days and nights outdoors, and wear a thick coat of hair, humans are entirely dependent on artificial things, such as clothing, shelter, and the use of tools, and would die in nature without them. Yet, despite our status as the weakest ape, we are the masters of this planet. Given these inherent deficits, how did humans come out on top?
In this fascinating new account of our origins, leading archaeologist Timothy Taylor proposes a new way of thinking about human evolution through our relationship with objects. Drawing on the latest fossil evidence, Taylor argues that at each step of our species’ development, humans made choices that caused us to assume greater control of our evolution. Our appropriation of objects allowed us to walk upright, lose our body hair, and grow significantly larger brains. As we push the frontiers of scientific technology, creating prosthetics, intelligent implants, and artificially modified genes, we continue a process that started in the prehistoric past, when we first began to extend our powers through objects.
Weaving together lively discussions of major discoveries of human skeletons and artifacts with a reexamination of Darwin’s theory of evolution, Taylor takes us on an exciting and challenging journey that begins to answer the fundamental question about our existence: what makes humans unique, and what does that mean for our future?
Filed under: Archaeology, Reviews, Scholarship, Science Content, Society | Tagged: evolution | Leave a comment » | <urn:uuid:2483e2dd-ce27-4b5c-97c8-78ffa636dcba> | {
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Characteristics of the Mind and The Method of Examining the Mind
- by H.H. Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara
Supreme Patriarch of Thailand
(Venerable Suvaddhano Bhikkhu)
Characteristics of the Mind
I would like to explain a little more about
the nature of the mind; how difficult it is
to tame and control with its habitual jumping
and racing about. Even with mindfulness fixed
on a single object, it will continually buck
and pull away. Where does the mind jump to?
It struggles around among mental objects,
following after desires, wishes, attractions
and the obstacles (palibodha) which are
worries and anxieties. These external involvements
are those concerns which we think and conceive
about. Once they are caught up in the mind they
agitate as worries and anxieties. If they are
many and you are unable to throw them out, then
the mind can't be pacified. However, everyone
with true determination can expel them and
achieve a calm mind.
The Method of Examining the Mind
Mindfulness is essential for guarding the mind
right from the beginning. Any inattention, and
the mind will have darted away in a flash. The
mind must then be speedily led back inside if
mindfulness is to be recovered.
If one checks to see why the mind had darted away,
one may find the cause in something like the
sound of a car, of people walking past, or the
noise of something falling. The mind zips away
to that particular sound and then starts to roam
further afield. It may have wandered on through
many varied episodes before one realizes the fact
and is able to return it to one's determined point.
However, should another noise intervene, the mind
may then be off again --continuing on from one
thing to another in what might seem like a moment
even though it spans many different episodes.
Using mindfulness, always return the mind to
your chosen point and, carefully establishing
mindfulness, examine it there. The mind will
then be pacified and, when checked in any particular
episode, will usually not go off there again but
will rather follow some other affair instead.
This method must be repeated until the mind is
tamed and able to come to calm with contentment
(chanda), rapture (piti) and ease (pamojja). This
will give a taste of the first stages of calm and
samadhi, furthering your satisfaction in the
practice and facilitating the focusing and settling
of the mind in samadhi. | <urn:uuid:e3f77d25-5b3d-4889-8ded-a93a3edbe86d> | {
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|Willett, Cammy -|
|Schultz, Richard -|
|Berges, Sarah -|
|Peacher, Rachel -|
|Isenhart, Timothy -|
Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: November 21, 2011
Publication Date: July 1, 2012
Citation: Willett, C.D., Lerch, R.N., Schultz, R.C., Berges, S.A., Peacher, R.D., Isenhart, T.M. 2012. Streambank erosion in two watersheds of the central claypan region. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation Society. 67:249-263. Interpretive Summary: Contamination of surface waters by sediment remains a major environmental concern in the United States. Soil washed into streams from agricultural lands represents lost productivity and impaired aquatic habitat. Streambanks are a non-point source of sediment that can contribute substantially to in-stream sediment contamination. This study was undertaken to compare the streambank erosion rates of streams in claypan watersheds with different adjacent land uses and different sized stream channels, referred to as stream order. Study sites were established in the Crooked and Otter Creek watersheds, two claypan watersheds located in northeastern Missouri. The land uses studied included forest, pasture with cattle access to the stream, riparian forest, and row-crop. The effect of season on erosion rates was investigated by obtaining measurements three times a year. Streambank soils were also measured for their amount of nitrogen and carbon. Season was found to be the most important factor affecting streambank erosion. Erosion rates during the winter were much higher than the erosion rates of any other season. Spring and summer erosion rates were low to moderate, and the fall was often marked by low levels of deposition rather than erosion. Overall, there were no statistical differences between the erosion rates of the streams with different adjacent land uses or different stream orders. This indicated that either upstream factors, such as drainage area and land use, or vegetation immediately adjacent to the banks were important factors affecting erosion rates. At the watershed scale, bank sediment contributed more than half of the total in-stream sediment (57%), accounting for 69,000 tons of sediment deposited in these streams annually. In addition, streambanks accounted for an average of one-tenth of the total N exported from the study area on an annual basis. These results indicated that streambanks are a major, if not dominant, source of sediment in these streams and a significant contributor to the total N transported from these watersheds. The benefits of this research were to show that management practices targeting riparian areas could significantly reduce in-stream sediment and improve water quality in streams of claypan watersheds. Growers benefit because stable stream channels prevent loss of productive areas within their fields. The general public benefits from improved water quality which enhances downstream recreation and reduces sedimentation of reservoirs.
Technical Abstract: This study was undertaken to assess the importance of streambank erosion to the total in-stream sediment of two agricultural watersheds within the Central Claypan Areas. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of stream order, adjacent land use, and season on streambank erosion rates. Thirty four study sites were established in 2007 and 2008 within Crooked and Otter Creek watersheds, two claypan watersheds located in northeastern Missouri. At each site, field assessments of eroding bank length were determined along 300-400 m stream reaches. A factorial experimental design was implemented with four land uses (crop, forest, pasture, and riparian forest) and three stream orders (1st, 2nd, 3rd). Each treatment was replicated three times for each stream order, except for the cropped 3rd order treatment as only one suitable treatment site could be found. Streambank erosion was measured using erosion pins, which were installed in randomly assigned plots that included at least 20 percent of the eroded bank length within each site. The effect of different seasons was assessed by measuring the length of the exposed pins three times per year (March, July, and November). The carbon and nitrogen content of bank material was also determined. Sediment loss rates showed that season and the three-way interaction between season, land use, and stream order were highly significant. Erosion rates were consistently higher in the winter months than spring/summer and fall seasons; however, the significant three-way interaction precluded a simple interpretation of the seasonal effect. Soil nutrient concentration data showed that forest sites had significantly lower C and N concentrations than other land uses. At the watershed scale, bank sediment accounted for 47-72 percent of the total in-stream sediment and 9.5-10.2 percent of the total N exported from the study area. These results indicated that streambanks are a major, if not dominant, source of sediment in these streams and a significant contributor to the total N transported from these watersheds. Improved management of riparian areas to decrease streambank erosion would result in significant water quality improvement in streams of the Central Claypan Areas. | <urn:uuid:390206e5-0246-4062-8d2c-99e9188afcdf> | {
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Yesterday I pointed out that nearly a quarter of Toronto’s 24.7-billion-kWh-per-year demand for electricity comes from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the company that runs the city’s subways, streetcars, and buses. And more than three-quarters of the TTC’s electricity, a whopping 4.4 billion kWh, is used to move electric-powered subways and streetcars. Where does that electricity come from?
Mostly from nuclear plants. Table 1 on the left-hand sidebar gives the sources feeding the Ontario grid in the last hour. As you can see, nuclear is by far the biggest single electricity provider; it usually out-performs all the other sources—hydro, gas, coal, wind, “other” (mostly biomass but some fossil)—combined. And as you can also see, nuclear comes with no emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main manmade greenhouse gas.
When you get on the TTC subway, you pay $3 if you’re an adult, $2 if you’re a senior or student, and 75 cents if you’re a child. That small amount of money will carry you out to or within easy striking distance of pretty much anywhere in the city.
Given that electricity is such a big part of the TTC’s business, it is imperative that the cost of electricity remain affordable. Otherwise, the fare for using TTC subways, streetcars, or buses would have to go up. Fewer people would then use the TTC to get around Toronto. And the enormous environmental benefits, which I outlined yesterday, would be reduced.
Ontario nuclear power, by far the biggest single contributor to the electricity that makes Toronto run, is very cheap. Prices for nuclear power come in several varieties. The publicly owned generation company, Ontario Power Generation, sells nuclear electricity at a regulated rate of around 5.6 cents per kilowatt-hour. Bruce Power, the privately owned generator, sells it at just over 6 cents.
This is why the Toronto subway is affordable. | <urn:uuid:bbf95c4c-ede6-4f65-85c8-4cfcfe6cc29f> | {
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Dust Blowing Across Thar Desert in Pakistan24.7N 68.0E
Dust blows over eastern Pakistan, blowing from the northeast towards the Arabian Sea. The dust is blowing across the Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, a large, arid region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent.
Visible west of the dust and Thar Desert is the Indus River and Valley. Continuing west of this fertile green area, the brown and tan grooves of the Balochistan Plateau can also be seen.
To the south, near the coast, the Rann of Kutch appears as a bright white area. It is a seasonally marshy saline clay desert located in the Thar Desert biogeographic province by the Surendranagar District of northwestern India and the Sind province of Pakistan. Below this area, tan sediments spill into the Gulf of Kutch and the Arabian Sea. | <urn:uuid:bff44575-eeeb-418a-99c7-32f456be635c> | {
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Its always funny when you are going through your thumb drives when you get hit by some inspiration. I was actually asked by some students what can be fit on various thumb and flash drives. In doing so, I opened up my App S’more folder and started scanning and as the above sketch note reveals I came up with a great little lesson.
1. Record a screen cast on Screen Chomp on how a thumb drive works and post the link to a Google Doc for the class through either Google Drive or Google Classroom, which ever you use.
2. Add the Google Doc link to a Thinglink from a picture of the various thumbdrives and post a few video links on saving correctly to a thumb drive.
3. Have students then create a Stick Around Puzzle based on the various sizes of the thumb drives and then add a direct link to a video from Thinglink that matches the size and proper way to save and use the thumb drive.
This teaches proper care, use and storage size for a thumb drive. Give it a try today and make a yummy App S’more for learning. | <urn:uuid:539a8b32-917e-4a08-8594-1de16a8e636b> | {
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The term Chinese pyramids refers to pyramidal shaped structures in China, most of which are ancient mausoleums and burial mounds built to house the remains of several early emperors of China and their imperial relatives. About 38 of them are located around 25 kilometres (16 mi) - 35 kilometres (22 mi) north-west of Xi'an, on the Qin Chuan Plains in Shaanxi Province. The most famous is the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, northeast of Xi'an and 1.7 km west of where the Terracotta Warriors were found. Although known in the West for at least a century, their existence has been made controversial by sensationalist publicity and the problems of Chinese archaeology in early 20th century. Read more
The pyramids of China are approximately 100 ancient mounds, many of which were used for burial. Most of them are located within 100 kilometers of the city of Xi'an, on the Qin Chuan Plains in the Shaanxi Province, central China.
The existence of pyramids in China has come in two stages. Most early stories were focused on the existence of "Great White Pyramid." A photograph of this pyramid in the Qinling mountains was taken by Americans in 1945, but remained in military files for 45 years. US Air Force pilot James Gaussman is said to have seen a white jewel-topped pyramid during a flight between India and China during World War II, but there is scant evidence for a source on this story.
However, it is now believed that the Gaussman story was actually based on Colonel Maurice Sheahan, Far Eastern director of Trans World Airlines, who told an eyewitness account of his encounter with a pyramid in the March 28, 1947 edition of The New York Times. A photo of Sheahan's pyramid appeared in The New York Sunday News on March 30, 1947. It is this photograph that later became attributed to James Gaussman.
It is now known, thanks to efforts of Chris Maier, that the particular pyramid shown in the photo is the Maoling Mausoleum. This pyramid sits just outside of Xi'an. In 1994, German tour operator and author Hartwig Hausdorf was noted for photographing and studying several pyramids.
He drew attention to the structures' existence with his 1994 book Die Weisse Pyramide, the subject of an article in Nexus Magazine in 1995 by Philip Coppens, later translated into English under the revised title The Chinese Roswell (1998).
The pyramids of Xi'an can now be visited on trips from Xi'an and no longer are located in "forbidden zones". Several pyramids have small museums attached to them.
The Great White Pyramid itself (rather than the photograph), as described by Sheahan, remains unidentified.
List of Chinese pyramids
The Burma Tibetian Pyramid is called 'The Pyramid of Gathering'. It is allegedly a bright white pyramid that is well preserved in the Buhtan Province. The limestone is still preserved beyond imagination. It supposedly glows under light. This pyramid was spotted by U.S. pilots in China in WWll flying over the hump in Burma. It is mentioned much by an Irish author Mona Rolf. It same size as the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
Coffins and ceiling in the inner chamber
Mystery of the 'pyramid of China': Archaeologists discover strange tomb under a construction site Daily Mail - March 14, 2017
Archaeologists have unearthed a pyramid-shaped tomb under a construction site in central China. Residents are amazed after the unusual ancient burial site was discovered in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, with one calling it 'magical'. Further analysis is yet to be carried out to identify how old the tomb is, who the owner was and why it was built in this particular shape. Chinese media have dubbed the tomb the 'pyramid of Zhengzhou', though the structure is much small in size compared to the real pyramids in Egypt. The tomb was found near a motorway situated about 3,300 feet (1,000 metres) west of the Sinian Grove by the Yellow River, according to Huanqiu.com, an affiliation to People's Daily Online. The area used to be a village, but the it has apparently moved away to make way for a new residential compound. The pyramid-shaped tomb is one of the two tombs found inside a coffin chamber by staff from the Zhengzhou Cultural Relics Bureau. The other tomb is shaped like a half cylinder.
China View - August 31, 2006
Chinese archaeologists have discovered a group of ancient tombs shaped like pyramids, dating back at least 3,000 years, in Jiaohe City of northeast China's Jilin Province. The tombs, covering an area of 500,000 square meters (1,000 meters long and 500 meters wide), were found after water erosion exposed part of a mountain, revealing two of the tombs. Six smaller tombs had eroded away leaving no indications of their original scale and appearance, but the biggest tomb, located on the south side of the mountain, could clearly be discerned as a pyramid shape with three layers from bottom to top.
The pyramid's square bottom is about 50 meters long and 30 meters wide, about the size of a basketball court, with an oval platform on the top, about 15 meters long and 10 meters wide. The tomb was made of stone and earth dug out from the hill.
A stone coffin, surrounded by four screen boards and covered by a granite top, was placed on the top platform. The coffin appeared to belong to the king of an early tribe based on the dimensions of the site, according to experts with the Jiaohe Archaeological Research Institute. The tombs are part of the Xituanshan cultural ruins site, which dates back 3,000 years to China's Bronze Age period. The ruins were excavated in Jilin in 1950.
A lot of ancient hunting and domestic tools, including a stone knife and axe, as well as bronzeware and earthenware, have been unearthed from the stone coffin and other six smaller graves. The discovery will provide valuable clues on study of ancient funeral customs and the tomb structure and culture of ethnic groups in the area.
People's Daily - July 7, 2001
A three-story pyramid dating 5000 years back has been discovered in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The pyramid, which looks like a trapezoidal hill from afar, is located on a hill one kilometer north of Sijiazi Town, Aohan County. The pyramid is about 30 meters long and 15 meters wide at its base. This is considered the best-preserved pyramid built during the Hongshan Culture period that has been found so far, said Guo Dasun, an archaeologist in charge of the excavation.
Seven tombs and one altar were also found on the top of the pyramid. Archaeologists also discovered a number of pottery pieces with the asterisk character inscribed on the inner wall. The asterisk character is believed to be related to the understanding of ancient people on astrology.
Among the culture relics excavated from one of the seven tombs are a bone flute and a stone ring and a full- sized stone statue of Goddess unearthed from another tomb. What astonished the archeologists is a one palm-sized stone genital found on the inner wall of a tomb with a small stone statue of Goddess below. Guo Dasun said that most of these relics are found for the first time and will shed light on studying the origin of Chinese civilization.
TIBETAN STONE DISCS
SACRED PLACES INDEX
CRYSTALINKS HOME PAGE
PSYCHIC READING WITH ELLIE
2012 THE ALCHEMY OF TIME | <urn:uuid:61f239b0-f4de-4edd-84aa-c36f21cc559e> | {
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Packed with fiber and healthy fats, peanuts are good for your health. They make you feel full and keep hunger pangs at bay. Boiled peanuts are a much better alternative to dry-roasted or raw peanuts because they are lower in fat and calories and have more antioxidants that prevent oxidative damage.
While boiled peanuts are healthy, you should avoid salted peanuts because they are high in sodium. You actually get more than 200mg of sodium from a single ounce of salted peanuts. Excessive consumption of salted peanuts may contribute to high blood pressure and make you feel bloated as well. Are boiled peanuts good for you? Yes, they are, so long as you have boiled them without adding salt.
Benefits of Boiled Peanuts
You may be thinking exactly why you should include boiled peanuts in your diet. Peanuts have their health benefits. They are low in fat and provide you with several important nutrients. Here are some other reasons to start eating boiled peanuts.
1. Low-Calorie Nut
Usually categorized with nuts, the peanut is actually a legume but its different nutrient composition makes it a good addition to your diet. It contains fewer calories – you only get about 90 calories from an ounce of boiled and shelled peanuts, whereas an ounce of dry-roasted almonds provide you with 170 calories. It means you can switch to boiled calories without having to worry about giving your weight loss efforts a bad hit.
2. Improved Cardiovascular Health
Studies show that peanuts play a role in lowering your risk of coronary heart disease. In fact, research shows that people who have included peanuts in their diet are 35% less likely to develop coronary heart disease. Eating peanuts and other nuts help reduce inflammation in your body. At the same time, nuts lower bad cholesterol, keep blood vessels healthy, and reduce oxidation. All of this helps keep your heart healthy.
3. Stronger Teeth, Muscles and Nerves
Peanuts contain a variety of minerals extremely beneficial for your teeth, bones, muscles, and nerves. A half cup of boiled peanuts contains about 25% of your recommended daily intake (RDI) of phosphorus and 30% of your RDI of magnesium. Both magnesium and phosphorus are vital for stronger bones and proper nerve function. They also help improve muscle contraction and facilitate the process of converting food into energy.
4. Improved Digestion
Thanks to the presence of fiber, boiled peanuts are extremely beneficial for your digestive system. A serving of boiled peanuts provide you with more than 2.5g of fiber. Your body takes time to digest fiber, and this helps keep you full for a long time. This in turn helps you get better results from your weight loss efforts. By increasing your fiber intake, you can also treat constipation and prevent diverticulosis and other digestive issues.
5. Rich Source of Antioxidants
Are boiled peanuts good for you? The answer is yes, and an important reason is that peanuts provide you with the antioxidant vitamin E. A half cup of boiled peanuts provide you with one-fourth of your RDI of vitamin E. You also get loads of B-vitamins from boiled peanuts, which contribute to growth and development of your organs and muscles. Folic acid in peanuts prevents birth defects whereas other B-vitamins promote the production of red blood cells. You also get plenty of niacin, vitamin B6, thiamine, and folate from boiled peanuts.
6. Quick Energy Boost
A half cup of boiled peanuts provides you with a good amount of calories along with 12g of protein and 2g of natural sugar. It means that you can eat boiled peanuts and get enough energy to handle everything until your next meal. Boiled peanuts feed your muscles and brain and keep hunger pangs at bay. Not only do you feel energized, you also feel full and satisfied, thanks to the amount of fiber present in peanuts.
7. Lowered Cancer Risk
You can lower your risk of cancer by including boiled peanuts in your diet. The reason is that peanuts are a great source of flavonoids and polyphenols, the most important antioxidants that eliminate free radicals from your body and lower your risk of cancer and other chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Credit: New Health GuideLeave a reply → | <urn:uuid:d212d9fa-4a30-40b9-bd68-987c3a5ea8d4> | {
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The United States of America was forged in resistance to collective reprisals—the punishment of many for the acts of few. In 1774, following the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament passed a series of laws—including the mandated closure of the port of Boston—meant to penalize the people of Massachusetts. These abuses of power, labeled the "Intolerable Acts," catalyzed the American Revolution by making plain the oppression of the British crown.
More than 300 years later, the U.S. Congress is considering bills that would lead to collective reprisals against online communities. The Senate's PROTECT IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act in the House are supposed to address copyright infringement and counterfeiting. In reality, they are so technically impractical that they do little to address these problems. They would, however, undermine participatory democracy and human rights, which is why these bills have garnered near-universal condemnation from both human rights groups and technologists.
The interconnected nature of the Internet fostered the growth of online communities such as Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook. These sites host our humdrum daily interactions and serve as a public soapbox for our political voice. Both the PROTECT IP Act and SOPA would create a national firewall by censoring the domain names of websites accused of hosting infringing copyrighted materials. This legislation would enable law enforcement to take down the entire tumblr.com domain due to something posted on a single blog. Yes, an entire, largely innocent online community could be punished for the actions of a tiny minority.
If you think this scenario is unlikely, consider what happened to Mooo.com earlier this year. Back in February, the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security seized 10 domains during a child-porn crackdown called "Operation Protect Our Children." Along with this group of offenders, 84,000 more entirely innocent sites were tagged with the following accusatory splash page: "Advertisement, distribution, transportation, receipt, and possession of child pornography constitute federal crimes that carry penalties for first time offenders of up to 30 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution." Their only crime was guilt by association: They were all using the Mooo.com domain.
SOPA would go even further, creating a system of private regulation to shut down websites that are accused of not doing enough to prevent infringement. Keep in mind that these shutdowns would happen before a site owner could defend himself in court—SOPA could punish sites without even establishing whether they are guilty of the charges brought against them.
In January 2010, Hillary Clinton launched the State Department's Internet Freedom initiative, stumping for open access to information worldwide. Though Secretary Clinton has said that "there is no contradiction between intellectual property rights protection and enforcement of expression on the Internet," PROTECT IP and SOPA create mutually exclusive trajectories for these two priorities. These bills are driven by technologically naive thinking that it's possible to censor information without affecting freedom of speech. SOPA even goes so far as to make the key circumvention tools used by human rights advocates and democracy organizers throughout the Middle East illegal. While we're certain that SOPA's authors did not mean to craft a bill tailor-made to support the future Qaddafis and Mubaraks of the world, that is precisely what they've done.
Rather than blocking online copyright infringement, legislation like SOPA and Protect IP would instigate a data obfuscation arms race, making legitimate law enforcement efforts all the more difficult. If the United States decides that copyright infringement must be stopped at any cost, therequired censorship regime will depend on evermore invasive practices, such as monitoring users' personal Web traffic. This counterproductive cat-and-mouse game of censorship and circumvention would drive savvy scofflaws to darknets while increasing surveillance of less technically proficient Internet users.
Given that the Intolerable Acts sparked a revolution, it should be no surprise that this proposed legislation has generated a massive outcry in the United States. However, this attempt to unilaterally censor the Internet has spurred worldwide opposition, with several dozen international organizations signing a letter stating that "[t]hrough SOPA, the United States is attempting to dominate a shared global resource." Last month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution underscoring "the need to protect the integrity of the global internet and freedom of communication by refraining from unilateral measures to revoke IP addresses or domain names."
As participants in the Internet community, we must defend against collective reprisals that undermine our rights to access, privacy, and freedom of expression online. SOPA and the PROTECT IP Act are fundamentally incompatible with a free society and with the founding principles of the United States. This truth should be self-evident: Human rights should never be subjugated to copyright. | <urn:uuid:5bd9d120-137e-4a4e-bafb-89fb90d68d35> | {
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Urban noise 'killing baby house sparrows'
Noise in urban areas could be increasing the mortality rate among young house sparrows, a study has suggested.
Researchers say the noise could stop adult birds hearing the hunger calls from their dependent offspring.
In their study, the team found that birds nesting in noisy areas were less effective at feeding their chicks as those that nested in quieter places.
The findings have been published in the journal Plos One.
Scientists from the University of Sheffield reached their conclusion after carrying out a study on Lundy, a 445-hectare (1,100-acre) island located 19km (12mi) off the North Devon coast.
Co-author Julia Schroeder explained that the project happened more-or-less by chance.
"When I first went to the island, which is very remote and quiet - apart from gulls and shearwaters - I entered a barn and it was very loud," she recalled.
The barn contained an electricity generator, yet sparrows were still choosing to nest in the building, so Dr Schroeder wondered whether the conditions affected the songbirds.
"I found that there was a reduced fitness - a reduced reproductive output from the nest boxes located in the noisy area," she told BBC News.
So she decided to test her findings against classic hypotheses on how noise could affect birds.
"The main hypothesis regarding breeding output is that it affects mate choice decisions," she explained.Steep decline
However, the study's findings did not fit the existing hypotheses.
"In our case, we saw that the birds did not feed the chicks as well as the birds in the quiet area - this was a novel idea that had not been shown before," Dr Schroeder said.
"Obviously, chick provision is strongly linked to chick survival because if they do not get fat then they die."
In detail: House sparrows
- Scientific name: Passer domesticus
- UK population declined by an estimated 71% between 1977 and 2008
- While numbers have continued to decline in England, Scotland and Wales have recorded an increase in recent years
- There are up to an estimated 3.7 million pairs in the UK
- The young fledge the nest after about 14-16 days, but are unable to feed themselves for a further week
Noise seemed to interrupt the communication between the young birds and their parents.
"The only difference we found from normal behaviour was in the provisioning behaviour," she observed.
"Chicks that were reared in the noisy barn were lighter when they fledged.
"So this is why we have said that we think that the provisioning behaviour of females is a factor."
Between the mid-1970s and 2008, the UK's sparrow population declined by 71% - with some of the sharpest declines occurring in towns and cities.
Dr Schroeder and the team suggested that the noise from the generator on Lundy was comparable to car noise in urban areas.
"There are lots of studies on great tits and urban noise, but these tend to focus around mate choice, where the male advertises its quality to the female.
"But the idea that the communication between parents and offspring could be affected in cities is fairly new."
In 2007, another study by researchers at the University of Sheffield published in Biology Letters found that urban-based robins were choosing to sing and communicate at night in order to avoid noise during the day.
Until then, it had been thought that birds were singing at night because they were being disturbed by light pollution.
Dr Schroeder added that it could be that other songbird species could also be affected in a similar way as the sparrows on Lundy.
She observed: "Many songbirds communicate in a similar way so it is possible that other species could be affected too." | <urn:uuid:06adaae3-6a1f-47c2-abf1-676afecf710c> | {
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Ten Eight Rules for Safe Drug Use
Before surgery the medications you take should be listed accurately and in detail – their names, doses, and the times at which you take them. Medications that you purchase without a prescription may be as important as those prescribed by your doctor.
Why is a medication history important before surgery? Your anesthesia provider needs to know what you’re taking. Your surgeon and the hospital nursing staff too. Drugs that you take may interact with anesthesia drugs, or with drugs prescribed specifically for your recovery – e.g. antibiotics or anticoagulants (“blood thinners”). Drugs you take on a regular basis are usually taken for a good reason so should be continued during a hospital admission, and afterward. Some drugs however, such as anticoagulants, may need to be stopped, or surgery cannot go ahead.
“Adverse drug events” (ADE) are surprisingly common, both in and outside hospitals, especially among the elderly, so there may even be unrecognized problems with the combination of drugs you take, though these are best managed by your primary care doctor.
How do you avoid such problems? Here are a few rules that can help keep you out of trouble:
Rule 1: Have regular “brown bag sessions” with your primary doctor to review all your drugs, their doses and the reason you are taking them.
Rule 2: Find out if you are having any adverse drug reactions.
Rule 3: Assume that any new symptom you develop after starting a new drug could be caused by the drug.
Rule 4: Before leaving your doctor’s office or pharmacy, make sure the instructions for taking your medicine are clear to you and a family member or friend.
If you’re in the hospital things get a bit more tricky, because there are more people involved in the prescription, transcription, distribution and administration of drugs. And, more drugs. Also, you may not always be in a state where you are able to pay attention to what is being done for you, or told to you, by doctors, nurses, and hospital staff.
Rule 1: Take a friend or family member with you who can ask questions about your drug treatment when you are not fully able to play your part in the conversation.
Rule 2: Make sure you understand the instructions for taking any new drugs before you leave the hospital, including the dose, the timing, and any side effects to look out for.
Rule 3: Ask what any new drug is for.
Rule 4: Make sure the new drug is not the same as, or similar to, something you have previously had a reaction to. In other words, dont’ be embarasses to remind your doctors or nurses about any allergies or adverse reactions to medication that you have had. | <urn:uuid:8e6c4e78-3366-43cd-8398-3a7f5a3f780b> | {
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Posted by CapellaAdmin included in Research Tips
Nesting. Nope, not the kind that birds make. The nesting I’m talking about is used to control how the database treats your search terms when you’re building your search in a database or online.
By now you have probably heard of the Boolean Operators: AND, OR, and NOT. These connectors are used between your keywords to tell the database how you want to combine your words and what kinds of terms should be present in your search results. But what happens when you need to use different connectors (maybe a combination of ANDs and ORs) in one search box? You need to “nest” your terms!
Nesting involves putting parentheses around like concepts to keep them together. These parentheses are also code for the database to perform the command that’s inside of the parentheses first before adding what is outside of the parentheses, just like in math equations. Take this search for example:
alcohol AND (adolescents OR teenagers)
With this search the database will retrieve articles on alcohol AND adolescents or alcohol AND teenagers. Without the parentheses the database takes your search terms literally and will search for your terms in the order you type them. For instance, if you removed the parentheses from the bolded example above, you would find articles on alcohol and adolescents as well as articles on teenagers (without the alcohol aspect).
And sets of parentheses can be nested inside other sets of parentheses, like Russian nesting dolls.
(Alcohol OR drug OR (substance N3 abuse)) AND (teenagers OR adolescents)
Remember, the command inside the inner-most parentheses always gets processed first.
Nesting your terms comes in particularly handy when searching online in search engines like Google. Google does recognize Boolean Operators like ANDs and ORs and will obey search commands like using parentheses in your search! By nesting your search terms, you are better able to control how Google handles your search terms. And when you’re searching millions upon millions of information sources, every little bit helps. Next time you’re searching in Google, try nesting your terms and see how your search results change!
If you would like further explanation on how nesting works in the databases or online, give us a call in the library and we can walk you through how to effectively use this concept. | <urn:uuid:1e782657-2e15-40b1-a17e-e32da3788418> | {
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March 19, 2009
Experts Meet To Discuss Water Recycling Technologies
A team of hydrologists has concluded that the only way for barren regions of the world to meet the surging demand for water is to recycle and use water that has already passed through the human body, the AFP reported.
The experts agreed that water from treating urine, feces and bathwater could be harnessed again for farm irrigation, industry and even human consumption.Speakers at the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul have argued that "used" water, also known as "grey" water, should comprise a percentage of what comes out of our taps.
However, they said overcoming human repugnance would likely be a bigger challenge than the engineering.
Gerard Payen, a member of the UN's consultative committee on water and sanitation, said people understandably hate the idea of drinking something that could have been sewage.
"There's a major psychological block. But it will go away bit by bit," he suggested.
So-called "toilets-to-taps" systems have been used successfully in Windhoek, the capital of the arid southern African country of Namibia, for many years.
But other nations around the world would be slow to accept such a technique.
Three years ago, inhabitants of the Queensland town of Toowoomba in Australia voted against using a similar technique for water recycling.
Antoine Frerot, managing director of Veolia Eau, a French water company that has high stakes in this sector, said modern water recycling methods already create water that is perfectly drinkable.
"Used water is a resource that is close to cities and its availability rises at the same rate of consumption," he said. "Recycling it uses less energy than desalination and avoids pollution."
Drinking water extracted from an aquifer costs around 8 cents per cubic meter and 56 cents when taken from seawater, according to Frerot's figures. Recycled used water costs around 36 cents a cubic meter.
Water companies are seeking out indirect ways of water conservation that include separation of drinking water and toilet systems, so that sea water can be used to flush toilets.
"Indirect" sewage recycling, a method that treats sewage poured out into the local river or reservoir and is then drawn up by a different intake pipe as the source for drinking water, has become another widespread practice.
On the River Thames, local utilities upstream extract and return the water several times before it reaches London.
A program in Singapore called NEWater, in which one percent of drinking water comes from recycled sewage effluent that is added to the city-state's main reservoir, has also shown promise.
Jacques Labre, a specialist with Suez Environnement, a French water services company, said passing the water through a 'natural environment' is a way of partially overcoming the psychological barrier as well as bringing in the ecosystem as an additional filter.
Louise Korsgaard, an expert with Danish consultancy DHI and a researcher at Singapore's Nanyang Technical University, said that while the psychological barrier is still quite strong, it will likely change in the future.
"It's a lot about trust in the technology," he said.
On the Net: | <urn:uuid:6c737e56-df02-41c4-8f2b-0ce03fcafdc6> | {
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- slide 1 of 6
When teaching kids about the weather, discussions on prediction should be foremost in the lesson plans. Can the weather be predicted? How does that happen? What are the factors needed to begin predicting?
Begin by having students observe the weather. What does the sky look like? Are there clouds? What do the clouds look like? Are there a few clouds or many clouds? Can you see the sun at all? Is the wind blowing? Is it gentle or strong? Can you tell what direction it is blowing? Is there any precipitation? How does it feel - hot, cold, or comfortable?
The teacher can either show pictures of cloud types, describing what each type means, or have the students research on their own the cloud types, depending on the age of the students. Once the clouds outside the classroom are identified, the students can predict what they think the weather will be like for the next 24 hours based on what they learned about cloud formations.
- slide 2 of 6
The Language of Weather
Early on in the unit, vocabulary will need to be taught. There are several enjoyable ways to teach weather vocabulary to the students. One way is to have students cut pictures of clouds and various types of weather from old magazines. Then, give them a sheet of meteorology terms, asking them to match the terms with their pictures. This activity can be done in small groups to increase the opportunity for identifying all the terms.
Meteorology terms on the sheet for young students could include:
Older students could be given terms such as:
- cumulus clouds
- cirrus clouds
Once students finish the activity, they can assist in creating a vocabulary wall with the terms they learned along with the pictures.
- slide 3 of 6
After the students are introduced to the language of meteorology, they will be ready to begin collecting data. There are many ways to gather meteorological data depending on where the classroom is located.
Tools for gathering information on the weather include:
- wind sock
In northern climates where rain and snow are a regular occurrence, a ruler and a container to gather precipitation are essential. Place the container in an open location where rain or snow can collect freely without interference from a roof or trees. The container can be checked daily for precipitation. If any is visible, then the student can measure how much with the ruler.
Hint: A beaker with a ruler inscribed on the side would be ideal. However, if this is not possible, you can make one with a large mouth jar and a tape measure. Attach the tape measure to the outside of the jar with clear packing tape. This will keep it from falling off, as well as from getting wet. Students should not have a problem reading the tape.
Students can also observe what the temperature is both inside and outside the classroom; whether there is wind or not; and from which direction the wind is blowing.
- slide 4 of 6
After students have collected the meteorology facts, they can begin to graph their findings. Teachers can demonstrate the various ways to create graphs for the class. Pie graphs are easy to explain to younger students. Bar or column graphs can be taught to the older students.
For instance, if there were three days of sunshine, one day of rain and three cloudy days, the graphs might look like those to the above right.
- slide 5 of 6
Once the graphs are created, percentages are not difficult to understand. Looking at the graphs above, rain was 1/7 of the weather for the week.
- slide 6 of 6
After several days of predicting, collecting data and graphing, the class should be ready to make connections between the weather and various facts. Remember, teaching kids about the weather is a fun activity; therefore, this part of the unit can be very enjoyable, especially if students are allowed to use their imaginations.
For instance: If your charts show that there has been little precipitation and if your school is located in an agricultural area, you might ask the students to reflect on what is happening to the crops, rivers and lakes when there is little rain. If you live in the city where cars and factories spew fuel emissions into the air, ask the students what they predict happens when it rains and how this affects their surroundings.
Weather lessons can easily be used to teach math, science, social studies and even language art skills, all the while having fun doing so. Interesting facts about meteorology are easy to collect and can be used to connect the students with their world on multiple levels. Once they understand how these connections are made, they are on their way to becoming conscientious world citizens. | <urn:uuid:1233a330-d639-4fd3-9be6-a6af8b1029ec> | {
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The Spiral Pump
A High Lift, Slow Turning Pump
By Peter Tailer, [email protected]
80 Lyme Road, Apt 318
Summary: A spiral pump, first invented in 1746, has been recreated and tested at Windfarm Museum using lightweight and inexpensive modern materials. A 6 foot diameter wheel with 160 feet of 1-1/4 inch inside diameter flexible polyethylene pipe is able to pump 3,900 gallons of water per day to a 40 foot head with a peripheral speed of 3 feet per second. With its low torque requirements, the pump is particularly suited to be mounted on and driven by a paddle wheel in a current of two feet per second or greater. This easily built, low maintenance spiral pump can be used to provide water without the need for fuel wherever there is a flowing stream or river. It can also be hand turned or otherwise driven to provide a low cost, efficient pump.
OCR scan and conversion to HTML by Chris Pirazzi, [email protected], 2005. Please report any typos or errors to both [email protected] and [email protected].
Internet address of this document: http://lurkertech.com/water/pump/tailer/
There are other interesting documents about water-powered water pumps at:
http://lurkertech.com/water/which readers of this document may also find interesting.
Wirtz invented the spiral pump to provide water for a dye works just outside of Zurich. Little is known about the inventor or the circumstances that led him to create the pump. He probably was aware of the tubular form of the Archimedes screw and the Persian wheel. Both of these pumps had existed for hundreds of years. They were low lift rotating pumps which could not raise water higher than the pump structures themselves. As Wirtz was a pewterer, he would have possessed the metal working skills necessary to form a tubular spiral. It is most likely that the dye works were located on the Limmat River, a tributary of the Rhine, where the pump was powered by either a water wheel or horse whim.
The Wirtz spiral pump was constructed so the end of the outside pipe coil opened into a scoop. The inner coil led to the center of the wheel where it joined a rotary fitting at the axis of the machine. Figures 1 & 2 show an historical reference's representation of the pump. This was taken from A Descriptive and Historical Account of Hydraulic and Other Machines for Raising Water by Thomas Ewbank, edition of 1849, New York City.
The Wirtz pump was constructed so that, with each revolution of the spiral, the scoop collected one half the volume of the outer coil. As water was taken into the coils, each column of water transmitted the pressure through the air to the preceding column of water. In this way the water in each coil was displaced to provide a pressure head. A cumulative head was built up at the inner coils and was conveyed through the rotary fitting to an ascending delivery pipe.
Ewbank reports these pumps to have been highly successful and states they were used in Florence as well as Archangelsky in the later part of the 18th century. In 1784, a machine in Archangelsky is recorded to have raised "a hogshead of water in a minute to an elevation of seventy-four feet, through a pipe seven-hundred-sixty feet long." Lead or sheet metal was probably used to fabricate the coils, which must have made the machine extremely heavy. Problems encountered with the weight are mentioned as well as the general unwieldiness of the larger machines. These slow turning, cumbersome pumps became obsolete with the development of high speed steam engines.
An ideal Wirtz pump would follow Boyle's pressure-volume relationship and the coil volumes would change with respect to changes in the entrapped air volumes. Tubing of uniform diameter would not be formed as a spiral or as a helix. This was understood by Olinthus Gregory in his work entitled Treatise of Mechanics, edition of 1815. Gregory states on page 230 of Volume I that, "If, therefore, a pipe of uniform bore be wrapped round a conic frustum...the spirals will be very nearly such as will answer the purpose. It will not be quite exact[,] for the intermediate spirals will be rather too large: the concoidal frustum should in strictness be formed by the revolution of a logarithmic curve. With such a spiral the full quantity of water which was confined in the first spire will soon find room in the last, and will be sent into the main at every rotation. This is a very great advantage, especially when water is to be much raised."
Gregory also described spiral pumps formed as a huge clock-spring-like spiral sandwiched between two wood disks. This construction would allow the cross-sectional area of the coils to be varied so that a spiral pump could be built with the correct volume in each successive coil.
The above cited 1849 work by Ewbank stated that he was not sure of the relative advantages of the spiral or the helical Wirtz pump, the helical pump having coils of the same diameter. The limits of the helical pump can be approximated. If the inlet coil takes in half its volume in both air and water, when maximum pressure is developed by the helical pump, the final cumulative pressure head in the discharge coil will be substantially equal to the coil diameter. Coils towards the inlet coil will develop heads of decreasing pressures as air in the successive coils is compressed to a progressively lesser extent. After a large number of helical coils, the pressure head in the inlet coil will approach zero. Water will occupy the bottom half of the inlet coil and water will be displaced by pressure to the inlet side of the outlet coil. Thus the cumulative volume change of air trapped in the inlet coil will substantially approach one half when this air reaches the outlet coil. This cumulative reduction in volume can only provide an outlet gauge pressure of one atmosphere, so that a helical Wirtz pump can apparently only pump to a limiting head of 54 feet.
While this may be a sufficient head for many purposes, Windfarm Museum built a spiral Wirtz pump to evaluate the potential to reach higher pressures and pump to high heads.
In considering the idea of building a spiral pump, we theorized that if cumulative heads build up a pressure of one atmosphere (14.7 psi or 34 feet of water), the volume of air in that coil will be compressed to one half its initial volume. However, the water in that coil is incompressible and occupies its original volume. Thus, in theory, the length of the coil where the pressure reaches one atmosphere should be 3/4 the length of the first coil if the first coil takes in half its volume of water and half of air with each revolution. If the innermost or discharge coil is one half the length of the first coil, a theoretical evaluation would indicate that it would be completely filled with water.
However, Ewbank stated that, when compressed air and water occupied more than the volume of an inner coil, the water "will run back over the top of the succeeding coil, into the right hand side of the next one and push water within it backwards and raise the other end." This caused a succession of flow back over the tops of the coils ending with a dumping of the excess and a lessened intake at the scoop. This can only take place in a spiral pump where the volume of the coils decreases to the extent that some coils cannot accommodate water and compressed air passed into them. The Windfarm spiral pump was built with the diameter of the inner coil about one half that of the outer coil. This was done so that a spiral of a given outer diameter could accommodate more tubing of a given diameter to provide greater cumulative heads and pump to the greatest height possible.
The possibility that Wirtz pumps constructed of modern materials could be used in specific situations in developing countries motivated the Windfarm staff to build and test a working model. The model was constructed under the direction of Jonathan West who also designed the testing procedure.
When built with modern lightweight and inexpensive plastic pipe, the spiral pump can be mounted on and driven by a paddle wheel. For pumping to low heads, the spiral pump [sic: this should probably be "helical pump"] is quite satisfactory. However, when higher heads are required, the spiral pump can be used to provide water for a home, a village, a fish farm, or small scale irrigation. This simple machine can be site built and maintained by relatively unskilled users.
Since first completing this report, two projects came to our attention. First was an article in a quarterly publication entitled Waterlines, Intermediate Technology Publications Ltd., 9 King Street, London WC2E 8HW, UK. In Volume 4, No. 1, of July, 1985, there was a report on pages 20-25 of a Danish Guide and Scout Association project on the Nile near Juba in Southern Sudan. This project used raft-mounted, paddle-wheel-driven, helical Wirtz pumps for irrigation. Each pump had four sets of 2" ID (52mm) tubing which was wound on a float-mounted drum which was paddle wheel driven to pump to a head of 13'4" (4 meters). These pumps were reported to be very successful pumping to this head.
The second Wirtz pump project was brought to our attention by Peter Morgan of the Blair Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 8105, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe. Peter Morgan was probably the first person to build a Wirtz pump after it was forgotten and lost for more than a century. His account of its re-invention follows as it is not only interesting, but helpful in understanding the device:
The spark of the idea jumped when I was adjusting a pipe carrying a gas from a biogas digester we had installed beneath a toilet at the Henderson Research Station near Mazowe. The tank had developed at least one cubic meter of methane, but I could get no gas out of the end of the pipe which led from the digester to the stove nearby. I remember being annoyed by this as it was obvious that a type of airlock had developed in the pipe leading gas from the tank to the outside.
We looked down the toilet hole and I noticed that the pipe had become coiled several times. This was possible because we had allowed quite a lot of pipe to be used to accommodate the up and down movement of the digester gas tank. In earnest I pulled hard on the pipe whilst looking straight at the end of it. The pulling of the pipe released the airlock and I got a facefull of very bad smelling mess and gas. Pulling the pipe had released the airlock and gas now flowed freely outward.
From that moment I wondered what could have been going on down there. It was obvious that fluid produced by the digester had built up at the base of the coils to produce airlocks. These had, in effect, held back the gas produced by the digester. I wondered whether the reverse might be true. Could one coil a pipe up, which contained a number of deliberately made airlocks, and develop pressure?
On a later visit to Henderson with my good friend, Peter Gaddle, Blair's Chief Field Officer at the time, we came across a length of clear plastic pipe laying on the ground. Recalling the experience with the digester, I picked up the pipe and coiled it vertically in my hands with the innermost coil turned to the horizontal and then turned upward to form a vertical segment.
I asked Peter to carefully pour water down the vertical pipe. Water passed over each spiral of the tube into the next spiral and then into the next. A series of airlocks had been formed in the pipe. As more coils had water and airlocks form in them, the level of the water standing in the vertical segment became higher. I rotated the whole spiral tube in my hand and, to my joy, water shot out of the top of the vertical pipe segment above the spiral! This was a most memorable and thrilling experience for Peter and me.
I couldn't wait to get home and make a bigger version of the model in my kitchen. This too worked well and I found that by adding water to one end of the spiral and rotating it, I could drive water up the vertical pipe segment some distance.
The day following Peter and I built a two meter diameter model at Henderson and fitted it to a waterwheel with paddles attached. The paddle wheel was mounted in a small water channel. The wheel turned and on each turn I arranged for the outer coil to pick up water from the channel. On each turn a core of water followed by a core of air passed into the spiral next to it until finally arriving at the innermost coil. It was the led to a rising pipe through a simple water seal. The effect was thrilling as the system worked so well. Water was fed into a tank and the machine worked for years afterward.
I then developed a horizontally opposed spiral pump with two water inlets and two coils feeding to a single outlet. This doubled the volume of water produced. From this we then built a much bigger 4 meter diameter wheel on the Mazowe Citrus Estates canal. This pumped an impressive 3697 liters of water per hour to a height of 8 meters above the canal. After two or three years, only the wheel was rebuilt of stronger materials where it remains today as reliable as when first built. Several other wheels have since been built in Zimbabwe.
Peter Morgan's work with the Wirtz or spiral pump has been published in a local Zimbabwe science magazine, "Science News", in the United-States-based VITA (Volunteers in Technical Assistance) News of January, 1983, and in a Blair Bulletin of 1984.
Two different pipe sizes were used to form coils on the wheel to provide a broader range for the tests. The first series of tests were performed on the wheel with the coils formed from 160 feet of 1-1/4 inch ID flexible polyethylene pipe (rated 100 psi at 73°F). This configuration is shown in Figure 3:
The outside coil was formed on the circumference of the six foot wheel. Each successive coil was wound closely within the outer coil to maintain the largest possible diameter for all the coils. This provided thirteen coils with the radius of the outer coil being 36 inches and the radius of the innermost coil being 17 inches. Another series of tests was performed on the wheel with coils formed from 280 feet of 3/4 inch ID flexible polyethylene pipe (rated 100 psi at 73°F), A photograph of this wheel is shown on the cover. This was wound with the outer coil 36 inches in radius and the innermost coil 16 inches in radius to provide a total of twenty-one coils.
The wheel itself was built in a six spoke fashion with a double thickness of 1 x 8 planking. A 1-1/2 inch hole was drilled in the center of the wheel to allow passage of a pipe leading from the innermost coil to the rotary fitting. See Figure 4:
A 1 inch steel shaft provided a cantilevered support for the wheel by means of a fabricated hub. The shaft was welded to a 12 inch diameter 1/4 inch thick steel plate. Six 3 x 3 x 1/4 inch pieces of angle steel were cut 1 1/2 inches long and welded to the plate at equal spacings to provide brackets to fix the hub to the wheel. The stand-off provided by the brackets allowed the pipe from the innermost spiral to pass behind the plate and, with a 90° connector, extend through the hole in the center of the wheel.
The rotating portion of the fitting was formed by connecting a 6 inch length of 1-1/2 ID copper pipe to the polyethylene extending through the center of the wheel. The copper pipe was used as it provides a good bearing surface for the packing.
The fixed portion of the rotary fitting was constructed from 2 inch ID rigid plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe and pipe fittings. The first element of the housing entered by the copper pipe is a brass disk which retains packing. This packing disk was made from a 2 inch brass threaded pipe plug which had been drilled and filed for a clearance fit around the copper pipe. A pair of small shallow holes (not through holes) were drilled on each side of the large opening transfixed by the copper pipe. This pair of holes allowed a special wrench with two projecting pins to be used to turn the disk. The brass disk was screwed into an adapter for 2 inch plastic pipe to female thread. Since the brass disk retains and compresses packing, it greatly helps to form an inwardly sloping 45° chamfer or bevel to urge packing towards the rotating copper pipe.
Two guide disks were fabricated from flat plastic stock obtained from 2 inch PVC threaded pipe plugs. The centers of the guide disks were drilled and filed to provide a clearance fit for the 1-1/2 inch copper pipe. The outer edges of the disks had the threaded portion of the plugs filed away so that their OD would match that of 2 inch PVC pipe. A guide disk was inserted on the far side of the inner annular dividing ring of the female adapter. A short length of 2 inch plastic pipe was inserted and glued in the adapter to clamp the first guide disk in place. A 2 inch coupling was then glued at the other end of the short pipe length.
The second guide disk was inserted in the coupling against its inner annular dividing ring and an adapter for 2 inch plastic pipe to male thread was glued in place to secure it. A 2 inch to 1-1/4 inch reducing pipe coupling was placed on the adapter to receive a 1-1/4 inch male adapter for polyethylene pipe.
The seal of the rotary fitting was formed by a packing of plumber's twine between the copper pipe, the first guide disk, and the brass disk. The brass disk was slipped on the copper pipe and then the soft cotton packing was wound around the pipe in the direction it was to rotate. At this point the brass disk was tightened. It was found necessary to securely clamp the non-rotating portion of the fitting to the test stand and the tubing of the rotating portion to the wheel in order to keep pump pressure from forcing the elements of the rotary fitting apart.
Any equivalent rotary fitting construction may be used.
For the early testing, a small water tank 7x2 feet was constructed beneath the wheel using wooden planking and a single 4 mil polyethylene sheet draped within for a seal. A weir was notched in the tank and used in conjunction with a running garden hose to maintain a constant water level. For later tests, a larger 7x9 foot tank was built so that pumping during a series of tests did not significantly change the water level.
In order to gather information on the actual height to which the pump could deliver water, the discharge was directed up a nearby 70 foot windmill tower. See Figure 7:
At each test head, or level to which the water was being pumped, a catchment system was set up that allowed the discharged water to be directed into or out of a bucket with control lines operated from ground level. The catchment bucket funneled the discharge into a drain pipe which led to measuring containers below. A pressure gauge, a purging valve, and a delivery pipe shut-off valve were also installed in the system at the base of the tower. See Figure 8:
To measure the torque required for pumping, a rope and a 50 lb. spring scale were used. The rope was attached to and wrapped around the circumference of the wheel and led over a pulley placed on the test stand. This allowed the pulling of the rope to directly turn the wheel by exerting a force tangent to its circumference. This apparatus is shown in Figure 9:
The initial tests to determine the pump discharge with respect to its rotational speed measured discharge while varying the revolutions per minute (rpm) from two to twelve over three minute intervals. The wheel for these tests mounted the coils of 1-1/4 inch ID tubing described above. The scoop for these tests was of 3 inch ID pipe 22 inches long.
The first tests showed the positive displacement nature of the spiral pump as the water delivered remained fairly constant with different wheel speeds. This indicated that the tests on the scoops of different capacities could be made at a single selected rpm. The historical references suggested that the scoop be sized so that one-half the volume of the outer coil is collected with each revolution of the wheel.
The second tests were also carried out using the 1-1/4 inch ID tubing coils mounted on the wheel. The scoops were of 3 inch ID plastic pipe and had their open ends cut at an angle so that they were level with the water upon exiting. The effective scoop lengths were 1, 12, 22, and 36 inches. Scoop length was measured from the square cut end to the center of the angle cut. Discharge and torque measurements were made at heads of twenty and forty feet for all the scoop sizes.
The torque was measured by attaching the 50 lb. spring scale to the rope wrapped around the periphery of the wheel and pulling in a steady manner. Twelve readings were recorded at equal intervals over two revolutions.
The third group of tests were made with the wheel mounting coils of the 3/4 inch ID pipe described above. Water was pumped to 40 and 60 feet with output and torque measured.
An additional pump/no-pump test was carried out at 80 feet using an extension attached to the top of the tower. It was not possible to set up the catchment system at this level to measure output.
These tests found the Windfarm spiral pump to be a positive displacement pump.
Figure 11 graphs the wheel speed vs. the pump output:
The output and torque measurements for different scoop sizes are shown in Figure 12:
The output and torque measurements for the 3/4 inch tubing are shown in Figure 13:
The results of the speed tests on the smaller, 3/4 ID tubing show a greater limiting effect. The maximum pumping speed at a 60 foot head was 5 rpm. At speeds greater than this, pumping ceased due to a disruption of the flow in the coils. This condition was labeled "blow-back" (discussed in detail below).
The smaller tubing was found to perform well at wheel speeds up to 5 rpm at the 60' head and up to 10 rpm at the 40' head. The efficiency was calculated to be about 39% for all of the operating speeds. A 1.5 psi drop in pressure was discovered between 2 and 5 rpm, from 25 to 23.5 psi. This is believed to be due to the air lift effect in the delivery pipe (discussed in detail in the Air Lift section below).
The tests on the scoop sizes done on the 1-1/4 ID coils found the suggestion of the historical references that the scoop collect one half the volume of the outer coil to appear to be accurate. The volume collected by a scoop is the sum of the volume of the 3 inch diameter scoop and the volume of the immersed and water-scooping portion of the outer coil which was about 30 inches. As may be seen in Figure 12, at the 40 foot head the 12 inch scoop filling 62% of the outer coil was 2% more efficient than the 22 inch scoop filling 75% of the outer coil. The 36 inch scoop filling 85% of the outer coil was 6% less efficient than the 12 inch scoop and the 1 inch scoop that filled 36% of the outer coil was 8% less efficient.
At the twenty foot head the 36 inch scoop filling 85% of the first coil was 1% more efficient than the 12 inch scoop filling 62% of the first coil. This may be explained because, at the lower head and pump pressure, the losses due to the friction in the machine require a larger percentage of the total pumping torque.
Blow-back was found to occur at lower wheel speeds for the smaller diameter pipe of 3/4 inch ID. At 60' blow-back took place at 6 rpm whereas, at 80', it happened at 5 rpm. This was probably due to the larger friction factor for small diameter pipes. There was no blow-back encountered at slower speeds. Blow-back also did not occur after stopping the wheel, allowing it to stand, and then resuming pumping. In addition, for these smaller diameter pipe coils if the wheel was oversped and blow-back occurred, the machine was able to resume pumping when turned at normal operating speeds. This indicated a self-starting capability.
For the larger diameter pipe of 1-1/4 inch ID, the pump was found to be more sensitive at low wheel speeds. For heads up to that indicated by the blow-back pressure, the pump operated well at all speeds. When the head was higher than blow-back pressure, blow-back was encountered at very low wheel speeds or after stopping and then restarting. At these heads the air lift effect apparently had to play a larger role. At the 60 foot head, it was necessary to purge the system by reducing pump output pressure by opening the valve at pump level before it was possible to start pumping. On starting to pump to 60 feet, a wheel speed greater than 2 rpm had to be maintained. In addition, if the wheel was stopped from a higher speed and allowed to stand, on restarting the pump, blow-back would occur. This could be explained because, in the 60 foot high, 1-1/4 inch delivery pipe, air was able to bubble up more easily through the water. On resumption of pumping not enough air was introduced into the delivery pipe with the standing water to reduce pressure below that which causes blow-back.
The air lift effect was found to vary for the two pipe diameters tested. For example, the 3/4 inch ID pipe coils pumped water to 60 feet using a 1/2 inch ID delivery pipe operating at 23.5 psi. This pressure is equivalent to a 54.5 foot column of solid water. When the elevation was extended to 80 feet after an initial pumping pressure of 27.5 psi, the system settled to an operating pressure of 23.5 psi. By closing the valve to the delivery pipe, blow-back for this wheel configuration was found to occur at 28.5 psi. This pressure is equal to a 66 foot column of solid water. In addition, the maximum wheel speed at which pumping would occur decreased as the head increased for the smaller diameter coils. At 60 feet, a speed of 5 rpm would allow pumping. At 80 feet, the maximum pumping speed speed was reduced to 4 rpm.
Wheel speed also was involved in the air lift phenomenon and was linked to blow-back. At very low speeds for the wheel with larger diameter coils pumping into the larger delivery pipe, the air was able to bubble up more easily through the water in the delivery pipe. This reduced its lifting effect and led to an increase in pump output pressure until blow-back occurred. This happened only when pumping to heads greater than water alone could be pumped at the blow-back pressure. At higher wheel speeds, air lift allowed the larger pipe to pump to heads higher than that indicated by the blow-back pressure.
The size of the delivery pipe also appeared to influence the air lift effect. With the 1-1/4 inch ID delivery pipe at 60 feet, the 3/4 inch coils pumped with a pressure between 23.5 and 25 psi. When the delivery pipe from the 3/4 inch coils was changed from 1-1/4 inch ID to 1/2 inch ID at a head of 60 feet, the initial pumping pressure was 25 psi. It then stabilized between 16 and 21 psi with continued pumping. With the larger delivery pipe the pump pressure remained high as the small air volume put out by the 3/4 inch coils did not provide much air lift.
Knowing the pressure and the volume of the first coil (atmospheric pressure and the diameter of the wheel) and the delivery head or gauge pressure required at the n-th coil, then the volume of the n-th coil, which is its head or diameter in this simplification, can be determined. With the diameter of the n-th coil, the number of coils can be determined by assuming that the average head between the first and the n-th coil multiplied by the number of coils will give the total head. When designing a spiral pump, a 20% margin should be added to the determined coil number. This margin will help account for different pipe diameters and other variables.
Note: The pipe diameter, d, cancels out in the above equations. Once the number of coils required for a given wheel are determined to provide a given pressure or head, a suitable pipe size can be selected to form the coils of the spiral pump.
Compare this estimate to the Windfarm pump test results where D = 6', n = 12, and h(n) = 3' . With 1-1/4 ID tubing, blowback occurred at a head, H, of 48.5' of water. With a suitable delivery pipe and output, air lift will allow pumping to a higher elevation.
Another small loss would result from drag as the outer coils and the scoop turn in water to be pumped. This would be low as the speed is under 3 ft/sec.
A much larger loss in the Windfarm pump coil is the result of "flow over" as described above. The inner coil can't hold the water scooped by the outer coil and the compressed air. As a result, torque which has been expended raising water on one side of the coils is lost as water runs down the other side. The efficiency of the Windfarm pump pumping to a head of one atmosphere would be greatly improved if the inner coil was 3/4 the diameter of the outer coil. The half of the volume of the outer coil of water and the half the volume of the outer coil filled with air and compressed to one atmosphere would then just fill this 3/4 diameter inner coil without flow over losses, when pumping to lower heads under one atmosphere, a helical pump is probably easier to construct and about as efficient as a spiral pump.
In the delivery pipe there are two losses which reduce efficiency, fluid flow resistance and air lift slippage. Fluid flow losses are reduced by larger diameter delivery pipes, but air lift losses are lessened by smaller diameter pipes. Conventional air lift pumps bubble a steady stream of compressed air into the bottom of a riser pipe submerged below the water surface in a well. If the weight of water and air in the riser pipe is less than that of the water above the bottom of the riser pipe, water will flow up the riser pipe to be pumped from the well. As reported in Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, Eighth Edition, 1978, air lift pumps can have an efficiency of 50%.
As stated above, a pump pressure of 23.5 psi or 54.5 ft of water lifted water 80 ft in a 1/2 in delivery pipe. This would indicate air lift alone was lifting water an additional 25.5 ft. If we assume the work that went into lifting a solid column of water and the work compressing air were equal, then the air lift should have raised water another 54.5 ft. and the air lift efficiency of this pump is 25.5 / 54.5 or 47%. Optimum delivery pipe sizes were not tested or the efficiency of air lift in sloping delivery pipes.
It is very possible that an optimum delivery pipe size might provide a higher air lift efficiency in a Wirtz pump as it introduces slugs of water interspersed with volumes of compressed air into its delivery pipe rather than the steady bubbling of air as in the air lift pump. This will have to be determined by experimentation. At any rate, an overall efficiency of up to 75% would be Indicated for a well designed Wirtz pump.
The great advantage of the inclined coil pump for low head pumping is that it does not require a rotary fitting. A length of steel pipe is mounted on simple wood bearings to incline downward into water to be pumped. A helical coil is formed at the lower end of the pipe and enters it from a pipe "T." The first coil of the helix with an open end is half immersed in water so that a scoop is not required to fill half the coil with water.
At the upper end of the pipe openings are formed through which pumped water may flow into a suitable trough. A handle may be provided to turn the pipe and its mounted coil as a unit. To increase output, a second coil may be connected to the pipe by a second "T" with its turns disposed between those of the first coil. This double helix would double output.
In Figure 19, no mounting for the helical coils is shown. Any suitable mounting may be clamped or welded to the pipe to have the coils wound about it. with a 20 ft pipe inclined about 20°, this pump can raise water to a height of 7' or over 2 meters. If desired, a paddle wheel can be mounted on the inclined pipe above the helical coil to turn the pump.
David Hilton describes an alternate construction in which a drum is fixed to extend from the lower end of the pipe. The helical coil or coils are wound around the drum and connected to the pipe. The drum floats on the water surface. The lower end of the pipe is laterally positioned by two vertical stakes driven near the drum. This allows a rise and fall in the body of water being pumped.
In some circumstances, hand or motor driven spiral pumps could be used to pump to high heads from canals, lakes, or very slow flowing rivers. Low maintenance and ease of construction would make a driven spiral pump a good choice compared to a piston pump.
A 6 foot diameter water wheel with 5 foot long blades 8 inches wide could be constructed of wood as shown in Figures 14 and 15:
It could use steel pipe for both the paddle wheel bearing shaft and a communication for pumped water to the rotary fitting. The wheel could be made using nominal 2 x 2 inch spokes and paddle mounts. The rims would be 1 x 4 inch boards. The bearings could be made from oiled hard wood or brass.
The cost for the material for this paddle wheel is estimated to be between $100 and $150. The cost of the flexible polyethylene pipe used at Windfarm was $20 per 100 feet for the 3/4 ID and $60 per 100 feet for the 1-1/4 inch ID (Sears 1985 Fall/Winter Catalogue).
Figure 16 shows the force on a 5 foot by 8 inch paddle according to the velocity of "slip" or the relative velocity of water to an immersed paddle:
Sufficient force to turn the wheel of the Windfarm test pump mounting 1-1/4 inch coils and pumping to 40 feet is developed with a slip of less than 2.5 feet per second. The output of a paddle wheel mounted Wirtz spiral pump would be determined by the velocity of the water flow where it was mounted.
If the river or stream flow was 3.5 feet per second, the paddle wheel mounted pump would have a peripheral speed of 1 foot per second or turn at 3 rpm. It would then pump 1300 gallons a day to a height of 40 feet. If the flow driving the wheel had a speed of 5.5 feet per second, the pump would turn at 9 rpm and deliver 3900 gallons a day.
Paddle wheels turning spiral pumps could be mounted on piles with a provision to adjust them to river level changes. They could also be mounted on floating pontoons anchored in a river as was demonstrated by the Danish helical pump. Another mounting would have paddle wheels with each mounted between a pair of arms. The pairs of arms would hang from a horizontal cable extending across the current flow. This mounting might be superior as river trash would not have piles or floats to foul. Floating trash would strike the paddle wheel and swing it upward and down stream on its arms to allow floating trash to pass.
Building and testing the spiral pump at Windfarm Museum demonstrated that the design of the pump allows great latitude. Unlike the test Windfarm pump, the innermost coil should be more than one half the radius of the outermost coil to limit internal flow over in the spiral and resulting reduced output and lowered efficiency. The formulas above can be used to roughly approximate coil design.
Many variations in Wirtz pump construction are possible. Larger and smaller diameter tubing could be connected to form a given spiral to provide volume changes as water passes from inlet to outlet coils. If the required number of coils will not fit in a flat spiral, they could be wound in parallel with two or more adjacent coils for each diameter.
To provide a comparison with similar technology presently in use, the machine of Figures 17 and 18 is pictured:
This machine is a piston water pump driven by a paddlewheel. It was photographed just after installation in a developing country. In comparison with the spiral pump, it appears to be extremely complex.
As there are no valves or moving parts except for the wheel and the rotary fitting, the spiral pump should have a very long service life. After almost 240 years, the Windfarm Museum tests indicate that the Wirtz spiral pump has a renewed future providing water for irrigation, fish farming, village, or home. | <urn:uuid:4eeca0af-1b39-4fa0-afcb-3cd85aef9dff> | {
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- Understand that within the social sciences there are a range of different approaches to the study of a particular topic. Your own project ideas may borrow characteristics from the sciences, the humanities, or both.
- Qualitative methods in the social sciences are, at their core, scientific methods. Consider a course or courses that will introduce you to topics such as survey design, interview methodology, and ethnography.
- The ideal mentor will have expertise in the community, field site, or social phenomenon on which you're focusing, as well as the specific methods you're likely to use. You may decide to leverage the expertise of multiple mentors to get assistance with all the different dimensions of your project.
- Consider visiting the Social Science Data and Software office in Green Library to learn more about the array of datasets and the kinds of analytical tools that can help you structure your study. | <urn:uuid:79933164-8063-4ab8-a0c9-48440538264d> | {
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By the way, I found out what the "location" of a Line is. It is very boring
but here goes.
"The control exercised over the measure, type, or direction of a line can be
enhanced or diminished by its specific location. According to its placement,
a line can serve to unify or divide, balance or unbalance a pictorial area. A
diagonal line might be soaring or plunging, depending upon its high or low
position relative to the frame. The various attributes of line can act in
concert toward one goal or can serve separate roles of expression and design.
A fully developed work, therefore, may recognize and use all physical
properties, although it is also possible that fewer than the total number can
be successfully used. This is true largely because of the dual role of these
properties. For instance, unity in a work might be achieved by repetition of
line length, at the same time that variety is being created through
difference in the line's width, medium, or other properties." pgs. 80, 81. ART
FUNDAMENTALS Theory And Practice. Written by, Ocvirk, Stinson, Wigg,
Bone, Cayton. 8th. edition. | <urn:uuid:8a87db4c-164b-4f32-ac77-f13925ebc2a2> | {
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Mediterranean and vegetarian diets can be practised for losing weight. A recent study involved 107 overweight participants observed for six months whose health conditions are monitored following a certain nutritional pattern as suggested by doctors. On analysis, both the diets are found to be effective for weight loss and fat reduction.
About 1.88 kg was lost by participants who followed a vegetarian diet and 1.77 kg by those who took the Mediterranean diet. The study finds that vegetarian diet reduced bad (LDL) cholesterol while Mediterranean diet reduced fatty acid levels in the human body. In addition to this, heart-related risk factors can be reduced, according to researchers.
Mediterranean diet is considered as one of the world's healthiest and it is a type of traditional diet followed in Mediterranean countries like Greece, Portugal, Spain etc., characterized by a high consumption of plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, cereals and moderate protein-rich foods, olive oil, red wine. Previous studies show that depression can be reduced by avoiding poor diet and taking the Mediterranean diet.
A person needs to have control over the consumption of non-vegetarian while following this diet. this involves limiting red meat to a few times in a month, eating fish at least twice a week, avoiding butter, salty foods.
A cost-effective solution has been suggested by a new research team in Australia that stated that intake of a healthy diet will reduce the depression and improve the mental health of a patient. The research outcome was published in the country's reputed health journal. | <urn:uuid:6f0d9b18-a788-4052-bbb1-525767ce1260> | {
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Iowa's list of 21st century technology literacy standards.
iKeepSafe is dedicated to the education of families on how to stay safe online. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Google to develop curriculum that educators can use in the classroom to teach what it means to be a responsible digital citizen.
The curriculum is designed to be interactive, discussion filled and allow students to learn through hands-on and scenario activities. Each workshop contains a resource booklet for both educators and students that can be downloaded in PDF form, presentations to accompany the lesson and animated videos to help frame the conversation
I like this idea for having students evaluate the media they are using:
students, for example, can ask:
Who created or paid for the message?Why was it created?Who is the message designed to reach?How does the message capture the audience's attention? How might different people understand this message differently?What values or points of view are included or excluded and why? Where can I find out more to verify the information?What can I do with this information?
Welcome to Literacyhead! We gather visual art and organize it in reading and writing lessons and tools. From comprehension strategies to writing workshop mini-lessons, Literacyhead uses visual art to teach reading and writing standards in ways that are engaging and accessible to students with different needs.
Vocabulary words with stunning photography to explain them! You could even have students take their own vocab list and look up pictures on Flickr or take their own photos.
Click in to find related links. | <urn:uuid:698f1f1b-3668-4ddd-b3e7-26c93192803c> | {
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What To Do When You Are Sick
For some of you this will be basic information you already know but I’ve talked to a few adolescents and young adults who need a little help with what to do when they are under the weather. Not everyone has a mom or granny they can call when they feel bad.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, I'm a mom.
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea-
This can be caused from drinking too much alcohol the night before, eating foods that are too rich or foreign to your digestive system, a stomach bug, or food poisoning.
Drink lots of water.
If you have an upset stomach or throwing up you want to go easy on your food choices and amounts.
No citric acid, like orange juice, pineapple juice, or tomato based products. Since orange juice is good for a cold or flu some think it is a cure all anytime they feel sick. If your stomach is upset you should avoid them. The citric acid can make your symptoms worse.
Start out eating dry toast, crackers or broth. College kids always seem to have ramen noodles around; this one is safe especially the chicken flavor.
Coke (regular coke, not diet) will settle a nauseous stomach; however, if you are vomiting skip this one and only drink water until you can keep fluids down.
If it lasts more than 24 hours it may be food poisoning and you should see a doctor. If left untreated you can dehydrate and become sicker.
Ginger or peppermint tea will help sooth your stomach and the warmth will sooth your throat.
Headache or body aches-
Most of the time an ice pack or cold soft drink can, will work to relieve a tension headache or other aches.
Menstrual cramps can be relieved with a heating pad.
Kids under the age of nineteen should not take aspirin.
Read your pain reliever labels. Do not take more than directed unless a doctor has told you to. Don’t assume you take two pills; some are concentrated and only require one tablet.
I read a newspaper article that said Tylenol is changing their dosage due to people taking too much and getting sick. I can't stress enough: Read your labels.
You can’t take ibuprofen with aspirin; they are both NSAID’s and can cause an overdose.
You can take acetaminophen with ibuprofen and you can take acetaminophen with aspirin if after an hour you are still experiencing pain but don’t take more than either bottle recommends.
It is very important you take these medications correctly or you could damage your kidneys or have internal bleeding. In this case more is not necessarily better.
Cold or Allergy-
We can’t always tell which one we have but the remedies are similar either way.
If you get a sniffly nose or itchy watery eyes every spring and/or fall you probably have allergies. Watch the weather and the meteorologist will tell you when the weed, tree or grass pollen is up. If you notice you’re having symptoms every time this happens it’s highly likely that you have allergies.
Eating local honey will help with pollen allergies. That means honey made by bees in or near your town.
Drink plenty of fluids like water and orange juice.
Eat chicken soup. Putting fresh, diced garlic in it, will help keep you from getting a worse condition like bronchitis or tonsillitis. Allergies and a cold can get worse if it goes too long.
You can take over-the-counter remedies but read the symptoms they cover.
Some medicines like Benadryl cause drowsiness and best taken at night or if you are at home and going to bed anyway.
Other cold medicines like pseudoephedrine can cause you to be wide awake so if you need rest this might not be a good one to take in the evening.
Get plenty of rest. Sleep will help heal your body and you’ll recover more quickly.
Hot drinks like tea or coffee will help as well as eating cough drops. If you can find the kind with zinc in them this will help.
Drainage from allergies or cold contributes to an irritated throat so if you can take over the counter medications to relieve the drippy nose your throat will get better.
Call a doctor if:
Body or muscle aches- these can be symptoms of a more serious ailment like Mononucleosis or the flu.
Fever of 104° Fahrenheit or above is too high and can be serious. If you don’t have a thermometer or way to take your temperature most campuses have a nurse or at least the office usually has a way of checking your temperature.
Normal temperature is anywhere from 97.6° to 99.7°. You should take your temperature when you are feeling well to see what is normal for you.
Ways to stay healthy:
Eat healthy- I know going to college, long hours studying and not always having enough money makes it tough but eating an apple or banana is much better than that bag of chips and often cheaper in price. When you can choose a food that has nutritional value over empty calories; your body will thank you.
Get proper sleep- this is easier said than done especially if you are working and going to school, but getting as much sleep as you can will help your body fight off infections and bugs.
Don’t share food and drinks- Teens and college kids are very into sharing and this is why this age is more prone to spreading Mono than any other age group. Tell them you have OCD or something but don’t share drinks or food, that’s just asking for trouble. People carrying an illness don’t always look or act sick.
Wash your hands- your mama told you to do this for a good reason. Germs are everywhere and using antibacterial soap will help keep those bugs away.
Get exercise- when your body is stronger it can fight off illness better.
Minimize partying- this is hard on your metabolism and will eventually catch up with you.
Don’t smoke- you’ve seen the ads; you know the dangers.
DON'T DO IT
People who smoke are more prone to upper respiratory infections and illnesses. Not to mention getting hooked and having long-term issues you should be fully aware of.
A run down, overweight, under fed, or poorly fed body is more prone to illness. Just because you are young doesn’t mean you are invincible. We only get one body and we must take care of it.
More by this Author
- EDITOR'S CHOICE44
Omnism is the opposite of atheism. Omnism is the belief of more than one religion. Agnostics aren’t sure or are apathetic towards all religions but omnists are open to spirituality and believe in higher powers,...
Having an aversion, extreme dislike or fear of anyone or anything extremely unattractive.
Betta fish and bamboo plants are both very attractive. Pamela N Red tells how to successfully combine the two in a lovely environment. | <urn:uuid:91d07948-5e03-445d-b88d-31355e3940b5> | {
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DefinitionAllergic vasculitis is an extreme reaction to a drug, infection, or foreign substance that leads to inflammation and damage to blood vessels of the skin.
Alternative NamesVasculitis - allergic; Hypersensitivity vasculitis; Cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsAllergic vasculitis is caused by an allergic reaction to a drug or other foreign substance. Most patients are older than 15 years.Even with a thorough history, the cause of this condition cannot be identified.
SymptomsPurple-colored spots and patchesSkin lesions usually located on the legs, buttocks, or trunkBlisters on the skinHives (urticaria), may last longer than 24 hoursOpen sores with dead tissue (necrotic ulcers)
Signs and testsThe diagnosis is based on your symptoms and how the skin looks after you take a certain medicine or are exposed to a foreign substance (antigen).Results from an ESR test may be high. Skin biopsy shows inflammation of the blood vessels.
TreatmentThe goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation.Your health care provider may prescribe aspirin or corticosteroids to reduce inflammation of the blood vessels. (DO NOT give aspirin to children except as advised by your health care provider.)If possible, your doctor may tell you to stop taking the medicine that caused this condition. Do not stop taking any medicine without first talking to your doctor.
Expectations (prognosis)Allergic vasculitis usually goes away over time. On occasion, people will have repeated episodes.
ComplicationsPermanent damage to the blood vessels or skin with scarringInflammation of the blood vessels affects the internal organs
Calling your health care providerCall for an appointment with your health care provider if you have symptoms of allergic vasculitis.
PreventionAvoid exposure to medications to which you have known allergies.
ReferencesStone JH. Immune complex-mediated small vessel vasculitis. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Harris Jr. ED, McInnes IB, Ruddy S, eds. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders Company; 2008: chap 85. | <urn:uuid:c66b3b36-3deb-4fd7-b478-9ff0f3906ee7> | {
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Knowing How Children Learn and What Proficient Readers Do Is Important for Family Literacy
Parents and guardians are the first teachers of all children. We believe that all learning is sociocultural and pivotal in the lives of our children.
Based on Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory of learning, teaching and development and Goodman’s Sociopsycholinguistic theory of proficient reading (1994), I developed Mini Shared Reading. Mini Shared Reading acts as a bridge between Reading Aloud and Guided Reading that teaches and prepares children’s towards learning to become Independent Proficient Readers.
Mini Shared Reading is a way of teaching and reading that accommodates the children/child at their developmental level. Mini Shared Reading helps the adult engage with the child in reading a book collaboratively while utilizing their “zone of proximal development.”
Más Piñata books build in prediction with the illustrations because of the patterned language/text used on each page of a story. Sometimes the object/noun changes or the verb/action is different, but the rest of the pattern remains the same. One of our beloved Más Piñata titles, My Puppy Chata, is a predictable book about a mischievous puppy. Every child loves to read about puppies, so we created a story line about a playful puppy named Chata.
The sentences on each page begin with, “My puppy Chata,” to ensure predictability and to provide context to the reader that Chata is doing something “bad” or “playful.” Because each illustration matches the text, children will be better equipped to read this 8-page book after engaging in the Mini Shared Reading routine.
Mini Shared Reading Routine
When selecting a predictable book, it’s important to choose one that appeals to the child’s interests. Once you find a time and a special place to sit down together, perhaps with the child sitting next to you, then you both can look at the book.
Mini Shared Reading at school follows a similar routine but it involves small group instruction with 3-5 students in a 20 to 30-minute reading block.
Picture Walk and Talk
Start by saying to the child: “We are going to do a picture walk and talk to get familiar with the story.” As you look at each illustration, you and the child talk about what you see. For example, on the page that shows, “My puppy Chata likes to chase the cat,” you can say: “What do you think Chata is doing? Why is the cat on top of the table?” As you talk, you are building on the child’s prior experience and knowledge of dogs chasing cats. The language that you are using is preparing the child for when you actually read the book.
Next, you say that you are going to read the book three times. The first time, you are going to read it the way it’s supposed to be read. The second time, you will read each page and then the child will echo read. The third time, the child will read the book by himself/herself with your guidance whenever needed.
Revisiting the Text/Illustrations and Talking About Them
Now, you are ready to make visible the connections between the illustration and the text on each page. You start from the back of the book because you want to disrupt any potential memorization of the text. You’re also building on children’s growing knowledge of what a sentence and words look like and how letters and sounds make up those respective words.
Making the Reading Strategies Visible
An example of making children aware of what they’re reading is asking the child if the illustrations match the sentence and text in the book. By asking this question, the child is confirming that the illustration does in fact match the text. Next, you ask the child to find a word in the sentence. If the child does not know what a word is, you can point out where the word is and say, for example, “Here is the word, ‘clothes.’” You have just used language to name the concept of a word and then showed where the word, “clothes,” is in the sentence.
By using this language in the social interaction of this context, you are deliberately teaching the child about the types of written language used to represent meaning. Ultimately, the child has engaged in the act of proficient reading using all the cueing systems, strategies of predicting, confirming and self-correcting plus prior knowledge to make sense of written language.
Closing the Reading Session
You can continue this pattern of social interaction for a couple of more pages so that the child begins to see a pattern. Our brains seek patterns and can make more sense from understanding patterns. Then, finally you ask the child to read the book to you!
Browse our Más Piñata Collections online:
- Más Piñata Dual Language English & Spanish Collection
- Más Piñata English Collection
- Más Piñata Spanish Collection
Dr. Barbara Flores is a pioneer Latina scholar, activist, and author of the groundbreaking Más Piñata leveled reading series. She is an expert in the areas of biliteracy development, bilingual education, and critical pedagogy. Dr. Flores currently serves as President of the California Latino School Boards Association and is Professor Emeritus at California State University, San Bernardino. | <urn:uuid:012e1d38-751d-4337-92cd-a8213ac95e21> | {
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This is impressive. Watch what happens when a very flustered squirrel makes a daring leap for freedom through the kitchen window of what looks to be a fourth-story apartment. The brief clip, captured on video by Finn83, raises an interesting question: how does a squirrel survive such a fall?
The conceptual explanation is straightforward enough: the wind resistance experienced by a body falling through the air is proportional to its projected area. Smaller bodies (like squirrels) tend to have greater surface-area-to-mass ratios than larger bodies (humans, for example), causing them to accelerate toward the ground at a decreased rate. From a sufficient height, the squirrel would achieve a slower (perhaps even non-lethal) terminal velocity, as well.
Thanks to drag, the squirrel survives; that much is obvious. Less clear is the importance of the squirrel's big, bushy tail when it comes to non-lethal plummets.
In a flyer entitled "Living With Wildlife: Tree Squirrels," the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife notes that "if a squirrel should fall," the tail can act as "a sort of parachute and cushion." Intrigued, I went searching for more information. I discovered that the tail-as-parachute/crash-pad claim has been reproduced in various forms around the internet (and in a handful of pretty adorable books), often alongside the statistic that squirrels can survive falls from as high as 100 feet. However, I've yet to come across any research that supports either of these claims. To the best of my knowledge, there have been no observational studies on the aerodynamics of free-falling squirrels. This, obviously, is a damn shame.
What I did find, however, was proof that the idea of squirrels using their tails like a drag chute has been around since as early as 1927, when, in a February issue of the Journal of Mammology, researcher A. Brooker Klugh wrote of red squirrels:
"That the tail acts not only as a rudder in leaping, but to a certain extent as a parachute in the case of a fall, is probably true."
Hear that? "Probably true." Pah! Does anyone know if there's been any research performed in the last 85 years that supports this assumption, or does tail-mediated squirrel descent remain an untested hypothesis? If you know, please feel free to speak up in the comments! | <urn:uuid:78f95e13-3316-45c2-8181-2635e12a1621> | {
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Transformations of Sine and Cosine Graphs
Lesson 11 of 19
Objective: Students will be able to use transformations of functions to graph and write equations for sine and cosine functions.
I include Warm ups with a Rubric as part of my daily routine. My goal is to allow students to work on Math Practice 3 each day. Grouping students into homogeneous pairs provides an opportunity for appropriately differentiated math conversations. The Video Narrative specifically explains this lesson’s Warm up-Transformations of sine and cosine, which asks students to determine which of two students is correct in finding the period of a cosine function.
I also use this time to correct and record the previous day's Homework.
In the previous lesson, students learned about both period and amplitude which can also be expressed as the vertical and horizontal stretch/shrink of a periodic function. The first task students are given in this lesson is to determine which transformations they already know. I have the students discuss this together and then call on several to share their conclusions. It is important to refer them back to the translations that they have seen all year long as this connection will immensely improve the speed they grasp these transformations as well as their confidence.
They should connect the period to a horizontal stretch/shrink and the amplitude to a vertical stretch/shrink. If not, I either guide the class there through some leading questions or share this information directly. A possible leading question would be "When I change the amplitude, what type of transformation does this produce?" I then give them an opportunity to write these transformations in their notes along with a graph example. I chose to graph the transformations by hand each time rather than just have a picture of them in the PowerPoint because I can model the important features and help solidify the basic graph structure in the head's of those students who are still struggling to graph them.
I don't spend too long in the section as they have already seen this and the time will be better spent in other places.
The vertical translation is an easy one. This is a good time to talk about the domain and range. I ask them to talk in pairs and determine whether the domain and/or range has changed with this translation.
The horizontal translation is more involved. A possible way to deal with this shift is to locate the x-intercepts first and then draw the rest of the graph around them. Again, modeling is going to be key here.
Putting it all Together
In this section, I will give the students an opportunity to practice using this new knowledge. The first several problems just ask the students to list the transformations. I have the students do them and then check their work with their partner before we discuss as a class. The next couple of examples ask the students to actually graph the function. Again, I give the students an opportunity to try each problem first and then model it for them.
This section provides the most critical thinking for this entire lesson. Students are used to math having only one answer. They are asked to write an equation from a graph that has some transformations. The students work in pairs to come up with an equation (Math Practice 2). I ask for volunteers to share their equation. Hopefully, there are several different equations. If not, I add a couple myself. The goal is to get several on the board. Next ask your students which is the right one? (Math Practice 3) They discuss in pairs and then we identify acceptable solutions as a class.
Once we have concluded that there is more than one possible answer, ask the students to discuss in pairs how many different equations we could come up with (Math Practice 8). There are theoretically an infinite number. A good extension question at this point would be to ask the students why there are so many different equations.
The next example offers another graph with some transformations and asks the students to identify as many different equations that work as they can. We list them on the board once they have had a reasonable amount of time to work.
The first four problems of this Homework asks students to list the transformations from an equation. The next six have the students graph two periods of a sine or cosine function given the equation. I did not include any transformations with both a horizontal translation and a horizontal dilation. This type of problem could be used as an extension problem if you want to take this lesson farther. The final four problems ask the students to write one sine and one cosine equation given a graph (Math Practice 8).
This assignment was created with Kuta Software, an amazing resource for secondary mathematics teachers.
I use an exit ticket each day as a quick formative assessment to judge the success of the lesson.
This Exit Ticket asks students to list the transformations of the cosine function. | <urn:uuid:e3dbc877-f982-4e2a-bf8c-c0bd3e6b5c62> | {
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Actor and environmentalist Robert Redford remembers with awe the first time he floated on the Colorado River — and with shock the first time he learned that the lifeblood of the Grand Canyon and the entire Southwest doesn’t reach the sea.
So tapped is the Colorado by the seven states that use its watershed, from Wyoming and Colorado past Yuma to the Gulf of California, that it rarely ever flows to that Mexican inlet. The river has run dry since 1998.
“It was kind of shocking,” Redford said in an interview. The revelation led him to produce a river documentary, “Watershed: Exploring a New Water Ethic for the New West,” with his son, Jamie Redford. “The Colorado River is really an iconic American image.”
On Saturday, both Redfords were in Phoenix to celebrate an agreement that will at least temporarily revive the river’s once-ecologically rich delta and to raise money to make it happen.
Their Redford Center joined several U.S. and Mexican conservation organizations at the Arizona Science Center for a “Raise the River” celebration where more than 200 were expected to contribute $500 apiece toward the cause.
“How many people are aware that this great American river is sick,” the elder Redford remembered thinking when he found out, “and that the southern part of it is dying?”
Last November, the U.S. Interior Department and the watershed states, including Arizona, announced a five-year deal with Mexico that included both a commitment to regular flows and a one-time spring flood “pulse” to mimic nature’s way of churning up and reseeding riverside vegetation.
The government is committed to releasing the pulse from Lake Mead — perhaps next spring — but non-profit groups must raise millions of dollars to buy rights for the more routine flows from Mexican farmers.
They need about $10 million for both the water rights and the riverside restoration, the groups say, and the government is covering about $3 million of that. So far, they have raised a little less than $3 million.
The treaty, called Minute 319, has something for all parties.
Arizona, for instance, gets some insurance against water rationing during drought because Mexico agreed to store some of its share of the river at Lake Mead, raising reservoir levels. Central Arizona Project, in turn, is helping rebuild Mexican farm canals and water systems broken by an earthquake.
But to nature lovers, the promise of a wet delta whose vegetation once stretched north to Yuma is the prize. It’s a chance to build a potential ecotourism magnet whose economic benefits would spill over the border, said Patrick Graham, Arizona director for the Nature Conservancy.
“(The delta) is part of the heritage of the Southwest,” he said.
The Tucson-based Sonoran Institute and Pronatura, a Mexican conservation group, have spent years planting trees and attempting to restore a dusty playa that once was lush and teeming with wildlife and migratory birds. But their efforts have lacked one element.
“The Number 1 ingredient is going to be the water,” said Maria Baier, CEO of the Sonoran Institute. Fortunately, she said, previous wet periods have shown that the delta responds quickly and that a renewed water supply will bring results.
“It was designed to be green,” she said of the ecosystem, which also once contained a rich estuary that fed whales. “It doesn’t take much to revive it.”
That’s important because the flows that the agreement envisioned reaching the sea over the five-year life of the agreement amount to less than 1 percent of the river’s annual flow, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. But that water will help give back a crucial stopover spot for the West’s migratory birds.
“It’s a critical component of the Pacific Flyway,” said Anne Castle, assistant U.S. Interior secretary for water and science. That pathway supplies birds to breeding grounds as far north as Alaska, and they have increasingly few places to rest and eat on the journey. “When it’s completely dry, that part of the flyway doesn’t exist anymore.”
In all, 158,000 acre-feet will flow to the Gulf of California, and two-thirds of that is coming in the one-time flood. An acre-foot supplies, roughly, enough water for a family of five for a year.
To Robert Redford, nursing this river back to health seems an obvious benefit to the millions of Americans who need it. But he said he also believes Americans will want to save the American Indian and Mexican communities that once thrived along a healthy delta. The Cocopah Indian Tribe, or “people of the river,” is among them.
“When you learn you can prevent entire cultures from being starved out,” he said, “it starts to make a difference.” | <urn:uuid:7f411433-2f2c-4b62-b25b-53c5b5183066> | {
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An irrigation drip emitter can have various complex shapes with very small geometric labyrinth channel structures. Determining the optimum pressure in the lateral line and the desired flow volume for the emitter, which can be obtained by changing the channel’s geometry, is an extremely important factor. The ability to observe flow behaviour is significantly difficult in the labyrinth structure of the emitter using traditional methods because the channels are so small. In this study, a 3D CAD solid model of a sample emitter was created and the flow behaviour was simulated in its labyrinth channels by using a flow simulation technique. Referenced by the original design, the channel geometry was modified and the emitter was re-fabricated using rapid prototyping / additive manufacturing techniques. The flow behaviour is then re-investigated based on the re-shaped channel geometry of the labyrinth structure. The predetermined optimum pressure in the pipe was validated experimentally for both the original design and modified designs. As a result, the optimum pressure in the pipe and the flow characteristics for original both the design and modified designs of the emitter were validated. This study contributes to further research into the development of agricultural irrigation equipment aided through the utilisation of additive manufacturing and computer aided engineering tools. | <urn:uuid:ce6ce25d-ce01-4bfa-b272-01c6592cd5fe> | {
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You know what’s super magical? Light-up bums.
I’m talking fireflies, of course! A field or dark forest flooded with those little flickering butts is some seriously super science. It’s one of my favorite things about summer. But have you ever wondered how they do it? Or why?
First off, fireflies – or lightning bugs (whichever you prefer) – are neither flies nor bugs. They’re beetles. But lightning beetle just doesn’t have the same ring, does it? (1)
These little beetles produce a chemical reaction inside their bodies called bioluminescence, which allows them to light up. Inside their light organs, oxygen combines with calcium, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and the chemical luciferin – all while the bioluminescent enzyme luciferase is present. This produces light. (2)
And it’s not just any light. An average electric light bulb gives off 90 percent of its energy as heat, and only 10 percent as light. If fireflies produced that much heat when they lit up, they’d probably not live through it (giving new meaning to “fire”flies). Luckily, fireflies are amazingly efficient light-producers. During bioluminescence, a hundred percent of the energy goes into making light. (1)
The firefly controls the beginning and end of the chemical reaction, and thus the start and stop of its light emission, through oxygen. Insects do not have lungs, but instead transport oxygen from outside the body to the interior cells through a complex series of successively smaller tubes known as tracheoles. When the firefly wants to light up, it adds oxygen to the other chemicals needed to produce light. When there’s no oxygen available, the light goes out. (2)
They appear to light up for a variety of reasons: to communicate their distastefulness to predators, to help identify certain types of species, or, more commonly, to attract members of the opposite sex. Yes, fireflies get right to the point in their short two-to-three-week lifespan. Studies have also shown that some female fireflies like males with high flash rates and/or increased flash intensity. Ooh la la! (2)
Unfortunately for some sad folks in a few sad regions, not all fireflies flash. Fireflies that inhabit the western areas of North America don’t use light signals to communicate. Because of this, many people inaccurately believe that they don’t exist west of the Rockies, since flashing populations are rarely seen there.
But for some lucky folks in a few lucky regions, fireflies synchronize their flashes! It’s rare – in the US, you can see this phenomenon (usually during a two-week window in late spring) at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee – but amazing to see. Thousands of fireflies will light up at the same time, over and over, in what’s called simultaneous bioluminescence! Not coincidentally, thousands of people come from all over to witness this amazing show each year. (3)
And now, final interesting firefly fact: Firefly luciferase is also useful in medical research! It can be used as markers to detect blood clots or to tag cells and genes, and to monitor hydrogen peroxide levels in living organisms (hydrogen peroxide is believed to play a role in the progression of some diseases, like cancer and diabetes). Scientists can now use a synthetic form of luciferase – fortunately – as we’d all like to keep those little bums flashing for many years to come. (1)
Aryn Henning Nichols has watched, chased, or caught fireflies every summer of her life. She may also have squished and smeared a few, and feels more than a little guilty about it, especially after writing this Science, You’re Super! Sorry, fireflies. Never again!
Radim Schreiber, born in the Czech Republic, is an artist/photographer and cinematographer. His passion for photography began while photographing insects during his college years in Iowa. After completing his BFA at Maharishi University of Management, he started working for The Sky Factory, LLC in Fairfield, Iowa, as a nature photographer, cinematographer, and digital artist. Radim has won multiple national and international photography competitions, including the Smithsonian Magazine Photography contest. Radim’s latest project is photographing the bioluminescent glow of fireflies. | <urn:uuid:006867dc-d67a-4da9-a546-478649c87fdd> | {
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Keratosis pilaris is a common skin disorder characterized by small, pointed pimples. The pimples usually appear on the upper arms, thighs, and buttocks. The condition worsens in the winter and usually clears up in the summer. Keratosis pilaris has no known cause, but tends to run in families.
This disorder does not get worse over time. It is harmless, and often disappears as the person ages.
Usually no treatment is necessary for keratosis pilaris, since it normally clears up by itself. Treatment may include:
Contact your health care provider if the condition does not respond to over-the-counter moisturizing lotions. Since this is a common, harmless skin condition, you can also discuss it during a routine office visit.
Click here to view the
Online Resources of Dermatology | <urn:uuid:1a4b721f-3c07-4a58-9530-4043a14184ac> | {
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Do hunters conserve nature? This seemingly controversial issue seems to be a source of never-ending debate. I recently found a text discussing this issue, published in the “Finnish Nature” (Suomen Luonto) magazine as early as 1944. While conservationists and hunters may sometimes be in direct conflict, some shared targets were recognized already in 1944.
O. Hytönen (1944) raised the very same observations that are still apparent. Although hunters kill animals, prey animal populations should not be eradicated by responsible hunting practices. Some hunting actions are straightly connected to nature conservation, such as feeding animals during harsh winters, habitat management and predator control. Currently discussed effect of trophy hunting as an important conservation tool in development countries is an example of an indirect connection: by paying for hunting permits hunters help to maintain local animal diversity. As noted in a recently published paper, banning of trophy hunting can lead to exacerbating biodiversity loss.
In 1953 “Finnish Nature” (Suomen Luonto) published another text on the subject, this time written by G. Bergman. Bergman wrote that the relationships between hunters and conservationists has not always been smooth in Finland, or in other Nordic countries, while no benefits could be gained from these conflicts. Bergman noted that modern game management has several shared principles with nature conservation. He also pointed out that nature conservation and hunting have successfully been managed together in the US. As during Bergman’s times, Europe is still somehow on separate paths, and the situation has become particularly inflamed in some countries. Ironically, Bergman wrote that if we refuse to understand the interests of others, nature conservation aims may be disturbed.
The good old American way
What were the good manners already mentioned by Bergman in America? Maybe he meant the Federal Duck Stamp system established already in 1934. All US hunters must buy a Duck Stamp on a yearly basis, however, whoever can get one. With this small cost the buyers contribute to bird habitat conservation. The US Fish and Wildlife Service advertises that the stamp is “among the most successful conservation tools ever created to protect habitat for birds and other wildlife”. About 1 500 000 stamps are bought yearly, and 98% of the profits are given to the National Wildlife Refuge System for wetland conservation.
Another traditional American actor smoothly combining conservation and hunting is Ducks Unlimited (DU), founded by a group of hunters in 1937. DU targets habitat conservation, and is now claimed to be the world’s largest and most effective private waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization according to their website. Most DU members are still hunters.
The land of a thousand lakes
Wetlands have been destroyed for a long time due to differing human interests, also in Finland. Some areas have been lost altogether, while some have lost their value due to e.g. vegetation overgrowth. We still have many lakes left, but shallow eutrophic lakes – the waterbird lakes – are the ones that have been lost most often. Hunters are a group with an interest to construct and restore wetlands. According to a report by the Finnish Wildlife Agency, hunters have constructed or restored about 2 000 wetlands during the past decades. In addition to benefitting game animals, the entire ecosystem benefits. Wetlands also offer several other ecosystem services, including water purification and erosion control.
Sometimes hunting itself supports animal populations. For example, hunters can help to maintain animal communities through ecosystem engineering pushed by hunting and the co-evolution of animals and humans. In 2013 a scientific paper showed that in Australia Aboriginal hunting was one of the cornerstones supporting monitor lizard populations. Monitor lizards occur most densely in areas where they are hunted, because of the hunting method used; the burning method creates a patchy mosaic of regrowth in the landscape. In areas with no hunters, occasional lightning strikes burn land in a more homogenous way, and thus also lizards are scarcer. The same practice might also benefit several other desert species. However, in many cases Aboriginals have lost their traditional hunting possibilities, and the loss of these traditional practices sustaining habitats might have contributed to decreasing populations of several desert animal species.
While the debate between hunting and nature conservation has already lasted a long time, and is still on-going, common targets have been raised throughout the process by cooperative actors of both sides. There has always been, and currently still are, differing hunting methods for concerning conservational effects, but it is self-evident that all these practices are not against conservation targets.
Enrico Di Minin, Nigel Leader-Williams & Corey J.A. Bradshaw: Banning Trophy Hunting Will Exacerbate Biodiversity Loss. 2015. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. Online.
Connecting Aboriginal Land Use Management Strategies, Mammal Extinction Rates and Shifts in Fire Regimes in a Changing Climate: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Inform Conservation Strategies for Threatened Species in the Australian Western Desert | <urn:uuid:0d280346-9711-4bd1-b9a5-4749976d4852> | {
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Have you ever wondered how Kevin Bacon and the lights of fireflies related to malaria and power grids? I know it’s something that’s kept me up many a sleepless night. One word: interconnections.
Many of you have probably heard of the “Six degrees of Kevin Bacon” game. This is based on the work of Stanley Milgram beginning in the 1960s, and brought up again more recently in a 1998 Nature paper, “Collective Dynamics of ‘Small-World’ Networks,” by mathematicians Watts and Strogatz. Milgram conducted a number of studies using his “lost letter technique,” in which letters were sent out and then needed to be forwarded onto reach their destination. In one instance, Milgram sent out 160 letters to individuals in the midwest, with instructions to pass them along to acquaintances who would be most likely to reach his stockbroker friend back east. Almost all of the letters that reached the stockbroker did so via one of 3 friends—and most did it within 6 steps–hence the “six degrees of separation” idea. Similarly, Duncan Watts first became interested in the “small world problem”—the idea that all of us are more closely connected than we realize—after watching fireflies flash in synchrony, and wondering how they accomplished that. What Watts, Strogatz, Milgram, and others were investigating boiled down to a series of links in a network—hubs and connectors. As Watts and Strogatz showed in their 1998 paper, all it took to make a “small world” from a regular network was the addition of a few “short cuts” (see figure from their paper, right). This elegant and seemingly simple structure of networks explains not only connections between movie stars and scientists but also cellular metabolism, ecology webs and the World Wide Web itself. | <urn:uuid:eaee1512-6d83-4de2-a0ad-3522732ad597> | {
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Processing Clay the Easy Way: Water Extraction
(As featured in the January 2008 issue of Practically Seeking)
Today we usually think of clay as being used for pottery
but in truth the uses are almost endless. For thousands of years man has used this substance for a whole host of things, from pigments to medicines. One of the most abundant materials on earth, clay can be found almost anywhere — just look for areas where the ground has broken into a bark like pattern (as on a tree) or areas where water tends sit longer after a heavy rain.
Clay can be extracted from many of these sources quite easily, and whether you plan to use it for pottery or one of the multitude of other traditional uses, the goal is to remove as many impurities as possible and the process is the same. While some clay deposits are pure enough to be used raw straight out of the ground, these are the exception; most clay is found in conjunction with sand.
Many people have never considered the idea that they could make their own clay
Learn more about Harvesting,
Processing and Firing
Primitive Pottery workshop.
or are intimidated by the perceived difficulty of the process. One method, as suggested in many "living with the earth" books, is to pound the dry clay into powder and then winnow (sift) the fine clay particles on to a collecting surface. While this method does work, and in some circumstances may be the only method available to you, it is highly inefficient and requires a huge energy expenditure, violating the primary rule of survival — conservation of energy.
The method I prefer, and teach, is the Water Extraction Method.
The big benefit of this method is that usable clay can be extracted from the most marginal of soils. The clay shown below was processed from soil that was almost 70 percent sand and, using other methods, would have been considered unusable. For this exercise we started with 10 pounds of dirt that had a marginal clay content. It would barely adhere together when pinched between the fingers, but could certainly not be molded into even a basic shape such as a small log.
However, by the time we were finished, we had a little over 3 pounds of high-quality pure clay — more than enough to make several pots.
Step-by-step Instructions for how to Water-Process Your Own Clay:
- Fill a container about one-third full with the soil, then add enough water to fill the container. (Gallon jars or 5-gallon buckets both work well, depending on how much raw dirt you have. Using clear containers can be advantageous to the beginner.)
- Crush the wet mud between your fingers to as small a size as possible, breaking up all the clumps. Once your mixture is as lump-free as possible, allow the material to hydrate for several hours.
- Stir the mixture thoroughly, then allow it to settle for a few minutes. Clay is lighter, and floats above the heavier sediment. Look carefully as the mixture begins to settle and you will see a color change that indicates where the suspended clay particles and sediments meet. This "clay water" is what you want to keep.
- Pour off the clay water into a separate container. Watch carefully while you are pouring and when you see sediment starting to gather on the lip of the container, STOP! Repeat steps 4 & 5 as many times as necessary to extract the greatest possible amount of clay from the sediment. Stop pouring sooner rather than later! You don't want sediment sneaking through into your clay.
- Take the clay water you have collected and repeat the same process of diluting, mixing and settling, and pour this further refined clay water into a third container. This step will help to get rid of the smallest bits of sediment.
- Once you have removed all the sediment, leave the clay water to settle, undisturbed, for at least a few hours (a full day is even better). This allows the clay particles to settle to the bottom of the container.
- After the clay has settled the water should be virtually clear and there should not be any noticeable color change lines within the settled clay. If you see that a sediment layer has appeared below the clay (indicated by a layer of darker, coarser material at the very bottom), repeat steps 4, 5 and 7 until you have removed all the remaining impurities.
- Carefully pour off the suspended water, watching the lip of your container. When clay begins to pour off with the water, stop pouring, set the container down and allow the contents to settle for a few minutes. Continue this process until as much water as possible has been poured off and only clay is left in your container.
- Take a section of old bed sheet, t-shirt or other finely woven fabric, drape it over a bucket and, keeping the cloth secured against the bucket, pour the wet clay into the center. Pull the edges of the fabric together to make a "bag" in which to hold your clay while it dries. Tie the top of the bag closed, pulled snug around the top of your new clay ball.
- Use some sturdy rope or cordage to hang the clay bag some place where it can remain undisturbed for several days. You should see water dripping out of the bottom of the bag as the clay begins to dry. The water should be clear, or have a slight clay-colored tint. If you can feel any grit or see any particles, your bag material is not of a fine enough weave and you are losing clay. Find something tighter and re-bag.
- After two or three days open your bag and check if your clay is still soupy, or if it has firmed up. If you are unsure, scrape a small amount if clay into your hand and if it will form into a ball that retains it's shape easily, you're good to go! If not, re-tie the bag and allow it to hang another 24 hours before checking again. Once your clay has reached a usable consistency it can be removed from the bag and placed into a permanent container, ready to be tempered and molded for pottery, or used for whatever project you have in mind. | <urn:uuid:199d36ca-945f-4f3b-81d6-628da7b708d4> | {
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Accusations of Flawed Climate Science are Rejected by the EPA
Since the Obama Administration came to power in Washington, the EPA has taken upon itself the mission of addressing global climate change. They have been very proactive in getting information out confirming that climate change exists and that it is caused, at least in part, by human activities. Ten petitions were sent to the agency to challenge the EPA's position on climate change. Upon review, the EPA has decided to fully reject the claims made in the petitions, determining that they are without merit.
In December of 2009, EPA made the determination that climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions threatens public health and the environment. This sparked a barrage of petitions which claimed that climate science is unreliable. The petitioners claimed the presence of a high-level conspiracy to promote the "myth" of human induced climate change. Among the entities involved in the conspiracy are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the US National Academy of Sciences, and the US Global Research Program.
Several petitions also expressed dismay with the process the EPA used to develop its December 2009 finding, known as the "Endangerment Finding." For example, they claim the EPA did not independently judge the underlying science and did not post the referenced scientific studies in the docket. They also take issue with the fact that EPA ignored public concerns over emails sent by scientists from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in the UK. This episode was known colloquially as "climate-gate."
The petitions originated from industry groups, individuals, and even state governments. The petitioners include the Ohio Coal Association, Peabody Energy, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Texas, the Southeastern Legal Foundation, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Arthur Randol, the Coalition for Responsible Regulation, the Pacific Legal Foundation, and the United States Chamber of Commerce. The petitions were thought-out, well written, and they warranted serious attention by the EPA. However, in the end, the EPA rejected their petitions.
EPA found there is no evidence to support the claims made by the petitioners, and felt the claims were not sufficient to alter the conclusions of the December 2009 Endangerment Finding. They believe that evidence supporting their finding is strong, thorough, and compelling. EPA believes climate change is happening, can be proved by examining key climate change indicators, and that climate change is effected by human activity,
Whether or not this action by the EPA is enough to silence anthropogenic climate change skeptics remains to be seen. Both sides are fully entrenched in their positions and believe the facts are on their side. Regardless of their disagreements, action on reducing man's impact on climate change is imminent and perhaps long overdue.
For more information: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/56EB0D86757CB7568525776F0063D82F | <urn:uuid:b513911c-76fc-476f-98e3-ce1dde19117f> | {
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Some people may be surprised, as I was, to discover that the High Renaissance (the style of Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael, from about 1490 to 1525) is not considered fully and authentically liturgical, which is to say, right for the Catholic liturgy. This is not to say that there are not individual works by these great artists that might be appropriate, but they did not form a coherent tradition in which a theology of form had been fully worked out, as was later to happen for the Baroque. Pope Benedict argues that for the most part, the High Renaissance was too strongly influenced by the pagan art of classical Greece, and as such, reveals the self-obsessed, negative aspects of classical culture in a way that is not fully Christian.
As a young man, Titian trained during the High Renaissance, and the influence of this can be seen in this early painting of his, the Enthronement of St Mark. At St Mark’s feet are Ss Cosmas and Damian on the left, and Ss Sebastian and Roch on the right. This was painted in 1510, and one could be forgiven for thinking it was painted by Raphael. Notice how sharply defined all the figures and details are, even down to the floor tiles.
If you compare this with the following paintings, we see how his work changed as he got older. The first is Cain and Abel, painted in 1543; and the second is the entombment of Christ, painted in 1558. In the latter, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and the Virgin Mary bring Christ to the tomb, as Mary Magdalene and Saint John the Evangelist look on.
In contrast to the first painting, we can see how diffuse and lacking in color so much of these later painting is. The edges are blurred in many places, and only certain areas have bright or naturalistic color; only the areas of primary focus are painted with sharper edges and with bright colors, to draw our attention to the important part of the composition. The artist cannot apply bright color to the figure of Christ, but notice how he uses the bright colors from the clothes of the three figures who are carrying him to frame his figure. In contrast, the two figures in the background are depleted of color and detail. He wants us to be aware of them, but not in such a way that they detract from the most important parts of the composition. He uses the white cloth draped over the tomb in the same way, making sure that the sharpest contrast in tone in the painting, light to dark, is between this and the shadow of the tomb. The eye is naturally drawn to those areas where dark and light meet, and this is another way that Titian draws our gaze onto Christ.
It is suggested that this looseness of style in Titian’s later works comes about because, as his eyesight declined, he was unable to paint as precisely as he had done as a young man. This may very well have been what forced him to work differently, but if so, all I can say is how well he accommodated his handicap so as to create something greater as a result!
Going forward to early 17th century Rome, Caravaggio is often credited with creating the Baroque style’s characteristic visual vocabulary of exaggerated light and dark. We see deep shadow and bright light before him, but Caravaggio exaggerated it and imbued it with spiritual meaning in a new way. The shadow represents the presence of evil, sin, and suffering in this fallen world; it is contrasted with a light which represents Christ the Light, who offers Christian hope that transcends such suffering.
This can be seen in the painting above of the incredulity of St Thomas. Notice how it is so pronounced that we do not see any background landscape at all; apart from the figures themselves, all is is obscured by shadow. Caravaggio does retain from the visual style of the High Renaissance edges that are sharp and well defined, even if partially obscured by shadow. Other artists studied this and, while adopting Caravaggio’s language of light and dark, to varying degrees also incorporated also the controlled and selective blurring of edges that characterized Titian.
Look at the following painting of St Francis in Meditation by the Flemish artist Anthony Van Dyck, painted in 1632, in which we can see how much he has taken from Titian. | <urn:uuid:334a54a2-1c90-41b8-a251-1f7694537718> | {
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English psalmist. Attended Oxford, but did not graduate. He became the "Groom of the Robes" of Henry VIII, and retained this office under Edward VI. Sternhold first began his work on the Psalms for his own "Godly Solace" and is said to have sung them while accompanying himself on the organ. Apparently the young Edward VI heard them and asked for them to be repeated in his presence. Edward later provided patronage for Sternhold to work on his Psalms. Sternhold set his translations of the Psalms to be sung as ballads, which he hoped would replace the "amorous and obscene" songs commonly sung by the courtiers. To the extent that Sternhold's psalms were intended for court circles they are comparable to those of Marot, but they are by no means comparable in poetic quality.
The Sternhold and Hopkins Psalter (as it was subsequently knownč-it remained the standard version in England for almost two hundred years) actually had its beginning about 14 years before it was published in its final form. The exact date is not known for certain, but 1548 is generally accepted as the year when Thomas Sternhold published his first collection of 19 Psalms (Ps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 20, 25, 27, 29, 32, 33, 41, 49, 73,† 78, 103,† 120, 122, and 138). † This collection was dedicated to King Edward VI and was titled "Certayne PSALMES chose out of the PSALTER OF DAVID, and drawe into English metre, by Thomas Sternhold grome of Ye Kynges Maiesties roobes." Sternhold had expressed his intent to versify more of the Psalms, but he died shortly after the first edition was published. It quickly became the standard English psalter. A second, posthumous edition appeared in 1549, containing containing thirty-seven Psalms by Sternhold and an additional seven translations by John Hopkins. This edition was titled "Al suche Psalmes of DAVID as Thomas Sternholde, late grome of ye Kinges Maiesties Robes didde in hys lyfe tyme draw into English metre." In the same year The Psalter of David newely translated into Englysh metre with translations by Robert Crowley offered a single setting à 4 of all 150 psalms, but it was the Sternhold-Hopkins psalms, rather than those of Crowley, that were destined to survive.
In 1553. the Sternhold-Hopkins collection was augmented by seven psalms translated by William Whittingham (still without music), and a psalter by Francys Seager was printed, containing nineteen versified psalms and two four-part settings, one serving for twelve psalms, one for two. Also in 1553 Mary became Queen, and many Protestants fled to Geneva where they came into contact with John Calvin and the French tradition Psalms and music. The refugees brought the Sternhold-Hopkins collection with them, although it would appear that John Hopkins did not join them there because we do not see any new Psalms by him in any of the Geneva editions. The four Geneva editions all contained Sternhold's and Hopkins' original 44 Psalms. The first Genevan edition appeared in 1556. It contained a total of 51 Psalms, consisting of Sternhold's original 37, Hopkins original seven and an additional seven by William Whittingham. (Ps. 23, 51, 114, 115, 130, 133, 137) This edition was the first to be published with music.
A second Genevan edition was published in 1558 which contained 62 Psalms. Nine of the new Psalms were by Whittingham and the other two were by his friend John Pullain. The 1560 edition contained three additional Psalms.There was one further edition published in Geneva in 1561 but it had a much greater influence on the Scottish Psalter than on the English one we are considering here. The 1561 edition saw an additional 25 Psalms, all by†William Kethe. Many of these were dropped in favor of other versions in the later English editions. With respect to both texts and tunes the Anglo-Genevan Psalter was heavily indebted to the French Psalter of 1551-1554. Who prepared the music is unknown.
Millar Patrick reports that John Daye printed an English Psalter as early as 1559, the year after Elizabeth I succeeded to the throne, but that it was never released. Daye did publish a Psalter based on the Genevan work in 1560, the first with music, that was very similar to the 1560 Genevan Psalter, then he published a second edition in 1561 which contained a total of 87 Psalms. This version had begun to drop some of the Genevan additions to Sternhold and Hopkins original work. Daye published the first complete English Psalter in 1562. This version dropped twenty-three of the fourty-three Psalms that had been added in Geneva. It contained eighty-six new Psalms, mostly by John Hopkins, but it also included four new Psalms by Sternhold, which were apparently discovered after his death.
Daye's 1562 edition remained in use in England, with only a few changes, until well into the nineteenth century. The Sternhold and Hopkins version was brought to the American colonies and saw considerable use there. According to "American Hymns, Old and New" it was used extensively in the American south until the close of the eighteenth century. Even after the New Version (Brady and Tate) appeared in 1696, Sternhold and Hopkins continued to be printed and reprinted through more than six-hundred editions. The final edition was printed in 1828, two hundred and sixty-six years after the first edition.†
1 My Shepherd is the living Lord, nothing therefore I need:
In pastures fair, near pleasant streams, he setteth me to feed.
2 He shall convert and glad my soul, and bring my mind in frame
To walk in paths of righteousness for his most holy Name.
3 Yea, though I walk in vale of death, yet will I fear no ill:
Thy rod and staff do comfort me, and thou art with me still.
4 And in the presence of my foes My table thou shalt spread
Thou wilt fill full my cup, and thou anointed hast my head.
5 Through all my life thy favor is so frankly showed to me
That in thy house for evermore my dwelling place shall be. | <urn:uuid:e1450bee-2465-41d9-b75b-ef57c1a20c59> | {
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Working Capital (WC)
Definition - What does Working Capital (WC) mean?
Working capital (WC) is a measure of current assets minus current liabilities on a company's balance sheet. When conducting due diligence on a transaction, historical working capital is analyzed on a monthly basis for two to three years in order to understand the appropriate level a business needs to support its operations.
When cash is excluded from working capital, the resulting amount is called non-cash working capital (NCWC). Fluctuations in NCWC are examined by the buyer to determine what type of additional investment is required to sustain the business. The average NCWC is usually funded using an operating line, but smart buyers will require that a certain level of NCWC be included as part of the deal, since it represents additional cash that the business would require to operate immediately post-transaction.
Divestopedia explains Working Capital (WC)
The appropriate level of working capital required to sustain business operations is one of the most debated areas between buyers and sellers. Buyers will require that the business deliver a set working capital amount as part of the negotiated purchase price, and the final amount due on closing will be reduced on a dollar for dollar if the peg is missed. Therefore, sellers need to come to the negotiating table ready with an estimated level of working capital that is required to support the business.
Keep in mind that working capital changes every day, so the balance at negotiation must be the estimated amount at closing, rather than the amount reported on the last month's financial statements. Sellers will audit working capital 90 to 120 days post-transaction to make sure the final closing number is accurate. Therefore, it is best to provide the most accurate estimate available including liability accruals which are often missed. Most buyers will include a working capital holdback to allow for any adjustments in working capital post-transaction.
The seller must focus on the following areas when determining an appropriate working capital target:
- Research normal levels of WC for the industry;
- Calculated WC as a percentage of sales year over year;
- Identify special terms that may cause the WC to vary from normal levels; and
- How significantly does inventory vary on a month-to-month basis?
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In 2006, Oceanium’s plan to restore a highly degraded mangrove forest was realized when it started a partnership with Danone’s Livelihoods Fund and was able to begin the large scale task of replanting mangroves along the west coast of Senegal.
The Livelihoods Fund is a private sector initiative that supports projects with technical inputs and funds and provides returns to the investors and to local communities. With global warming and sea-level rise, Oceanium is a crucial project as it supports improved livelihooods and demonstrates to other coastal communities globally that it is necessary to work with nature to ensure that the environment and wetland-dependent populations can continue to prosper and grow economically.
The mangroves, which once grew in abundance on the west coast of Senegal, have been slowly disappearing through human intervention, rising sea level and drought. The local population saw their income and food sources disappearing as the aquaculture of prawns and oysters which had prospered amongst the mangroves dwindled, and the rice fields could no longer produce a crop due to the brackish water that was flooding inland.
Jean Christophe Henry, Director of Oceanium and his team began the task of educating the local communities – with “Plante ton Arbre” (Plant your Tree), the logo of the project. With the cooperation of local populations, Oceanium has conducted massive reforestation campaigns since 2006. Today, more than 150 million mangrove trees have been planted in approximately 500 villages in the Sine Saloum delta and in the Casamance. This result makes it the largest example of mangrove reforestation in the world. In total, almost 12,000 hectares of mangrove have been restored by the people of Senegal.
We are delighted to recognize the innovation and numerous other achievements of Oceanium by awarding the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award for Innovation. | <urn:uuid:f6676b68-9e12-4ff8-ac52-bde2edb56708> | {
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Concept Review. What is a sampling distribution? How is it used to calculate a confidence interval?. Sampling distribution Estimation. Sampling distribution If an infinite number of samples were conducted, and some outcome was plotted…
What is a sampling distribution?
How is it used to calculate a confidence interval?
H0 Not Rejected
(X = µ)
(X ≠ µ)
(X > µ)
ALPHA TEST N t(Critical)
.05 2-tailed 61
.01 1-tailed 25
.05 1-tailed 15
.10 2-tailed 32
2. When we “set the criteria for a decision”, we are deciding how far the sample statistic has to fall from the population mean for us to decide to reject H0
3. If test statistic we calculate is beyond the critical value (in the critical region) then we reject H0
4. If test statistic we calculate does not fall in critical region, we fail to reject the H0 | <urn:uuid:b3d886c0-728d-4dcd-ba68-d503ccaaf20a> | {
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More information about this Work
During the early part of the 1920s George Grosz almost stopped painting altogether to concentrate on producing satirical drawings and portfolios of prints that were published by Malik, the publishing house owned by his friend Wieland Herzfelde. His essay “Art in danger,” which even questioned the validity of easel painting, came out in 1925.
The present watercolour, entitled Twilight (Dämmerung) on account of its similarity to an illustration dated 1922 and published by this name in the Ecce Homo album of 1923, is a characteristic composition in Grosz’s graphic work. Through a series of superimposed and fragmented images he creates a magnificent allegorical portrait of Prussian society: a few members of the self-sufficient, hypocritical and materialistic bourgeoisie, prominent among whom is the foreground figure clad in a coat and hat, together with several vagrants, a prostitute and a beggar. Despite the simplicity of the image, all the main stereotypes of metropolitan life are represented.
Owing to Grosz’s keen powers of observation and the astounding precision of his gaze, the idea we have nowadays of Weimar Berlin is largely shaped from his mordant caricatures. The artist explained in the prologue of his book Love Above All, published in 1930: “As a realist, I prefer to use my pen and brush primarily to put down what I see and observe; and that is generally unromantic, sober and far from idyllic.” Similarly, Hannah Arendt did not consider Grosz’s cartoons to be satires “but realistic reportage,” as “we knew those types, they were all around us.”
The first owner of the watercolour was the diplomat Harry Graf Kessler (1868–1937), known as the “red count” for his leftist sympathies. He became the patron of artists like John Heartfield and George Grosz and sponsored several of the publishing house Malik’s initiatives. | <urn:uuid:34e2f6cf-6f4d-4b79-bcf0-28cde6e620f7> | {
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We see a baby bird on the ground and we think it is alone, helpless, small, cold, clumsy and fluffy… it is hard to resist the urge to rescue. But often people intervene when in fact most chicks are "fledglings" that should be left alone.
Stop. Think. Is interfering the best thing to do in this situation? We might have the best of intentions, but taking a chick with you can be a bad thing, it is messing with nature, and can even make things worse for the chick.
If the bird is a "fledgling"… it is best to leave it alone, even if it looks awkward and cute and can’t fly properly (see graphic inside). Unless, in the very rare cases that:
The bird is bleeding or visibly injured by a cat/car/window… call your local wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian (not a conservation organisation)
It is in immediate danger… (e.g. from a road, cat about to pounce) move it a few metres to somewhere safe (e.g. into a bush off the ground) where parent birds can still hear/see it.
Hand-rearing a bird… is only ever the very last resort – it must be done by an expert, and often is not successful.
Wild birds are not pets… taking them to rear is often illegal
Only 30% of songbirds survive their first year… but this is a natural strategy so the strongest survive
Birds do not abandon their chicks because of how they smell, so if you do have to handle a chick, it is ok!
A bird is better in nature than in your care!
For more advice on injured birds… Use the internet to find your local wildlife rehabilitator!
What does the bird look like?
Hatchling (0-3 days old)
No feathers (bald)
Eyes not yet open
Can hardly move
It is recently hatched and needs to be in a nest
Nestling (3-13 days old)
Some tiny feathers & maybe in tube-like sheaths
It is young and still needs a nest
"Just put me back in my nest; let nature do the rest"
Fledgling (13-14 days old or older)
Scruffy, can hop, flutter wings, grip its feet on a perch
Has feathers (but may be shorter)
It has left the nest can almost fly, but parents are still feeding it
"If I’m a little feathery, leave me be, I’ve got my mum looking after me"
Common Swift Apus apus
This fast-flying bird should never touch the ground its entire life. They are not very good at walking either.
Correctly identify the species.
Assess the situation: swifts need a high platform to take off!
Nature is harsh sometimes (but is still amazing!)
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts sometimes chicks do not survive, or are abandoned because of illness or lack of food. Often birds lay lots of eggs so the strongest survive.
It is sad, but sometimes a bird is a good meal for another wild animal’s family (like a bird of prey or a fox – not a cat) and is all part of the circle of life.
You can increase chances of nesting success by planting bird and insect friendly native plants in your garden. | <urn:uuid:b482dfe1-dae3-4381-b230-674a5203c216> | {
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Achieving Muscular Strength and Endurance
After a general 5 minute warm-up, always make sure to warm-up those muscles that will be utilized in the strengthening activity.
Always stretch muscles before, after, and during activity. This helps prevent soreness.
Perform movements in a slow and controlled manner. Never use momentum or bouncing movements, as this may cause injury.
Make sure to perform movements with correct form, especially if working with weights.
As with any exercise program, always start slowly and gradually progress as your skill level increases.
Know your limits! Exercise is only fun if you're not in pain.
Submitted by Antonio Barrial who teaches PE at Miami Coral Park Senior High in Miami, Fl. Thanks for contributing to PE Central! | <urn:uuid:b824bbfe-4135-408f-ae43-cb55a4b1ec4b> | {
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United Nations World Food Programme
Uploaded by: Knoema
Accessed On: 22 February, 2017
The World Food Prices Database has data on food prices (e.g., beans, rice, fish, and sugar) for 76 countries and some 1,500 markets. The dataset includes around 500,000 records and is updated monthly. The data goes back as far as 1992 for a few countries, although most of the price trends start in 2000-2002. | <urn:uuid:c7575a8a-3573-470c-8e62-4f5fcc8f85f8> | {
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Fossil Clay Recipe
4 cups baking soda
2 cups corn starch
2 1/2 cups water
Makes enough clay for about 20
Use small rubber
dinosaurs, tiny seashells, plastic leaves or fern to
make impressions in the clay. Let impressions sit
for 24 hours or bake impressions on lightly greased cookie
sheet in 200° oven for two hours.
On the day we do
this we fill sand table with rice and bury a wooden
dinosaur puzzle in the rice. Give students brushes
and small garden tools and let them uncover the pieces and
put dinosaur together. | <urn:uuid:c218d66b-ea2e-4e5c-bffa-2936d9ce0e9b> | {
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The first supermoon of 2014 put on quite a show for sky gazers Saturday. July's full moon was the first of three summer supermoons and viewers from around the world took the opportunity to get outside and look.
A supermoon is not a rare occurrence, nor is it a harbinger of doom. It occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth. The moon travels around the Earth in an elliptical orbit which means it has a closest point, the perigee, and a farthest point, the apogee. The perigee moon appears larger and brighter and Saturday's was around 220,000 miles away. At apogee, the moon is 252,657 miles from Earth. The full moon officially took place at 7:25 a.m. EDT but still appeared bright and large in the night sky on Saturday. NASA notes the moon can appear as much as 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger.
Of course, not all supermoons are created equal and can vary in appearance based on when perigee occurs. The next supermoon will take place Aug. 10 and it will be the best full moon of the summer. The full moon falls within the hour the moon reaches perigee, which means an extra bright and large supermoon. The supermoon Sept. 9 will end the summer with another sky gazing event.
— NASA (@NASA) July 13, 2014
For those living in New York City, Saturday was a great day for astronomy. The last chance to see Manhattanhenge 2014, when the sun, in this case a half sun, lines up with the city's grid, occurred around 8:25 p.m. EDT and was followed by the first supermoon of the summer.
In addition to the supermoon, August will be a great month for sky gazers as the Perseid meteor shower will peak Aug. 12. The yearly Perseids are considered the best meteor shower of the year. More supermoon 2014 photos can be viewed below. | <urn:uuid:79f31489-5641-4de6-8845-19cf1aa3d91c> | {
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Energy harvesting is an emerging application field that shows great promise for helping designers cut the power cord for remote applications. However, designing circuits for this field presents some vexing technical challenges on the power management side. Rethinking some circuit design parameters and building modules specifically suited for this purpose can unlock the potential for energy harvesting as a viable power source for many different electronic applications.
Everywhere around the world, wireless technology is removing the shackles from adoption like never before in history. By eliminating the need to put in wires for sending data back and forth, companies can save millions on the installation costs for new applications and researchers can gather data from more remote locations for longer periods of time.
Energy harvesting presents yet another way of taking wireless technology further by removing the limitations of AC power lines or batteries. Applications like wireless sensor networks and remote controls can be further unshackled from these power sources and energy harvesting is now making that feasible for real-world applications.
Energy harvesting is still in its infancy, however, and there are technical challenges that need to be addressed to make it a mainstream replacement for batteries and AC power. Among those challenges is the electronic circuitry needed to capture, accumulate and store energy from energy harvesting energy sources. The circuitry must then switch the power from an energy storage device and then supply it to the application.
Energy harvesting sources that generate power from ambient sources present problems in generating a predictable flow of electricity for the operation of electronic circuits. At times these sources generate zero power. At other times they generate trace amounts of power that are unusable. Then there are times when the power generated is so great that a charge from an energy harvesting source could burn out the circuitry.
The typical characteristics of an energy harvesting energy source capture and produce electricity only when input energy is available. For example, a mechanical energy converter produces electricity only when an excess of kinetic energy is added to the source. The energy source produces electrical energy in an intermittent, uncontrolled and irregular manner with varying source impedances. When the electrical energy arrives, it is also unpredictable. The electricity produced can be regarded as energy packets in the form of charge impulses, each arriving in different voltage amplitude, current magnitude and timing waveforms. | <urn:uuid:bfbe8f77-69c5-4ffe-b38e-6236a999c82a> | {
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Help support New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download or CD-ROM. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more all for only $19.99...
Founded in 1432 by Henry VI of England, who was then master of Paris and of a large part of France. In the beginning it included only faculties of canon and civil law. To these were added, in 1437, a faculty of theology and a faculty of arts, and, in 1438, a faculty of medicine. The English having been repulsed from Paris, the purpose of these additions and of the many privileges granted by Henry VI was to give the students the same advantages they would have found in Paris, and thus prevent their going to the university of the capital. On the petition of the Estates of Normandy, Pope Eugenius IV granted a Bull of erection to the university and appointed the Bishop of Bayeux as chancellor (30 May, 1437). All those admitted to degrees were required to take an oath of fidelity to the Roman Pontiff, and to pledge themselves never to attempt anything against the interests of the church. The ceremony of the solemn inauguration took place in 1439, the first rector being an Englishman, Michael of Tregury, afterwards Archbishop of Dublin. From the beginning the University of Paris opposed very strongly the founding of a university at Caen. In 1433 protests were sent to the chancellor of the kingdom and to the Parlement of Paris. The same year the delegates of the university to the council of Basle were instructed to ask for the suppression of the university at Caen. Later a petition was also sent to Eugenius IV. Notwithstanding this opposition, the university of Caen developed. In 1445 Henry VI declared it the only university in France enjoying the royal privileges. When Caen was conquered by the French in 1450, King Charles allowed the university to continue as before. It was, however, a mere toleration until the king should reach a final decision. This was given on 30 October, 1452, when Charles VII created anew the university of Caen and gave it a new charter, ignoring altogether its former charter and privileges, and granting the same privileges enjoyed by French universities. Like the other universities in France, the University of Caen disappeared at the time of the French Revolution. The present university, founded in 1894, was fifty instructors and 750 students.
RASHDALL, The Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages (Oxford, 1895), II, Pt. I, 194; FOURNIER, Les Statutes et privilèges des universités françaises (Paris, 1892), III, Pt. I, 145; DE BOURMONT, La foundation de l'université de Caen in Bulletin de la societé des antiquaires de Normandy (Caen, 1894), XII; CHEVALIER, Topo-bibliogr., 541.
APA citation. (1908). University of Caen. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03132a.htm
MLA citation. "University of Caen." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03132a.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Matthew Reak.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster at newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads. | <urn:uuid:eed15865-1cb3-428c-969b-b7ccd4fc035d> | {
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GluColi and a free-antibiotics alternative
There is no Ethic Comity at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Medecine. However the governing body of the ULB supported us in the achievement of our project.
In this work, we were aware of some ethical issues, in particular the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to select all types of plasmidic vectors in bacteria which is a significant concern in industrial cultures producing recombinant proteins or DNA. As plasmid-free cells grow faster than plasmid-carrying cells, the yield and the production reproducibility of recombinant molecules are significantly lowered in the absence of plasmid selection by the appropriate antibiotic. To overcome the plasmid instability, many antibiotic resistance genes are used as selectable markers in fermentation processes. Antibiotics are expensive and they pose safety problems: they contaminate the production product. The Belgian company Delphi Genetics has developed a strategy called “StabyTM system” which relies on the use of poison-antidote genes.
The StabyTM system is based on the poison-antidote ccd module. Poison-antidote modules are found in natural plasmid in which they serve to the plasmid maintenance. The CcdB protein (poison) is cytotoxic and poisons DNA-gyrase complexes. Expression of this gene in the absence of its cognate ccdA antidote leads the death of the bacteria. The product of the ccdA gene (antidote) antagonizes this toxic activity by forming a poison-antidote protein complex. If a plasmid carrying the ccd module is lost at cell division, the plasmid-free bacteria contain poison and antidote proteins in their cytoplasm. Since the antidote is unstable and degraded by a host protease, the poison will be free and able to poison DNA-gyrase complexes. This will lead eventually to cell death.
In the StabyTM system, the antidote gene (ccdA) is introduced in the plasmid DNA under the control of a weak constitutive promoter: the mob gene promoter, which originates from a broad host range plasmid (pBHR1). On the other hand, the toxic gene (ccdB) is introduced in the E. coli chromosome of the bacteria. Expression of the poison gene is under the control of a promoter strongly repressed in the presence of the plasmid. Practically, 100% of the bacteria will carry the vector. If they lose the vector, they will not obtain a growth advantage, but will die. Upon induction, all the bacteria will start producing the recombinant protein. It will lead to higher yields of the recombinant protein and less background caused by unwanted proteins. Therefore, higher plasmid stability means higher protein of interest production.
We think it could be relevant to implement this antibiotic free expression strategy in our project. This is the reason why we designed 2 bricks containing the ccdA gene (BBa_K196000 and BBa_K196001). In order to carry out transformation, bacteria should be ordered with the ccdB gene in their genome from Delphi Genetics. | <urn:uuid:4881bc52-3044-4c75-ac66-916ebe629794> | {
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Setting up OpenGL for use, I'm a completely newbie :)
Hey guys, I've literally just come across OpenGL as we have been told that wer are using OpenGL 3.3 to do 3D Graphics Programming for this year of our degree course. I spoke to my lecturer about running OpenGL 3.3 on my macbook which currently uses Windows 7 on VMware.
However I have not installed anything as I don't really know what to install, where to look etc! But when I try and run this test program he gave us it just opens and then closes straight away. There are no graphics shown or anything. I was also given two files which I presume as the source as they are GLSL files!
My question mainly is how do I set it up to work on my Macbook? It isn't the brand new Macbook Pro, but the one from last year! So it's still pretty new! Is there a way to do this using a virtual machine or do I have to dual boot? Also what do I need to download
p.s Sorry if this is the wrong forum area! Literally just signed up Thanks in advance!
Your professor should have covered this. OpenGL is not standalone software. It is a library that is called from a computing language such as C or FORTRAN. Therefore you need to know how to write, compile, link, and execute in one of the languages from which OpenGL can be called. Since GL is platform independent, it does not provide routines for hardware dependent operations such as opening a window or interfacing with the keyboard or mouse. You must select a Windowing system to do this. GLUT or something similar is an easy way to start. Look at the first few Chapters of the Red Book for a clear discussion of this stuff. The OpenGL library is often provided with a language compiler (such as Visual C++ Express).
Good luck. It's actually fun once you get into it.
Ahhh okay! Well last year we were studying C++ so hopefully that will all tie in! I literally have no idea about this OpenGL but I will look into this Red Book!
Thank you Carmine, appreciate the help! | <urn:uuid:e8273ae1-a06b-4e35-a749-26b091a6a48c> | {
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Rheumatoid Nodule: Subcutaneous nodules seen in 20-30% of rheumatoid arthritis patients. They may arise anywhere on the body, but are most frequently found over the bony prominences. The nodules are characterized histologically by dense areas of fibrinoid necrosis with basophilic streaks and granules, surrounded by a palisade of cells, mainly fibroblasts and histiocytes.Rheumatic Nodule: A small round or oval, mostly subcutaneous nodule made up chiefly of a mass of Aschoff bodies and seen in cases of rheumatic fever. It is differentiated from the RHEUMATOID NODULE which appears in rheumatoid arthritis, most frequently over bony prominences. (From Dorland, 27th ed)Neuroma: A tumor made up of nerve cells and nerve fibers. (Dorland, 27th ed)Arthritis, Rheumatoid: A chronic systemic disease, primarily of the joints, marked by inflammatory changes in the synovial membranes and articular structures, widespread fibrinoid degeneration of the collagen fibers in mesenchymal tissues, and by atrophy and rarefaction of bony structures. Etiology is unknown, but autoimmune mechanisms have been implicated.Chimerism: The occurrence in an individual of two or more cell populations of different chromosomal constitutions, derived from different individuals. This contrasts with MOSAICISM in which the different cell populations are derived from a single individual.Rheumatoid Factor: Antibodies found in adult RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS patients that are directed against GAMMA-CHAIN IMMUNOGLOBULINS.Leprosy, Lepromatous: A chronic communicable infection which is a principal or polar form of LEPROSY. This disorder is caused by MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE and produces diffuse granulomatous skin lesions in the form of nodules, macules, or papules. The peripheral nerves are involved symmetrically and neural sequelae occur in the advanced stage.Elbow: Region of the body immediately surrounding and including the ELBOW JOINT. | <urn:uuid:d39ad871-23c8-4e16-8705-e5ef07a7d93e> | {
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Imagine a habitable planet orbiting a distant star. You’re probably picturing a variation of Earth. Maybe it’s a little cloudier, or covered in oceans. Maybe the mountains are a little higher. Maybe the trees are red instead of green. Maybe there are scantily clad natives … OK, let’s stop there.
That image may very well be completely off-base. There is good reason to think that the first potentially life-bearing worlds that are now being detected around other stars (see here for example) probably look very different than Earth. Rather, these planets are more likely to look like giant eyeballs whose gaze is forever fixed on their host stars (which is not something I recommend doing with your own eyeballs).
Let’s take a step back. The easiest planets to find are those that orbit close to their stars. The sweet spot for finding a habitable planet—with the same temperature as Earth—is on a much smaller orbit than Earth’s around a star much fainter than the Sun. But there are consequences of having a smaller orbit. A planet close to its star feels strong tides from its star, like the tides Earth feels from the Moon, but much stronger. Strong tides change how a planet spins. Tides drive the planet’s obliquity to zero, meaning that the planet’s equator is perfectly aligned with its orbit. The planet will also be “tidally locked”: It always shows the same side to the star. It looks something like this:
If you were standing on the surface of a planet like this, the Sun would remain fixed in one spot on the sky. The hemisphere facing the star is in constant daylight and the far hemisphere in constant darkness. In between lies a ring of eternal sunset, quite possibly the most romantic place in the Universe. The hottest part of the planet is the location where the star is directly overhead (the “substellar point” in astro-speak). The hottest part of Earth is spread out across the tropics, depending on the time and the season. But on a tidally locked planet the Sun stays in the same place in the sky and the hot spot never moves. This creates visible differences across the planet’s surface; the relatively small hot spot is the “pupil” of an eyeball planet.
Eyeball planets come in all sorts of flavors, depending on the conditions. We are going to take a look at two examples: “hot eyeball” and “icy eyeball” planets. A hot eyeball planet is located close to its star, on an orbit that makes it hotter overall than Earth. It is blazing on the day side and deathly cold on the night side. The planet’s water is boiled on the day side and frozen on the night side. But winds transport the water vapor from the day side toward the night side to freeze. This can create a cold trap: all of the planet’s water can be locked up in a giant layer of ice on the permanent-night side. Dry day side, ice-covered night side.
But the story doesn’t end there. When a layer of ice gets thick enough, its bottom layer melts from the pressure. This causes the ice to flow downhill, like glaciers do on Earth. So a hot eyeball planet’s thick night side ice cap spreads out and slowly flows toward the day side. There may be a trickle of water that flows into the light to be evaporated all over again. Our models project that there are characteristic wind patterns that pile clouds up in a specific region on the night side (gory details here). The planet’s non-uniform appearance can really look like an eyeball. Rivers that flow from the night side to eventually evaporate on the day side might even look like veins.
Where on a hot eyeball planet could you live? It’s a classic Goldilocks story. The day side is roasting and dry. The night side is frigid and icy. In between, it’s just right! The sweet spot—let’s call it the “ring of life”—is at the terminator, the boundary between night and day. The ring of life is bounded by deserts on one side and ice on the other. There is a constant flow of water from the night side to the day side—a series of rivers, all flowing in the same direction. The Sun is fixed in the sky right at the horizon, and the area is in permanent light. Conditions are pretty much the same all the way across the ring of life. One can imagine vegetation following the rivers onto the day side until they dry up, with different ecosystems interspersed along the way. There could be mountains at the edge of the ice sheets, since the ice-covered continents would be heavily weighed down.
Icy eyeballs are also tidally locked to their stars, though their orbits are larger than those of hot eyeball planets, and heat is in short supply. What icy eyeball planets do have is an abundance of water—the night side is covered in ice, and there is enough stellar heating at the substellar point for water to remain liquid. There is essentially a large pond in the midst of a global icy landscape. Below the surface ice, the ocean covers the entire globe. It is similar to Jupiter’s moon Europa, but with a large hole in the ice.
Where would you want to live on an icy eyeball planet? Underwater life could exist throughout the subsurface ocean, but surface life that relies on liquid water would need to stay near the pond. Yet the conditions near the substellar point would be extreme: strong stellar irradiation in the midst of barren icy landscape. The best place to live would probably be by the icy shore of the pond, and it would definitely be advantageous to be amphibious (evolution, anyone?).
But there is an inherent danger to living on an icy eyeball planet. If, for some reason, the pond froze over, it would likely never re-melt. Liquid water, being dark, absorbs most of the sunlight that hits it. But solid ice is very reflective. So if a planet’s oceans were to freeze, the amount of energy absorbed from the star would also drop, making the planet even colder. This feedback would push an icy eyeball into a completely ice-covered state from which it might never recover.
Hot eyeball and icy eyeball planets are extreme cases, but any planet that is tidally locked to its star is likely to look very different on its day side and its night side. Differences could come from clouds clustered in certain areas, from preferential melting of ice on the day side or freezing of ice on the night side, or from any number of other possible sources. The galaxy may be littered with wild varieties of eyeball planets! The search for life on other planets will almost certainly start with these worlds. | <urn:uuid:0c687697-e49c-4b17-9247-6d3e9aec003f> | {
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Freighter (or barge) was the term given to any spacecraft that was used to transport freight or cargo (such as parts and supplies). Both legitimate businesspersons and smugglers could be found captaining such transports. Freighters were needed from the time space travel began because of the need for supplies to all reaches of the galaxy. Freighters usually traveled with hyperdrives because people would often pay more for quick delivery.
For obvious reasons, freighters were used mainly for trade. Although very few fought in great battles, many freighters did see action. Smugglers and legitimate traders alike had some tangles now and then, but freighters were often armed and shielded so that they could resist attempts on their cargo.
Smuggling was a very prominent criminal fringe activity in the galaxy that involved the transportation of contraband between planets. To do this, a freighter generally of small size such as the Millennium Falcon, was required to transport the contraband past planetary security forces. Some examples of contraband include spice, blasters and medical supplies.
Smugglers often added upgrades to their ships so that they could beat competitors and outwit planetary security forces. Almost every smugglers vessel had improved light speed and sub-light speed drives for increased speed as well as boosted weapons systems to fight their way out of tough situations. Another of the most prevalent modifications to a smugglers freighter were numerous secret compartments to hide contraband from security checks while legitimate cargo occupied the cargo bays. On the Millennium Falcon, these consisted of removable floor plates.
Some freighters became so heavily modified that the mess of cross wired and non traditional parts prevented starship mechanics from working on them effectively. The smugglers themselves were therefore required to have a detailed knowledge of freighter mechanics and electronics to be able to keep their vessels in working order. Most smugglers preferred it this way as they didn't trust anyone tampering with their prized possessions.
Most smugglers freighters required a crew of more than one and as such most smugglers hired a copilot, such as Chewbacca on the Millennium Falcon or the droid LE-BO2D9 aboard the Outrider. To a smuggler, their freighter was everything; their job, their home, their lives. Many smugglers lived in their freighters as they had no terrestrial home.
- Star Wars: The Old Republic
- Tempest Feud
- The Clone Wars: Decide Your Destiny: Crisis on Coruscant
- "The Heart"
- "Maze Run"—Star Wars Insider 131
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (First appearance)
- Choices of One
- Star Wars: Empire at War
- Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
- "Sandbound on Tatooine" — Star Wars Galaxy 10
- "Slaying Dragons"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 9
- Slave Ship
- Hard Merchandise
- The New Rebellion
- Vision of the Future
- Emissary of the Void
- Force Heretic I: Remnant
- X-Wing Miniatures Mission 4: Den of Thieves
In other languages
- freighter on Wikipedia | <urn:uuid:7ade9f68-7002-4229-b36a-aff82cc72145> | {
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Pablo Picasso was a socially and politically engaged artist during the Cold Ward in the 1940’s. It is when his idea of the Dove came into action. The Dove for Picasso was a meaningful symbol since it took him back to his childhood when his father painted doves and put them in their home. He developed the idea of the dove and made it personal to himself. One piece of his work called A Child with a Dove got placed on a card in 1949 by the Committee of the International Journal of Women for Peace, which related closely to the peace and the suffering of women and children in wars.
The words they wrote,
‘10 million dead 1914-1918. 40 million dead 1939-45 plus millions of children and millions of lives torn apart.’
I feel that the words that the Committee chose to put on the card was very powerful and it got the message across, but also it made Picasso’s imagery have more of an importance about the idea of peace. At that particular time it was the First World War and anxiety levels where running high. The way Picasso was working closely to what was going off around him, allowed him to share his idea of peace by spreading the symbol of the dove to create harmony.
The symbol of the dove has the representation to the spirit of God in the Hebrew Bible, but it also comes from the story of Noah in the flood story of Genesis 6-9. Noah sent out a dove three times to see if the flood was dying down and it was the second time when he knew Gods punishment had finished because the dove brought back an olive branch. The last time the dove didn’t return and Noah knew it was safe to leave the boat. It is why an image of a dove holding an olive branch is a symbol of peace. The symbol of a dove is throughout many religions linking to peace, so it shows that it has a powerful meaning that Picasso was portraying in which the different religions could also relate to.
Picasso had Louis Aragon to help give him advice when it came to using an image for the World Peace Congress institution poster which was going to be placed in Paris, 1949. Aragon also noticed the potential and meaningfulness of the image of the dove as a symbol of the Peace Movement and he then took the lithograph away and by 5pm the image was on the walls of the Paris streets.
The cold war developed and the peace symbol of the dove became more meaningful with the connotations of freedom. Picasso carried on with developing the Dove concept and produced more work for majority of Europe.
Resig . D (2013) [WWW] Available from : http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/daily-life-and-practice/the-enduring-symbolism-of-doves/
Morris, L. Grunenberg, C. (ed.) (2010 first publish, Tate) Picasso, Peace and Freedom.
- Quotation of the week, (2011) Weblog (online) Available from :http://irom.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/quotation-of-the-week-pablo-picasso/
- Nouvelles Images (unknown date) The Face of Peace, Available from: http://www.nouvellesimages.com/The-Face-of-Peace_Pablo-PICASSO_art~150.003533.00_id~cartespostales_mode~zoom
- Eteacher Biblical (unkown date) The dove with the olive branch, Available from: http://eteacherbiblical.com/articles/dove-olive-branch
- The Skeptical Bureaucrat (2011) The Hawk ‘n’ Dove http://skepticalbureaucrat.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/hawk-n-dove-democratic-party-not.html | <urn:uuid:d47cf34d-5786-4f2a-a638-6e4b65c4336d> | {
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Pinus strobus is the only
gymnosperm in Wisconsin with needles arranged in fascicles
of 5. The elongate cones may reach nearly 20 cm in length
and the trees have the potential to exceed one meter in
diameter. It was a major timber tree in Wisconsin during
settlement of the northern areas and continues to be highly
valued for its wood.
Pinus strobus is distributed
from southern Ontario and Minnesota to Iowa, east to Pennsylvania
and the maritime provinces of Canada, and extending farther
south along the Appalachian Mountains. In Wisconsin it has
nearly the same distribution as Pinus resinosa--nearly
throughout the state except for a few southeastern counties.
It is common on dry sandy and rocky sites, but may also
be found in more mesic sites, perhaps remaining from colonizations | <urn:uuid:e1875f8b-e1db-482e-8748-e9f8970387bc> | {
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Intrigued. As an architect and green building consultant who cares about the environment, I don’t like wasting things. Thus, I have become intrigued by a method of reducing manufacturing waste developed by Toyota and later coined “Lean” by a former Toyota engineer. A method aimed at reducing waste seemed to me, at least on the surface, to be well aligned with LEED. But when my obligatory Google search resulted in little that connected Lean and LEED in any meaningful way, I began to examine a process based on Lean principles to uncover what it might have to offer to a typical LEED project.
I have found much in Lean that could work for LEED. In particular, Lean emphasizes a process for value creation, something that I have looked for in LEED projects. I now intend to focus more on value creation in my work, and hope that owners and others in the architecture, engineering and construction (A/E/C) industry follow suit. Value creation appears to be well aligned with the goal of building in a sustainable manner.
Lean is a method for creating a desired result with the fewest processes, in the least amount of time and with the least amount of materials. Its principles quickly spread throughout the manufacturing industry, and Lean is beginning to make its way into the A/E/C industry. As defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Lean is “a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste (non-value-added activities) through continuous improvement by flowing the product at the pull of the customer in pursuit of perfection.” According to Lean Thinking, the quintessential book by James Womack and Daniel Jones, the five principles in Lean are: value, value stream, flow, pull and perfection. Each of these principles has the potential to benefit LEED projects.
Value in Lean. In Lean, the goal is to create value, whether through a manufacturing process or a service. Value is what is important to the ultimate customer. The manufacturer or service provider must involve the ultimate customer in the value definition process. Once value is clearly defined, the process or service can proceed toward creating it.
Value in a Building Project. Based on the value principle in Lean, the owner of a building project should explore the project’s value early, and not just the value to the owner but also to the ultimate customer, including potential stakeholders. The owner may need the advice of the project team to understand available project options for creating value.
LEED Potential for Value. Some rating systems under LEED v2009 and LEED v4 set the stage for defining value by referring to the owner’s project requirements (OPR) document or by emphasizing an integrated design process. The integrated processes and OPR described in LEED can be used to define and document value early during the project’s conception which is consistent with Lean.
Value in the Current LEED Process. Currently, as a project team we often find ourselves at a LEED kickoff meeting with a project owner who has declared interest in LEED certification and is ready to go through the LEED checklist to see what points may have affordable first cost and could be pursued, with the implicit hope that this creates value. Typically, at this point the project team has no OPR or basis of design (BOD), but the project is at 50 percent or 100 percent schematic design or further since this is when most consultants are brought in.
Value in the Proposed LEED Process Based on Lean. A better process would start earlier, when the owner identifies a need for new or upgraded space, long before the general location and the specific site is chosen. The owner may involve ultimate customers of the building project in this early phase. These stakeholders might be future or representative members of groups directly affected by the building, such as occupants, real estate brokers, investors and members of the community. If LEED appears to be related to the value considered for the project, a consultant knowledgeable in LEED would ideally be involved early on as a contributing facilitator and technical resource. The owner should document the results of the value definition process in the OPR early in the conception of the project with assistance from others as needed.
Value Stream in Lean. In Lean, as defined for manufacturers, the value stream consists of three processes that should be optimized toward creating the value:
- Problem solving
- Information management
The entire value stream should be differentiated into steps that are part of these three processes, while looking for:
- “Value-creating” steps that clearly create value
- “Unavoidable” steps that create no value but nevertheless must be done
- “Avoidable” steps that have no value
This investigation of the three processes and their steps should reach beyond the business unit to raw material and the consumer. The goal is to create a broader enterprise, a voluntary alliance of all stakeholders, focused on value creation throughout the life of the product.
Value Stream in a Building Project. For building projects, the project team’s corresponding value stream would thus consist of:
LEED Potential for Value Stream. LEED is commonly used as a tool supporting the process of design, documentation and construction. Even though LEED is not designed as a decision-making tool, LEED assists the project team in making decisions so that the project will be rated favorably under LEED.
LEED deals with all three processes of design, documentation and construction with the exception of the rating system for building operations (Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance), which however uses similar processes for planning, documentation and implementation.
All LEED projects could benefit from a closer look at how value stream optimization could support these processes.
Value Stream in the Current LEED Process. Exactly how the process of LEED design, documentation and construction is achieved is currently largely up to each individual project team member, perhaps under the guidance of a LEED specialist.
Most projects end up achieving a LEED certification level in a process that seems somewhat arbitrary compared to Lean.
Value Stream in the Proposed LEED Process Based on Lean. To create maximum value to the project, the process would clearly focus on steps that create value throughout design, documentation and construction.
Design and construction: The entire project team would create a BOD that, among other descriptions, provides the identification of LEED design and construction items. This BOD should provide the following sorting:
- Value-creating LEED steps clearly aligned with the OPR. These steps should be given the maximum attention.
- Unavoidable LEED steps that do not support any OPR priority other than simply obtaining a LEED certification. These steps should be minimized in their time and cost requirements for the project.
- Avoidable LEED steps that are not pursued as they have no value for the project.
Documentation: Similarly, the LEED documentation effort would identify:
- LEED documentation that creates value for the project beyond the LEED certification submittal, because it:
- leads directly to design and construction that supports value; or
- can be shared with stakeholders and supports their value priorities
- Unavoidable LEED documentation that is simply required to obtain a LEED certification, to be handled in the most efficient way.
- Avoidable LEED documentation, which should be prevented, such as extra, repeated and reworked documentation due to misunderstood value, unclear instructions, dropped points, extra points, change in project direction, pursuit of dead ends, etc.
Flow in Lean. In Lean, flow is a concept that is the opposite of batch thinking. Many conventional processes handle items in batches, waiting for a sufficient number of items to accumulate before they are forwarded, in a batch, to the next process. With flow, instead, some tasks are bundled to be performed simultaneously or in concert by a small cross-functional product team working on the same larger item. Picture a small team working on various parts of a car at the same time, before it goes down the line to another small team. The goal of bundling tasks is to:
- Reduce wait time for an item
- Reduce the repeated handling of the same item
Flow in a Building Project: The concept of flow in Lean is that tasks are handled in small cross-functional teams. In the case of design and construction, these teams may include owner and occupant representatives, designers, construction professionals, installers and suppliers who will make joint decisions that move the project toward its intended value. While this appears complex, the efficiencies come into play when a decision is made that satisfies the most team members and later revisiting becomes unnecessary.
In connection with Lean, the term “set-based design” has emerged, with a “set” understood to be a group of elements creating a solution. The project team will work with sets as follows, in sequence:
- In the beginning, empty sets consisting of broad design parameters are defined. These are similar to a performance specification and allow complex solution alternatives for each set.
- A replacement set is created for each empty set, consisting of all potential solution sets that satisfy the requirements of the empty set. Multiple potential solution sets, as well as any subset alternatives, are then explored concurrently by small cross-functional teams. These teams define tradeoffs and gradually narrow each replacement set while doing minimum work on the actual design of potential solution sets. They make decisions as late as they can with as much information as possible, leading to “just in time” decisions. As the replacement set narrows, the level of detail (or design fidelity) increases. The process of researching potential solutions in parallel allows the team to benefit from overlapping findings and arrive at a hybrid solution set.
- The solution set for each empty set is defined and revealed. The solution set needs to be sufficiently clear so that it can be refined further without any need to question itself.
Conventional point-based design is the opposite of set-based design. Traditionally, the problem point is quickly defined: The project team moves to define a design point, and then moves from this point to refine the design to the next point. Critical decisions are made early before all tradeoffs are explored and known, often based on little more than an educated guess. Batch-thinking is evident by moving entire designs through project phases without regard to the true development of each portion of the design. This point-based process leads to changes, inefficiencies and design compromises as earlier decisions are revisited when more information becomes known. Thus, point-based design leads to waste in the process and a less-than-optimal solution for the project in the end.
LEED Potential for Flow. LEED BD+C and ID+C v4 approach the ideas of set-based design in their versions of the credit “Integrative Process,” and LEED for Healthcare v4 does the same in the prerequisite “Integrated Project Planning and Design.”
In the BD+C v4 credit or the Healthcare v4 prerequisite the project team is to conduct an analysis of two empty sets, one for “energy-related systems” and a second for “water-related systems,” for one potential point. Each empty set has a number of empty subsets that rely heavily on the OPR and BOD documents. In a set-based design process, the LEED project team would work with replacement sets to arrive at two solution sets, one for energy and one for water-related systems.
In the ID+C v4 rating systems, this credit requires exploration of what appears to be two empty sets—one for site selection and a second for energy-related systems, with each set offering a number of subsets—for one potential point. The credit also offers a second point for exploration of a third empty set for water-related systems, also with a small number of subsets.
Read more about flow, pull and perfection in the article’s conclusion in the October issue of EDC. | <urn:uuid:3465e593-5161-4405-aa88-e24e7e5b0c86> | {
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With Progeny Press study guides, students will not only receive quality literary analyses, but also learn to review literature in relation to biblical standards. By utilizing this focus on Scripture, students develop and refine strategies for recognizing and examining man’s philosophies while learning about the craft of writing. Each study guide focuses on literary terms, plot construction, character studies, themes, and ideas.
This paperback study guide for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
provides easy-to-use, reproducible lessons on literary terms, comprehension and analysis, critical thinking, related scriptural principles, vocabulary, and activities, plus a complete key.
Narnia...the land beyond the wardrobe, the secret country known only to Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy...the place where the adventure begins. .
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Featured Exhibits /October 24, 2009Right for Living
Ukrainian Roma village
Photographs by Arthur Bondar
A portrait of a Roma family in their home. Photo by Arthur Bondar
Photographer Arthur Bondar's essay is about a small village of Ukrainian gypsies
near Kiev. It was built in 2005 after the massive flood in western Ukraine.
The villagers lost everything: houses, gardens, clothes, documents. The
government gave them $50 for compensation-not enough even for food. Today there
are 40-50 people living there. Those who stayed have built hybaries (handmade houses). The pieces of carpet, linoleum,
and wood keep them warm. They heat their homes with a burzhuika (small oven) or with small handmade fireplaces. They
earn money in different ways; cadge near the church, tell fortunes by cards or
hands, or simply steal. None of the children have ever been to school. There
are no medications and nobody wants to speak with gypsies at the hospital.
Click here to view the exhibit.
My Fellow Americans
First generation Azeri community in Rhode Island
Photographs by Dennis Yermoshin
Photographer's uncle at his place of work. Photo by Dennis Yermoshin
This essay is about a reconstruction of a life left behind. It is a
portrait of Dennis Yermoshin's family and friends from Azerbaijan; a specific group of people who, due
to the failure of the Soviet government, ended up in America. Through
these photographs, Yermoshin explores the process of adaptation and the endurance
of nostalgia-two unconditional aspects of immigrant life.
Click here to view the exhibit.
The Iron Triangle
A community in New York struggles to earn a living in auto repair shops slated for demolition
Photographs by Kevin Downs
Waiting for work in the Iron Triangle. Photo by Kevin Downs
In Corona, Queens, the area right outside of the new Shea
Stadium is known as the Iron Triangle. Some call it a junkyard. It can be
dangerous to make a living in these chop shops. Young men and women are working
to send their kids to school. It is a place that has enabled many generations
of immigrant workers to make a living. Some are sending their money back home
but others are trying to create a life for their family in the U.S. But now the
city is taking the land to build hotels and condominiums. Hundreds of small
businesses and 5,000 workers are being forced out of their livelihoods in this
part of Queens. Click here to view exhibit.
A document of the world economic crisis
Photographs by Freya Najade
Photo by Freya Najade
To show the consequences of the slow down in economy, Freya
Najade focused on closed down premises. Najade believes these abandoned spaces
embody the impact of the crisis on society in general and on individuals
specifically. Of particular interest to Najade are spaces in which one finds
traces of the previous occupier. Some of the premises seem as if they have
just closed down or were left in a hurry. Signs and slogans remind us of good times
but also of efforts to advertise their services or products. However, the future of
these places, and therefore also of the workers, remains unclear. Click here to view exhibit.
"Climate Change in Our World," an exhibit of large-scale color photographs from the
book Earth Under Fire by environmental photojournalist opens
to the public at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Headquarters Atrium, Washington DC, beginning November 10. The show runs through mid-March, 2010. The show is a unique and engaging witness to the effects of
global warming today, including solutions and actions that are underway by
governments, companies, families and kids. It is the only comprehensive visual display on climate and
energy in Washington during the Senate debate and in advance of the
international Copenhagen talks in December. Click here for details.
SocialDocumentary.net is a new website for photographers, NGOs, journalists, editors, and students to create and explore documentary websites investigating critical issues facing the world today. Recent exhibits have explored oil workers in the Niger River Delta, male sex workers in India, Central American immigrant women during their journey north, and Iraqi and Afghan refugees in Greece. Click here to view all of the exhibits. | <urn:uuid:56a437c4-82f1-4611-a574-5b71f82d513f> | {
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The 2010 outbreak of Cholera in Haiti has sparked a debate about water quality in the Caribbean nation. Cholera is an infection that spreads through contaminated food or water. Haiti's water supply is one of the worst in the world. In fact, it ranks last in the Water Poverty Index, a list of countries that experience a lack of fresh water. There are 147 nations in the index, and Haiti is 147th.
If Haiti had access to clean water, the cholera outbreak that claimed 6,000 lives might have been avoided. The epidemic highlights the dire need for the international community's participation in helping Haiti recover. This means joining the fight to provide the people of Haiti with clean, drinkable water.
Many poor nations still suffer without potable water, but the cholera problem compels us to address nations most in need right now. Sign the petition asking the UN to dedicate more time and resources toward providing clean water to Haiti.
Dear Secretary Ban Ki-moon,
I am deeply concerned about the wellbeing of Haiti in this time of disease and struggle. The 2010 earthquake in Haiti has caused many multi-faceted problems for the Caribbean nation, and an outbreak of the deadly disease cholera only exacerbated Haiti's problems. It claimed 6,000.
Cholera is so dangerous because it can cause death within hours of contraction. Water is a prime concern with regards to controlling the outbreak, not only because it was most likely contaminated water that caused the epidemic, but also because the infection causes severe dehydration due to diarrhea and vomiting. Cholera patients need to have access to clean water if they are to have a chance of survival. Unfortunately, potable water is a rare commodity in Haiti.
Clean water for Haiti means empowering the Haitian government to regulate their own private water sector. It means keeping close track of the water that Haiti consumes, and making sure it's reaching the most impoverished citizens.
I am writing to ask that you do all that's within your power to ensure clean water is being routed to Haiti. Millions of lives depend on this natural resource, and we have the power to help.
Thank you for your time. | <urn:uuid:e7efa826-c480-4b4f-9a18-1ee6301cad8e> | {
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This time of year, soaring summer temperatures, hot sun and high humidity can cause heat stress. The milking herd usually gets all the attention when it comes to managing heat stress, but it is important to pay attention to younger animals, too. Reduced feed intake and lowered immunity, coupled with increased maintenance energy needs, can lead to poor growth and higher susceptibility to disease, says J.W. Schroeder, North Dakota State University Extension Service dairy specialist.
Here are some practices to help alleviate heat stress in replacement animals:
- Protect calves from direct sunlight by placing shade cloth over hutches or moving the calves to a shaded location. If calves are housed indoors, fans may be advised.
- Space hutches to allow good air circulation between them.
- Open all vents on hutches and consider placing a block under the back wall to encourage ventilation.
- Consider using sand bedding, which will absorb body heat while calves are lying down. Since sand bedding is a poor insulator, it won’t retain the heat and calves will be cooler. As an added benefit, clean, dry sand helps control fly populations, compared with straw or sawdust.
- Allow calves to choose between being inside or outside the hutch by providing a tether or outside pen.
- Keep plenty of fresh water in front of animals 24 hours a day. Calves and heifers pant and sweat to get rid of extra body heat. If that water is not replaced, dehydration will occur and can be deadly.
- Provide shade for older heifers, too. Movable shades can work well in pasture situations. | <urn:uuid:eefb3b79-8e5c-49cd-83e2-292dc80cec1b> | {
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Over the past three years, teams at Google have been applying AI to problems in healthcare—from diagnosing eye disease to predicting patient outcomes in medical records. Today we’re sharing new research showing how AI can predict lung cancer in ways that could boost the chances of survival for many people at risk around the world.
Lung cancer results in over 1.7 million deaths per year, making it the deadliest of all cancers worldwide—more than breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers combined—and it’s the sixth most common cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organization. While lung cancer has one of the worst survival rates among all cancers, interventions are much more successful when the cancer is caught early. Unfortunately, the statistics are sobering because the overwhelming majority of cancers are not caught until later stages.
Over the last three decades, doctors have explored ways to screen people at high-risk for lung cancer. Though lower dose CT screening has been proven to reduce mortality, there are still challenges that lead to unclear diagnosis, subsequent unnecessary procedures, financial costs, and more.
Our latest research
In late 2017, we began exploring how we could address some of these challenges using AI. Using advances in 3D volumetric modeling alongside datasets from our partners (including Northwestern University), we’ve made progress in modeling lung cancer prediction as well as laying the groundwork for future clinical testing. Today we’re publishing our promising findings in “Nature Medicine.”
Radiologists typically look through hundreds of 2D images within a single CT scan and cancer can be miniscule and hard to spot. We created a model that can not only generate the overall lung cancer malignancy prediction (viewed in 3D volume) but also identify subtle malignant tissue in the lungs (lung nodules). The model can also factor in information from previous scans, useful in predicting lung cancer risk because the growth rate of suspicious lung nodules can be indicative of malignancy.
In our research, we leveraged 45,856 de-identified chest CT screening cases (some in which cancer was found) from NIH’s research dataset from the National Lung Screening Trial study and Northwestern University. We validated the results with a second dataset and also compared our results against 6 U.S. board-certified radiologists.
When using a single CT scan for diagnosis, our model performed on par or better than the six radiologists. We detected five percent more cancer cases while reducing false-positive exams by more than 11 percent compared to unassisted radiologists in our study. Our approach achieved an AUC of 94.4 percent (AUC is a common common metric used in machine learning and provides an aggregate measure for classification performance).
Despite the value of lung cancer screenings, only 2-4 percent of eligible patients in the U.S. are screened today. This work demonstrates the potential for AI to increase both accuracy and consistency, which could help accelerate adoption of lung cancer screening worldwide.
These initial results are encouraging, but further studies will assess the impact and utility in clinical practice. We’re collaborating with Google Cloud Healthcare and Life Sciences team to serve this model through the Cloud Healthcare API and are in early conversations with partners around the world to continue additional clinical validation research and deployment. If you’re a research institution or hospital system that is interested in collaborating in future research, please fill out this form. | <urn:uuid:18154ea2-7dfb-4adb-867e-94d983d2e512> | {
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Last year, two people in Saudi Arabia had contracted a mysterious coronavirus just before the annual Hajj, raising fears of a SARS-like outbreak. That didn’t happen, but the virus, which causes a condition called Middle East Respirtory Syndrome (MERS), has been spreading. A year later, officials in Saudi Arabia are once again trying to prevent an outbreak at a pilgrimage that attracts 2 million people from across the world.
"We've done a lot of work to ensure Hajj goes smooth without any [Mers] cases," Professor Tariq Madani, the Saudi Arabian government's scientific advisor on MERS, told the BBC. "Being a virus transmissible from human to human is a big concern for Hajj. We have overcrowding and this is an excellent medium for a respiratory infection to spread."
Since the coronavirus that causes MERS was noticed in 2012, there have been 855 cases of MERS, and 333 people have died, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. But even though the virus has killed hundreds of people, there’s still a lot we don’t know about it, including where it comes from. While camels are the most likely suspect, the WHO emphasizes that “the full picture on the source is not yet clear.”
The MERS virus is from the same family of coronaviruses as SARS, but it’s not quite as easily transmissible. That being said, "not quite as easily transmissible" as SARS is still pretty bad. The virus now appears to be transmissible between humans in close contact, and a large number of the people who contracted MERS caught it in hospitals that didn’t have extensive safety protocols in place. After a spike in the number of cases within the kingdom earlier this year, the King of Saudi Arabia fired his Health Minister, Abdullah al Rabeeah, who apparently had told reporters that there was no need for additional protective measures to try to control the spread of the virus.
Since then, the BBC reports that much tighter infection controls have been implemented in Saudi hospitals, and the government has set up a dedicated control center in Jeddah to coordinate responses to new cases. | <urn:uuid:04a8ce5b-88b4-4692-9405-a0baaa7314e7> | {
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Optical chips are the latest innovation in silicon technology with the potential to revolutionize telecommunications. Their operation relies on several key components, including light-emitting devices, waveguides and photodetectors. Engineers are looking for ways to miniaturize these components without sacrificing the data-processing speed of the integrated optical chips. Patrick Guo-Qiang Lo and co-workers at the A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics1 have now fabricated a highly sensitive photodetector by exploiting the enhancement effects of electron resonances that occur at metal contacts.
Surface plasmon polaritons—the collective movements of electrons at the surface of metals—are known to enhance and focus electromagnetic waves in their vicinity. The plasmon effect has been studied extensively for its ability to enhance the performance of optical devices, but in this study the researchers applied the phenomenon to improved the sensitivity, and hence speed, of semiconductor detectors.
Photodetectors on a silicon chip are generally designed to pick up light arriving through silicon waveguides. The light travelling through the silicon waveguides is detected by germanium, another semiconductor, which is grown directly on top of the silicon structure. However, the sensitivity of the germanium detector needs to be enhanced considerably in order to increase the speed and reduce the footprint of the photodetector further.
Plasmonic resonances can easily enhance the sensitivity of this light detection. The researchers introduced plasmons by adding thin aluminum contacts on top of the device (pictured). The plasmonic effects in the metal films channel considerably more light from the silicon waveguide into the photodetector, with important implications for device performance. “The enhanced photodetection enables the use of smaller devices, which in turn means that the device speed can be increased considerably,” explains Lo.
The researchers demonstrate detection speeds of 37.6 picoseconds or faster, corresponding to a data transmission speed of 11.4 gigahertz—several orders of magnitude faster than that achievable by current broadband connections.
At the same time, these speeds still lag behind the full potential of these detectors. One of the reasons, says Lo, is loss that arises from the plasmonic resonances, which absorb some of the light and therefore reduce the amount of light that arrives at the detector. “The response of the detector is lower than what we expected from our design,” says Lo. “Enhancing the plasmonic properties of the detector, for example through the design of different geometries, could alleviate such problems and enable a further miniaturization of photodetectors on silicon chips.”
The A*STAR-affiliated researchers contributing to this research are from the Institute of Microelectronics | <urn:uuid:1d705799-3a72-4c3d-b150-206245313150> | {
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What is cholecystitis?
Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder, a small organ near the liver that plays a part in digesting food. Normally, fluid called bile passes out of the gallbladder on its way to the small intestine. If the flow of bile is blocked, it builds up inside the gallbladder, causing swelling, pain, and possible infection.
What causes cholecystitis?
A gallstone stuck in the cystic duct , a tube that carries bile from the gallbladder, is most often the cause of sudden (acute) cholecystitis. The gallstone blocks fluid from passing out of the gallbladder. This results in an irritated and swollen gallbladder. Infection or trauma, such as an injury from a car accident, can also cause cholecystitis.
Acute acalculous cholecystitis, though rare, is most often seen in critically ill people in hospital intensive care units. In these cases, there are no gallstones. Complications from another severe illness, such as HIV or diabetes, cause the swelling.
Long-term (chronic) cholecystitis is another form of cholecystitis. It occurs when the gallbladder remains swollen over time, causing the walls of the gallbladder to become thick and hard.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptom of cholecystitis is pain in your upper right abdomen that can sometimes move around to your back or right shoulder blade. Other symptoms include:
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Tenderness in the right abdomen.
- Pain that gets worse during a deep breath.
- Pain for more than 6 hours, particularly after meals.
Older people may not have fever or pain. Their only symptom may be a tender area in the abdomen.
How is cholecystitis diagnosed?
Diagnosing cholecystitis starts when you describe your symptoms to your doctor. Next is a physical exam. Your doctor will carefully feel your right upper abdomen to look for tenderness. You may have blood drawn and an ultrasound, a test that uses sound waves to create a picture of your gallbladder. Ultrasound may show gallstones, thickening of the gallbladder wall, extra fluid, and other signs of cholecystitis. This test also allows doctors to check the size and shape of your gallbladder.
You could also have a gallbladder scan, a nuclear scanning test that checks how well your gallbladder is working. It can also help find blockage in the tubes (bile ducts) that lead from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine (duodenum). | <urn:uuid:ce291be3-1b10-45da-afac-8a28ed9aa547> | {
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Women in India Are Paid 33% Less Than Men, Says International Labour OrganisationMonday, February 20, 2017
India, Dec. 21 -- Women in India are paid 33% less than their male counterparts, making it one of the world's worst gender gaps, according to a new report released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Not only are women discriminated on wages, but they also tend to get segregated into jobs, which are traditionally regarded as more "feminine" in nature like caregiving, making their prospects of earning dimmer. This despite the fact that, women graduates were twice that of male graduates in the last decade, according to census data. The report shows that women in India are also over-represented in low paying jobs and underrepresented in high-paying jobs. In fact, women make up 63% of the lowest earning Indians but just 15% of the highest paid ones, making such an uneven representation of women in workforce as one of the reasons for the wage gap. However, ILO says that while this uneven workforce participation of women is still a concern, but with women getting better educated and aware of their rights, this gap will start shrinking. Published by HT Syndication with permission from NextBigWhat.com. | <urn:uuid:3092d3e8-3efe-483a-80d1-b5ab822254f0> | {
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Namibia & Surrounds
Namibia has a population of 2.1 million people. Given the presence of the arid Namib Desert, it is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. The land size of Namibia is the same as France, Germany and some British isles put together but with only a population of 2.1 Million people. Before its independence in 1990, the area was known first as German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika), then as South-West Africa. Being situated between the Namib and the Kalahari deserts, Namibia is the country with the least rainfall in sub-Saharan Africa.
Since independence in 1991 Namibia has become a major African tourist destination – popular due to it’s vast distances and tiny populations. Travelers enjoy the desert vistas of the Namib Desert and some of the best game viewing in the world at Etosha National Park. The name of the country is derived from the Namib Desert, considered to be the oldest desert in the world.
The Namibian landscape consists generally of five geographical areas, each with characteristic abiotic conditions and vegetation with some variation within and overlap between them: the Central Plateau, the Namib Desert, the Great Escarpment, the Bushveld, and the Kalahari Desert.
Namibia is one of few countries in the world to specifically address conservation and protection of natural resources in its constitution. Article 95 of the Namibian constitution states: The State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting international policies aimed at the following: maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes, and biological diversity of Namibia, and utilisation of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future.
Points of Interest in Namibia
The Spitzkoppe is a group of bald granite peaks located between Usakos and Swakopmund in the Namib desert. The granite is more than 700 million years old and the highest outcrop rises about 1,800 metres above sea level. The peaks stand out dramatically from the flat surrounding plains. The highest peak is about 700 metres above the floor of the desert below. Other prominences stretch out into a range known as the Pontok Mountains.
Many examples of Bushmen artwork can be seen painted on the rock in the Spitzkoppe area.
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of Namibia, and is located in a basin between the Khomas Highland, Auas and Eros Mountains. It is 1,680 metres above sea level, 650 km north of the Orange River and 360 km from the Atlantic seaboard.
Whether due to pure luck or a brilliant stroke of Germanic planning, the city is situated in almost the countries epicenter. This location has obvious benefits when it comes to governing a country the size of Namibia, and also makes it the ideal place to start and plan any Namibian travel.
3. Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is a national park in north-western Namibia and was proclaimed a game reserve in 1907, and spans an area of 22,270 square kilometres and gets its name from the large Etosha mineral pan which is almost entirely within the park.
Etosha National Park is one of Southern Africa’s finest and most important Game Reserves, and the park is home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including several threatened and endangered species like the black rhinoceros.
Kaokoland is one of the wildest and least populated areas in Namibia, and this rugged landscape has some incredible mountain scenery. As one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Southern Africa, Kaokoland is the home of the Himba people, and is a refuge for the black rhino, the rare desert dwelling elephant, as well as giraffe.
This remote landscape is especially attractive during the early morning and late afternoon when it is transformed into softly glowing pastel shades, although the midday sun is harsh and offers little respite.
The Caprivi Strip (or Okavango Panhandle) is a narrow protrusion of Namibia stretching eastwards from the Okavango Region about 450km, and lies between Botswana to the south, and Angola and Zambia to the north.
A big attraction of the Caprivi region is that it is surrounded by four perennial rivers, the Okavango, Kwando, Chobe and the mighty Zambezi rivers. These waterfront areas combine riverine forests with vast wetlands, and are home to over 600 species of bird as well as four of the African ‘Big 5′ (less rhino). The area boasts four National Parks – Bwabwata, Mamili, Mudumu and Mahango.
6. Zambezi River
The Zambezi is the fourth-longest river in Africa, and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. This magnificent river rises in Zambia, and follows a meandering 2,736-kilometre course, separating Zambia and Zimbabwe and crossing Mozambique to empty into the Mozambique channel.
In the far north-east of Namibia, the incredible Zambezi River serves as the frontier between Namibia and Zambia, before plunging over the mighty Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Travellers can experience the thrills and excitement of the Zambezi River with its incredible labyrinth of waterways, floodplains, riverine forests and backwaters. There is an exceptional variety of bird-life, game and vegetation., and guided tours within vehicles and preferably boats, on and around the river are a real draw-card to this region.
7. Skeleton Coast Park
The Skeleton Coast Park is a national park located in north-west Namibia, and has the most inaccessible shores, dotted with shipwrecks. The park was established in 1971 and has a size of 16,845 square kilometres.
The park is divided into a northern and southern section, the southern section is open to those with 4 wheel drive vehicles, they are allowed to go up (north) as far as the Ugab River Gate (where a sign with a skull and crossbones warns you to go no further).The northern section can only be reached by a fly-in safari. The loose sand is a deathtrap to even the most powerful 4 wheel drives.
8. Cape Cross Seal Colony
Cape Cross is a small headland in the South Atlantic on the Skeleton Coast in western Namibia. It is 60 kilometres north of Hentiesbaai and 120 km north of Swakopmund on the west coast of Namibia.
The Cape Cross Seal Colony is a protected area owned by the government of Namibia. The reserve is the home of one of the largest colonies of Cape Fur Seals in the world. Cape Cross is one of two main sites in Namibia where seals are culled, partly for selling their hides and partly for protecting the fish stock.
Swakopmund lies on the coast of north-western Namibia, 280 km west of Windhoek. The town has 42,000 inhabitants and is situated in the Namib desert. Swakopmund is a beach resort and an example of German colonial architecture. Founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South-West Africa, a sizeable part of its population is still German-speaking today.
Attractions in Swakopmund include the Swakopmund Museum, the National Marine Aquarium, a crystal gallery and spectacular sand dunes near Langstrand. Outside of the city, the Rossmund Desert Golf Course is one of only 5 all-grass desert golf courses in the world. Nearby lies a camel farm and the Martin Luther steam locomotive, dating from 1896 and abandoned in the desert.
10. Namib-Naukluft Park
The Namib-Naukluft National Park encompasses part of the Namib Desert (the world’s oldest desert) and the Naukluft mountain range. With an area just under 50,000 square kilometres, the Namib-Naukluft is the largest game park in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. The most well-known area of the park is Sossusvlei, which is the main visitor attraction in Namibia.
The park’s spectacular burnt orange sand dunes are the tallest sand dunes in the world, in places rising more than 300 meters above the desert floor. The dunes taper off near the coast, and lagoons, wetlands, and mudflats located along the shore attract hundreds of thousands of birds.
11. Sesriem Canyon
The Sesriem Canyon is located about 4 kilometres from the small settlement of Sesriem, in the Namib Desert, close to the southern end of the Naukluft Mountains. The Sesriem Canyon is the second most important tourist attraction in the area after Sossusvlei.
The Sesriem Canyon is a natural canyon carved into the local sedimentary rock by the Tsauchab river. The canyon is about a kilometre long and up to 30 meters deep. The Sesriem Canyon is only two metres wide in some places, and has a portion that permanently contains water, which many animals use.
Sossusvlei is a salt and clay pan surrounded by high red dunes, located in the southern part of the Namib Desert. Sossusvlei is within the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the largest conservation area in Africa, and its sand dunes are regarded as the highest sand dunes in the world.
Sossusvlei is one of the most spectacular sights in Namibia, and the sand dunes at Sossusvlei are just one excellent reason to visit Namibia. The best time to view Sossusvlei is close at sunrise and sunset as the colours are strong and are constantly changing, allowing for wonderful photographic opportunities. The midday heat is intense and best spent in the shade.
Kolmanskop is a ghost town in the Namib desert in southern Namibia, a few kilometres inland from the port town of Lüderitz. Once a small but very rich mining village, it is now a popular tourist destination. The first diamond was found in Kolmanskop in 1908, and thereafter many of German miners settled in this diamond-rich area.
With the wealth produced by diamond mining, the residents built this German village, with amenities such as a hospital, ballroom, power station, school, skittle-alley, theatre, casino and a ice factory. The town declined after World War I when the diamond-field slowly exhausted and was ultimately abandoned in 1954. The geological forces of the desert mean that tourists now walk through houses knee-deep in sand. Kolmanskop is also very popular with photographers.
14. Fish River Canyon
The Fish River Canyon is located in the south of Namibia and is the second largest canyon in the world. It is also the second most visited tourist attraction in Namibia and this gigantic ravine is about 160 kilometres long, up to 27 km wide, and is in places about 550 metres deep.
The views over this magnificent landscape are truly breathtaking, and the towering rock faces and deep ravines were formed 500 million years ago. Self-drive tourists, hikers, photographers and nature lovers world-wide are attracted to this long, thin, meandering river. Depending on the time of year, you could be looking out to a dry river bed or a rainy-season raging torrent.
The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah which extends 900,000 square kilometres, covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa. A semi-desert, with huge tracts of excellent grazing after good rains, the Kalahari supports more animals and plants than a true desert.
The Namibian area of the Kalahari Desert is covered with trees, ephemeral rivers and fossil watercourses, and the regular rainfall patterns that occur every year allow for huge numbers of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, plant life and insects to thrive. Leopard, Cheetah, Giraffe, Zebra, Spingbok and Gemsbok are some of the animals found within the Kalahari.
16. Epupa Falls
The Epupa Falls are on the Kunene River on the border between Angola and Namibia. The Kunene river is half a kilometre wide where it drops in a series of waterfalls spread over a distance of 1.5 km. The name ‘Epupa’ is a Herero word meaning ‘foam’, in reference to the foam created by the falling water.
Despite being difficult to reach (a 4-wheel drive vehicle is recommended to reach the falls), the Epupa falls are a major visitor attraction in Namibia, because of the largely unspoiled environment, with fig trees, baobabs, makalani palms, and coloured rock walls framing the falls. | <urn:uuid:41413a5b-faab-4f40-80ea-c097e8a09905> | {
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|This article does not cite any references or sources. (December 2009)|
A flow-through entity (FTE) is a legal entity where income "flows through" to investors or owners; that is, the income of the entity is treated as the income of the investors or owners. Flow-through entities are also known as pass-through entities or fiscally-transparent entities. Depending on the local tax regulations, this structure can avoid dividend tax and double taxation because only owners or investors are taxed on the revenue. Technically, for tax purposes, flow-through entities are considered "non-entities" because they are not taxed; rather, taxation "flows-through" to another tax return.
Common types of FTEs are general partnerships, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships. In the United States, additional types of FTE include S corporations, income trusts and limited liability companies.
Most countries require an FTE (or its owners) to file an annual return reporting the shares of income allocated to owners, and to provide each owner with a statement of allocated income to enable owners to report their shares of income on their own tax returns. In the United States, the statement of allocated income is known as form K-1 (or Schedule K-1).
|This economics-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.| | <urn:uuid:07c5d9f9-ed79-46d9-8b22-d020f13f71f8> | {
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DAN Medical Research
High Altitude Flying After Diving
Military divers may be required to perform free-fall parachute operations after diving. Free-fall jumps may be made from higher than 25,000 ft. Decompression sickness (DCS) may occur, particularly after diving, with exposure to high altitude. The U.S. Special Operations Command funded an investigation of high altitude flying after diving at Duke. A single dive was evaluated: 60 feet of seawater for 60 minutes (the no-decompression limit according to the U.S. Navy tables). Three surface intervals were tested: 24, 18 and 12 hours prior to a standardized flight to 25,000 ft for three hours. No difference is risk was evident between the three surface intervals.
In addition to addressing the specific questions of the sponsor, the results of this research can be used to increase the power of evolving decompression models.
For a list of publications related to this study, click here.
Learn More >> | <urn:uuid:be72b668-fc87-4350-9c15-e21a0ad1c6d9> | {
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By Patricia Toquica, Americas Region Communications Manager
School sponsorship is a new initiative of ChildFund Brasil to reach children in the most remote areas of the Amazon forest and improve their educational opportunities.
Raimundo and Tomé are the local teachers in Tres Unidas, a small community located along the banks of the Amazon River, three hours by boat from the Brazilian city of Manaos. This community is part of the Kambeba indigenous group, one of hundreds of ethnic groups that live in the Amazon forest, a vast green territory more than twice the size of Texas.
Elementary schools in remote areas of the Amazon lack basic infrastructure, such as proper roofs, desks and even bathrooms. “Sometimes children take their lessons outside, under the shade of a tree, because it gets very hot during the day in the classroom, not to mention during the rainy season,” explains Tomé.
Most of the classes are multi-grade with an average of 30 students, ages 4 to 12 years. The children’s age differences make it difficult for teachers to follow up on programs and individual progress. “We divide the board into four parts and the children into four groups according to their ages; we work with them in separate activities, depending on the topic,” says Raimundo.
Still, every single child in this little village of palm-thatched huts housing about 20 families goes to school every day and looks forward to learning.
The ChildFund school sponsorship program in Brazil is a new initiative developed in partnership with the Sustainable Amazon Foundation (Fundação Amazonas Sustentável – FAS). ChildFund seeks to improve school infrastructure and access to quality education for school-age children in isolated communities deep in the Amazon forest. Launched in September 2012, the program also aims to raise children’s awareness of the importance of sustainable use of their resources, so that they can become “true guardians of the forest.”
For Raimundo, who is also the Tres Unidas school director, educating children in his community is about delivering formal curriculum and also focusing on indigenous culture. It’s important that the children learn about traditional history, rituals, language and medicine.
He notes that indigenous schools in Brazil typically have inferior infrastructure and learning materials. As part of their partnership strategy for the school sponsorship program, ChildFund Brasil and FAS are working to reduce the cost of delivering educational services to remote areas. “We don’t want to replace government but facilitate development,” says Virgilio Viana, director of FAS.
Thus, ChildFund and FAS are partnering with municipalities. For example, the municipality is covering the cost of providing teachers, and ChildFund and FAS, with the help of the community, are building or improving schools and also supporting teachers with additional training and teaching tools.
The School Sponsorship program is already piloting in the Sustainable Development Reserves of Juma and Uatumã, supporting 20 schools and nearly 300 students. In the long term, ChildFund Brasil’s goal, with the support of sponsors and donors, is to have a presence in eight natural reserves and reach children in more than 500 communities in the Amazon. | <urn:uuid:33fe6206-a8a8-4e5d-a9bd-1a8bcf2eb6d4> | {
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The Sacramento River in Sacramento. Delta restoration plans call for building… (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated…)
One thing stood out in the pile of documents released Thursday detailing state plans to replumb California's water hub: Construction could start on the massive project before water managers know whether it will work as intended.
The still-evolving proposal, backed by Gov. Jerry Brown's administration and the federal government, is designed to partially restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta environment and halt reductions in delta water exports.
But uncertainty over the volume of future water deliveries is likely to linger for years as government scientists try to nail down how much water imperiled salmon and smelt need in the delta.
"This plan does not include any guarantees for water supply deliveries," said Mark Cowin, director of the state Department of Water Resources.
Proponents also don't know whether restoring about 100,000 acres of habitat in the much-altered delta will produce the desired effect of bolstering fish and wildlife populations.
But state officials argue that doing nothing will guarantee the continued deterioration of the delta ecosystem, and with it, additional cuts to southbound water deliveries.
The more than 1,000 pages released Thursday by the California Natural Resources Agency covered only part of a plan that has been under discussion for years.
It would change the way supplies are diverted from the delta by constructing three large intakes on the Sacramento River that would feed into two 35-mile tunnels, each about four stories tall. The tunnels, burrowed more than 150 feet beneath the delta, would carry water by gravity to existing export pumps in the south delta.
The new facilities would cost $14 billion, which would be paid by water users, including Southern California agencies and San Joaquin Valley irrigation districts that depend on the delta for part of their supplies.
Restoration of delta wetlands, flood plains and wildlife habitat would cost an additional $4 billion, most of which is expected to come from federal and state funds.
A final decision on the project is more than a year away. The resources agency will roll out the rest of the draft plan over the next two months. The proposal still has to obtain environmental approvals, and federal and state fish and wildlife agencies have to determine the conditions under which the system would operate.
Those conditions, aimed at protecting endangered species, would determine the volume of delta exports. The resources agency said deliveries could be 10% less than the average of the last two decades — or 5% more.
Reactions to the plan echoed previously voiced support and criticism.
"There's a rush to build it first and then test it," said Zeke Grader, vice chairman of the Golden Gate Salmon Assn., a consortium of commercial, recreational and tribal fishermen that says the new system would harm migrating salmon.
Water and irrigation districts that have suffered cutbacks in delta supplies called the plan a landmark.
"California's water delivery system is broken and the [plan] is the best option our state has in securing a reliable water future," said Mike Wade, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition. | <urn:uuid:a280c8fd-7202-4a6d-a758-93bac4ac99aa> | {
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New treatment potential for heart attack sufferers
A fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, bile’s function is to aid the digestion process.
Now Dr Andrew Bulmer from Griffith University’s Menzies Health Institute Queensland (MHIQ) has found that mildly elevated levels of a bile pigment called bilirubin may provide natural protection from heart attacks and help to stave off cardiovascular disease.
Published recently in the International Journal of Cardiology, the study shows that when hearts are infused with bilirubin following a heart attack, the pigment reduces damage and improves heart function during recovery.
“This is a very important finding as very few drugs are able to be administered following a heart attack to improve heart function,” says Dr Bulmer. “Generally, if it is a small heart attack people can survive; however there is a 20 per cent mortality rate from heart attack, with approximately 50,000 heart attack sufferers each year in Australia.
“Generally, bilirubin was just associated with people having jaundice; however, we have now shown that mildly elevated bilirubin is actually beneficial, naturally protecting an individual against cardiovascular disease.”
Additional research—just published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine—has shown that higher levels of bilirubin can protect the circulation from oxidative damage that causes blood vessel disease.
“We believe that this protection could be related to recently identified anti-oxidative property of the bilirubin molecule,” says Dr Bulmer.
“Inflammation is the main culprit of damage to the body and is caused by overactive white blood cells that release ‘free radicals,’ It appears our natural bilirubin can protect from these free radicals during chronic inflammatory diseases like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and diabetes.”
Currently, 5–10 per cent of the population is believed to have mildly elevated levels of bilirubin in their blood, a condition with no negative side effects called Gilbert’s Syndrome. People with this syndrome have a 30–60 per cent reduced chance of having cardiovascular disease and a 50 per cent reduced risk from dying of any cause.
Dr Bulmer says that his findings could have positive implications for reducing health risks and improving life expectancy, as a result of increasing the bilirubin concentration in people who have low levels of the pigment in blood.
“Not only is there a benefit in being able to use bilirubin as a biomarker for measuring people’s future risk of various chronic diseases, there is a very real possibility it could be used as a treatment after a heart attack to reduce damage to the heart and possibly improve survival,” he says.
These possibilities are part of ongoing research at MHIQ’s Heart Foundation Research Centre. | <urn:uuid:cf6470db-1236-4cf1-af16-9d34452f0cc8> | {
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News from Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions
Mona Andersson had suffered from hearing loss for more than 30 years before she could hear again. In 1977, thanks to a medical innovation developed in Gothenburg, her hearing capacity was dramatically improved. Today, forty years later, 150, 000 people have regained their hearing with a bone conduction implant.
(Photo: Anders Tjellström and Mona Andersson)
Hearing loss is a major public health issue and its impact is set to increase. More than 360 million people live with disabling hearing loss and this figure is set to increase significantly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there will be 1.2 billion people living with disabling hearing loss in 2050. Every year on March 3, WHO celebrates the World Hearing Day, an advocacy event that calls for international action to address hearing loss. This year’s event campaign “Make a sound investment” reveals that unaddressed hearing loss costs the global economy a staggering $750 billion annually.
In Sweden alone, about 1.4 million people suffer from hearing impairment, of which 700, 000 need to use hearing aids, according to Hörselskadades Riksförbund, the National Association for Hearing Impairment in Sweden.
Forty years ago, an innovation from Gothenburg created a new industry that was set to restore hearing in many people affected by hearing impairment. Gothenburg resident Mona Andersson was one of those people.
The innovation is based on the concept of osseointegration, a process discovered and coined by Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark, when in Gothenburg in the 1960s, he serendipitously discovered that titanium completely fused with bone. The discovery of osseointegration led to the development of the bone conduction hearing implant, pioneered by Anders Tjellström, surgeon and Senior Lecturer at Gothenburg University and member of Brånemark’s research team, in collaboration with Bo Håkansson, Professor at Chalmers Institute.
Already in early childhood, Mona was suffering from bilateral chronic ear infections, caused by scarlet fever. Her natural capacity to hear had dropped dramatically and it was not long before she had serious problems with her hearing. At the age of 15, Mona received her first hearing aid, which improved her hearing slightly, at the cost of constant headaches and embarrassment. When she started working at a plastic factory, she realised that exposure to warm temperatures affected her hearing even more.
She reached a turning point in 1965 when she became a mother.
“I struggled to communicate with my daughter in the first years of her life. I had nothing to lose when I accepted Dr. Tjellström’s proposal to receive a bone conduction implant”, says Mona.
In 1977, Mona underwent the world’s first bone conduction implant surgery, performed by Dr Anders Tjellström at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. The implant was specifically designed for patients affected by conductive hearing loss, like Mona. Today its application has increased to treat other types of hearing loss.
“For the first time since childhood I could hear birds singing”, she told Dr. Tjellström when she received her implant. Sounds like the buzz of a fly or ice cubes clinking in a glass, suddenly became new experiences for her.
Forty years after the surgery, Mona celebrates not only functional hearing, but hearing capacity that has gone beyond what most “normal hearing” people can experience. The latest technology, developed in Gothenburg by Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions, allows the recipients of a bone conduction implant to stream sound from their phones directly to their ears.
“Bone conduction technology has come a long way. Today, Mona is using a sound processor that has the capacity to adapt to different noise environments, something we had never imagined possible all those years ago”, explains Dr. Tjellström.
More than 150, 000 people worldwide benefit from Gothenburg invention
The bone conduction implant system was approved in Sweden ten years after Mona received her implant. In 1993, the Gothenburg-based Nobel Pharma, whose bone conduction business later became Entific, started commercializing the product. In 2005, international hearing implant manufacturer Cochlear Ltd bought Entific and named it Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions, based in Mölnlycke. Today, more than 150, 000 people hear thanks to a bone conduction implant.
“We created the world’s smallest sound processor that is also the first ever to connect wirelessly to electronic devices, allowing users to stream sound directly to the ear. Gothenburg is a unique centre of innovation, where we can benefit from all the expertise, technology, and research of the region, helping us to constantly evolve our industry”, says Rom Mendel, President Acoustics & Managing Director at Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions.
Most hearing specialists agree that bone conduction hearing systems are an effective solution for patients with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss or single-sided deafness. | <urn:uuid:e9a72bcf-12dc-4d43-9bff-a809d14822b0> | {
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Giant Mesquite Bugs, live, appropriately, on various species of mesquite tree in the Southwest US and in Mexico. You can find these large leaf-footed bugs most easily in late summer and fall. The males have extra-large hind legs with bumps and spines. The females have thin and smooth hind legs. They tend to gather in large groups on the trees. They are slow fliers and impossible to miss. Not long before the weather turns cold in late October, they will have laid their eggs on a tree branch or twig and died off, their missions complete.
Total lifespan from hatching until death: about 8 months. Eggs survive the winter and hatch in the spring. There are five larval stages called "instars," starting with the first, hatchling. After a several days or longer, the nymph will pull itself out of its old skin (molt), and expand its soft new shell to a larger size before it hardens. This cycle repeats until the sixth molt, when it become an adult with wings. At each stage the nymph has different patterns and colors. These bugs feed on mesquite flowers, beans and tree sap through a short straw-like mouth. Unlike mosquitoes and assassin bugs, these insects don't bite and are quite harmless to hold in your hand. See this page at BugGuide.net for details. | <urn:uuid:57a79f00-d6af-415a-bfad-ac2880b28a18> | {
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A team of scientists, comprised of software engineers, bioinformaticians, and statisticians, has created a new generation DNA sequencing designed to enable users to run an experiment until sufficient data has been collected to reach a predetermined experimental endpoint.
In other words, the sequencing stops when the user finds what they’re looking for. In contrast, other molecular analysis systems have a fixed analysis time, or ‘run time’ that delivers a surged batch of data at the end of that run. In such cases, the user is forced to design the experiment to fit the machine that the analysis is performed on.
The system has been miniaturized down to a USB stick. Place your sample on the USB sequencer and plug it into your laptop. With this device, samples can be generated in the field. The system is designed to be compatible with complex samples such as blood or serum and environmental samples such as water samples. Immediate potential applications could include quick DNA analyses of biopsied cells to assess the risk of cancer.
These small $900 devices can be sent to people and administered by a local. The data could be sent back via a secure connection. The health tech or environment tech doesn’t need to leave the lab, and the sample doesn’t need to be sent to the lab.
“This is a pivotal moment for both Oxford Nanopore and IP Group,” said Alan Aubrey, Chief Executive Officer of IP Group. “The significance of this technology introduction is, in computing terms, analogous to moving from the mainframe to the laptop. Oxford Nanopore’s technology platform is truly disruptive and game-changing and is poised to deliver new applications and general benefits to science and medicine. Potential applications including screening genetic material, prenatal screening for genetic defects and diagnostic tests aimed at identifying genetic mutations that have applicability in agricultural, environmental and medical markets.” | <urn:uuid:6a3c5536-00d1-4a70-aa59-593f1123c1be> | {
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CDC/Soft Hackle Hybrids
By Chris Marshall
Soft hackled wet flies have been around a long time. When I first began to
dabble in fly fishing on the brooks and dales of the Yorkshire Dales fourty-five
years ago, they were the standard patterns. Even during a hatch, almost all
local fly fishers used soft hackles floated in or just below the surface film,
rather than Halford style dry flies which were de rigeur on the gentler rivers of
The soft hackles used by Dales fly fishers in the 1950's were little changed
from those described in Yorkshire fly fishing books of the previous century.
In fact, the basic concept of the soft hackled wet fly is ancient, and was
already an integral part of a well-established tradition long before the first
recorded attempts at describing the patterns began to appear in print over
500 years ago.
These simple but elegant flies are just as effective today as they were half
a millennium ago. And why not? They embody the culmination of generations
of keen observation and practical inventiveness. They were designed to match
the hatch - not as exact imitations which we have come to associate with modern
dry fly fishing, but as suggestive, impressionistic creations which simulated the
general shape, the colour, and the movement of the fly in water.
Soft hackles are also very versatile, in that one fly could be used to imitate the
emerger, the dun, crippled and drowned duns, and the spinner simply by varying
presentation. However, the early practitioners of the art were acutely aware
that flies trapped in the film were usually more effective than those floating on
the surface. This came from careful observation of the natural insect. "If the day
be warm, the insect takes flight immediately on reaching the surface of the
water; but if, as is commonly the case, the day is cold, it hinges on the surface,
not completely hatched into perfect form, and is thus easily pounced upon by
the expectant trout." Pritt, T.E. North Country Flies (London,
They were also aware that it was important to fish the artificial as a living
insect. Ronalds in A Fly Fisher's Entomology (London, 1848)
claims that this is "best accomplished by throwing across and down the current;
the top of the rod . . .after throwing, be held over the side of the stream,
on which the fisherman stands ready to strike; the current will then act on
that part of the line lying on the water and cause the fly to sail over toward
the same side, yet still float down a little, as a natural fly when struggling might
be supposed to do." This is the classic downstream wet fly technique.
In its traditional form, the soft-hackled wet fly is an extremely effective and
versatile pattern. However, when combined with a CDC wing, it is even more
versatile. Adding a CDC wing behind the soft hackle provides variable
buoyance. When cast with a traditional wet fisher's open loop, the CDC
retains water and the fly will sink into or beneath the film, but when it is blow
dried with false casting, the CDC makes the fly float. The combination of the
"living" soft hackle and the variable buoyancy is deadly, for, as well as
imitating naturals in and below the surface film, it also allows the anglers to
imitate the fully-hatched dun without changing flies. Varying the density of the
CDC wing provides a range of flies from those which are more sinkers than
floaters to those which are more floaters than sinkers.
Fishing the CDC Soft-Hackle
Like the traditional soft-hackle, the CDC version is most effective during
a hatch. It can be fished in the classic across-and-down technique to rising
fish, especially on windy days when flies are being blown about on the
surface of the water - when a few non-purist twitches can often help. It
can also be fished dead-drift either across or upstream. Even some of the
soft-hackle practitioners of the last century used this dry fly technique
when the across-and-downstream presentation failed them. In every
situation, the critical aspect of presentation is varying the tightness of the
casting loop so that the CDC wing fly has the appropriate degree of positive
or negative buoyancy when the fly hits the water. ~ Chris Marshall
Books by Yorkshiremen on Soft Hackled Flies
Edmonds, H.H. & Lees, N.N. Brook and River Trouting, Bradford, 1916.
Jackson, Hohn. The Practical Fly Fisher, George Harrison, Bradford, 1853.
Kirkbridge, John. The Northern Anglers, Bradford, 1855.
Pritt, T.E. The Book of Grayling, Leeds, 1888.
Ronalds, Alfred. A Fly Fisher's Entomology London, 1849.
Theakston, Michael. British Angling Flies, London, 1883.
Note: I realize that Ronalds was unfortunate enough not to have been born a Yorkshireman,
but he was thoroughly familiar with Yorkshire fly patterns, and his A Fly Fisher's Entomology
is by far the most significant work of the century on both the natural and artificial flies of the
whole of England. As most of the above titles are not readily available to most readers, we will
publish relevant text and drawings on our website
sometime soon. Check it out.
A traditional Soft-hackled wet fly, the Waterhen Bloa and the CDC version.
We thank the
Canadian Fly Fisher for re-print permission!
Our Man In Canada Archives | <urn:uuid:a8b78117-d300-406e-b7ee-79b696860d85> | {
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The default gateway is the route use if none of the other routes match. So by that definition, there can be only one at a time.
Except not really, because your routing rules might be more complicated. Modern versions of Linux, for example, support using multiple completely independent routing tables, and making packet-by-packet determination as to which table to consult. So for example, perhaps you have one network configuration used for normal traffic, but a completely different routing table for your web browser. Or perhaps you have another routing table that's only used for packets with specific TOS bits set. But each would have its own default gateway which would reflect the default route for that specific routing table.
Normally, the routing table is as simple as, "local traffic to the local interface, everything else to the router." But if you're using a more complicated network setup, then the tools exist to cope with whatever network scenario you can dream up. | <urn:uuid:ccdf39e3-fcfd-449c-82c8-f2f349f376b4> | {
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Module 4: ALARA Program
Plan and discuss the task thoroughly prior to entering
the area. Use only the number of workers actually
required to do the job.
Have all necessary tools present before entering the
Use mock-ups and practice runs that duplicate work
Take the most direct route to the job site if possible
Never loiter in an area controlled for radiological
Work efficiently and swiftly.
Do the job right the first time.
Perform as much work outside the area as possible.
When practical, remove parts or components to areas
with lower dose rates to perform work.
Do not exceed stay times. In some cases, the
Radiological Control Organization may limit the
amount of time a worker may stay in an area due to
various reasons. This is known as "stay time." If
you have been assigned a stay time, do not exceed
(Insert facility-specific information.) | <urn:uuid:3d229e19-0938-4c4d-a524-c9c754bdcb86> | {
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Several years ago the Korean Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST) unveiled their On Line Electric Vehicle (OLEV) charging system, which promised to charge cars and even city buses wirelessly through induction systems contained within roads. After tests on campus vehicles and at amusement parts, the first OLEV buses just hit inner city streets in Daejoen, South Korea.
The technology is similar to that of charging mats for cell phones, in that it also relies on electromagnetic conduction. In the case of the OLEVs, cables buried in the roads create giant magnetic fields that, as devices placed on the underside of the buses convert to electricity. The technology tackles a number of issues that can make electrical cars unattractive – as long as the buses are following the underground cable, there is little to worry about in terms of range anxiety, nor is there a need to sit idle at charging stations.
At the moment they are only testing two Online Electric Vehicle (OLEV) along 24 km (round trip) of city route with plan to add another 10 vehicles by 2015. There were safety concerns but the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) – the university behind the study – assures the public that the electromagnetic field is weak enough to be deemed safe for pedestrians and it will only be turned on when it senses the OLEVs. To further reassure the public they stated they are compliant with all the safety acts.
Via Popular Science | <urn:uuid:3ea37a5a-9539-4035-91c9-1842730bd760> | {
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SAGE (Salvia officinalis)
Eaten to excess, Sage can be poisonous.
One pound of rubbed sage = 16 cups
1 ounce = 1 cup
One pound of ground sage = 4 cups
1 ounce = 1/4 cup
Sage is a shrubby plant with long oval-shaped velvety leaves in colors ranging from a pale gray-green to dark purple-green. Blue, purple or white flower spikes appear in mid to late summer. The taste is sharp and spicy-bitter with a scent that combines thyme, lemon, pine and moss.
In America, sage is the main flavoring for breakfast sausage and traditional turkey stuffing. In England, sage is most associated with pork, goose and duck. Italians use sage to flavor polenta and pasta. Try gently heating a few sage leaves in butter for a tasty pasta sauce. Fresh sage is used whole and minced in cooking. Because it has such a strong flavor, only one sage leaf is necessary for most dishes. Sage is also good with apples, celery, dried beans, cheese, onions and tomatoes.
Use sage sparingly as too much will create an unpleasant musty taste. Unlike most other herbs, the flavor of the sage leaves intensifies as they dry.
Naturalists believe sage aids digestion and due to its antioxidant properties, acts as a preservative.
Bay leaves, cloves and sage all act as natural insect repellents for ants and other crawling insects.
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Notes on micro-fauna in settling ponds at Amcor Factory – Petrie Queensland
On Saturday August 24th 2002 the Queensland Naturalist Club (Inc) held a field trip to the Amcor Cardboard factory site at Petrie. Amcor is an Australian company and a major producer of cardboard for packaging products, like breakfast cereals and toothpaste packaging. In particular though the Amcor company is highly environmentally oriented and has applied a substantial part of it’s resources to preservation of the environment around Petrie and related water resources around the Petrie area.
On the field trip many birds were observed and QNC member Jim Whittle has a catalogue of over 200 bird species observed in this area over 15 years.
This paper however does not relate directly to birds, but considers the micro-fauna observed in the settling ponds.
There is a very poor population of micro-fauna in the early stages of the settling process and from the samples taken on the field trip the micro-fauna in the early settling ponds was less than 5 % of the rotifer in the later stages. The early stages of the settling process displayed a lot of micro-fauna as displayed by the very green colour or the water. There were large numbers of Paranecium and Diatoms. There was also another animal species present, which looked like Euglena but there was no flagella (beating tail). It appeared very active but the means of movement was not clear. There were, however, very few rotifers, and a count, and straining of animals in 300 ml of water only revealed 14 animals.
In the medium stage of the settling process there was a significant increase in the number of animals. At the same time there was a substantial reduction in the micro-flora. The water was no longer the previous green colour, but was a muddy brown instead. The micro fauna had increased in number and it was not possible to count the animals in 300 mls of water, but it would have been at least 150 animals.
In the final stage of the settling process the water of the cardboard factory is taken to the “duck pond”. When it was observed here, the water was quite clear and transparent, and there was an abundance of micro fauna. The writer of this paper saw a turbulence on the bank of the pond and (correctly) concluded that there were fish feeding there. A netting failed to catch a feeding fish, but did nevertheless, capture a large number of micro-fauna that the fish were feeding on. There was a very large number of animals in this sample – much more than in the previous samples. In fact there were more animals than it was possible to count in the 300 mls of water sampled.
Several species were observed. There were the same of Paranecium and Diatoms, as well as an abundance of the same rotifer as was in the earlier ponds but this time there were also Daphnia present. There were no daphnia observed in the early settling ponds.
It would appear then that as the settling stages continue, that there is an increase in micro-fauna and a decrease in micro-flora. The early stages displayed a very green colour of water, indicating much vegetation whereas the later stages showed almost clear water and a much greater amount of fauna.
The micro-fauna increases in population and variety in later settling stages.
Obviously this paper has only touched a fraction of the micro-biology of the Amcor cardboard factory ponds. The writer is not actually sure of the species collected but has micro photography prints of the specimens collected. If any member of the QNC is able to assist with identifying the species that would be most helpful. | <urn:uuid:01e15ecb-86db-498b-98ca-ab17c50e450e> | {
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Curiosities of Locomotive
*From Development of the Locomotive Engine, by Angus Sinclair.
Railway and Locomotive EngineeringSeptember-December, 1907
The Enterprising Inventor.
The man who ventures to stray from the familiar beaten path
may stumble into a quagmire, but he may have the good fortune
to discover a vein of rich ore which the beaten path would never
When an inventor scorning the common forms proceeds to work
out new and original shapes for himself, he may produce something
which is ridiculous and impracticable, but even when he does that,
the enterprising person deserves praise, for it has been by departing
from other people's lead that new and original inventions have
been given to the world.
a chapter on Freaks and Curiosities in Locomotive Designs it is
not done in a spirit of levity, but to give a record of well meaning
inventions that did not perform the functions the inventors expected.
For the first twenty years after Trevithick built his locomotive,
a belief was common that plain wheels would not adhere to the
rail with sufficient tenacity to induce propulsion. It had happened
that Trevithick's engine was what has become known as over-cylindered,
the effect being that the engine was furiously slippery. Other
pioneer locomotives suffered from the same defect and remedies
were invented which now appear to be ridiculous.
The Mechanical Traveler.
The most notable invention of this kind is illustrated, Fig.
1, and was known as Brunton's Mechanical Traveller. Brunton was
aware that the action of the horse up to that time had been the
most successful means of hauling vehicles, and the question arose,
why not utilize the action of the horse mechanically? The engine
was duly built to put that idea in practice. It had a horizontal
boiler and a single cylinder set on top with piston connecting
with levers that acted the part of a horse's legs.
invention excited much attention. It had the merit of acting as
the designer intended it should, and one day that it was on trial,
rushing along at a speed of three miles an hour, accompanied by
a host of admirers, the boiler exploded, throwing hot water, pieces
of iron, and disaster among the crowd. That ended the career of
the Mechanical Traveller.
Cog Wheel Locomotive.
The first attempt to overcome the deficient adhesion of plain
iron wheels on plain iron rails was made in 1811, by J. Blenkinsopp,
who obtained a patent for a self propelling steam engine, Fig.
2, worked by a cog wheel engaging a rack rail, a practice now
common on mountain railways.
This Blenkinsopp engine was the first locomotive to perform
profitable traction work. It was well designed for the time, having
two cylinders 8 x 20 inches, set partly into the boiler and transmitting
power to right angle cranks which drove the toothed driving wheels.
A sensible feature about this engine was that the piston crossheads
worked in guides instead of being controlled by parallel motion,
as the pistons of most early locomotives were. The engine was
used for about twenty years.
In the course of evolution a variety of locomotives were built
resembling Hedley's Puffing Billy, but they followed the line
of improvement that led to the Rocket in 1829, which established
the elements of a permanent type. In Great Britain there were
not many departures from the foundation form of the Rocket.
An engine called the "Caledonian," Fig. 3, was bought
by the Liverpool and Manchester in 1832. The vertical cylinders
were secured in front of the smoke box, with pistons working through
the upper cover to connecting rods that extended down to the driving
wheels. That engine displayed a weakness for jumping the track,
and was changed after a few months of service. Its only service
to railways was emphasizing the mistake of using vertical cylinders.
About the same time Richard Roberts, who afterwards became
a noted locomotive builder, brought out what he called the "Experiment,"
Fig. 4. That engine had vertical cylinders operating bell cranks
which drove rods connecting with crank pins outside of the driving
wheels. This engine had piston valves. It was used only for a
Similar locomotives were built for the Dundee and Newtyle Railway,
in Scotland, one called the "Earl of Airlie," having
attracted considerable attention, which did not save it from alteration
after a short career.
The bell-crank method of transmitting power to the driving
wheels has been used' successfully for special forms of locomotives
in which it was not convenient to transmit the power direct. The
real difficulty with Roberts' engines and those made for the Newtyle
Railway seems to have been in the piston valves, which were crude
Immense Driving Wheels.
Isambard Brunel, chief engineer of the Great Western, Railway,
of England, who made the gauge of that railway seven feet wide,
had a predilection for large sizes, among them large driving wheels.
An engine shown in Fig. 5 had driving wheels 10 feet in diameter.
About the time that engine was built the Great Western Railway
received one of the kind shown in Fig. 6. The latter was made
according to the Harrison patent, which called for driving wheels
being secured on one set of frames, the boiler being carried on
another set. The science of mechanical engineering was in its
infancy in those days, yet one marvels how the designer of such
a locomotive expected to obtain the necessary adhesion.
A similar engineering blunder was made a few years later in
the United States, when G. A. Nichols, superintendent of the Philadelphia
& Reading Railroad, had a locomotive built with the boiler
carried on a frame separate from the engine. Mr. Nichols' idea
was fairly rational, however, for he was trying to make a boiler
with grate surface sufficiently large to burn anthracite coal.
Harrison departed from prevailing practice in order to apply abnormally
large driving wheels.
The inclination to use huge driving wheels was based on the
fallacy that the size of the driving wheels measured the speed
possibilities of a locomotive. It took years of experience to
demonstrate that the boiler was really what controlled the speed.
Some of the high wheel Crampton locomotives, built in Europe and
in the United States about 1850, had the boilers so small that
want of steam reduced the speed before the train had gone five
miles, when high speed was attempted.
Although it is a recognized physical axiom that in locomotive
engineering a pull or thrust is most effective when worked horizontally,
the fallacy of vertical or inclined cylinders influenced the design
of locomotives for many years. Many attempts were made to increase
power by means of intermediate driving axle arrangements of the
type illustrated in Fig. 7. A very interesting attempt of this
kind is illustrated in "Sekons Evolution of the Steam Locomotive."
This engine was built at Bradford, England, for the Cambrian Railway.
It was a vibratory engine, the special merit claimed for the arrangement
of mechanism being that it produced perfect balance of the reciprocating
and revolving parts. I wonder that the hammer blow alarmist never
tried this engine.
The driving axle was secured between the frames and set parallel
to the wheel axles. The driving axle was secured at each end to
a strong disk which held power transmitting mechanism. The pistons,
which were fan shaped, drove rocking shafts secured to the driving
axle and it in turn vibrated the disks to which the main rods
It was an ingenious engine, and is reported to have done good
service on small cost for fuel and repairs.
Locomotives driven through a supplementary driving axle were
very common in the United States, but they were used mostly in
the process of evolution. All the Baltimore & Ohio grasshopper
engines were driven in this way and they worked quite satisfactorily.
The Camden & Amboy monster, shown in Fig. 8, had heavy spur
gears on the axles of the middle pairs of wheels which engaged
with an intermediate gear performing part of the work done by
of that character have been built by men seeking for the best
form of engine to perform the work of train hauling, their efforts
were commendable, but at various times amateur locomotive designers,
saturated with egotism and personal conceit, have produced ridiculous
engines and sometimes their friends have tried to force them into
use through stock-selling operations. A notable case of this character
was the Raub Central Power locomotive, Fig. 9, built at Paterson,
N. J., in 1892. The people interested in this invention tried
to push it through the influence of sensational articles in the
daily newspapers, their claims for speed and efficiency being
senseless exaggerations, but their efforts were in vain. As usual,
they blamed its unpopularity upon the prejudice of railroad men
and the engineering press. The engine had two small boilers, each
with a fire door on each side and a smoke flue going back to the
stack in the centre.
Vertical cylinders were employed, transmitting the power through
a central shaft. This engine was not only an oddity, it was a
fake of the worst kind. Instead of an advance in design, it was
returning to pioneer practices, being a product of combined ignorance,
egotism and perversity.
Ever since people became inventors of mechanical appliances,
there have been persistent attempts made to overcome the laws
of nature by arrangements of mechanism designed to produce perpetual
motion. In some instances inventors labored to produce apparatus
that would maintain motion of their own unaided volition, others
labored by combinations of mechanism to gain power by leverages
or their equivalents.
Of this class
of invention was the Harrison locomotive, shown in Fig. 10. In
this engine the real driving wheels, which had geared peripheries
engaged with cogs on the rail wheel axle. The expectation was
that excessive speed could be maintained with reduced expenditure
of power, as the piston speed could be regulated at what the engineers
of the time considered most conducive to economy of steam. The
engine shown was built by Hawthorns of Newcastle, in 1837, the
gearing being 3 to 1, so that one revolution of the driving wheels
caused the rail wheel to turn three times. The "Hurricane"
was used a short time on the Great Western Railway, and was said
to have maintained a speed of 100 miles an hour, but that did
not preserve it from premature demise. Harrison's failure did
not discourage others, from trying similar experiments.
The inventive habit has been cultivated for many years in the
United States through liberal patent laws that enable an inventor
to enjoy the fruits of his ingenuity. Owing to this there is an
army of ingenious men ever ready to improve on foreign inventions,
with the result that a mechanical oddity appearing in a foreign
country soon appears on this side of the Atlantic in exaggerated
form. The Harrison two-story locomotives had several imitations
In 1881 the Grant Locomotive Works, of Paterson, N. J., built
a locomotive, Fig. 11, designed by Eugene Fontaine, of Detroit,
which excited great attention for a few years owing to the radical
departure from established practice in designing locomotives.
Fontaine built his engine with the driving wheels above the boiler,
so arranged that their tread pressed upon and transmitted motion
to the carrying wheels by frictional contact. The reasons given
by the designer for building this form of an engine were: "The
question of faster speed in railroad travel is one that is now
attracting attention on the part of the public, who demand it,
and of the railroads, who are anxious to meet the demand.
"It is well known that to increase speed in locomotives,
as now used, beyond a certain rate, can only be done by an increase
of steam pressure, which can only be obtained by increased expenditure
of fuel, and such an expense increases in a tenfold ratio to the
increased rate of speed obtained, to say nothing about the additional
strain upon the boiler."
To overcome these imaginary deficiencies the locomotive with
two driving wheels set up in the air above two other driving wheels
that rested on the rail was built and put in service. There was
considerable discussion on the invention, but there were very
few engineers who believed that any advantage of steam or economy
could be secured by the wheel arrangement adopted. Their judgment
was vindicated by the results of practical service. The engine
was tried on all kinds of trains, but proved inferior in every
respect to the ordinary engines of the same capacity. The engine
was examined as a curiosity in a variety of roundhouses for a
few years. There was always something needed to make its work
satisfactory. After many changes the proper one was made when
it was converted into an ordinary eight wheel engine.
It might have been supposed that the Fontaine experiment would
have deterred others from trying such an expensive experiment
again; but when an amateur gets seized with the malady for designing
a locomotive of an entirely new pattern, he generally produces
In 1887 The Holman Locomotive Company had built in Philadelphia
the locomotive illustrated in Fig. 12. It was immediately assailed
by practical railroad men and others for my opinion of this, the
latest monstrosity. I had not seen even a picture of the engine,
but descriptions were freely written. My opinion, expressed in
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERING, was: "It is a humbug. It is sound
engineering to hold that every piece added to a machine, after
it has reached the practical stage, is a source of weakness. A
triple set of wheels under a locomotive would be proposed only
by one who is densely ignorant of mechanics."
Next notice in the same paper reads: "There appears to
have been some method in the madness of the parties who got out
the absurd Holman locomotive.
"They are advertising in Philadelphia papers that a company
has been formed to sell this kind of locomotive, the capital stock
being $10,000,000. They offer to sell the stock for $25 a share,
the par value being $100. They make the claim that this sort of
engine is destined to be the locomotive of the future."
Next notice, also in the same paper, reads: "The parties
exploiting the Holman locomotive are advertising their stock in
numerous newspapers, and claiming that the invention is certain
to come rapidly into general use. The effect of that has been
that numerous letters have come to us asking our opinion of the
thing. We gave a general answer, the first paragraph of which
"When we first heard of the Holman locomotive we supposed
that it was the invention of some harmless crank who did not understand
the elementary principles of mechanics, but we now believe that
it has been, since its inception, an ostentatious machine designed
to allure unwary capitalists into an investment which will be
of the same real value as throwing gold coin over Niagara Falls."'
The engine was run a few trips on a straight railroad in New
Jersey, which was used merely as a stimulant to stock selling.
Unfortunately many people with limited savings were allured, into
investing their hard earned money in this swindle, and they might
as well have given it to a highway robber.
One painful case that was pushed to my attention will illustrate
the danger of taking stock in things recommended by friends. Mrs.
Marion French had sufficient money in United States bonds to produce
her an income of $570 a year. Some idiotic friend advised her
to invest in the Holman Locomotive Company's Stock, assuring her
that she would more than double her income without risk. Our washerwoman
never loses a chance to ask me when the Holman Locomotive Company
will begin paying dividends.
There is no question that destructive blows are imparted to
the rail from the unbalanced weights of the driving wheels. Inventors
were early in the field to eliminate this blow by an opposing
force, and, incidentally, to make a smoother working engine. This
idea brought forth in Europe the Haswell locomotive, shown in
Fig. 13. That engine, which was built in 1861, at Vienna, for
the Austrian State Railway, excited much attention at the International
Exhibition of 1862, where it was exhibited. The engine had two
cylinders on each side, the power from the pistons being transmitted
to crank pins diametrically opposite to each other, the expectation
being that the momentum of each set of reciprocating parts would
balance the other set.
The "Duplex," as the engine was called, was very
powerful for that day, the cylinders being 10-and-seven-eighths
ins. in diameter, with stroke of 24-and-seven-eighths ins.
The driving wheels were 81 ins. in diameter. There were 15 sq.
ft. of grate area and the heating surface was 1,344 sq. ft. The
designer of this engine expected that it could be run with absolute
steadiness, at excessively high speed, and the reports made of
its performance in train service justified the belief concerning
steadiness, but the advantage gained was not considered of sufficient
importance to justify the repetition of the experiment.
The railway world had not begun talking about the so-called
"hammer blow" in 1862, but the unsteadiness of many
locomotives at high speed made itself manifest and various schemes
were resorted to for the purpose of remedying the defect which
was largely due to bad counterbalancing of the driving wheels.
The patent office records tell of many inventions being produced
for making locomotives run steadier at high speed, but nothing
of a permanent character has displaced counterbalance weights
placed in the driving wheels.
During the iron rail period considerable ingenuity was devoted
to inventions calculated to reduce the wear of rails, due to impact
of the wheels. It was supposed for years that a low center of
gravity saved the rails from destructive shocks. Years of experience
demonstrated that a low center of gravity tends to lead the wheels
into imparting destructive side shocks to the rails, but that
was an article of knowledge that came to the railway engineering
fraternity by very slow degrees.
Four-Cylinder Balanced Engine.
In 1881 there was built at the Hinkley Locomotive Works, Boston,
a four-cylinder balanced engine, called the H. F. Shaw, Fig. 14,
which was industriously exploited as being entirely free from
the pounding and oscillating action of two cylinder locomotives.
The locomotive was substantially the same as Haswell's Duplex,
except that the cylinders were arranged side by side, transmitting
the power to crank pins diametrically opposite each other. One
of the crank pins connected outside the driving wheel at the same
position an ordinary crank pin would be located, and carried a
double crank, the middle of which was supported in a bearing secured
in an outside frame. That bearing was the driving fulcrum, a main
rod working at each side of it.
The engine was equivalent to one with two cylinders 16 x 24
ins., and driving wheels 63 ins. in diameter. The weight in working
order was 74,000 lbs., of which 25,600 lbs. was on the truck wheels.
The boiler had 14.8 sq. ft. of grate area, and 981.75 sq. ft.
of heating surface. The engine was well designed and built in
first class manner. It was used to a considerable extent on train
service in an experimental fashion, and worked quite satisfactorily.
The advantages claimed for the Shaw were: Perfect balancing,
an increase in the area of wearing surfaces, and, by dividing
the work between four cylinders, reduction of wear and tear was
accomplished, and, consequently, less risk of accident.
One claim read: "By utilizing all the force developed
upon the piston directly upon the driving wheels to rotate them,
the enormous loss through friction in ordinary locomotives is
entirely avoided." The soundness of that claim is open to
dispute and the other claims advanced are even more open to argument.
The Shaw did not languish unknown through want of advertising.
A gentleman named William E. Lockwood had the exploiting of the
invention at heart, and few railroad officials of any consequence
failed to learn how the "hammer blow" could be entirely
Some of the locomotives designed with special view to securing
low center of gravity are curious. Zerah Colburn was a sensible
railway man, with a good practical training as a mechanical engineer,
yet in 1854 he fell into the blunder of designing the absurdity
shown in Fig. 15. That engine had a double boiler, 43 ins. diameter,
arranged so that the driving axle was located between them. It
involved the use of two fire boxes, besides two sets of tubes.
The best that can be said about it is that it was a very courageous
design, but it came to nothing.
The attempt to make big boilers with low centers of gravity
is illustrated in Fig. 16, which shows Trevithick's "Cornwall"
built in 1847. It was a very awkward arrangement and required
a recess being made at the top of the boiler for the driving axle
to pass through. In service it was found that the engine did not
run any steadier than those with a much higher center of gravity
did. The very low center of gravity is a fallacy so far as steady
running is concerned, because when the wheel in its revolutions
receives sharp blows due to inequalities the shock is delivered
to the side of the rail. When the center of gravity is high, like
what it is in our Wootten engines, the blow strikes more on the
top of the rail than on the side.
One of the principal oddities appears to be Crampton's "Liverpool,"
which was built in 1848, and is illustrated in Fig. 17. It has
a huge single pair of driving-wheels which was the Crampton peculiarity.
The designer's idea of putting the driving wheels under the foot
plate and the cylinders near the middle of the boiler was also
the idea of getting a low center of gravity, and a comparatively
big boiler. I had seen some experience with Crampton engines many
years ago, and never saw anybody who had a good word to say about
them, except those connected with the designing and building.
Fig. 18 shows interesting specimen illustrating the attempt
to introduce enormously large driving wheels in Blavier &
Larpent's engine "L'Aigle," built in France, in 1855.
The engine was exhibited in the Paris Exposition of that year,
and attracted a great deal of attention, but never did acceptable
work in service. It had cylinders 16½ by 22 in. stroke,
and driving wheels 2.85 metres, equivalent to 9 ft. 4 ins. diameter.
Another engine built and designed to obviate the disturbing
force due to the action of reciprocating is illustrated in Fig.
19 This engine was patented by Stephenson and Howe, in 1846. The
cross section looks like Webb's famous compound, but it was a
small engine, and was intended to prevent the nosing action so
well known with badly counter-balanced, outside connected engines.
The middle cylinder was 16-and-three-eighths by 18 ins., and the
outside, 10½ by 22 ins. The engine in service did not act
as the patentees expected it would, and the type was never repeated.
James Toleman's Four Cylinder Locomotive.
A most expensive sacrifice to good intentions was the "James
Toleman," Fig. 20, another four cylinder locomotive, but
decidedly different from the other two.
The James Toleman was exhibited in 1893, at the World's Fair,
in Chicago, and it evidently was expected to create something
of a sensation in this country. The engine represented the ideas
of an English engineer as to the best form of locomotive for handling
heavy fast passenger trains. It was designed by a Mr. Winby, of
London, and was built by Hawthorn, Lester & Co., Newcastle,
That the engine was radically different from the ordinary locomotive
was apparent to the most casual observer; yet there were many
novelties about the machine that could be found only after laborious
examination. To obtain high speed and great power combined, two
pairs of driving wheels, 90 ins. diameter, were employed, and
each pair was driven by a pair of separate cylinders, the front
drivers being driven by inside cylinders located under the smoke
box, and the back drivers by outside cylinders set outside, back
of the leading truck. The inside cylinders were 17 x 22 ins.,
and the outside cylinders 12½ x 24 ins. A striking point
about the outside connections was the long piston rod necessary
to reach the guides. The most commendable part of this engine
was the arrangement that obviated the use of parallel rods. A
shifting link motion was used for the inside cylinders and Joy's
The boiler was one of the most curious features of this odd
locomotive. To obtain as much heating surface as possible while
maintaining a fairly low center of gravity, the boiler was made
elliptical, narrowed in the middle of the horizontal diameter,
so that it could be strengthened by cross braces.
A very serious objection occurred to me when I first examined
the engine, which was the complication of parts and the difficulty
that would be encountered in effecting repairs. I wrote:
"The designer appears to have had no consideration whatever
of the fact that repairs would have to be done frequently to a
locomotive pulling fast heavy trains. The engine is very handsome
and displays admirable workmanship. It has 1arge bearings and
strong connections; but we would not like to have the duty of
keeping a number of them in working order."
exhibition was over the James Toleman was p u t upon the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, to haul ten parlor cars, 82
miles in two hours. It failed very decidedly on that service,
both from lack of steam and through breakage of parts.
Fate of the James Toleman.
Replying to a letter of inquiry which I sent, Mr. A. E. Manchester,
superintendent of motive power of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul Railway, wrote:
"The engine 'James Toleman' was some seven years ago turned
over to the Purdue University, La Fayette, Ind., as a museum feature,
and I believe is still there.
"As to the performance of the engine on our road will
say that we never got any practical results from it at all.
"In the first place the grate surface-and the size of
the fire box were not equal to the demands on the boiler, and
no adjustment of the front end or exhaust appliances was equal
to Staking care of the demands on the boilers.
"You will remember that one of the features of this engine
was that the flue sheet extended into the fire box. In other words,
it was a combustion chamber reversed, and it was found in practice
that all of the grate surface under this projecting portion of
the cylinder part of the boiler would not burn the coal, consequently
the grate surface was cut down to the limited amount that was
between the end of the flue sheet and the back end of the fire
"The engine, as you no doubt remember, had four cylinders.
The inside cylinders connected with a crank shaft to the front
driving axle and was operated by a shifting link motion. The back
cylinders were connected by a wrist pin to the back driving wheels
and axles and were operated by a Joy valve motion. All of the
cylinders drew their steam from one niggerhead and dry pipe, and
the result of this was that whichever pair of cylinders, either
inside or outside, took steam first, there was not enough went
into the other cylinders to blow into the cylinder cocks, and
it was only with a light throttle and moving slowly that all cylinders
could be made to take steam at once. When but two of the cylinders
were getting all the steam, the tractive power on that pair of
wheels was not enough to take care of the work that the cylinders
would develop, consequently the engine would stand and one pair
of wheels would spin like a circular saw and the others would
be doing nothing.
"Mr. Winby, who was the designer and owner of the engine,
stayed with it, and had his mechanical engineer and a special
engineer whom he brought from England with him for something like
two months, until he became thoroughly disgusted and went off
and left it. We have not had a word from him for a number of years.
I think he has forgotten that he ever designed or owned the 'James
French Favor Novelties.
Gallic sentiment leans kindly to things that look new.
France has given to the world a fair share of the freaks designed
to send the ordinary forms of locomotives prematurely to the scrapheap,
and, incidentally, to demonstrate what amateur designers could
do in wandering away from well trodden paths of engineering rectitude.
"The earth was made so various that the mind
Of desultory man, studious of change,
And pleased with novelty might be indulged."
Heilmann Electric Locomotive.
The Western Railway of France experimented persistently in
1897 with electric locomotives, Fig. 21, which generated the electricity
in driving it. This form of engine was invented by J. J. Heilmann,
a Swiss engineer, residing in Paris. The first locomotive of that
type tried was considered to work so satisfactory that two others,
much more powerful than the first one, were made, one of them
being the subject of illustration which was copied from the Railway
World, of London. The body of the engine consisted of heavy steel
girders which was carried by two eight wheel trucks. Above the
rear part on the deck built upon the frames were placed the boiler
and coal bunkers, while the principal steam engine, the two generation
electric dynamos, the exciter with a special engine and the airbrake
apparatus were carried above the leading truck.
The boiler was of the locomotive Belpaire type, and provided
1,996.5 sq. ft. of heating surface. The grate area was 35.95 sq.
ft. The boiler pressure carried was about 200 lbs. to the sq.
The engine was compound with six cranks set in a form that
was reported to give perfect equilibrium. The engine drove two
electric generators continuous current machines, independently
excited. The current supplied by the generators was said to develop
125 horse power at 62 miles an hour. It was calculated that this
locomotive would haul a train weighing 250 tons at the speed of
62 miles an hour, which seemed to me a small performance for the
The Heilmann locomotive formed a spectacle to the people of
Paris for only a few short months.
Another expensive French novelty was the Thuile high-speed
locomotive, exhibited at Paris in 1900 by Schneider & Co.,
of Crensot, France, and shown in Fig. 22. That engine was designed
to haul trains from 180 to 200 tons, equal to about four Pullman
cars, at 75 miles an hour on level roads, and was calculated to
develop about 1,800 horse power.
There were four coupled wheels, a full truck at the front and
a six-wheel truck under the back end, although the necessity for
this was not apparent, as there were only 59,000 lbs. on this
truck. This makes less than 10,000 lbs. on a wheel for this truck,
and under 15,000 for a four-wheel truck, which would seem preferable
to the extra pair of wheels.
The driving wheels carried only 65,000 lbs., or about 16,000
on a wheelbut little more than was carried by the trailing
truck. The total weight of the engine in working order was about
165,000 lbs., and the tractive power 15,652 lbs.
was of a flattened section, as shown in Fig. 23, similar to the
"James Toleman" boiler, to get it between the wheels,
which were 8 ft. 2½ ins. diameter, and the method of cross-staying
is shown in the sectional cut. The diameter of upper portion was
about 54 ins., while the lower is 48.5 ins. The height was 79
ins. There were 183 ribbed tubes, 2¼ ins. in diameter and
14 ft. 3 ins. long, giving a heating surface of 2,941 sq. ft.,
which with 263 ft. in firebox gave a total of 3,204 sq. ft. The
boiler pressure was 213 lbs. The grate area was very large for
European practice, being a trifle over 50 sq. ft.
Cylinders were 20 x 27½ ins., and a Walschaerts valve
gear was used. The total wheel base was 40 ft. 2 ins., and entire
length of engine, 46 ft. The cab, which had a windsplitting attachment,
was in front of the engine, while the fireman was at the rear46
The tender was also of peculiar design, having ten 42-in. wheels
under it. The wheel base was 25 ft. 7 ins., and the tender weighed
about 49,000 lbs., empty, and 121,000 in working order. It carried
about 6,000 gallons of water and 7 tons of coal. I was indebted
to Engineering, of London, for the data given.
I examined that locomotive very carefully at the Paris Exposition
and discussed its peculiarities with some of the most eminent
engineers who were visitors at the show. The following conclude
notes which I wrote to my paper about the Thuile locomotive:
"The engine shows traces of very careful designing and the
construction work has been wonderfully well done. I listened to
several well-known European engineers discussing the merits and
shortcomings of the machine, and I certainly was surprised to
find that the consensus of that opinion was favorable. The writer
dislikes to be in the minority, but he has enjoyed many opportunities
of passing judgment on so-called original types of locomotives
that were going to push the common types out of service. He never
made a mistake of judgment in telling that the ordinary original
type of locomotive was a fake. He has now no hesitation in saying
that the Thuile will fall into rank with the Fontaine, the Raub
Central Power, the James Toleman and the Holman locomotives, which
are all of amusing memory."
An Early Double Ender.
The oddity shown in Fig. 24 was one of several locomotives
built in 1862 by the Northern Railway of France. The best that
can be said of this locomotive was a remark made on a ridiculous
freak designed in the office of Locomotive Engineering, and
called the Gilderfluke, as a take-off on idiotic designs of locomotives
getting forced into notice. This engineer remarked, "the
thing would move." As may be noted, this was one of the early
double end locomotives.
A remarkable freak that was to be seen in Paris in 1900 bore
the above name. It had three pairs of driving wheels, 7 ft. diameter,
coupled, and two pairs of wheels of the same size carried the
tender. Its curious appearance was the only thing that made the
Parisienne worthy of passing notice.
A famous engineer once remarked to an inventor, who had presented
an extraordinary complicated arrangement of mechanism as an improved
valve motion, "You are suffering from abnormal inventive
fertility." An engineer gifted with the inventive faculty
is in danger of pushing his inventive fertility to a rank crop
that is expensive to harvest. I have always thought it was some
such inventing force that pushed F. W. Johnstone, mechanical superintendent
of the Mexican Central Railway, to design the locomotive shown
in Fig. 25, which was one of three built in 1892.
The engine, as will be readily understood, was a most extraordinary
form of a locomotive. It looks like two Mogul2-6-0locomotives
fastened cab to cab; but it is structurally a good deal more than
that. The reputed purpose of this odd type of engine was to provide
an extraordinarily powerful flexible motor for climbing the steep
mountain grades of the Mexican Central Railway, the flexibility
being sufficient to go round very sharp curves with the least
possible frictional resistance. The flexibility was obtained by
securing the driving wheels in a truck, which was free to move
in a line different from that followed by the main frames. In
the Mason bogie engines, the driving wheels were grouped in a
flexible truck which carried the cylinders. In the Johnstone engine,
the cylinders and boiler were carried on the main frames, separate
from the driving wheel truck.
As the cylinders were not in line with the driving wheels in
passing curves, it was necessary that a special method of transmitting
the power from the cylinders should be employed. This was done
in a very ingenious way through levers that transmitted the power
and at the same time compensated for the varying distances between
pistons and crank, due to the swivelling of the driving wheels.
Without the compensating arrangement it would have been necessary
to give the engine so much cylinder clearance that the loss of
steam would have been very great. The power transmitting levers
are seen in the back of the cylinders, connected at the top by
a short link and the bottom ends pinned to the front end of the
main rods. There were two of the latter, one connecting with a
crank pin, the other with a return crank. The piston transmitted
motion to the back one of the two levers, and that gave motion
to the front lever, which was fulcrumed securely to the frame
near its center.
The engines were compound, with annular cylinders, the high
pressure cylinder being in the center and the low pressure cylinder
forming the outside concentric ring. The high pressure cylinder
was 13 ins. diameter, and the low pressure 28 ins. The stroke
was 24 ins. It was calculated that each pair of cylinders would
develop power equal to a 19 x 24 in. simple engine.
That cylinder arrangement violated the principles relating
to the conservation of heat, for the comparatively cold, low pressure
steam encircling the high pressure cylinder would be certain to
exert condensing effects upon the steam in the high pressure cylinder.
Even in the hands of their friends it was difficult to keep the
engines at work, and after a few years of unsatisfactory service
they were changed to accepted forms.
An Original Form of Contractor's Locomotive.
Among the minor sacrifices to good intentions that were called
locomotives w a s that shown in Fig. 26. This was the first product
of the Pittsburgh Locomotive Works, and was built by Thatcher
Perkins, engineer and superintendent of the company, for the contractor
of a narrow gauge coal road near Pittsburgh named Bausman. The
workmen called it "Bausman's Rhinoceros."
The curious thing about the engine was that it had no main
or side rods, the piston rods extending out on both ends of the
cylinders and connected to slotted cross heads, fitted with sliding
blocks, in which the crank pins worked. The valve gear was of
the Carmichael type, illustrated in the chapter on Valve Motion.
The Oldest Curiousity.
During the Diamond jubilee of the late Queen Victoria, when
all London was decorated with flags, streamers and emblems, the
headquarters of one of the well known cricket clubs in that city
had among their decorations the words, "Well played; 60,
not out." The old engine which we illustrate in Fig. 27 is
still at work, and the North .Eastern Railway of England might
well say of it, as the cricketers did of the Queen, "Well
played; 84, not out."
We are indebted
to Mr. Wilson Worsdell, chief mechanical engineer of the North
Eastern of England, for the photograph, diagrams and information
concerning this remarkable engine. Mr. Worsdell is of the opinion
that it is the oldest locomotive in the world that is daily under
steam, for it was built in 1822 and is now regularly used as part
of the motive power equipment in the collieries of Sir Lindsay
Wood, who is one of the directors of the North Eastern Railway.
The collieries are situated in the county of Durham, at a place
called Hetton-le-Hole, in England.
The engine has vertical cylinders 10¼ inches in diameter
and 24 inch stroke, with cross arms instead of cross heads working
in upright guides which are braced diagonally from the top of
one to the bottom of the other. The cylinders rest directly on
the shell of the boiler, which is not covered with any lagging.
There is a small cab on one side, in which the "driver"
is evidently allowed to sit down. The halftone illustration shows
him with his hand on the brake apparatus. This is a form used
a good deal in the British Isles, and is an upright shaft placed
in a hollow stand. The shaft has a screw thread cut on the lower
end, upon which a nut works. The nut has two trunnions on either
side, which take the place of a pin in a lever. The nut can be
run up or down the shaft, according to the way the handle is turned,
and the nut, although moving the end of a lever, always remains
parallel to itself.
The familiar "life guards" are to be seen in front
of the leading wheels. These are the vertical metal bars which
reach from the buffer beam to very nearly the rail level. They
are used throughout the British Isles and on the continent at
the present day. The sand box is seen comfortably nestling against
the side of the smoke box on the running board level.
The line engraving, Fig. 28, shows the valve gear at A
as it was originally built. The motion which actuated the valve
was obtained from a cam working in a square box. This motion was
conveyed through connecting links and rods to a lever fixed above
the steam chest. The valve worked in a box on the side of the
cylinder. The reverse motion was obtained by the driver withdrawing
bolt C and moving the rod to the other end of lever and
replacing the bolt at point marked E. This had to be done
separately for each of the cylinders. About the year 1880 the
old arrangement was altered. An eccentric sheave was fixed on
the axle instead of the cam, and the motion was conveyed through
a link, as shown at B. This arrangement is more clearly
shown in Fig. 29. The reversing lever was so fixed so as to shift
the link block in the link. The halftone illustration exhibits
this arrangement also, but the adjacent ends of the links and
the bottom of the reverse lever and its fulcrum are hidden behind
a metal plate.
According to our modern rule, the engine has a calculated tractive
effort of about 4,700 pounds.
Oscillating cylinders were in great repute, for steam engines
for a few years, especially for marine power, and claims were
persistently made that an oscillating engine would transmit more
power to the crank pin than any other. Those favoring that kind
of engine held that it had no dead center to speak of and that
the leverage was correspondingly great.
A locomotive might not be regarded as a good subject for the
application of oscillating cylinders, yet that has been done successfully
and Dewey Bros., Goldsboro, N. C., are making such locomotives
for logging railroads, one of them being shown in Fig. 30. As
will be observed, the piston rods are coupled direct to the crank
pin. The engine is reversed by means of a four-way cock which
changes the steam pipe into an exhaust pipe and vice versa. The
cylinders oscillate on a trunnion which passes through the middle
casting. This trunnion passes through a coil spring which pulls
the cylinder up against the saddle, allowing it to oscillate and
yet make a tight joint. No valve gear is necessary. Fig. 31 is
a line engraving of Grew's Ice Locomotive for Russia built in
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This resource has drawn together a selection of materials on qualitative research that could be helpful to educational researchers at different stages of their careers. The resource was produced as part of the ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP)'s commitment to research capacity building. TLRP itself has now developed a more comprehensive suite of resources on research approaches designed to help develop researcher expertise. However, it was felt that the different way this set of resources was put together may still be of interest to those who want an insight into educational research methods rather than a more comprehensive set of resources. The intention is to illustrate a range of qualitaive methods in use in educational research. Some methods (which are often used in combination) include:
- Observation (participant / repeat / non-participant)
- Use of technology (e.g. email, computer assisted interviewing, video)
- Instruments and tools (e.g. questionnaires, diaries and learning logs)
A case study approach is often used, which frequently draws upon a mixture of methods. Any consideration of research methods should also give attention to:
- Decisions about which methods to use (eg epistemological positions)
- Methods in action (adapting and using methods in context)
- Data handling, reduction, analysis and synthesis (eg validation, tracking, coding, etc)
- Ethical concerns
- Scope of the study (eg longitudinal, snap-shot)
Of course methods are not used in a vacuum. They are used in accordance with theoretical / epistemological perspectives, and for a discussion of these see Educational Research and Policy: a TLRP resource produced by David Bridges and colleagues.
Forum: Qualitative Social Research has published a special issue (Forum Volume 6, No. 3 – September 2005) on The State of the Art of Qualitative Research in Europe. The Cabinet Office / Strategy Unit produced a report Quality and Qualitative Evaluation: A framework for assessing research evidence, in which it put forward a framework built on certain premises surrounding the nature of qualitative enquiry, how it can be used for evaluative purposes and how its quality can be assessed. The Qualitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences: Innovation, Integration and Impact (QUALITI) project, based at Cardiff University, focuses on the innovation, integration and impact of qualitative research methods, paying particular attention to the social contexts in which research methods and methodologies are situated.
There are extensive web-based support materials on qualitative research methods ranging from introductory guides aimed at practitioners, such as that produced by Penisula RDSU Qualitative Research Methods, through to guides for post-graduate students, such as those produced by RESINED of the University of Plymouth on Qualitative Research. The latter was produced by Peter Woods (2006) and covers Features of Qualitative Research (with sections on A focus on natural settings; An interest in meanings, perspectives and understandings; An emphasis on process; Inductive analysis and grounded theory); Methods of Qualitative Research (with sections on Observation; Interviews; Sampling; Written materials; Questionnaires; Validity; Ethics; Qualitative Research Assessed); Qualitative Analysis (Primary analysis; Category and concept formation; The generation of theory) as well as Tasks; Further Reading and References. Specialist papers are also available on issues such as Qualitative Research Methods and Transcription. Our intention here is not to duplicate such collections but rather to pick on a number of topics on which material from TLRP research can be used to inform a broader discussion that may be of interest to researchers at different stages of their careers.
For this purpose, as well as the following contributions, we draw on Social Network Analysis as a topic to be investigated at greater depth.
Use of artefacts in the research process: for a general introduction of the use of photos and other techniques for eliciting responses from interviewees, see Surrey Social Research Update (25) on Photo-Interviewing for research and Surrey Social Research Update (12) on Elicitation Techniques with Young People. For more on the use of photo-elicitation and other charts and documents to help get respondents talk about aspects of their work, see Christine Fessey's (2002) article on Capturing expertise in the development of practice: methodology and approaches, Learning in Health and Social Care 1 (1), 47–58.
Use of vignettes in reporting research findings: for a general introduction, see Surrey Social Research Update on use of vignettes in qualitative research. Emma Renold gives an overview of Using vignettes in qualitative research, while for a fuller discussion see:
Barter, C. and Renold, E. (2000) ‘I wanna tell you a story’: exploring the application of vignettes in qualitative research with children and young people, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 3 (4), 307-323.
Finch, J. (1987) The vignette technique in survey research, Sociology, 21, 105-11.
Use of focus groups: for a general introduction, see Surrey Social Research Update (19) on Focus Groups. The OMNI Research and Training, Inc., a social science research firm based in Denver, has produced a useful toolkit for conducting focus groups.
The TLRP project on Towards Evidence-based Practice in Science Education 4: Users’ perceptions of research combined the use of vignettes with focus groups. Calls for evidence-based practice raise issues about what constitutes 'evidence' for development of educational policy and classroom practice. This project focused on the experiences of teachers of science and a range of other science education practitioners and set up focus groups to examine the extent to which findings from science education research were seen as convincing and persuasive, and might lead to a change in practice. Focus group participants were presented in advance with eight vignettes describing real examples of educational research. Discussion concentrated on the extent to which participants were familiar with the research, found it credible or convincing, and its likely influence on their practice.
Discussions on nature of qualitative research
The May 2004 special issue (8) of 'Building Research Capacity' on Making qualitative judgements of quality features responses to the Cabinet Office document Quality in Qualitative Evaluation: A framework for assessing research evidence by Liz Spencer, Jane Ritchie, Jane Lewis and Lucy Dillon of the National Centre for Social Research (2003).
Qualitative research on learning at work
The following paper by Stephen Steadman (2005) is an example of an extended commentary on methodological issues associated with researching learning at work: Early Career Learning at Work (LiNEA) Project Methodology and Theoretical Frameworks. It is drawn from the TLRP project on Early Career Learning.
Use of photos, charts and documents in the interview process
The TLRP Learning as Work and Early Career Learning projects both used photo-elicitation and other charts and documents to help get respondents talking about aspects of their work, see for example the Steadman (2005) paper on Methodolgy and theoretical frameworks from the latter project detailing how this approach worked in practice.
Using vignettes in qualitative research
Emma Renold, writing in the July 2002 issue (3) of Building Research Capacity, gives an overview of Using vignettes in qualitative research.
Auto/biographical and narrative approaches
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Buy custom Mentally Disabled Students essay paper cheap
Deppeler, Harvey, & Loreman, (2010), explain that mental disability is any of the "numerous circumstances that affect a human being" (Deppeler, Harvey, & Loreman, 2010, pp. 46). It is a condition that is characterised by the impairment of the individual sufferer typical cognitive and poignant or the behaviour based functioning. It is a condition that is caused by the social, psychological and the relative biochemical shortcomings. It is as well traceable to the genetically based formations and other factors such as the infection, which is also referred to as the head trauma. Student who suffer from the condition are associated with the anxiety disorders, mood disorders and the schizophrenia turmoil. Due to this, and other reasons the Mentally Disabled Students should be mainstreamed in China.
From Gearheart, & Mel, (2004), t he recent statistics; compiled by the American council on education, has been able to prove the rise in the Chinese students who are reporting the learning disabilities. The student's numbers have surged and the effect extends to doubling the duration required to do the final exams as well as the growth of spelling errors impunity. Other effects are the "destruction of the free environment for undertaking the exams" ( Gearheart, & Mel, 2004, pp. 50), and the "need of alterative exam formats" ( Gearheart, & Mel, 2004, pp. 50), as well as the varied lot of readers and relative accommodation to ensure that these students were likely to succeed.
The statistics of the students that are reporting mental disability in the Chinese institutions of higher learning are significant. These figures are growing in a rate that is shocking. From Crow, (2006), f or instance, in 1988, from the students who were associated with a disability, 16.1% tested positive for learning disability. This had more than doubled in a survey taken in 2001. The 2001 statistics did show that 40.1% of the Chinese students were suffering from learning disability.
The attention deficit disorder which normally affects these students is the reason behind their delayed understanding in school. It is a critical, phenomenon and it even called the "entitlement model" ( Crow, 2006, pp. 63), which is a movement that is set to help the disabled students realize their dreams. To do this, the model embarks on support and service to the affected students. Basing on this and other models that are supportive of the students in disability fair attention and entitlement to help; that would make them do better in academics, it is critical to have the Mentally Disabled Students mainstreamed in China. This is because; any responsible Chinese citizen will be able to see that these students are treated just like the other normal students. They are not put into slavery in the brick and other industries and are subjected to fair humane considerations.
Deppeler, Harvey, & Loreman, (2010), criticize the recent case of the disabled students and workers' were being subjected to servitude; it is critical and demeaning. For instance, an "asylum boss was recently detained for selling the disabled citizens to a factory where they were enslaved," (Deppeler, Harvey, & Loreman, 2010, pp. 34). If these were well known by the public through sight and name, such an inhuman action could be impossible to engage in hence the argument that Mentally Disabled Students should be mainstreamed in China.
Mental illness does describe a number of the critical mental and relative emotionally indented conditions ( Gorski, 2005) . It does refer to a single portion of the broader ADA terminology of mental mutilation. This condition is different from other related shortcomings such as the mental retardation, the organic brain damage and erudition disabilities. Gorski, (2005), emphasizes that the mental disability does in a significant way affect the individual performance of critical life activities. These activities include learning and working as well as communication.
Students who suffer from the condition experience the situation for many years. Crow, (2006), argues that t he condition does though vary in type, intensity and the symptoms duration, which is dependant of the individual environment and exposure as well as vulnerability. These signs do come and go and do not follow any pattern. This is what makes the condition hard to deal with, hence the argument that Mentally Disabled Students should be mainstreamed in China.
Flores, (2007), pinpoints that, t he symptoms of the illness are only treatable through the administration of medication, and psychotherapy. In some circumstances, diminution may as well be used to help the condition. Medically indented method is able to contain approximately 67% of all the situations it has been tested with while psychotherapy controls at least 83% of the condition ( Flores, 2007) . However, for the two methods to be effective, the student who suffers from the condition should be well identified and closely monitored. This makes them to be assisted to stick to the prescription without a violation which accrues to quick recovery.
It would be more effective, when the public is aware of the students suffering from the condition.
This because, everyone who notices a change in activity execution is able to assist the student to control the effects of the condition. It is better when everyone is made aware of the students suffering with the situation, hence Mentally Disabled Students should be mainstreamed in China. The victim plays 48% towards treatment, parents and relatives 12% while the close friends and immediate partner represents 21%. The reminder 19% is the role that a medical practitioner plays as far as the condition is concerned.
Variables percentages victim 48% parents and relatives 12% close friends and immediate partner 21% medical practitioner 19%
A pie diagrammatic representation; The combination of all the above efforts yields, better results hence it is necessary to have the Mentally Disabled Students mainstreamed in China.
The condition varies in different people ( Crow, 2006) . For some, the illness does result to periodic happenings that require detailed medical support and treatment. There are cases where some of the victims require no support, while others do need occasional support. There as cases those are in need of dire support from varied angles such as substantial and ongoing support, for them to be productive. This support is hard to provide and satisfy by one individual and a pooling of efforts is significant hence the argument that the Mentally Disabled Students should be mainstreamed in China. This could help out as the government, family and educations organizations try all they could to see that the particular students are able to partake their studies effectively.
According to Lieberman, (2007), t he students who suffered from the condition are statistically in need of 23% of emotional support, 38% financial support and 26% of family support. The reminder13% represents the roles of government. To achieve all these, it is necessary to ask for the public support hence the Mentally Disabled Students should be mainstreamed in China.
The Statistical representation of this is as follows; Emotional support 23% Financial support 38% Family support 26% Government support 13%. The radar chart representation is as follows;Due to the fact that, mental illness is technical to handle, it is practically and significant to argue that all the variables are interrelated. This is because each factor role play is essential to the eradication of the mental conditions.
Mainstreaming is an educational model that is involved with the combination of both immobilized and handicapped students into the standard classes ( Zins, Michael, Janet & Ponti, 1998) . This is opposed to their severance as per their education abilities and prospective. Mainstreaming has the ability to give each apprentice disabled or not the archetypal experience that is associated with the classroom familiarity.
From Gearheart, & Mel, (2004), educational mainstreaming in USA was commenced after the 1975 signing of the "Education for all handicapped children act." It was in this act the requirement of the government of USA, to avail to all the students who were handicapped sufficient funding provides they were in the age bracket of 3 and 21.This was set to ensure that these students were receiving free and sufficient education.
China should as well come up with the mechanisms that will see the mentally disabled students mainstreamed. Some of the most probable mainstreaming approaches are the setting amalgamation; where the mentally disabled students are coached at the same location as the normal kind, though they cover separate units or different department of their institutions of learning. This is an approach that is associated with the permitting of the minute contact between the students; those with special needs and the normal scholars.
Mainstreaming in china of the mentally challenged students and the normal students will ensure that all the students are learning in the equivalent surroundings. This would kill stigmatizations, and facilitate oneness and helping of a friend to get what they might not have grasped at the first instance (Alur & Timmons, 2009). An approach such as this will ensure that the students are able to interact and build positive relations with each other after the realization of the fact that disability is not actually inability.
Third, from Sands, Kozleski & French, (2000), mainstreaming of the Chinese mentally disabled students will ensure that they are able to learn from the regular scholars some of the basic skills. This is due to the fact that, one of the student is able to partake the normal things that a normal person is supposed to do, which facilitate the critical conditioning approach to learning of the mentally challenged scholar. Mainstreaming advocates for the customization of the classrooms to meet all scholar needs. This means that, students are able to learn from each other study materials hence facilitating understanding and intellectual growth.
Deppeler, Harvey, & Loreman, (2010), argues that, other advantages of china embracing of mainstreaming include the fact that many of the mentally disabled students will be able to respond better and they will be working harder due to the promising situations that they shall be subjected. More so, these students, are be able to realize improved scholastic triumphs and they will have improved highly on self esteem and the general substantial healthiness. The other critical aspect that mainstreaming of the students will lead to in china is that it will endorse miscellany and the overall acceptance in the community. This is because the regular students will associate with the other students which make them to be able to live under their conditions hence improving their acceptance in the community.
Mainstreaming of the mentally challenged Chinese students will help them to undertake their studies which promise a better future despite the fact that they are mentally disabled. China has to buy into mainstreaming because the psychologists have argued that "No learning arrangement for a mentally disadvantaged or disabled child can be effective if it is undertaken in an environment that is detached from the rest of scholars. This might be influenced by an indiscernible obstruction of apprehensive curiosity other approaches such as fear."
Basing on such arguments, it is therefore essential to have the Chinese educational system amended to take in both mentally challenged and the regular students in similar classes. The mentally disabled students in china need to be made aware through experience that they are socially acknowledged by both their peers and the synergy of the community. According to Ainscow, (1999), Mainstreaming will make them to believe they are able to learn. Mainstreaming will ensure that the mentally disabled students are thus able to grow up as happy human beings who are healthy in body and academics for a beautiful promising tomorrow's life.
In the history of main streaming, it has been able to produce significant results with the special students. The mentally challenged students; who are able to associate with a classroom environment, are primed for the life after school. China is not an exemption from this and it will work wonders if they do embrace the approach for their scholars linked to the mental disability. It will open their eyes and knowledge pit, hence making the mentally disabled students informed and relived from stigmatization and direct targets of exploitation; servitude in china. Mainstreaming will boost Chinese productivity academically. This will stretch its impacts to the economic gains due to increased productivity of the prior wasted resources and human labour.
It is an approach that requires further research and elaborations, to create a wider picture of the situation being talked of in the incident. China must implement mechanisms to assist the mentally challenged and the first approach is to adopt mainstreaming in the academic institutions. This will widen the facilities and shift the ability to offer assistance and coaching of the mentally disadvantaged from not only the teachers, but by fellow regular scholars as well. Students in similar classroom will be benefiting from each other through the associations and interactions. Therefore, as far as china wish to assist the mental disability issue, it is paramount if it will be able to adopt the educational mainstreaming as a way of getting the effected students more variety to learn. It is in this line that this research is set to advocate for argument that the Mentally Disabled Students should be mainstreamed in China. Such a conclusion has been arrived at due to the uncontested fact that its advantages do overpower risks significantly.
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Heather Stoddart, Measured Survey Manager, Architecture and Industry Section and Ali McCaig, Measured Survey Manager, Landscape Section at Historic Environment Scotland
We have chosen an Industrial Archaeological site on the River Clyde called Hyndford Mills, near Lanark, which we are surveying as part of an HES programme called ‘Discovering the Clyde’ http://discoveringtheclyde.org.uk/
The site sits very close to the river and floods regularly. It consists of a series of roofless buildings and archaeological remains that have been excavated by a local community group the Clydesdale Mills Society.
On our first visit, we explored the site and discussed the general interpretation with Miriam McDonald, Industrial Survey Manager at HES and with representatives from the Clydesdale Mills Society. At that point we agreed on the end product that we wanted to achieve – a detailed plan of the extent of the site which will show the upstanding walls, lades, tail-race and ground works in reasonable detail.
Hyndford Mills is quite a complex site, with multiple phasing. It appears on Pont’s map of Glasgow and the County of Lanark (Pont 34, c.1583-96) http://maps.nls.uk/detail.cfm?id=297 and may be much older still. The site has been used for many small-scale industrial and agricultural processes over many generations including grain milling, flax processing and animal bone crushing (for agricultural manure).
To start this survey we used two different techniques, alidade and GPS. The GPS was used to set out framework control for the site and to collect data which is used to create the detailed scaled plan and a sectional elevation drawing. The initial task was to undertake two alidade surveys which we did together, involving Ali on the survey staff and Heather on the survey board, recording the survey points. This allowed us both to discuss the survey points that needed to be taken and our evolving interpretation of the site. Once the framework of the site was complete, we split up to record and plan the features in more detail. The end product will form an annotated scaled plan and sectional elevation at 1:200.
A detailed photographic survey of the site was also undertaken by Steve Wallace, Field Photography Projects Manager at HES. | <urn:uuid:8195a539-0a1d-49e6-a7c3-7eef8f0e6d00> | {
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History of the Forbidden City
The Purple Forbidden City
YongLe's home became known as 'Zi Jin Ch'eng'. This has the meaning : 'the purple city (Ch'eng) of the polestar (Tzu), where one cannot enter (jin)'. The literal meaning of China (ChungHua) is 'the country at the centre' or 'middle kingdom', leading to the idea that the Forbidden City is at the very centre of the world.
The Forbidden City was constructed in accordance with ancient rules of spatial design, first used during the Han dynasty in building the city of Chang'An (modern XiAn), between 206 BC and AD 220 . Among other things, these rules specified that the principal buildings should be aligned along a straight axis from south to north, flanked by a symmetrical arrangement of minor structures on parallel axes. This architectural convention was favourable to YungLo's claim that his city had symbolic importance. He believed that a centralized configuration of buildings would also serve as a reflection of the ordered heavens.
The chilling north was regarded as a harmful direction. Because all invasions of China had originated from the north, it came to represent evil spirits, cold winds and the wicked warriors from the Steppes. Hence, nearly all the buildings in the Forbidden City face south, the direction of holiness, giving protection from icy winds and also permitting subtle decoration based on catching infinite variations of sunlight. In fact, the only pavilions facing north were for the emperor's rejected concubines.
The enclosing wall (being synonymous with the word for 'city' in China) was a major component in city planning, with huge towers over the gates and watchtowers at the four corners.
In part, the chinese philosophy of Taoism seeks harmony with nature. The mysterious art of Feng-Shui (literally, 'wind-water') was used to help harmonize buildings with natural forces. The chinese architectural tradition for placing major buildings along an axis also allowed asymmetrical elements to be introduced, such as the natural release of trees, lakes and canals.
All of the five elemental colors (as specified by chinese philosophers) were introduced in the design of the city : white marble terraces, (almost) black paving of the courtyards, red columns, with yellow roofs, all on a sky blue background as reflected in the moat. The majesty of this purple walled city with its golden yellow rooftops standing tall among all the uniformly grey and far smaller hutongs must have been an extraordinary sight. The high, vermilion palace walls, by keeping the emperor hidden, enhanced his mystique and glory.
Construction of the Forbidden City started in 1406, the 5th year of YongLo's reign. The construction took 14 years - and an estimated one million workers, and 100,000 artisans, were involved.
Stones needed were quarried from FangShan, a suburb of Beijing. It is said that a well was dug every 50 meters in order to pour water onto the road in winter to slide the huge stones along ice into the city. In the summer, logs were used to roll the rocks along.
Huge amounts of timbers and other materials were also freighted in, many from faraway provinces.
From its completion in 1420 to 1644, when a peasant revolt invaded it, the Forbidden City served as the seat of the Ming Dynasty. The following Qing Dynasty also resided in the Forbidden City. By the end of the eighteenth century, some 9000 people were estimated to reside there.
After being the home of 24 emperors - fourteen of the Ming dynasty and the ten of the Qing - the Forbidden City ceased being the political center of China in 1912 with the abdication of Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China. He was, however, allowed (in fact, required) to live within the walls of the Forbidden City, until a coup launched by a local general (Feng YuXiang) in 1924 expelled him.
Having been the imperial palace for some five centuries, it houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. In 1947, after they had been moved from one location to another inside mainland China for many years (most recently to be hidden from the Japanese in the Sino-Japanese war), Chiang Kai-Shek ordered many of the artifacts within the Forbidden City to be moved to Taiwan where they later formed the core of the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
Just a few of the many golden yellow rooftops,
with the White Dagoba in Beihai Park visible in the distance.
This action has been extremely controversial, with some regarding it as looting with others regarding it as safekeeping, especially given the events of the Cultural Revolution on the mainland. However, many treasures (about 1 million) are now housed within the Forbidden City - and many of these are on display to visitors, including gifts of state, military campaign treasures, and the furnishings and possessions of members of the imperial household. Many others (about 650,000 objects) remain in the National Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.
If we look at a map of Beijing from around 1600, we can see it is quite familiar in many ways. Some of the roads familiar today existed then - such as the shopping streets of WanFuJing and XiDan. We can also see that the subway loop line (line 2) follows the path of the old city wall and that the second ring road follows it too - following the extended city wall to the south. The old city walls are shown in red.
A part of the old city wall can be seen at ChongWenMen ('men' means gate in chinese). An old gate still exists at DeShengMen. Parts of the moat / canal also still exist, at least in location, including most of the canal that could transport the emperor to the Summer Palace (YiHeYuan).
An important thing to note is the importance of the north-south axis in the imperial city, extending from the drum and bell towers in the north to the Temple of Heaven in the south. Today, the primary axis is east - west with the creation of the grand boulevard ChangAn. On the map, the location of ChangAn is shown in pale grey/green; it hardly existed in the days of the Ming Dynasty.
In the southern part of the outer city is the Temple of Heaven (TianTan). To the north of the inner city is Ditan (terrace), to the east Ritan and west Yuetan, forming the four perpheral key points, clustered around the imperial city. The Imperial Ancestral Temple (TaiMiao) and the altar for worshipping the god of the land and the god of grain (SheJiTan) were located on the left and right sides in front of Wumen, the front gate of the Forbidden City (now called ZhongShan park and the Working People's Cultural park respectively).
On the annual Winter Solstice (22nd solar term), the Summer Solstice (10th solar term), the Spring Equinox (4th solar term), and Autumnal Equinox (16th solar term), the emperor went to TianTan, DiTan, RiTan and YueTan respectively to perform sacrificial rites. The correspondence of TianTan, DiTan, RiTan and YueTan to winter, summer, spring and autumn, and also to south, north, east and west, demonstrated the ancient chinese world outlook on the integration of man and heaven.
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One day after the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated in the sky, a NASA official said remains from all seven astronauts had been found while another official voiced hope that hidden data on computers would shed light on what caused the disaster.
"We found remains from all the astronauts," Bob Cabana, NASA director of flight crew operations, told reporters tonight. "It's still in the process of identification."
And as authorities continue the grim task of identifying the remains, NASA officials said they hoped they could find clues to determine what destroyed the second space shuttle in 17 years.
Ron Dittemore, the space shuttle program manager, said investigators will look for new clues that might be pulled out of NASA's flight computers — perhaps including data for an additional 32 seconds after communications with the shuttle went silent before the craft broke up.
Even if NASA officials succeed in retrieving the information, determining the cause of Saturday's disaster will not be easy. Officials say some evidence may have been destroyed during re-entry, when the shuttle was exposed to temperatures of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe told ABCNEWS' This Week the preliminary investigation is concentrating on the external components of the shuttle, but nothing is being ruled out.
Looking at Fuel Tank, Tiles
NASA officials may focus on a piece of insulation that fell off a fuel tank during liftoff, perhaps hitting heat-repellent tiles under the left wing.
"That's one of the earliest indications," O'Keefe said. "It's one of the areas we're looking at first, early, to make sure the investigative team is concentrating on that theory or that set of facts."
Dittemore later told reporters NASA detected a sudden temperature rise in the shuttle's fuselage in the minutes before contact was lost. Soon afterward, Columbia's computer controls appeared to be trying to compensate for a drag on the left wing. However, he said, the drag by itself was not sufficient to suggest a problem with the insulating tiles, or at the time to have unduly alarmed the astronauts or NASA's ground crew.
"It's an interesting piece of data that's part of our equation that we're putting in with everything else," Dittemore said.
NASA preflight press information said the shuttle was using a new version of the fuel tank, The Associated Press reported. But a spokesman for Lockheed, the fuel tank manufacturer, said today Columbia actually was using an older version that NASA had begun phasing out in 2000, although he didn't know if there was a difference in the way the insulation was installed.
However, Dittemore said: "There's no concern about the lightweight tank. It's just different material than the super-lightweight. … Structurally and performance-wise, we had used it for many years, and had no reason to doubt its capability."
Retired Navy Rear Adm. Harold Gehman Jr. — who led the Pentagon investigation into the terrorist bombing of the USS Cole — will head a special government commission investigating the cause of the Columbia disaster. Officials continue to say there is no evidence of terrorism in the case of the shuttle.
NASA is also conducting its own investigation and House and Senate panels plan to examine the disaster that killed all seven crew members — commander Rick Husband, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, William McCool and Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut. | <urn:uuid:3231adba-f461-443c-ada1-1c92278c8f78> | {
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Meaning of HIV
Aug 14, 2002
I would like to know what HIV stands for? I know that AIDS stands for Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Please could you mail me the answer. Thanks
Response from Mr. Kull
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS. Being infected with HIV is not the same thing as "having" AIDS. When a person is infected with HIV, their immune system becomes unable to fight off infections and can develop certain types of cancers. For more information about HIV and AIDS, read through HIV/AIDS Basics & Prevention.
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Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material. | <urn:uuid:b9c2f9d0-8248-4ee5-b6e3-da21f758577f> | {
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Section I Use of English
Read the following text. Choose the best word (s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
Trust is a tricky business. On the one hand, it's a necessary condition 1 many worthwhile things: child care, friendships, etc. On the other hand, putting your 2, in the wrong place often carries a high 3.
4, why do we trust at all? Well, because it feels good. 5 people place their trust in an individual or an institution, their brains release oxytocin, a hormone that 6 pleasurable feelings and triggers the herding instruct that prompts humans to 7 with one another. Scientists have found that exposure 8 this hormone puts us in a trusting 9: In a Swiss study, researchers sprayed oxytocin into the noses of half the subjects; those subjects were ready to lend significantly higher amounts of money to strangers than were their 10 who inhaled something else.
11 for us, we also have a sixth sense for dishonesty that may 12 us. A Canadian study found that children as young as 14 months can differentiate 13 a credible person and a dishonest one. Sixty toddlers were each 14 to an adult tester holding a plastic container. The tester would ask, “What’s in here?” before looking into the container, smiling, and exclaiming, “Wow!” Each subject was then invited to look 15. Half of them found a toy; the other half 16 the container was empty-and realized the tester had 17 them.
Among the children who had not been tricked, the majority were 18 to cooperate with the tester in learning a new skill, demonstrating that they trusted his leadership. 19, only five of the 30 children paired with the “20”tester participated in a follow-up activity.
1. [A] on [B] like [C] for [D] from
2. [A] faith [B] concern [C] attention [D] interest
3. [A] benefit [B] debt [C] hope [D] price
4. [A] Therefore [B] Then [C] Instead [D] Again
5. [A]Until [B] Unless [C] Although [D] When
6. [A] selects [B] produces [C] applies [D] maintains
7. [A] consult [B] compete [C] connect [D] compare
8. [A] at [B] by [C]of [D]to
9. [A] context [B] mood [C] period [D] circle
10.[A] counterparts [B] substitutes [C] colleagues [D]supporters
11.[A] Funny [B] Lucky [C] Odd [D] Ironic
12.[A] monitor [B] protect [C] surprise [D] delight
13.[A] between [B] within [C] toward [D] over
14.[A] transferred [B] added [C] introduced [D] entrusted
15.[A] out [B] back [C] around [D] inside
16.[A] discovered [B] proved [C] insisted [D] .remembered
17.[A] betrayed [B]wronged [C] fooled [D] mocked
18.[A] forced [B] willing [C] hesitant [D] entitled
19.[A] In contrast [B] As a result [C] On the whole [D] For instance
20.[A] inflexible [B] incapable [C] unreliable [D] unsuitable
Section II Reading Comprehension
Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)
Among the annoying challenges facing the middle class is one that will probably go unmentioned in the next presidential campaign: What happens when the robots come for their jobs?
Don't dismiss that possibility entirely. About half of U.S. jobs are at high risk of being automated, according to a University of Oxford study, with the middle class disproportionately squeezed. Lower-income jobs like gardening or day care don't appeal to robots. But many middle-class occupations-trucking, financial advice, software engineering — have aroused their interest, or soon will. The rich own the robots, so they will be fine.
This isn't to be alarmist. Optimists point out that technological upheaval has benefited workers in the past. The Industrial Revolution didn't go so well for Luddites whose jobs were displaced by mechanized looms, but it eventually raised living standards and created more jobs than it destroyed. Likewise, automation should eventually boost productivity, stimulate demand by driving down prices, and free workers from hard, boring work. But in the medium term, middle-class workers may need a lot of help adjusting.
The first step, as Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee argue in The Second Machine Age, should be rethinking education and job training. Curriculums —from grammar school to college- should evolve to focus less on memorizing facts and more on creativity and complex communication. Vocational schools should do a better job of fostering problem-solving skills and helping students work alongside robots. Online education can supplement the traditional kind. It could make extra training and instruction affordable. Professionals trying to acquire new skills will be able to do so without going into debt.
The challenge of coping with automation underlines the need for the U.S. to revive its fading business dynamism: Starting new companies must be made easier. In previous eras of drastic technological change, entrepreneurs smoothed the transition by dreaming up ways to combine labor and machines. The best uses of 3D printers and virtual reality haven't been invented yet. The U.S. needs the new companies that will invent them.
Finally, because automation threatens to widen the gap between capital income and labor income, taxes and the safety net will have to be rethought. Taxes on low-wage labor need to be cut, and wage subsidies such as the earned income tax credit should be expanded: This would boost incomes, encourage work, reward companies for job creation, and reduce inequality.
Technology will improve society in ways big and small over the next few years, yet this will be little comfort to those who find their lives and careers upended by automation. Destroying the machines that are coming for our jobs would be nuts. But policies to help workers adapt will be indispensable.
21.Who will be most threatened by automation?
[A] Leading politicians.
22 .Which of the following best represent the author’s view?
[A] Worries about automation are in fact groundless.
[B]Optimists' opinions on new tech find little support.
[C]Issues arising from automation need to be tackled
[D]Negative consequences of new tech can be avoided
23.Education in the age of automation should put more emphasis on
[A] creative potential.
24.The author suggests that tax policies be aimed at
[A] encouraging the development of automation.
[B]increasing the return on capital investment.
[C]easing the hostility between rich and poor.
[D]preventing the income gap from widening.
25.In this text, the author presents a problem with
[A] opposing views on it.
[B]possible solutions to it.
[C]its alarming impacts.
[D]its major variations.
A new survey by Harvard University finds more than two-thirds of young Americans disapprove of President Trump’s use of Twitter. The implication is that Millennials prefer news from the White House to be filtered through other source, Not a president’s social media platform.
Most Americans rely on social media to check daily headlines. Yet as distrust has risen toward all media, people may be starting to beef up their media literacy skills. Such a trend is badly needed. During the 2016 presidential campaign, nearly a quarter of web content shared by Twitter users in the politically critical state of Michigan was fake news, according to the University of Oxford. And a survey conducted for BuzzFeed News found 44 percent of Facebook users rarely or never trust news from the media giant.
Young people who are digital natives are indeed becoming more skillful at separating fact from fiction in cyberspace. A Knight Foundation focus-group survey of young people between ages 14and24 found they use “distributed trust” to verify stories. They cross-check sources and prefer news from different perspectives—especially those that are open about any bias. “Many young people assume a great deal of personal responsibility for educating themselves and actively seeking out opposing viewpoints,” the survey concluded.
Such active research can have another effect. A 2014 survey conducted in Australia, Britain, and the United States by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that young people’s reliance on social media led to greater political engagement.
Social media allows users to experience news events more intimately and immediately while also permitting them to re-share news as a projection of their values and interests. This forces users to be more conscious of their role in passing along information. A survey by Barna research group found the top reason given by Americans for the fake news phenomenon is “reader error,” more so than made-up stories or factual mistakes in reporting. About a third say the problem of fake news lies in “misinterpretation or exaggeration of actual news” via social media. In other words, the choice to share news on social media may be the heart of the issue. “This indicates there is a real personal responsibility in counteracting this problem,” says Roxanne Stone, editor in chief at Barna Group.
So when young people are critical of an over-tweeting president, they reveal a mental discipline in thinking skills – and in their choices on when to share on social media.
26. According to the Paragraphs 1 and 2, many young Americans cast doubts on
[A] the justification of the news-filtering practice.
[B] people’s preference for social media platforms.
[C] the administrations ability to handle information.
[D] social media was a reliable source of news.
27. The phrase “beer up”(Line 2, Para. 2) is closest in meaning to
28. According to the knight foundation survey, young people
[A] tend to voice their opinions in cyberspace.
[B] verify news by referring to diverse resources.
[C] have s strong sense of responsibility.
[D] like to exchange views on “distributed trust”
29. The Barna survey found that a main cause for the fake news problem is
[A] readers outdated values.
[B] journalists’ biased reporting
[C] readers’ misinterpretation
[D] journalists’ made-up stories.
30. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
[A] A Rise in Critical Skills for Sharing News Online
[B] A Counteraction Against the Over-tweeting Trend
[C] The Accumulation of Mutual Trust on Social Media.
[D] The Platforms for Projection of Personal Interests.
Any fair-minded assessment of the dangers of the deal between Britain's National Health Service (NHS) and DeepMind must start by acknowledging that both sides mean well. DeepMind is one of the leading artificial intelligence (AI) companies in the world. The potential of this work applied to healthcare is very great, but it could also lead to further concentration of power in the tech giants. It Is against that background that the information commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, has issued her damning verdict against the Royal Free hospital trust under the NHS, which handed over to DeepMind the records of 1.6 million patients In 2015 on the basis of a vague agreement which took far too little account of the patients' rights and their expectations of privacy.
DeepMind has almost apologized. The NHS trust has mended its ways. Further arrangements- and there may be many-between the NHS and DeepMind will be carefully scrutinised to ensure that all necessary permissions have been asked of patients and all unnecessary data has been cleaned. There are lessons about informed patient consent to learn. But privacy is not the only angle in this case and not even the most important. Ms Denham chose to concentrate the blame on the NHS trust, since under existing law it “controlled” the data and DeepMind merely “processed" it. But this distinction misses the point that it is processing and aggregation, not the mere possession of bits, that gives the data value.
The great question is who should benefit from the analysis of all the data that our lives now generate. Privacy law builds on the concept of damage to an individual from identifiable knowledge about them. That misses the way the surveillance economy works. The data of an individual there gains its value only when it is compared with the data of countless millions more.
The use of privacy law to curb the tech giants in this instance feels slightly maladapted. This practice does not address the real worry. It is not enough to say that the algorithms DeepMind develops will benefit patients and save lives. What matters is that they will belong to a private monopoly which developed them using public resources. If software promises to save lives on the scale that dugs now can, big data may be expected to behave as a big pharm has done. We are still at the beginning of this revolution and small choices now may turn out to have gigantic consequences later. A long struggle will be needed to avoid a future of digital feudalism. Ms Denham's report is a welcome start.
31.Wha is true of the agreement between the NHS and DeepMind ?
[A] It caused conflicts among tech giants.
[B] It failed to pay due attention to patient’s rights.
[C] It fell short of the latter's expectations
[D] It put both sides into a dangerous situation.
32. The NHS trust responded to Denham's verdict with
[A] empty promises.
[B] tough resistance.
[C] necessary adjustments.
[D] sincere apologies.
33.The author argues in Paragraph 2 that
[A] privacy protection must be secured at all costs.
[B] leaking patients' data is worse than selling it.
[C] making profits from patients' data is illegal.
[D] the value of data comes from the processing of it
34.According to the last paragraph, the real worry arising from this deal is
[A] the vicious rivalry among big pharmas.
[B] the ineffective enforcement of privacy law.
[C] the uncontrolled use of new software.
[D] the monopoly of big data by tech giants.
35.The author's attitude toward the application of AI to healthcare is
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) continues to bleed red ink. It reported a net loss of $5.6 billion for fiscal 2016, the 10th straight year its expenses have exceeded revenue. Meanwhile, it has more than $120 billion in unfunded liabilities, mostly for employee health and retirement costs. There are many bankruptcies. Fundamentally, the USPS is in a historic squeeze between technological change that has permanently decreased demand for its bread-and-butter product, first-class mail, and a regulatory structure that denies management the flexibility to adjust its operations to the new reality
And interest groups ranging from postal unions to greeting-card makers exert self-interested pressure on the USPS’s ultimate overseer-Congress-insisting that whatever else happens to the Postal Service, aspects of the status quo they depend on get protected. This is why repeated attempts at reform legislation have failed in recent years, leaving the Postal Service unable to pay its bills except by deferring vital modernization.
Now comes word that everyone involved---Democrats, Republicans, the Postal Service, the unions and the system's heaviest users—has finally agreed on a plan to fix the system. Legislation is moving through the House that would save USPS an estimated $28.6 billion over five years, which could help pay for new vehicles, among other survival measures. Most of the money would come from a penny-per-letter permanent rate increase and from shifting postal retirees into Medicare. The latter step would largely offset the financial burden of annually pre-funding retiree health care, thus addressing a long-standing complaint by the USPS and its union.
If it clears the House, this measure would still have to get through the Senate – where someone is bound to point out that it amounts to the bare, bare minimum necessary to keep the Postal Service afloat, not comprehensive reform. There’s no change to collective bargaining at the USPS, a major omission considering that personnel accounts for 80 percent of the agency’s costs. Also missing is any discussion of eliminating Saturday letter delivery. That common-sense change enjoys wide public support and would save the USPS $2 billion per year. But postal special-interest groups seem to have killed it, at least in the House. The emerging consensus around the bill is a sign that legislators are getting frightened about a politically embarrassing short-term collapse at the USPS. It is not, however, a sign that they’re getting serious about transforming the postal system for the 21st century.
36.The financial problem with the USPS is caused partly by
[A]. its unbalanced budget.
[B] .its rigid management.
[C] .the cost for technical upgrading.
[D]. the withdrawal of bank support.
37. According to Paragraph 2, the USPS fails to modernize itself due to
[A]. the interference from interest groups.
[B] .the inadequate funding from Congress.
[C] .the shrinking demand for postal service.
[D] .the incompetence of postal unions.
38.The long-standing complaint by the USPS and its unions can be addressed by
[A] .removing its burden of retiree health care.
[B] .making more investment in new vehicles.
[C] .adopting a new rate-increase mechanism.
[D]. attracting more first-class mail users.
39.In the last paragraph, the author seems to view legislators with
40.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
[A] .The USPS Starts to Miss Its Good Old Days
[B] .The Postal Service: Keep Away from My Cheese
[C] .The USPS: Chronic Illness Requires a Quick Cure
[D] .The Postal Service Needs More than a Band-Aid
The following paragraphs are given in a wrong order. For Questions 41-45, you are required to reorganize these paragraphs into a coherent article by choosing from the list A-G and filling them into the numbered boxes. Paragraphs C and F have been correctly placed. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
A. In December of 1869, Congress appointed a commission to select a site and prepare plans and cost estimates for a new State Department Building. The commission was also to consider possible arrangements for the War and Navy Departments. To the horror of some who expected a Greek Revival twin of the Treasury Building to be erected on the other side of the White House, the elaborate French Second Empire style design by Alfred Mullett was selected, and construction of a building to house all three departments began in June of 1871.
B. Completed in 1875, the State Department's south wing was the first to be occupied, with its elegant four-story library (completed in 1876), Diplomatic Reception Room, and Secretary's office decorated with carved wood, Oriental rugs, and stenciled wall patterns. The Navy Department moved into the east wing in 1879, where elaborate wall and ceiling stenciling and marquetry floors decorated the office of the Secretary.
C. The State, War, and Navy Building, as it was originally known, housed the three Executive Branch Departments most intimately associated with formulating and conducting the nation's foreign policy in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and the first quarter of the twentieth century-the period when the United States emerged as an international power. The building has housed some of the nation's most significant diplomats and politicians and has been the scene of many historic events.
D. Many of the most celebrated national figures have participated in historical events that have taken place within the EEOB's granite walls. Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush all had offices in this building before becoming president. It has housed 16 Secretaries of the Navy, 21 Secretaries of War, and 24 Secretaries of State. Winston Churchill once walked its corridors and Japanese emissaries met here with Secretary of State Cordell Hull after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
E. The Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) commands a unique position in both the national history and the architectural heritage of the United States. Designed by Supervising Architect of the Treasury, Alfred B. Mullett, it was built from 1871 to 1888 to house the growing staffs of the State, War, and Navy Departments, and is considered one of the best examples of French Second Empire architecture in the country.
F. Construction took 17 years as the building slowly rose wing by wing. When the EEOB was finished, it was the largest office building in Washington, with nearly 2 miles of black and white tiled corridors. Almost all of the interior detail is of cast iron or plaster; the use of wood was minimized to insure fire safety. Eight monumental curving staircases of granite with over 4,000 individually cast bronze balusters are capped by four skylight domes and two stained glass rotundas.
G. The history of the EEOB began long before its foundations were laid. The first executive offices were constructed between 1799 and 1820. A series of fires (including those set by the British in 1814) and overcrowded conditions led to the construction of the existing Treasury Building. In 1866, the construction of the North Wing of the Treasury Building necessitated the demolition of the State Department building.
41. à Cà42. à 43. à F à 44 à 45.
Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Your translation should be written neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
Shakespeare’s life time was coincident with a period of extraordinary activity and achievement in the drama. By the date of his birth Europe was witnessing the passing of the religious drama, and the creation of new forms under the incentive of classical tragedy and comedy. These new forms were at first mainly written by scholars and performed by amateurs, but in England, as everywhere else in western Europe, the growth of a class of professional actors was threatening to make the drama popular, whether it should be new or old, classical or medieval, literary or farcical. Court, school organizations of amateurs, and the traveling actors were all rivals in supplying a widespread desire for dramatic entertainment; and (47) no boy who went a grammar school could be ignorant that the drama was a form of literature which gave glory to Greece and Rome and might yet bring honor to England.
When Shakespeare was twelve years old, the first public playhouse was built in London. For a time literature showed no interest in this public stage. Plays aiming at literary distinction were written for school or court, or for the choir boys of St. Paul’s and the royal chapel, who, however, gave plays in public as well as at court.(48)but the professional companies prospered in their permanent theaters, and university men with literature ambitions were quick to turn to these theaters as offering a means of livelihood. By the time Shakespeare was twenty-five, Lyly, Peele, and Greene had made comedies that were at once popular and literary; Kyd had written a tragedy that crowded the pit; and Marlowe had brought poetry and genius to triumph on the common stage - where they had played no part since the death of Euripides. (49)A native literary drama had been created, its alliance with the public playhouses established, and at least some of its great traditions had been begun.
The development of the Elizabethan drama for the next twenty-five years is of exceptional interest to students of literary history, for in this brief period we may trace the beginning, growth, blossoming, and decay of many kinds of plays, and of many great careers. We are amazed today at the mere number of plays produced, as well as by the number of dramatists writing at the same time for this London of two hundred thousand inhabitants. (50)To realize how great was the dramatic activity, we must remember further that hosts of plays have been lost, and that probably there is no author of note whose entire work has survived.
Section III Writing
Write an email to all international experts on campus inviting them to attend the graduation ceremony. In your email you should include time, place and other relevant information about the ceremony.
You should write about 100 words neatly on the ANSEWER SHEET
Do not use your own name at the end of the email. Use “Li Ming” instead. (10 points)
Write an essay of 160-200 words based on the picture below. In your essay, you should
Section I Use of English
【解析】此处考察介词的用法。it’s a necessary condition ____ many worthwhile things (信任是一个必要条件_____许多重要事情) 此处应该是说，信任对许多重要事情来说是一个必要条件。B选项for(对...来说)符合语义，故为正确答案;A选项from(来自于)，C选项like(像...)，D选项on(关于)语义不恰当，故排除。
【解析】此处考察词义辨析和中心一致性原则。第一段首句提出主题句：trust is a tricky business (信任是一个奇怪的东西)。后面进一步对该主题句进行解释说明：On the one hand, it’s a necessary condition ___ for ___ many worthwhile things: child care, friendships, etc. (一方面，信任对许多重要事情来说是必要条件，比如照看孩子，友谊等)，这句话在说信任的好处。On the other hand, putting your ___ in the wrong place often carries a high ____. (另一方面，把...放在错误的地方往往会带来巨大...)，显然这句话依旧在解释主题词“trust”，只有C选项faith(信任、忠诚)与trust属于近义词复现，故正确答案为[C] faith。
【解析】此处考察词义辨析。第一段首句提出主题句：trust is a tricky business(信任是一个奇怪的东西)。后面进一步对该主题句进行解释说明：On the one hand, it’s a necessary condition __ for __ many worthwhile things: child care, friendships, etc. (一方面，信任对许多重要事情来说是必要条件，比如照看孩子，友谊等)，这句话在说信任的好处。On the other hand, putting your ___ in the wrong place often carries a high____. (另一方面，把...放在错误的地方往往会带来巨大...)，显然这句话依旧在解释主题词“trust”，并且根据空格所在句中的关键词“wrong place”，本句应该在说信任不当的弊端，所以空格处应该填入一个负向感情色彩的词，故A选项benefit和D选项hope排除，而C选项debt(债务)带入之后语义不当，故正确答案为[B] price(代价)。
【解析】此处考察动宾搭配问题。上文指出：When people place their trust in an …their brains release oxytocin, a hormone.上文指出当人们产生信任感，大脑就会产生一种荷尔蒙，后面是定语从句，句内的动宾搭配， 可推知这个荷尔蒙能产生令人愉悦的情绪， 并且与后面的trigger同义复现，因此C .produce 正确。
【解析】此处考察上下文信息照应题。上文讲到这种荷尔蒙能够激发一种群居本能，the herding instinct that leads sheep to flock together for safety and promote …with one another，这种本能有两个作用，并用and 连接，所以复现同义and 前面的flock together. 因此选择A. connect
【解析】此处考察上下语境下的名词介词搭配问题。根据上文的结论，下文实验展开分析，Swiss scientists have found that exposure to this hormone puts us….所以研究中要求受试者要先处于这种环境中，所以名词exposure to 构成搭配语义关系，表示“接触”的意思，因此选择to。
【解析】此处考察上下文的信息对应和句内信息对应。上文提到身体会产生荷尔蒙，会给你带来一种愉悦的情绪pleasurable feelings，这个上文结论。实验中exposure to this hormone puts us in a trusting …，因此，根据上下文，试验中，处于这种荷尔蒙环境中，会给人带来情绪;语气;心境;。因此选择 mood。
【解析】此处考察上下文的信息对应和句内信息对应。上文指出，In a study, researchers sprayed oxytocin into the noses of half the subjects ,可推知本句再讲与另外一组受试者比较。故选择A。counterparts. 相对物，相对应的人。
【解析】此处考察上下文的逻辑关系。因为这个句子当中有个词also，说明前文和后文情感是一致的关系。说我们有这两种天赋，对大家来说都是好事，所以需要选择一个正向的情感色彩。只能选择lucky。A选项odd 奇怪的是，B选项funny 有趣的是，D选项ironic 讽刺的是，皆不符合文意。
【解析】此处考察上下文的成分搭配。因为这个句子当中有个词also，说明前文和后文情感是并列平行关系，前后情感应该一致。所以此处只能选择protect 保护我们，符合文意。B选项delight 使高兴; C 选项 surprise 使震惊;D选项monitor 监控皆不符合文意。
【解析】此处考察固定搭配。differentiate between A and B. 介词between表示在A和B之间 , 原文含义为：“4个月大的孩子可以区分出一个可信的人和一个不诚实的人”。
【解析】此处考察成分搭配。原文表达： Sixty toddlers were each______ to an adult tester holding a plastic container. 只有C选项be introduced to sth表示“初次认识某事物”，符合文意。A 选项added 添加;B选项transferred转移;D选项 entrusted 委托，皆不符合文意。
【解析】此处考察介词搭配及词义复现。原文表达：“What’s in here?” before looking into the container…… Each subject was then invited to _________. 只有选择B选项inside 才能和前文所表达的in here和looking into一脉相承。
【解析】此处考察词义复现，属于句子内部的显性线索。根据原文Half of them found a toy; the other half 16 the container was empty… 这是用分号并列的连个句子，都是在讲试验的结果句型结构基本一致，前半句再讲一半的受测者在盒子里面找到了玩具，后半句肯定是再说另半会怎么样，两个小分句的结构基本一致Half of them = the other half，found=16，a toy= the container was empty，所以16题填入的应该是found的同义词，发现的含义，故D为正确选项。
【解析】此处句间逻辑关系，属于句子内部的显性线索。—and realized the tester had 17 them，此句位于破折号后面，是对前面意思的解释说明。前面提到另一半人发现盒子是空的，并且意识到测试者对他们怎么样，既然盒子是空的那么肯定认识到测试者是在戏弄他们，所以作对此题必须要理解tester测试者是主语，宾语是them指的是受测者，主语的意思决定了谓语动词的含义为戏弄，故A fooled为正确选项。
【解析】 此处考察搭配关系，属于句子内部的显性线索。Among the children who had not been tricked, the majority were 18 to cooperate with the tester in learning a new skill, demonstrating that they trusted his leadership. 根据句子结构我们可以看出逗号之前是一个介词短语意为在所有没有被戏弄过的孩子里面，大多数的孩子在习得一种新技能的时候与测试者的合作是怎么样的，demonstrating that they trusted his leadership表明这些孩子信任他的领导，所以既然信任他们就是愿意与其合作，故选择B. willing，与were willing to 构成固定搭配，意为愿意。
19、【答案】[D] In contrast
【解析】此处考察句间的逻辑关系。19, only five of the 30 children paired with the “20” tester participated in a follow-up activity. 通过该句中的only仅仅，可以看出与上文的 the majority of 形成鲜明的对比，19题应该填入的应该是表示转折，与上文形成对比的逻辑关系词。分析四个选项A表示总结，B表示结果，C表示举例子，只有D表示转折，对比，故D为正确选项。
【解析】此处考察词义辨析。19, only five of the 30 children paired with the “20” tester participated in a follow-up activity.该句含义为：在接下来的活动中30个孩子中只有5个孩子与。。。样的测试者能合作，所以结合上文提到的大部分孩子信任测试者，但是5/30属于一小部分，大部分对应的是信任，那么小比例的对应的是不信任，所以 tester的修饰词应该为C，unreliable不可靠的，不可信任的，故C为正确选项。
Section II Reading Comprehension
21、【答案】D Middle-class workers
【解析】根据题干中“threatned”和“automation”定位到第一段首句“the annoyi-ng challenge facing the middle class is one that...for their jobs”中的challenge和第二段的最后三句话，可以得知相对于低收入者和富人，中产阶级受到的冲击最大。
22、【答案】C Issues arising from automation need to be tackled
【解析】根据题干可定位到第三段中的首句“this isn’t to be alarmist”和末句“But ... middle-class workers may need a lot of help adjusting”，but转折句再一次强调了作者的观点，即中产阶级工人需要很多帮助来调整应对问题。同时，末句中”may need a lot of help”同义替换成选项C中的“need to be tackled”，自动化带来的问题需要被解决，得出C答案。
23、【答案】A creative potential
【解析】根据题干中的关键词可定位到第四段第二句“Curriculums—from grammar school to college—should evolve to focus less on memorizing facts and more on creativity and complex communication”。由该句可知，课程应该更关注创造性和复杂的沟通而非记忆事实。所以，应该选C选项creative potential(创造潜能)，同义替换为creativity。
24、【答案】D preventing the income gap from widening
【解析】该题考查作者的观点，根据题干中的关键词可定位到第六段第一句“Finally, because automation threatens to widen the gap between capital income and labor income, taxes and the safety net will have to be rethought”。由该句可知，由于自动化加大了资本收入和劳动力收入的差距，所以应该重新考虑税收和安全网(保障措施)，即税收政策应该避免收入差距扩大，选D选项preventing the income gap from widening。
25、【答案】B possible solutions to it
【解析】作者在文章第一、二段提出问题“中产阶级受自动化危害最大”之后，第三段的末尾句提出中产阶级需要帮助去适应自动化的发展，接下来第四段至第六段介绍解决方法，最后一段表明作者观点。所以应该选B 选项possible solutions to it(解决问题的相应方法)。
26、【答案】[D] social media as a reliable source of news
【解析】双段推理题。根据题目定位到第1段和第2段，双段推理优先考虑双段主旨。第一段中心句为最后一句话：Millennials prefer news from the White House to be filtered through other sources, not a president’s social media platform。“千禧一代喜欢白宫直接发布的消息…而不是总统社交媒体发布的信息”，说明他们不太信任社交媒体。第2段中心为第二句转折之后，说明对于社交媒体的不信任上升。故双段中心都和他们不信任社交媒体相关。结合以上信息，得出社交媒体信息不可靠，选择D。
【解析】词汇释义题。根据题目定位到第2段第2句：Yet as distrust has risen toward all media,people may be starting to beef up their media literacy skills。句子的情感色彩判断，因为逗号前提到“人们对于所有媒体的不信任增加”，可以推知人们应该开始增强其媒体素养的技能，故选A。
28. 【答案】B verify news by referring to diverse sources.
【解析】范例证明题。根据题干定位至第三段第二句话。因为某项研究一般是论据证明前面的论点，故答案应该位于第一句话“Young people who are digital natives are indeed becoming more skillful at seperating fact from fiction in cyberspace.” 说明答案应该“和年轻人更容易把网络中的事实和虚假信息区分开来”，故答案为B“验证新闻的真伪”。为了精确可以在论据中去验证，论据中提到“verify stories”, “cross check sources”和“prefer news from different perspectives”，都是和多重角度验证信息真伪相关的。
29. 【答案】C readers’ misinterpretation
【解析】事实细节题。根据题干定位至第五段第三句found之后a main reason对应the top reason，而原文剩余信息为“reader error”, 所以应该和读者相关。Error应该对应misinterpretation, 故答案为C readers’ misinterpretation。若本句不清晰，下句进一步说明答案的内容，文中misintepretation or exerggeration of actual news进一步印证C为正确答案。
30. 【答案】A A Rise in Critical Skills for Sharing News Online
【解析】全文主旨题。本篇文章属于篇首转折，二段转折之后为全文主旨，yet之后说道：“Yet as distrust has risen toward all media, people may be strarting to beef up their media literacy skills”.“随着对于所有媒体不信任的上升，人们开始增强其媒体素养的技能”，故答案为A。为了验证，可以看篇末，篇末重申主题，so之后讲道“so when young people are critical of an over-tweeting president, they reaveal a mental discipline in thinking skills-and in their choices on when to share on social media.” 更进一步说明和人们批判性看待社交媒体上的新闻相关。
31、【答案】[B] It failed to pay due attention to patients’ rights.
【解析】细节题。根据题干中的NHS, DeepMind和agreement回文定位第一段第四句“It is against that background that the information commissioner, has issued her damning verdict against the Royal Free hospital trust under the NHS, which handed over to DeepMind the records of 1.6 million patients in 2015 on the basis of a vague agreement which took far too little account of the patients’ rights and their expectations of privacy”。根据a vague agreement which took far too little account of the patients’ rights and their expectations of privacy这一部分的语义信息，说明NHS与DeepMind之间的协议没有充分考虑到病人的权利与隐私。这句话的言外之意就是协议未能充分关注病人的权利。故确定答案为选项B，其中failed to是took far too little account的同义改写。
32、【答案】[C] necessary adjustments.
【解析】细节题。根据题干中的NHS trust, 以及Denham’s verdict回文定位第二段第二句“The NHS trust has mended its ways.” 根据第二句的语义信息，NHS trust针对Denham’s verdict已经调整了其与DeepMind的协议内容，故通过同义替换，可确定正确答案为C。
33、【答案】[D] the value of data comes from the processing of it.
【解析】推理题。根据题干，此题定位在第二段最后一句but之后的转折句。“But this distinction misses the point that it is processing and aggregation, not the mere possession of bits, that gives data value”. 这种区分忽视了一个点：是处理和收集赋予数据意义，而不是拥有数据。 选项中的 “processing”和原文中的“processing”原词复现。 选项中的“the value of data”对应原文中的“data value”。因此，D项为正确答案。
34、【答案】[D] the monopoly of big data by tech giants.
【解析】细节题。根据题干此题定位在文中最后一段的第四句。“What matters is that they will belong to a private monopoly which developed them using public resources.”重要的是这些进步属于一个私人垄断企业，而私人垄断企来使用公共资源进行研发。而这正真正的担忧所在。因此，选项D为正确答案, the monopoly of big data by tech giants对应原文中的a private monopoly。
36、【答案】[B] its rigid management
【解析】根据题干判断本题考查因果细节。第一段的前三句都是有关USPS的具体数字，属于细节信息。第四句出现many reasons很多原因。紧接着下面就有fundamentally根本原因是， 所以定位在第一段的最后一句。然后分析这个长难句，USPS 处在squeeze between 1 and 2,中，1是technological change, 2是structure. 2的structure后定语从句：denies management flexibility 对应选项B: rigid management。
【干扰项分析】：选项A，budget文中未有涉及。 选项C，虽然有提到technological ,原文technological change 后的定语从句说的是：技术改革降低需求，并没有提到cost成本问题。选项D，the withdrawal of bank support 银行支持撤销了，原文并没有提及银行支持，直接排除。
37、【答案】[A] the interference from interest groups
【解析】 根据题干due to，判断本题考查因果细节。根据题干关键词：USPS fails to modernize 定位到原文第二段最后一句，在这句前leaving，留下，导致这个结果，往前找原因，前一句提到reform legislation, 而且这句前还有this is why，只要找到代词this指代就可以判断选项。代词往前推，根据这句主干interest groups exerts pressure on Congress选择选项A，interference 对应 exert pressure on。
【干扰项分析】选项B，the inadequate funding from Congress,原文虽然有提到Congress国会，the aspect of status quo get protected, 国会保护USPS，并没有提及inadequate funding基金不足。选项C，the shrinking demand for postal service 邮政需求缩减，文中没有提及。选项D, the incompetence of postal unions 邮政工会的不作为。文章有提到工会，但是只提他们是属于Interest groups,并没有提到无作为。
38、【答案】[A] removing its burden of retiree health care
【解析】 因果细节题。根据38题题干The long-standing complaint by the ....回文定位到第3段，最后一句：“ The latter step would largely offset the financial burden of annually pre-funding retiree health care, thus....” .再根据题干中“ can be addressed by” 即：通过哪种方式解决，此处为解题要点，通过哪种方式来解决，前后明显为结果与途径的关系，即可理解为因果关系。文章此句后半句正是题干，thus前半句为答案The latter step would largely offset the financial burden of annually pre-funding retiree health care。与 A. B . C .D 四个选项匹配后，正确答案为 A removing its burden of retiree health care。
【解析】根据题干可以判断本题为观点态度题。回文定位到最后一段。题干“the author seems to view legislators with”, 具体定位到最后一段倒数第2句：“ The emerging.....is a sign that legislators are getting frightened.......” 再根据题干，问作者最终态度，本段最后一句，转折句是作者最终的态度：“ It is not, however, a sign that they’re getting serious about....” , 即作者认为他们并没有认真对待。所以此处作者态度为否定。匹配A B C D 四个选项 只有C discontent( 不满)为负向信息，所以为正确答案。
40、【答案】[D] The Postal Service Needs more than a Band-Aid
【解析】根据题干特征词“best title”，这是一道主旨题。根据前四道题问的主题，第一道题和第二道题是USPS出现了问题，并分析原因，第三道题给出解决方法，第四道题提到作者对于这个方法的态度，即提出问题—分析问题—解决问题，并在最后给出作者对这个解决方案的评价。根据这个文章框架，首先A选项“USPS开始错过了它的好时光”，这只是提出问题，相对片面;B选项“USPS：不要动我的奶酪”, 这是拒绝解决问题的态度，不符合文章的写作思路;C选项“USPS：慢性病需要快方法”，这个chronic和quick都没有在文中提到;D选项“USPS需要的不仅仅是权宜之计”，这说的其实作者对于解决方案的评价，在文章最后一段。这段最后结尾有But，有however， “it[指代前文讲的方法] is not a sign……”，对此作者表示否定态度。所以D选项为正确答案。
41、【答案】 [E] The Eisenhower Executive Office Building(EEOB) commands a…
【解析】 E段首先介绍EEOB的全称，对全文进行概述提出话题，可选为41题答案。同时，从给定选项C第一句提到the State, War，and Navy Building…，the在此特指，可以作为另一一个线索，在E选项中最后一句，复现了the State, War，and Navy Building...。故41题答案选E。
42、【答案】[G] The history of the EEOB began long before its…
【解析】C选项最后一句谈到了many historic events(建筑内呈现了历史事件)，而G选项第一句提到了the history of the EEOB…(EEOB的历史...)，意思一致，承上启下，故42题答案选G。
43、【答案】[A] In December of 1869, Congress appointed…
【解析】确定G后，根据G选项最后一句，...the demolition of the State Department Building(谈到拆除the State Department Building), 而A选项中谈到了select a site and prepare plans and cost estimates for a new State Department，建立一个新的State Department Building，前后意思顺接，故43题答案选A。
44、【答案】[B] Completed in 1875, the State Department’s south wing…
【解析】 根据给定的F段，首句是段落大意，该句提到了...as the building slowly rose wing by wing(该建筑逐翼展开). 而B选项第一句谈到了...south wing was the first to be occupied(首先坐落在南翼)，然后在B选项最后一句又谈到...moved into the east wing(之后又移至东翼). 先在F段总起，再在B段中分说，前后对应，故44题答案选B.
45、【答案】[D] Many of the most celebrated national figures…
【解析】 B段结尾处谈到了where elaborate wall…decorated the office of the Secretary(这些精美的墙....装饰了秘书处的办公室)，而D段第一句提到了...that have taken place within the EEOB’s granite walls(历史事件在这些EEOB的墙上呈现), the wall原词复现，两句话意思一致，故45题答案选D。
Section III Translation
(46) By the date of his birth Europe was witnessing the passing of the religious drama, and the creation of new forms under the incentive of classical tragedy and comedy.
【句子结构】and并列两个句子，主干分别为：…Europe was witnessing the passing … and the creation of …;of the religious drama为定语修饰the passing;under the incentive of classical tragedy and comedy为状语
【重点词汇】witness 见证 religious宗教的 drama戏剧 incentive刺激
(47) no boy who went to a grammar school could be ignorant that the drama was a form of literature which gave glory to Greece and Rome and might yet bring honor to England.
【句子结构】主句主干：no boy… could be ignorant that…。who引导的定语从句修饰boy， that引导为形容词ignorant的宾语从句，which引导的定语从句修饰a form of literature， gave…and might bring honor…为先行词a form of literature的并列谓语结构。
【重点词汇】grammar school 文法学校 ignorant忽视 literature文学 glory 荣耀
(48) But the professional companies prospered in their permanent theaters, and university men with literary ambitions were quick to turn to these theaters as offering a means of livelihood.
【句子结构】并列句主干分别为：…companies prospered … and university men …were quick to…
【重点词汇】professional 专业的 prosper繁荣 permanent theater永久性剧院
(49) A native literary drama had been created, its alliance with the public playhouses established, and at least some of its great traditions had been begun.
【句子结构】本句是一个由and连接的并列句。and前的句子主干为一个被动语态的简单句：a … drama had been created, with引导一个伴随状语;and后的句子也为一个被动语态的简单句：some of its great traditions had been begun。
(50) To realize how great was the dramatic activity, we must remember further that hosts of plays have been lost, and that probably there is no author of note whose entire work has survived.
【句子结构】本句结构较为复杂，主句部分为“we must remember…”，主句之前的非谓语to realize作为目的状语，后接了一个how引导的宾语从句。主句中，两个that分别引导了两个remember的宾语从句，其中第二个宾语从句中，有一个whose引导的定语从句，修饰author of note。
Section IV Writing
I, on behalf of the Students’ Union, am writing this letter to invite all of you to attend the graduation ceremony.
The ceremony will be held in the Sports Hall of our university on this Friday morning, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The details about the ceremony are as follows. First and foremost, the president will make a speech for the graduates, blessing them to have a bright future. In addition, several experts will be invited to issuing certificates to all the graduates.
It would be a great honor for us to have the accompany of all of you in the graduation ceremony. Therefore, we all hope that you can spare your time to attend it and we are looking forward to your reply to tell us whether you can attend it or not on that day.
Exhibited in the cartoon is a sarcastic scene that sitting before a computer, a college student is choosing his optional class, wondering and pondering whether he should choose an easier course or a tougher but creative course. Simple as the picture is, the symbolic meaning it conveys is profound and thought-provoking.
It is beyond doubt that the painter aims to tell us that everyone, especially college students, should have the spirit of creation and innovation. To put it another way, innovation is an essential and indispensable role for anyone who wants to succeed. This can be directly attributed to the fact that one may be caught in dilemma, at least once in life. Such a dilemma may coincidentally be most difficult period in his life. Then there are two choices before him: making a creative choice or an easier one. If he chooses the former and tries to break through the barrier, difficult as it will be, success will be the result one day. However, although it seems to be much easier for him at the moment, the latter choice may kill off his dream and ambition, and such choice then will be a pity all his life.
As college student, definitely, we are facing or will face many difficulties. At such moment, we should bear in mind that creation is a necessary and indispensable quality in our life, a positive attitude to life and an approach to success. Keep the spirit of innovation, and we will win a better life. | <urn:uuid:97f240ba-9f3d-41d7-9e53-9bddb7e878c9> | {
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