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- Mathematical function, suitable for both symbolic and numerical manipulation.
- Round rounds numbers of the form x .5 toward the nearest even integer.
- Round[x] returns an integer when x is any numeric quantity, whether or not it is an explicit number.
- For exact numeric quantities, Round internally uses numerical approximations to establish its result. This process can be affected by the setting of the global variable $MaxExtraPrecision.
- Round applies separately to real and imaginary parts of complex numbers.
- Round automatically threads over lists.
Introduced in 1988
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Submitted to: Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 1, 2004
Publication Date: July 30, 2004
Citation: Volk, G.M., A.D. Henk and C.M. Richards. 2004. Genetic Diversity among US garlic clones as detected using AFLP methods. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 129(4):559-569. Interpretive Summary: Several hundred garlic cultivars are grown in the United States, primarily by small-scale farmers. Since garlic plants do not produce seeds under standard growing conditions, garlic is vegetatively propagated. Individual cloves are planted in the field in the fall and bulbs are harvested during the summer months. Garlic plants are very responsive to the environment. Growth habit is affected by moisture, altitude, latitude, soil type, and growth conditions. As a result, cultivar appearance will vary depending on the farm on which it is grown. Over hundreds of years, cultivars have been renamed by growers, so many genetically-identical accessions may have different names. By using genetic analyses, we determined the extent of duplication within the National Plant Germplasm System garlic collection and within many common cultivars. Overall, approximately 50% of the garlic cultivars are genetically-identical to one another, using our methods. We also found that our genetic analyses correlated well with the garlic classification system often used by growers.
Technical Abstract: Garlic (Allium sativum L.) has been clonally propagated for thousands of years because it does not produce seed under standard cultivated conditions. A single garlic accession frequently displays a high degree of phenotypic plasticity that is likely to be dependent upon soil type, moisture, latitude, altitude, and cultural practices. The diversity observed by collectors has occasionally led to the renaming of varieties as they are exchanged among growers and gardeners. As a result, there are numerous garlic varieties available both commercially and within the USDA National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) that may be identical genotypically, yet have unique cultivar names. To address this possibility, we performed amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis on a comprehensive selection of 211 Allium sativum and Allium longicuspis accessions from NPGS and commercial sources. We used several statistical approaches to evaluate how these clonal lineages are genetically differentiated and how these patterns of differentiation correspond to recognized phenotypic classifications. These data suggest that while there are extensive duplications within the surveyed accessions, parsimony and distance based analyses reveal substantial diversity that is largely consistent with major phenotypic classes. | <urn:uuid:c038b42f-eaaf-4e6d-ad4e-07b974d679b5> | {
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The ideas listed below challenge teachers, HIV/AIDS educators and members
of the faith, business and health communities to use their creativity
to inform themselves and their peers about the AIDS epidemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified numerous "programs that work" -- HIV/AIDS-related curricula or products developed by some of CDC's funded national partners. For information on HIV/AIDS-related programs, call (770) 488-3168. CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) supports national, state and local organizations that have the capacity to help improve child and adolescent health. They also have demonstration centers and a network of national training centers that help teachers in every state provide effective HIV education within programs of comprehensive school health education programs. Information on DASH can be found at www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/
In the Community
Work with state and local health departments to involve your community in HIV/AIDS awareness.Advertisement
- Develop workshops for parents on the role they play in shaping their
- Organize community panels about sensitive and taboo issues and develop
materials to help facilitate discussions in these settings.
- Find out what social and cultural norms increase vulnerability to
HIV in your community (e.g., social pressure for boys to have sex early).
- Use the sample proclamation and officially declare World AIDS Day
in your community.
- Observe a "Day Without Art" to signify the loss of artists to AIDS
and to increase awareness of AIDS.
- Organize an HIV/AIDS fundraising walk.
- Distribute HIV/AIDS Fact Sheets and red ribbons to the community
to wear on World AIDS Day.
- Hold a toy or food drive to help children affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Contact your local book store to co-sponsor an event.
- Ask your congressperson to increase HIV/AIDS funds.
- Invite speakers to your state Capitol Building and decorate the building
with red ribbons.
- Decorate Christmas trees with red ribbons and tags with the names
of community residents who have died of AIDS.
- Organize musical performances and educational seminars for all age
- Contact The NAMES Project and bring The AIDS Memorial Quilt to your
community [(415) 882-5500].
- Set up a special display of books and resource materials about HIV/AIDS
at your local library.
- Volunteer at or make a donation to an AIDS program.
In the Classroom
- Place a question box in classrooms where students can ask anonymous questions that will be answered by teachers at appropriate times.
- Start a peer education program where students can educate other students about HIV/AIDS.
- Invite a young adult with HIV/AIDS or a health practitioner who works with HIV/AIDS as a guest speaker.
- Train young people as peer educators on life skills, sexual health, and AIDS education.
- Encourage teachers to assign homework for children to interview their parents on the topic of HIV/AIDS.
- Develop a pen-pal exchange for children and young people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in different cities and countries.
- Show videos in which other teens talk about their personal experiences with HIV/AIDS. Some possible videos include:
"In Our Own Words: Teens and AIDS" (Family Health Productions, 800-600-5779)
"Teen AIDS: In Focus" (San Francisco Study Center, 888-281-3757)
"AIDS Not Us" (HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New
York State Psychiatric Institute 212-543-5788)
"Sex, Drugs, and HIV" (Select Media, 800-707-MEDIA)
"Don't Forget Sherrie" (Call your local American Red Cross chapter.)
"The Party" (Call your local American Red Cross chapter)
"The Los Altos Story" (Call Dushan Angius, Rotary Club of Los Altos,
Contact CDC's National Prevention Information Network at 800-458-5231
for a list of HIV/AIDS-related videos.
You can also access the CDC's online searchable database at chid.nih.gov.
(Additional listings of movies/films/videos are available at Colleges
Colleges and Universities
At colleges and universities, work with university administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
- Invite a local HIV testing center/clinic to your campus on December
1 or ask the campus student health center to test at no charge for the
day. Contact the National Association of People with AIDS at (202) 898-0414.
- Distribute information on HIV testing and prevention. (See Fact Sheets).
- Copy and distribute Basic Facts about HIV/AIDS, and the HIV/AIDS Quiz, on World AIDS Day.
- Create tabletop displays with World AIDS Day messages and place them
in cafeterias and dining halls.
- Coordinate with popular restaurants to give out free condoms; pass
out literature focusing on the high correlation between HIV transmission
and alcohol consumption.
- Organize HIV/AIDS workshops with student educators in an informal
setting such as a student center or residence hall lounge. Distribute
information on HIV testing and prevention. (See Fact Sheets).
- Write an article or letter to the editor of the school paper; include
statistics about the prevalence of HIV infection and AIDS in your school
- Encourage university students to work with younger students in local
middle and high schools to challenge social norms that put them at risk
- Organize discussions about sensitive and taboo issues and develop
materials to help facilitate discussions.
- Co-host seminars with medical and/or law schools.
- Incorporate HIV/AIDS materials into courses.
- Show films or hold a film festival and discussion about films that
deal with HIV/AIDS, such as the following:
"And the Band Played On" (PG-13)
"It's My Party" (R)
"A Mother's Prayer" (PG-13)
"Peter's Friends" (R)
"Boys on the Side" (R)
"Common Threads" (NR)
"Longtime Companion" (R)
In Your Faith Community
In your faith community encourage long-term commitment to HIV/AIDS.
- Present the Interfaith Declaration to your church council. Propose
that your church community make a similar declaration.
- Participate in or establish a collaboration with interfaith observances
of World AIDS Day in your community.
- Hold a candlelight service of remembrance for those affected by HIV/AIDS;
contact your local AIDS ministry program and coordinate with them.
- Join with other congregations and ring your steeple bell 19 times
at 2:00 pm on December 1 to signify the 19 years of the epidemic. [For
more details, contact the AIDS National Interfaith Network, (202) 842-0010.]
- Check the partial listing of national interfaith contacts in Faith Communities & HIV/AIDS fact sheet for materials and ideas for collaborations.
- Encourage your religious leaders to speak about HIV/AIDS in sermons,
and invite an individual living with HIV/AIDS to share his or her story.
- Observe a moment of silence during services for those who have died
- Contact the national office of your religious affiliation or organization
to ask for information regarding HIV/AIDS programs and policies.
- Start an AIDS ministry within your congregation or with others in
- Start a service program: Members of your congregation can work
with a local AIDS group to provide meals, transportation, shelter, companionship
or other services to people living with HIV/AIDS.
- Ask associations of people living with HIV/AIDS to talk with young
people about their experience with HIV.
|Dim the Lights
Motivate others to join the White House in dimming building lights as a
visual demonstration of a national commitment to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Traditionally, the White House dims its lights from 7:45 pm to 8:00 pm
on December 1st.
Governments should participate in World AIDS Day. Effective HIV prevention programs can benefit from high-level political commitment.
- Provide your community with statistics on HIV infection rates in
your area, and use these numbers as a call to action. (Contact your
health department. See State & Territorial Contacts)
- Hold meetings with district leaders to brief them on the World AIDS
Day theme, AIDS -- End the Silence. Listen, Learn, Live! Discuss
how to work with children and young people.
- Sponsor a World AIDS Day information session to discuss HIV prevention,
education and treatment needs in your community. Personally invite student
groups and various community organizations.
- Develop policies that address unmet needs, especially those of traditionally
underserved populations, including African-Americans, Hispanic/Latinos,
Native Americans, young people, men who have sex with men, injection
drug users, rural communities, women, the homeless and the incarcerated.
- Adopt a proclamation (see Sample Proclamation) urging citizens to
take part in World AIDS Day activities and observances.
- Encourage your communities to join the White House in dimming their
lights as a visual demonstration expressing national and worldwide commitment
to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
- Prepare a press package describing World AIDS Day events locally
and in your state, the US and the world.
- Observe World AIDS Day by sponsoring a tree planting ceremony.
- Advocate for local, state and national policies that promote the
rights of all people, including young people, who are living with, affected
or orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
- Encourage youth groups to hold a workshop for government officials
on the utility and effectiveness of youth participation.
- Review current policies to ensure that they are youth-oriented and
that they reduce children and young people's vulnerability to HIV by
protecting their rights.
In Health Care Settings
In health care settings, the campaign against HIV/AIDS should continue not only on World AIDS Day, but throughout the entire year.
- Organize training sessions with employees and health professionals on such topics as dealing with AIDS issues and communicating with patients.
- Distribute free condoms to patients making office visits.
- Develop a questionnaire for taking an HIV risk history.
- Copy, display and distribute reading material and fact sheets about AIDS in the office on a regular basis.
- Offer routine HIV prevention and free testing services on World AIDS Day.
- Organize workshops and assemblies on HIV/AIDS at local schools to educate students and teachers.
- Contact AIDS service organizations serving various ethnic and racial groups and ask that they make a presentation to your staff regarding cultural competence and sensitivity about HIV.
- Mobilize the communication department in your institution to develop World AIDS Day messages to be distributed throughout the institution and surrounding communities.
- Encourage local health centers to set aside special times to provide health services to young people.
- Have trained peer counselors serve as links between young clients and health care personnel.
- In existing clinics and schools, design a specific area where young people can confidentially obtain condoms and information about HIV and other STDs.
At work, launch a Business Responds to AIDS program or a Labor
Responds to AIDS program. Obtain information from the CDC National
Prevention Information Network, 800-458-5231, or other workplace material
from the National AIDS Fund Workplace Resource Center, (202) 408-4848.
- Ask your employer to establish December 1 as a day to address the issues of HIV/AIDS at your workplace.
- Educate employees on the protection of people with HIV/AIDS and on non-discrimination laws.
- Initiate a program to have World AIDS Day messages inserted in paycheck envelopes and printed on bags and packaging materials.
- Form a team at your workplace to raise money and support for a local AIDS Walk.
- Plan a training session or a brown bag lunch on HIV/AIDS discrimination, myths and stereotypes.
Important Skills in
a World with HIV/AIDS
Learn to make sound decisions about relationships and sex and to stand up for those decisions.
Learn to deal with pressures for unwanted sex or drugs.
Learn to recognize a risky situation.
Learn how and where to ask for support.
Learn to negotiate for postponed or protected sex.
Learn to show compassion and solidarity toward people with HIV/AIDS.
Learn more about the needs of people with AIDS and their families.
Back | Next
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The work-up and differential diagnosis of a cough is based on the chronicity of the cough. A thorough history (Table 1) will establish how long a cough has been present and will narrow the list of differential diagnoses.
The most important part of your assessment should be determining if the acute cough is life-threatening. A thorough history and physical examination can differentiate heart failure, acute asthma attack, or other serious disease from a non–lifethreatening diagnosis. If chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is determined, it should be managed by an internist.
An isolated acute cough is typically caused by a virus and will resolve within 3 weeks. Many patients seek medical care for coughs lasting 7 to 10 days, but antibiotics are rarely indicated, and then only when bacterial sinusitis is suspected. Brompheniramine and sustained-release pseudoephedrine provide the most effective symptom relief for an acute cough.1,2 Antihistamines are not generally helpful.
A subacute cough is one that lasts between 3 and 8 weeks. The differential diagnosis and work-up for subacute cough are similar to that for chronic cough, except that postinfectious etiologies need to be considered, including bronchitis and pertussis. Pertussis can cause a severe cough in adults who have not had a booster in many years, followed by a lingering cough for months.3,4 There are periodic outbreaks of pertussis in the United States. As a result, CDC and ACOG currently recommend a one-time booster of Tdap for all adults, especially women of childbearing age to protect their infants.
Any cough that lasts longer than 8 weeks is classified as chronic. Chronic cough may be attributable to one diagnosis, but it is not unusual to find that there may be multiple underlying conditions contributing to the symptoms.
The initial history and physical examination will provide clues as to what tests should be done and what medical therapy to use. It may be necessary to assess for multiple causes in order to completely relieve the cough symptoms.
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DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC COUGH
The first step in evaluation of chronic cough is to perform a thorough history of present illness along with a detailed description of medications, exposure to toxins, allergens, or infectious agents, and smoking history.
If your review of systems reveals unexplained weight loss, you should suspect tuberculosis. If the patient has a smoking history, be aware of an increase for risk of neoplasm.
A well-known but often overlooked cause of chronic cough is angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi). A persistent, dry cough occurs in 5% to 20% of people taking ACEi and is more common in women. It begins after approximately 3 weeks of treatment with ACEi and abates within days of discontinuation.5 Other medications can have a side effect of cough and need to be considered, including a common treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), omeprazole.6
Unless there are obvious findings on examination, such as wheezing and retractions in asthma, a chest x-ray is important in ruling out neoplasm or pneumonia. If the chest x-ray is negative, then there are 4 diagnoses that account for up to 90% of cases of chronic cough and should be considered: asthma, nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis, GERD, and upper airway cough syndrome (formerly known as postnasal drip).7
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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease, often worsened by certain stimuli, that causes airway obstruction and is reversible with treatment.8 Classic asthma presents with symptoms of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, cough with or without sputum, and breathlessness. The symptoms are usually worse at night and early in the morning. An acute episode is often in response to an environmental irritant such as smoke, exercise, or an allergen.
However, asthma can present as a cough alone (cough-variant asthma) without other symptoms. This cough occurs most commonly at night, and studies on quality of life in patients with asthma have found that the cough is often more troublesome for patients than any other symptom.9 The physical findings may be absent in between episodes, so it is important to consider asthma in the differential for a chronic cough with no obvious source. The diagnosis is made through spirometry and documentation of the reversibility of the airway obstruction.1,10 First-line treatment for asthma is with inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids.11
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Nonasthmatic Eosinophilic Bronchitis
In patients who have a chronic cough without airflow obstruction or hyperresponsiveness, the diagnosis of nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis should be considered. These patients will demonstrate elevated levels of eosinophils in the sputum. In this case, the first step is to remove all environmental irritants. Inhaled bronchodilators are not effective with this disorder, but inhaled corticosteroids are associated with improved symptoms.12
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Upper Airway Cough Syndrome
Previously known as postnasal drip syndrome, upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) is now referred to when discussing cough due to upper airway symptoms.13 Patients will frequently report congestion, a "dripping sensation" at the back of the throat, a hoarse voice, or a need to clear the throat.
There are a small number of patients who do not report these kinds of symptoms but respond to antihistamine therapy. There is no pathognomonic finding on history or physical exam, but if there are findings that lead to a specific cause for the UACSinduced cough, then targeted therapy should be instituted.
Empiric therapy with a first-generation antihistamine such as diphenhydramine and a decongestant can be tried when there is either an unexplained cough or a cough with signs and symptoms suggestive of UACS. The first-generation antihistamines are preferable for the treatment of cough, because they have a centrally acting antitussive effect in addition to the effect on central and peripheral histamine receptors.
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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
GERD is the third most common cause of chronic cough.14 Symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux may affect as many as 20% of Americans daily.15 Commonly, women with GERD will notice heartburn that is worse when lying down, after a full meal, and at night. Patients with these typical GERD symptoms should have a trial of a high-dose proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for 1 to 3 months.1,7 Endoscopy and ambulatory pH monitoring are the traditional tests used for making the diagnosis and assessing the damage from GERD, but they have not been found as helpful in patients with cough caused by reflux.7
In addition to medical treatment, patients should be educated about dietary and lifestyle changes (Table 2).16 If possible, they should stop intake of all foods that can worsen GERD or reflux, for at least a period during which the impact on their cough can be assessed. These foods, along with smoking, all lower the pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter and increase reflux. Many patients who have a chronic cough due to reflux disease will respond to treatment with a PPI. There is a group who will not respond to treatment despite adequate acid suppression. These patients may be more likely to have a cough during the day and while upright. Recently it has been postulated that nonacidic reflux, known as laryngopharyngeal reflux, may be the source of cough in these patients.17
Some patients who have undergone fundoplication after failed medical treatment noted successful resolution of their cough following the surgery. Multichannel intraluminal impedance testing has recently been suggested as a way to identify patients with nonacidic reflux who may be candidates for an alternate medical treatment such as prokinetic therapy (baclofen or metoclopramide) or surgery.15
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Chronic cough can be aggravating for patients and difficult to diagnose. A stepwise, organized approach, such as listed in the Figure, will result in successful resolution of the cough for most women.
The author reports no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.
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Heather Z. Sankey, MD, FACOG, is Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine; Chief, Division of General ObGyn Program; and Director, Department of ObGyn, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA. | <urn:uuid:9b5f4f81-dabc-49d7-a04d-8985544f9a46> | {
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Have you ever been driving down one of those beautiful by-ways here in Eastern Virginia and come across a sign noting a town or village with a name so unusual you ask yourself, “Where in the world did they come up with that one”? Some names come from places in other countries. Some are the Native American names settlers found when they arrived and they remained and some are just plain weird. Either way, they have meanings, and many are unusual. Occasionally, there is more than one story as to how that name was
derived. So the origin of the name is sometimes just the “best guess”.
Just three miles from Essex County in King and Queen County, there is an area called Helmet. It has an interesting story told by several people. The story is about a crossroads, now gone forever, and how it got its name. In the later part of the 19th century mail was not delivered as it is now. Rural Free Delivery, RFD, was not available so many people in the remote rural areas had to go to the nearest post office and pick up their mail. There was a requirement for a specified distance between an existing post office and the next one.
A man wanted to open a post office because some of the residents had an extraordinarily long walk to pick up mail. To meet the distance requirement, a bandana was tied to a wagon wheel. The distance the wheel covered in one rotation was measured, and when the correct distance was covered, a new post office sprung up. When the government came to open the post office, the owner was asked the name of the location. Looking around the shelves of his new store, he saw a can of Helmet baking powder. So that became the name of the area.
In the same area there was another community trying to get a post office and after some years of trying, they finally were notified they had been chosen, and a post office would be coming. The community gathered and discussed the selection of a name. Mr. William Taliaferro was one of the largest employers in the area and was part of the discussions. Known as the “Pickle King”, he raised hundreds of acres of watermelons and processed the rind for pickling. It is said he suggested the name Hustle, noting how there always seemed to be hustling and bustling going on in the area. From his home, Oakalona, Mr. Taliaferro successfully operated his pickle business well into the middle 1940s.
Another place with a most unusual is in Middlesex County. The community of Remlik is located at the junction of Routes 602 and 637, and obtained its name from one of its most prominent citizens, Willis Sharpe Kilmer. Kilmer was a marketing pioneer, newspaper man and a horse breeder. When he established his racing stable along the banks of the Rappahannock, he named the area after his yacht, Remlik. Remlik is Kilmer’s name spelled backwards.
Kilmer was probably most noted for his marketing of his uncle’s patent medicine, Dr. Kilmer’s Swamp Root Tonic. The tonic business began a steady decline after the 1906 passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act. Kilmer branched out into other businesses, one of which was breeding horses. He was the breeder of Reign Count, the winner of the 1928 Kentucky Derby, and the owner of Exterminator, the 1918 derby winner.
Today Remlik is a rural area with flat farmlands and beautiful homes along LaGrange Creek, just off the Rappahannock. Watermen still ply their trade as they have for hundreds of years, evident by the docks and seafood houses.
In Northumberland County, a small village now known as Harry Hogan, just northeast of Callao, evolved over the years. In 1751, it was originally named for the last Indian family that lived there, Arehokin. In 1762, the name appeared on maps as Aire Hogan. When you read that fast it sounds like Harry Hogan, which became the final and current name for the area. Other than beautiful homes along the water, all that physically remains in an old warehouse, a tomato and fish canning house, an old marine railway and Harry Hogan Machine Shop. A fourth generation resident, Bryn Jewell, remembers the Chesapeake’s most noted sailing work boat, the skipjack, being built there as late as the 1960s.
Also in Northumberland there is Lottsburg. About 1790, Lancelot Smithers purchased some land along today’s Route 360 and opened a tavern. As time went by, folks would say I am going to Lot’s Bar for food and beverages. Lots Bar, over the years, became Lottsburg. Lottsburg remains a thriving community with a large hardware store and numerous other enterprises.
Lewisetta sits on a small peninsula jutting out into the Potomac River. A port for over 200 years, this area has seen a great deal of progress. As early sailing boats carried freight up and down the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River, this spot became the site where local farmers and watermen met the boats and shipped their farm goods , lumber and fresh seafood. When steam replaced sail, and delivery time at destinations such as Norfolk, Washington and Baltimore were much quicker, the need for a dock and warehouses was obvious. Shortly after the end of the Civil War, Charlie and Etta Lewis opened a store which bears their name to this day. Lewisetta is the combination of Etta and Lewis; Lewisetta. The post office closed a few years ago, but the store continues to operate. Mark and Helen Scerbo operate a marine supply, basic grocery and a marina out of the same building. Helen says she believes the business has been in operation at that location for 147 years.
Finally in Northumberland, there is the village of Miskimon. There is not much there anymore except the Miskimon General Store. Most thought the name came from the local Indians, but in fact it was named for the Reverend Henry Edward Miskimon. Little is known about Miskimon other than he was born in Maryland in 1845 and died at Harper’s Ferry West Virginia in 1885.
Next is Westmoreland County. It has its share of truly odd names. Northeast from the county seat of Montross is the crossroads of Zacata believed to be named for the Maryland Zechiah Indian Tribe, who frequently visited the area from across the Potomac River. First known as Muses Fork, the name was changed in 1898 when W.T. Henderson applied for and was granted a post office. Henderson operated the post office as part of his general store until that store burned in the early 1900s. Murray Henderson rebuilt the store and the post office. Operations continued there until 1950 when that store also burned. The little cinder block building seen there today became the post office until it was closed.
An interesting fact related to Zacata area is about an African American soldier, Walter Tate. Tate enlisted in the U.S. Army in May, 1879 at what is today San Angelo, Texas. He was assigned to the famous 10th U. S. Cavalry serving throughout the Southwest defending mail routes, settlers, livestock and stage lines from Mexican revolutionaries, cattle thieves and bandits. The 10th Cavalry was an all black unit, the much heralded “Buffalo Soldiers”. The Indians named the unit this because of their thick curly hair, endurance and strength. These attributes were very respected by Native Americans and reminded them of the great buffalo. Tate was discharged in May 1884 after serving five years on the frontier. He returned home, died and was buried in Westmoreland County in 1933 in his 80th year.
Further down the same road in Westmoreland County was another village called Hinnom. A post office was opened there in June 1900 and operated by Richard H. Hall. However, the Hinnom post office was closed in 1959. The name Hinnom was given to the area by Halley Hall. It is a biblical name, which is found in the Old Testament. It refers to a valley near Jerusalem. According to the Jewish tradition, Hinnom was thought to be the mouth of hell due to its location. Hinnom is also located in a deep valley.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Ball, both in their early 90s, have lived at “the end of the road” for years. They sport around the area in their bright red golf cart as the unofficial welcome wagon to strangers in the neighborhood. When all of the buildings disappeared, Mr. Ball thought he would just build some more. He has constructed an eight box post office, repurposed a phone booth, built a model still and provided a rest stop for the mailman. All of this is at the end of his driveway depicting bygone days of Hinnom.
Neenah is a place at the junction of Routes 600 and 621 in Westmoreland County. The name was decided by Charles Hutt, the first postmaster. It was chosen because while incarcerated in the Point Lookout Union Civil War POW camp in Maryland, a lady and her daughter Neenah visited Hutt and the southern soldiers. He remembered her kindness so well during those trying times he named his second daughter Neenah after the lady’s daughter. Some believe the name Neenah has a Winnebago Indian meaning pure.
Moving south into Richmond County there is the village of Sharps which sits on the water near the Lancaster County line. Named for the Sharp family by DeWitt C. Sharp, it has been a river port since colonial times. The post office opened there in 1873. It was changed to Milton’s Wharf a few days later, and the name remained until changed to Sharps Wharf in 1881. In 1901, Wharf was dropped and the name returned to Sharps. Sharps is a waterfront village with stately homes sitting on the banks of the Rappahannock. Front Street goes along the shoreline and is about a ½ mile long. On this peaceful looking street, you will find the beautiful Milden Presbyterian Church built in 1888 with its well-maintained and beautiful landscaping. Further to the south, a gazebo sits in what seems to be a park and appears to be the center piece of the village. An historical fact about Sharps is that it was the site of the first naval engagement on the Rappahannock in the War of 1812. Many riverfront villages, wharfs and homes were shelled by the British during that war.
In Lancaster County, there is the town of Lively on Route 3. Lively was originally named Lively Oaks because of the stand of oak trees that surrounded the home of the Rector of White Chapel Church. Years later, the Oaks was dropped and the name was just Lively. The residents once tried to change the name citing that they thought a town should be a noun, the name of a person, place or thing. Lively is an adverb noting how some action occurs or an adjective describing how that action is performed. After much discussion and not a consensus of opinion, the name remained Lively.
In the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, there are many more town names that could be considered strange or anomalies. Being from this area one may learn things history books leave out just by looking into the names of our strange little towns. History is where you find it, and you will find it here.
Information for this article would not have been possible without the information provided by the local museums. The Westmoreland County Museum, the Northumberland County Museum, the Richmond County Museum and the Essex County Museum provided excellent support. A special thanks to Larry Chowing from the Southside Sentinel. | <urn:uuid:4e3e07a0-abbe-48bb-83d7-d465ebaafbf2> | {
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After removing the tooth in its place is a recess hole.The doctor fills the swab well, so he drank the blood.The duration of his stay on the wound for about 20 minutes.This is the minimum for which a healthy person should pause more or less severe bleeding.Minor bleeding will continue during the first day.This is seen in the saliva, which is not white, but with blood.Do not worry, no need to hurry to rinse your mouth.Whether it is necessary to rinse and the tooth after the removal, will be discussed later.Just need to make a sterile gauze roll and repeat the previous procedure, that is, to hold it in place torn tooth and 20 minutes.This will give a greater effect than previously rinsing after tooth extraction.Premature rinse bleeding does not stop, but can slow down the healing of wounds.After 1-2 hours of action of the anesthetic drug is usually finished and the patient begins to experience pain.If you can not tolerate, you must take a drug from the group of analgesics.The tablets should be taken with
to rinse after tooth extraction and how to care?
Once passed the first stage, it is time to receive more effective drugs, and should consider, than to rinse your teeth after removal.If the process of tooth extraction was satisfactory, there is no need to apply an ice pack.Otherwise it is necessary to squeeze the package to the side cheeks, wherein the tooth has been paid, but no more than 10 minutes.After 20-30 minutes, the procedure can be repeated.It will be appreciated that prolonged hypothermia slows down the healing process.
the presence of inflammation and complex tooth removal the question of what to rinse your teeth after removal, most doctors are not worth it, because in this situation effectively taking anti-inflammatory drugs "Nimesil", mefenamic acid, and even such strong antibiotics as "Amoksiklav "" Sumamed "" ceftriaxone ".
It is also the appointment of antiallergic drugs such as "Claritin", "Tavegil", "Suprastin."Depending on the specific features of the human healing process occurs in about the following terms:
- 3-4 day begins the formation of the young tissue to form on the surface of the wells of a white crust of the new epithelium;
- two weeks hole is completely filled with new tissue:
- and a half months on the deepening of the removed tooth is transformed into a young bone tissue;
- 3 months formed mature bone tissue;
- if there were no complications, to the end of 4-6 months, the bone regeneration process is completed.
Many doctors and dentists agree that the question of what to rinse your teeth after removal, should be answered: such procedures produce should not, as this can cause excessive bleeding and open the way to penetrate into the body of harmful bacteria.If there has been an inflammation, the experts advise careful use of chlorhexidine. | <urn:uuid:b0a29c2e-7a7a-41af-aa6b-80d78eaaa573> | {
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Saint Patrick converted Aengus, King of Cashel, c.450; Saint Ailbe established his see at Emly, where a great school flourished in the 5th century. In 1101 O’Dunan was made Archbishop of Cashel by Saint Celsus, and the Diocese of Emly was included in his jurisdiction. In 1152 Donat O’Lonergan was appointed to the see by the Synod of Kells. On the interesting limestone elevation known as the Rock of Cashel may be seen the ruins of the ancient cathedral, burnt in 1495. The round tower, Cormac’s chapel (1134), and an ancient cross are also of interest. United to the Diocese of Emly, Ireland in 1718. | <urn:uuid:95580e7b-2ec3-4dc1-9fc1-9b3a01a9ee6e> | {
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Snakes may have legs before. The present 3,400 modern species existing today may have the same prehistoric progenitor with real toes and ankles, according to researchers on Tuesday.
After evaluating the data they have collected by using genetic sequencing using fossils, added to it the anatomical comparison of 73 lizard and snake species, Yale University’s paleontologist team has created what it calls the most complete snake “family tree ever yet. The research has the answer all the questions regarding where and how the modern snakes existed
“Having that tree as a backbone let us draw a ton of conclusions for what the ancestral snake would have been like,” said Daniel J. Field, a doctoral candidate in evolutionary biology and an author of the study. The team concluded that the most recent common ancestor of all living snakes was nocturnal, thrived 128.5 million years ago in the Southern Hemisphere and devoured relatively large prey whole using its sharp, hooked teeth as a hunting tool.
For them to reach this conclusion, what the team did first was to rebuild the snakes’ family tree from the tip to the trunk. To really get an idea when some characteristics developed , such as how they hunt their preys at night, their constricting ability, how they first came into use, researchers utilized the genetic and morphological information that they gathered and assembled together pieces of information , how the several groups of snakes became related to each other.
After collating the relationships among the different groups, the herpetologists utilized different algorithms to put the right data where it belonged. Things such as when a certain characteristic showed up in what they called ancestral state reconstruction process. Mr. Field and his group identified 11 traits that they wanted to insert in the tree of life. Each of the characteristic would correspond to a certain question concerning the snakes’ evolutionary process that scientists often come to debate. Are the snakes water or land dwellers? Are they from the southern part or form the north? Do they ambush their prey
“I was most amazed by how strongly we inferred that the common ancestor retained hind limbs,” he said. The team published its tree of life for snakes in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology.
“Sometimes evolution plays out in unexpected and strange ways,” he said. “We think we’ve got a strongly supported idea, and based on the mathematical reconstruction it is what is most likely to be true.” | <urn:uuid:d174c404-f999-49e0-8a55-e2f5663acb20> | {
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Environment – Managing Chemical Substances
Tracking the Use of 3,208 Controlled Chemical Substances with Our Own Chemical Substance Management System
Mitsubishi Electric and its affiliates in Japan have been managing chemical substances on a voluntary basis since 1997. The main substances we manage include refrigerant fluorocarbons (HFCs*1 and HCFCs*2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the 10 substances designated under RoHS. Together with 462 substances designated under the revised PRTR Law*3 (PRTR*4) that came into force in November 2009, there are currently 3,208 controlled substances managed by our Chemical Substance Management System, which also incorporates purchasing information for materials and components.
In fiscal 2017, Mitsubishi Electric used 4,203 tons of 141 different chemical substances (4,962 tons of 145 different chemical substances in fiscal 2016), and our Japanese affiliates used 1,401 tons of 41 different chemical substances (1,471 tons of 41 different chemical substances in fiscal 2016). Details on the release and transfer of these substances are shown in the figure below. We will continue to track and manage our use of these substances, and eliminate any unnecessary use.
- HFCs: Hydrofluorocarbons
- HCFCs: Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
- PRTR Law: Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof.
- PRTR: Pollutant Release and Transfer Register. A system under which companies track the quantity of substances potentially harmful to human health or the ecosystem which are released into the environment or transferred inside waste material, and report this data to government authorities. The authorities then use these reports and other statistics to produce estimates on release and transfer, and announce them publicly. | <urn:uuid:77d37bf0-fc0a-4389-bdc0-f29861b4b3b1> | {
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It was on March 10, 1876 that Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful telephone call. "'Mr. Watson--come here--I want to see you," he said to his assistant, who was in the next room. Bell recorded those early telephone experiments in his lab notebooks from the time, as he did with countless other experiments and ideas.
The books are a priceless treasure of an incredibly fertile mind working through one of the most exciting periods of technological innovation in the history of the world. The sketches, though, are more than just dry recordings of physical principles. Bell's drawings are expressive in ways that few technical sketches are. Little flourishes and annotations make paging through his drawings a delight.
Sadly, his handwriting doesn't have the same precision as his drawings. You'll probably have as tough a time as I did making out his intentions. Nonetheless, we can appreciate Bell's genius even without the full explanations of what he was thinking.
Bell's notebooks have been preserved by the Library of Congress, which digitized them, turning them into one of the Internet's real treasures. We present a selection of the best images here. | <urn:uuid:a7723b50-5e42-4595-bb29-83cc12582a0a> | {
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Fractal architecture across cultures and continents
Richard Taylor, University of Oregon, USA
The strikingly intricate shape of the sunken temple at Varanasi stands out from the conventional, rectangular buildings that surround it. It seems to celebrate organic shapes rather than the artificial shapes of the other buildings. But what do we mean by ‘organic’ shapes?
In the 1970s, the mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot identified a subtle form of order within the apparent disorder of nature’s scenery. Many natural objects were shown to consist of patterns that recur at increasingly fine magnifications. Mandelbrot christened this repetition as ‘fractal’ (a term derived from the Latin ‘fractus’, meaning fractured) to emphasize their more intricate appearance when compared to the smoothness of Euclidean shapes such as traingles, squares and circles. Catalogued in Mandelbrot’s famous book Fractal Geometry of Nature, a diverse range of natural objects were shown to be fractal, including mountains, clouds, rivers and trees. The sunken temple captures the essential qualities of fractals – the shape of the building repeats at smaller scales.
Fractals have appeared regularly throughout the history of art, dating back to Islamic and Celtic patterns. More recent examples include Leonardo Da Vinci’s sketch The Deluge (1500), Katsushika Hokusai’s wood-cut print The Great Wave (1846), Jackson Pollock’s poured paintings (1943-1952) and M.C. Escher’s Circle Limit III and IV (1960). Escher is particularly well-known within the art world for his mathematical dexterity and his ability to manipulate repeating patterns at different scales. This fractal repetition has been extended to the arrangement of physical objects such as rock distributions in the Ryoanji Rock Garden in Japan.
However, the idea of creating fractal buildings is more challenging due to the repetition of the construction process at different scales. Nevertheless, the sunken temple is not the only example of a fractal building. Examples span across many different cultures. The Castel del Monte, designed and built by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (1194-1250), has a basic shape of a regular octagon fortified by eight smaller octagonal towers at each corner. A more recent example is Gustave Eiffel’s tower in Paris, where the repetition of a triangle generates a shape known amongst fractal geometrists as a Sierpinski Gasket. The Eiffel Tower (1889) serves as a demonstration of the practical implications of fractal architecture. If, instead of its spidery construction, the tower had been designed as a solid pyramid, it would have consumed a large amount of iron, without much added strength. Instead Eiffel exploited the structural rigidity of a triangle at many different size scales. The result is a sturdy and cost-effective design.
Gothic cathedrals also exploit fractal repetition in order to deliver maximum strength with minimum mass. The fractal character also dominates the visual aesthetics of the building. A Gothic cathedral’s repetition of different shapes (arches, windows and spires) on different scales yields an appealing combination of complexity and order. In contrast to the ‘filled-in’ appearance of the Romanesque structures that pre-dated the Gothic era, the carved out character of the Gothic buildings delivers a distinctive skeletal appearance that results in their remarkable luminosity. The visual appeal of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Palmer House in Ann Arbour (USA) of 1950-51 has been analysed in terms of Lloyd’s use of triangular shapes at different scales. More recently, Frank Gehry’s organic architecture has been discussed in terms of fractals. Furthermore, The Water Cube swimming pool arena at the Beijing Olympic Games (2008) featured a fractal bubble design in its metal framework!
image by emily geioff
What are the possible motivations for creating a building based on fractals? One reason is the structural strength mentioned above. Fractals also disperse the energy of waves very efficiently – whether they be sound waves from noise, vibrational waves from passing traffic, or shakes from earthquakes. Thus, fractal buildings are fundamentally quiet and safe. Fractal shapes also have large surface area to volume ratios. For example, trees are built from fractals in order to maximize exposure to the sunlight. Possible advantages of this large surface area for buildings therefore include solar cells on the rooftops and windows that deliver a large amount of light to the building’s interior.
However, the main reason for building fractal architecture focuses on the associated aesthetics and the hope of mimicking a natural ‘organic’ shape. The study of aesthetic judgement of fractal patterns constitutes a relatively new research field. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown the people find fractals to be aesthetically pleasing and that they can reduce the observer’s stress-levels.
Although we think of fractal architecture as a concept for future cities, examples such as the sunken temple show that our ancestors have been exploiting the many positive qualities of fractals for many centuries. | <urn:uuid:723772c9-9b22-4a3e-99c8-27193392b50d> | {
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Diagnosing asthma generally includes a medical history, physical exam and lung tests.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Asthma diagnosis is based on a number of things, including a physical exam, answers to questions about your symptoms and overall health, and results of lung tests or other tests.
The first step in diagnosing asthma is talking to your doctor about your symptoms and your health. This can provide clues as to whether your symptoms are most likely caused by asthma or may be caused by something else. Your doctor will likely ask:
- What are your exact symptoms? When do they occur, and does anything specific seem to trigger them?
- Are you often exposed to tobacco smoke, chemical fumes, dust or other airborne irritants?
- Do you have hay fever or another allergic condition?
- Do you have any blood relatives with asthma, hay fever, or other allergies?
- What health problems do you have?
- What medications or herbal supplements do you take? (Many medications can trigger asthma.)
- What is your occupation?
- Do you have pet birds or raise pigeons? (In some people, exposure to birds can cause asthma-like symptoms.)
Your doctor may:
- Examine your nose, throat and upper airways (upper respiratory tract).
- Use a stethoscope to listen to your breathing. Wheezing — high-pitched whistling sounds when you breathe out — is one of the main signs of asthma.
- Examine your skin for signs of allergic conditions such as eczema and hives.
Your doctor will want to know whether you have common signs and symptoms of asthma, such as:
- Recurrent wheezing
- Trouble breathing
- Chest tightness
- Symptoms that occur or worsen at night
- Symptoms that are triggered by cold air, exercise or exposure to allergens.
Asthma signs and symptoms in children
In children, additional signs and symptoms may signal asthma. These may include:
- Breathing that is louder than normal or faster than normal. Newborns typically take 30 to 60 breaths a minute. Toddlers typically take 20 to 40 breaths a minute.
- Frequent coughing or coughing that worsens after active play.
- Coughing, clear mucus and a runny nose caused by hay fever.
- Frequent missed school days.
- Limited participation in physical activities.
Lung tests (pulmonary function tests) such as spirometry are often used to help confirm an asthma diagnosis. These tests check how well your lungs are working. During spirometry, you take a deep breath and forcefully breathe out (exhale) into a tube connected to a machine called a spirometer. This records both the amount (volume) of air you breathe out and how quickly you can exhale. If certain key measurements are below normal for a person your age, it may be a sign that your airways are narrowed by asthma.
After taking lung test measurements, your doctor may ask you to inhale an asthma drug to open air passages. Then, you'll do the lung tests again. If your measurements improve significantly after taking the medication, you may have asthma.
With this test, your doctor tries to trigger asthma symptoms by having you inhale a substance that causes the airways to narrow in people with asthma, such as methacholine (meth-uh-KO-leen).
If you appear to have asthma triggered by exercise (exercise-induced asthma), you may be asked to do physical activity to see whether it triggers symptoms.
After taking action to trigger your symptoms, you'll retake the spirometry test. If your spirometry measurements are normal, you probably don't have asthma. But if your measurements have fallen significantly, it's possible you do.
Lung tests in children
Doctors seldom do lung tests in children under age 5. Instead, diagnosis is generally based on a child's signs and symptoms, medical history, and physical examination. It can be especially difficult to diagnose asthma in young children because there are many conditions that cause asthma-like symptoms in this age group.
If your child's doctor suspects asthma, the doctor may prescribe a bronchodilator — a drug that opens the airways. If your child's signs and symptoms improve after using the bronchodilator, your child may have asthma.
Exhaled nitric oxide test
With this test, you breathe into a tube connected to a machine that measures the amount of nitric oxide gas in your breath. Nitric oxide gas is produced by the body normally, but high levels in your breath can mean your airways are inflamed — a sign of asthma.
Depending on your age, your medical history and initial testing, your doctor may suspect that you have a condition other than asthma. Conditions that can cause asthma-like symptoms include:
- Something blocking in the airways (airway obstruction). Breathing a piece of food or a small object into the airways is especially common in infants and young children.
- Another lung disease such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- A tumor or tumors in the airways.
- Bronchiolitis (BRONG-ke-oh-LIE-tis). This type of airway inflammation often stems from a viral lung infection such as respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus, particularly in children under 2.
- Lung infection (pneumonia) caused by a bacteria or virus.
- A blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism).
- Heart failure (congestive heart failure).
- Vocal cord dysfunction, which is also called paradoxical vocal cord movement or laryngeal dysfunction.
To rule out possible causes of your breathing problems, you may need tests such as:
- Chest and sinus X-rays
- Blood tests — for example, a complete blood count (CBC) test
- Computerized tomography (CT) scans of the lungs
- Gastroesophageal reflux assessment
- Examination of the phlegm in your lungs (sputum induction and examination) for signs of a viral or bacterial infection.
Your doctor may also want to see whether you have any other conditions that often accompany asthma and can make symptoms worse. These include:
- Heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD)
- Hay fever
Your doctor may also perform allergy tests. These can be either skin tests or blood tests, or both. Allergy tests aren't specifically used to diagnose asthma. But, they can help identify an allergic condition, such as hay fever, that may be causing your symptoms or worsening existing asthma.
For some people, asthma diagnosis is straightforward. But for others, diagnosing the cause of breathing problems is a challenge. It can be difficult to differentiate asthma from other conditions — particularly in young children. When existing asthma is worsened by another condition, such as hay fever, it can further complicate diagnosis. Your doctor will need to piece together all of the information possible to determine what's causing your symptoms. Even if a diagnosis isn't certain, your doctor may prescribe medications or other treatment to see whether it helps.
Because numerous conditions can cause asthma-like symptoms, it may take some time — and patience — to get the correct diagnosis and determine the best course of treatment.
Jun. 23, 2011
- Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma — Summary report 2007. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthsumm.htm. Accessed April 11, 2011.
- Fanta CH, et al. Diagnosis of asthma in adolescents and adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 12, 2011.
- Sawicki G, et al. Chronic asthma in children younger than 12 years: Evaluation and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 12, 2011.
- Asthma in infants. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. www.aafa.org/print.cfm?id=8&sub=17&cont=160. Accessed April 11, 2011.
- Wheezing and asthma in infants. KidsHealth. www.kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=107&cat_id=20564&article_set=37965. Accessed April 11, 2011. | <urn:uuid:ff75afbd-42fd-4ad3-9b4a-d58a1775a0b0> | {
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Early impacts of harvesting and burning disturbances on vegetation communities in the Warra silvicultural systems trial, Tasmania, Australia
Neyland, M and Jarman, J, Early impacts of harvesting and burning disturbances on vegetation communities in the Warra silvicultural systems trial, Tasmania, Australia, Australian Journal of Botany, 59, (8) pp. 701-712. ISSN 0067-1924 (2011) [Refereed Article]
Impacts on the understorey vegetation of a range of silvicultural alternatives to clearfelling in lowland Eucalyptus obliqua wet forest were studied over a decade in the Warra silvicultural systems trial in southern Tasmania. The treatments were clearfell with understorey islands, patchfell, stripfell, dispersed retention, aggregated retention, and single-tree/small-group selection. High intensity burning, low intensity burning and no burning were variously applied as part of these treatments. Three understorey types were studied, including one wet sclerophyll community and two rainforest communities. Wherever burning occurred across the research trial, the regenerating vegetation was floristically wet sclerophyll with an incipient composition consistent with that of the pre-harvest wet sclerophyll community. Sites previously occupied by rainforest understoreys retained occasional rainforest elements, but the regeneration was overwhelmingly sclerophyll in nature. There were no consistent differences in the floristic composition of the regenerating vegetation, after burning or harvesting disturbance, that could be attributed to the silvicultural system. However, field observations and the results of a related, subsequent study suggest that, in designing silvicultural trials similar to the present one, close attention should be paid to the size of quadrats in relation to the level at which disturbance impacts are operating. The response of the vegetation at edges created by the treatments, and in the undisturbed forest beyond, supports the finding that edge effects on the vascular flora extend for less than 10 m into the undisturbed forest. | <urn:uuid:4e655ca5-5340-456c-8155-1f6df9e09d9a> | {
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UNECE Adopts Fuel Efficiency Test for Cars
3 March 2014: The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has adopted the Worldwide Harmonized Light-duty Test Procedures (WLTP) test cycle to be used for measuring fuel consumption, and therefore carbon dioxide emissions, of new light vehicles. It is expected that fuel consumption figures for many automobiles will increase between 10-20% in this new system.
These higher numbers are expected both because the new test cycle is far more accurate than the current system, which has been in use since 1996, and because it now considers fuel-increasing accessories such as air conditioning and heated seats and closes loopholes of the previous test.
The development of the test cycle is the result of over five years of work by the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, which is housed within the Transport Division of the UNECE. Now that the new test has been approved by the UNECE, it is up to national and regional legislatures to adopt it and require manufacturers to use it. [UNECE Press Release] | <urn:uuid:1e909f6a-1ad2-4c1f-b4ab-1fd1635d2f46> | {
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Join our Law Notes WhatsApp Group and stay updated with Legal and Judicial Updates
Legal System of Austria
Chapters, Sections and Articles from the Austrian Constitution from 1945 with Amendments through 2009.
Judiciary of Austria
The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature, and exclusively federal in nature: there are no state courts.
- Austria Federal Ministry of Justice | <urn:uuid:f473a45c-9054-4f7d-be30-fee1553a9f38> | {
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Since its invention in the first half of the nineteenth century, photography has been used for documentary purposes, faithfully recording the details of archaeological artifacts, works of art, and natural specimens. Appearing to be no more than bearers of information or certificates of authenticity, many such photographs are not as simple as they might seem at first glance. The exhibition Material Witnesses: Photographs of Things considers how documentary images, while retaining a certain visual truth, are also highly mysterious works of art. Material Witnesses is on view at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute
January 15 through April 11.
Drawn from the collections of the Clark and the Troob Family Foundation, this seventeen piece exhibition features photographs by William Henry Fox Talbot, Roger Fenton, Eugène Atget, Henri Jean-Louis Le Secq, Charles Thurston Thompson, Linnaeus Tripe, Edwin Hale Lincoln, and Adolphe Terris. Lingering traces of these photographersa reflection in a mirror, handwritten inventory numbers, the artificial arrangement of the objects themselvesdraw attention to activities that took place outside the picture frame, unseen by the camera. The viewer is left to interpret this forensic evidence, to make sense of each pictures particular account of the past and the real. These photographs are material witnesses in the transformation of mundane objectsstones, flowers, chinainto significant subjectsmementos, symbols, art.
The Clarks collection of photographs dates from the invention of photography to the early twentieth century and now comprises nearly 1,000 works. The collection includes important photographs by Gustave Le Gray, Édouard Baldus, Nadar, Eugène Atget, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, William Henry Fox Talbot, Julia Margaret Cameron, Francis Frith, Roger Fenton, Carleton Watkins, William Bradford, Winslow Homer, and Alfred Stieglitz. | <urn:uuid:68eb8652-f475-4bbc-b27d-5e341ff9bdf6> | {
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Sumter placed Colonel Henry Hampton and his South Carolina riflemen in the farm outbuildings. Some units he stationed behind stout fences and others he screened in the surrounding woods. Tarleton came up late in the fall afternoon and chose to make a frontal attack against a numerically superior force, not waiting for his infantry and artillery to catch up. At first he was successful. The Patriot militia fired at too great a distance, and before they could reload Major John Money, commanding the 63d Regiment, hit them with the bayonet. Nevertheless, in doing so, the 63d advanced too close to the farm buildings and came under fire from Hampton's men inside, as usual aiming "at the epaulets and stripes." Money and two of his lieutenants were killed, and according to an officer of Fraser's Highlanders, a third of the privates as well. Meanwhile, other partisans worked their way around their right flank and attacked Tarleton's dragoons who were in their saddles but only watching the action.
Realizing that the battle was going against him, Tarleton desperately ordered an uphill cavalry charge against riflemen firing from cover. As Lumpkin has written, "caution never was Tarleton's outstanding virtue." So many dragoons were knocked from their horses that "the road to the ford was blocked by the bodies of men and fallen chargers, the wounded, still targets, struggling back over their stricken comrades and kicking, screaming horses." Still, the British forces fell back in good order. | <urn:uuid:c7acec4f-8485-4307-938f-34938ae4e63b> | {
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Clean Water Pumps will be used wherever the water would be unlikely to contain particles, and they tend to operate to between 5 & 10mm minimum height as opposed to the usual 25 - 50mm of a dirty water pump as they don’t need to allow for particles passing through the pump.
(Examples of jobs suitable for Clean Water Pumps include: emptying water tanks, rainwater butts, swimming pools.)
A Clean Water Pump
Dirty Water Pumps are used for clearing out water that is likely to contain solid particles, so water that is muddy for example. They tend to work to operate to a minimum water height of 25 - 50mm so that they allow the particles to pass through the pump and avoid blockages. Particle size allowable through a pump can vary greatly; some will even let small stones through.
A Dirty Water Pump
(Examples of jobs Suitable for Dirty Water Pumps - clearing floodwater, emptying a cellar, emptying ponds, ditches and dykes.) | <urn:uuid:3e59cb7d-25f7-4651-bf7a-04264c0e3320> | {
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There are a number of reasons why people walk and run backward on the treadmill or use other machines backward. They are:
1. Rehabilitation (postsurgical or after muscle injury) of the hip, hamstrings (back of thigh), quadriceps (front of thigh), knee, ankle (sprain or Achilles rupture), low back, or shin splints
2. Balance training
3. To improve the pattern of muscle firing (the neural network) between the brain and the legs (via the nervous system), particularly the hamstrings
4. To improve performance in sports where backward walking or running is necessary
Walking or climbing backward helps rehabilitate joints and muscles because:
A. It is gentle on the knees since it decreases the maximum knee range (angle) of motion of the knee, particularly as speed increases during walking.
B. According to some studies, backward walking shows almost a 95% reversal of the use of muscles as compared with forward walking. This means that if the hamstrings were in need of strengthening, then backward walking at moderate intensities would be an excellent way to do it.
C. There is less force when landing because the toes land before the heels, and the toes can absorb more shock than the heels. In forward walking, the heels land first, and there is greater shock.
Walking or climbing backward improves balance because of the challenge that it provides. It's important not to hold on to the side rails when walking backward if you want to maximize the balance effect. It is important to start off very slowly (less than 1.0 miles per hour) until you get the hang of it.
Walking or climbing backward helps challenge the brain to activate muscles in different patterns.
Specificity of Training
Like it sounds, specificity of training means that you train for a particular activity by doing that activity specifically. Walking and running backward is a complex task, and athletes who need this skill for their sport can benefit by training specifically for it.
Start out at slow speeds if you decide to try backward walking or climbing. Also, as mentioned, try not to hold on to rails if balance improvement is your objective. You can start by holding on if you're afraid you'll fall, but if you can, try starting slow enough so that you don't have to hold on. As you practice, you will get better. If you decide to try backward walking or running outdoors, make sure to check frequently by looking over your shoulder and ask a friend to walk or run alongside you and be your eyes. You don't want to trip over an object.
Thank you for your question.
!drawkcab gninnur dna gniklaw kcul dooG | <urn:uuid:933f6c69-f330-4119-9045-5648357333db> | {
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= Synthetic Biology is A) the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, and B) the re-design of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes.
See: DIY Bio
What we should be afraid of
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho:
"Collins is upbeat about medical applications of synthetic biology, moving from synthetic biology of microorganisms into mammalian system, and engineering microbial communities that colonize the digestive system for therapeutics. These are exactly some of the applications that give me reasons to be afraid. Although microbial systems can be modified quite precisely, all attempts to target genetic modifications in eukaryotic cells have so far failed (which is why genetic modification of plants and animals is inherently uncontrollable and unpredictable), and methods to monitor the precision of gene targeting in mammalian cells are just now being developed . Engineering microbial communities in the digestive system that we hardly know about is sheer recklessness, as these microbial communities are intimately intertwined with the physiology and immunity of the human host (see Genetically Modified Probiotics Should Be Banned, ISIS scientific publication).
Profit before safety
In June 2011, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced a $30-million, three-year programme called Living Foundries to support academic and corporate researchers bringing products to the market. “It's too early to predict the commercial importance of such a young field,” Collins remarked , “whether it will turn out to be the next semiconductor industry is hard to say.”
Not to be outdone, Britain issued A Synthetic Biology Roadmap for the UK in July 2012 - commissioned by the Department for Business and Skills and published on their behalf by the Technology Strategy Board - citing an estimate that the global synthetic biology market will grow from $1.6 bn in 2011 to $10.8 bn by 2016, and calling for substantial public investments into establishing multidisciplinary centres, synthetic biology networks, and a “leadership council” with appointed subgroups to direct, coordinate, and oversee it all, and to ensure smooth passage from research to commercialization. It sounds like a potential bureaucratic nightmare of managed science by those who have little or no understanding of science, let alone safety, which is why I am thankful to have left academia.
Although the words “responsible” and “ethical” appear often enough, no civil society organisations were involved in drafting the document, only representatives from industry and research councils plus a few academic synthetic biologists and social scientists. There was no mention of public consultation at all. Being “responsible” seemed nothing more than adhering to “existing regulatory guidelines”, i.e., those applying to genetic modification for contained use and deliberate release, which may well be relaxed in future, in order not to unduly hinder commercialization. And the word “safety” does not appear anywhere.
Stranger dangers than conventional GMOs
While increased precision and reliability can improve the safety of genetic modification, the greatly expanded possibilities for engineering novel constructs and organisms also multiplies the dangers of intentional or accidental releases.
It is now possible to construct whole genomes of viruses and bacteria out of sequence information freely available on the web. Apart from the poliovirus synthesized from its published sequence in 2002 (see above), the virus responsible for the 1918-19 flu pandemic was similarly reconstructed in 2005 . In 2008, Craig Venter Institute synthesized the first bacterial genome of M. genitalium; and in 2010, the team assembled the genome of M. mycoides and transplanted it into a M. capricolum cell to create new M. mycoides cells (see also Synthetic Life? Not By a Long Shot, SiS 47)
Many of the genetic constructs and organisms involved are novel in kind, such as the new bases for DNA, and new amino acids to be incorporated into proteins (see above), the safety of which is entire unknown. At the same time, ethical issues surrounding genetically modified animals and even human beings are brought into much sharper relief (see Unspinning the Web of Spider-Goat, SiS 54).
In the present series, I highlight two flourishing areas that are on the point of exploding. One is the expanding use of nucleic acid aptamers, short sequences of RNA or DNA that bind to proteins or small molecules ( Aptamers for Biosensing, Diagnosis, Druge Delivery and Therapy, SiS 56). The second is the rapid modification of entire genomes for practically any required use ( Mass Genome Engineering, SiS 56). These are developing so fast that safety is in real danger of being left behind.
As Ball remarked in 2004 : “The expanding toolbox of ways to re-engineer microbes — and even construct new ones — has opened up extraordinary possibilities for biomedical discovery and environmental engineering. But it also carries potential dangers that could eclipse the concerns already raised about genetic engineering and nanotechnology.”
In July 2011, the Synthetic Biology Project at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC assembled a group of synthetic biologists and ecologists to explore the possible risks of introducing novel organisms into the environment, and how to assess those risks. These scientists are developing an eco-risk research agenda to help move the field forward in a productive fashion, while aiming to avoid serious ecological impacts.
They propose four areas of risk research:
- Differences in physiology of natural and synthetic organisms, in the production of toxic substances or other harmful metabolites
- How escaped microorganisms might alter habitats, food webs or biodiversity;
- The rate at which the synthetic organism and its genetic material evolves,
- Horizontal gene transfer.
They suggested a (very) minimum investment of $20 to $30 million over 10 years on risk research.
What the group of scientists have failed to propose is a moratorium on all environmental releases until the synthetic molecules and organisms are proven safe.
The issue is pressing, as pointed out in a report submitted to the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical & Technological Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity by an International Civil Society Working Group on Synthetic Biology . There is at present no legal instrument that covers the regulation of the new constructs in synthetic biology, and no risk assessment protocol. There is a general assumption in the field that physical containment of synthetic organisms is not practical, especially within large scale commercial production systems. Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes could readily lead to unintentional releases, as in the foot and mouth outbreak in the UK traced to broken waste-water pipes from Pirbright Laboratory. The behaviour of the novel constructs and organisms are simply unpredictable. It is now recognized that horizontal gene transfer is much more extensive than previously thought. A report published in 2010 documented horizontal gene transfer frequencies in the ocean thousands to hundreds of million times higher than previous estimates . There should be no doubt that genetically modified DNA can spread readily by horizontal gene transfer with unpredictable and potentially uncontrollable consequences (see Scientists Discover New Route for GM-gene 'Escape', SiS 50).
We should indeed be afraid of the lack of public consultation and regulation of an endeavour that may yield many beneficial and useful results, short of creating life; but could also unleash exotic deaths and destruction on people and planet." (http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Synthetic_Biology_Should_We_Be_Afraid.php) | <urn:uuid:09868adb-9214-476b-8e6d-a23960e4847b> | {
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Department Chair's Message
Mechanical engineering is among the most diversified of the traditional engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design and build machines and devices that enable humans to live and work in space, in the air, on the ground, and under water. Their machines can extend our physical capabilities, improve our health and standard of living, and impact the environment in which we live.
Naturally, much of what engineers can or cannot do depends on the materials they have available to tackle their tasks. This is why engineers and material scientists work closely together with the goal of tailoring not only the mechanical, but also chemical and electrical properties of materials to make new applications possible.
Mechanical engineering students acquire an understanding of the fundamentals of mechanics and of the thermal energy sciences. They learn to perform interactive design tasks using computers and to select the most appropriate materials for a specific application. They also become familiar with the chemical and electrical sciences, which are often essential to the total design and realization of a mechanical system. And they also learn to keep the ecosystem in mind when designing solutions to technical problems.
At the graduate level, our activity focuses on a fundamental understanding of mechanical engineering and materials science problems. Courses are offered in four different tracks: Fluids and thermal sciences, soft matter & complex fluids, materials science, and robotics & mechatronics
We have a small but extremely active group of faculty, researchers, graduate students, and undergraduates who share a passion for a range of topics in mechanical engineering and materials science. We hope that the information presented here will answer your questions about our programs as well as pique your interest in the activities of modern mechanical engineers and materials scientists.
Udo D. Schwarz
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The Legend Of Proud Margaret
There are 2 different versions of this legend. The first version dates from the thirteenth century:
Amandus and his wife were robbed and murdered at their home in Leuven. Margaret, who lived and worked
there as a servant girl, was kidnapped by the robbers and carried outside of the city where they brutally
Fishermen found her body some days later on the shore of the river Dyle and buried her there. But due to a
light shining on her grave, her body was discovered and brought back to the city of Leuven. On the location
where she was murdered people claimed miracles happened.
In the 16th century, Joannes Molanus wrote a different version of the same legend: He claimed that Margaret
was also raped and that fish carried her body against the current towards the city, while a light shined on her
floating body and that it was the Duke of Barbant that found her body.
Due to the legend, a real pilgrimage rose in the following ages. People met each other at the Saint Peters
church at the chapel where her remains where kept. Due to the many miracles that happened, there have
been several pleads for her beatrification, a step needed before a canonisation. Three times this failed until
pope Leo XIII finally blessed her in 1902. She was never honoured as saint.
Nederlandse versie onderaan
De legende van de fiere Margriet | <urn:uuid:e3b181df-bef4-44d3-a228-3551edf2f1a3> | {
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Month: February 2013
It Is High Definition
Introduction to the concept of all resolution are familiar with digital photography. We bought 5 and 10 megapixel cameras, and note with satisfaction that more pixels, larger can make the photo, extending it up to size poster. The same happens with the audiovisual world. For more than 50 years, the world audiovisual legislation has established that the video has a 0.4 megapixel resolution. And just as was the case with the older cameras, the size of the image could not be very large. This was valid for old TVs tube, usually small, that have populated our homes in recent decades. But modern technology has led to the emergence of new and modern LCDs and plasma TVs with a size never seen before.
Thus, huge screens 37-inch, 42-inch and up to 47 inches are common in the electronics stores. But the video, with its modest 0.4 megapixels of resolution, not hold well be displayed on big TVs, as well as a photograph of 1 megapixel not endure well too big enlargement. And here is where comes in the idea of change video system, modernise it and adapt it to the new TVs and dissemination systems. What is high definition? High definition is the modernization of the international system of video. Basically, going to have a resolution or quality of 0.4 megapixels, 2 megapixels. Perhaps it may not seem too increase, bearing in mind that photos cameras arrive at much higher resolutions, but must be taken into account that the video moves 25 images per second.
Thus, the size of a video image goes from approximately 800 600 pixels (the current system) to 2,000 x1.000 pixels. It is the famous Full HD; 1,000 lines of resolution. It should be noted that it has also defined an intermediate system, with a resolution of 1 megapixel. (1400 x 800 pixels, aprox.) Also, new resolutions and higher, up to 4 megapixel image sizes, is already studying although it is unlikely to see the light in the domestic market, since it is necessary to have suitable equipment to enjoy high definition.
Consider also, exposed by Katz and Khan (1970), when they indicate entire organization creates its own culture or climate, with its own taboos, customs and lifestyles. The climate or culture of the system reflects both the norms and values of the formal system as its reinterpretation in the informal system () as well as reflects internal and external pressures of the types of people that the Organization attracts, its work processes and physical distribution, the modalities of communication, the exercise of authority within the system. You must be attentive once it begins, the bear in mind its functions, such as Darwin Ebert Aguilar says: Management, flexibility, evaluate and modify the direction of the company. Use of communication technologies, this in view of globalization. Make noticeable that the most important are the human resources. Competitiveness and innovation. Permanent training, prosperity, and quality of results. Discipline, horizontality, participation, mutual respect, responsibility, honesty.
Form: leaders, change agents and staff of respite care. Communicate a sense of identity to the members of the organization. Support the commitment to something greater than the self same. Strengthen the stability of the social system. Facilitate premises recognized and accepted for decision making The cultural artifacts, motivate staff and they facilitate the cohesion of the Group and the commitment to relevant goals. Add: Commit to efficiently play its social responsibility with humanization in job satisfaction to the needs demanded by consumers finally not be must be neglected as it implies recalls Ebert and Yvan Allaire and Mihaela E. Firsirotu, indicated by (1992) the three main factors: the values and characteristics of the surrounding society.The past of the Organization and guidance that former leaders have given him. | <urn:uuid:d67b9054-097d-4662-a0ce-507f354f7622> | {
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Figure 2-38.Fixed spark-gap modulator.
The spark gap is actually triggered (ionized) by the combined action of the charging voltage across
the pulse-forming network and the trigger pulse. (Ionization was discussed in NEETS, Module 6,
Introduction to Electronic Emission, Tubes and Power Supplies.) The air between the trigger pulse
injection point and ground is ionized by the trigger voltage. This, in turn, initiates the ionization of the
complete gap by the charging voltage. This ionization allows conduction from the charged pulse-forming
network through pulse transformer T1. The output pulse is then applied to an oscillating device, such as a
The hydrogen THYRATRON MODULATOR is an electronic switch which requires a positive
trigger of only 150 volts. The trigger potential must rise at the rate of 100 volts per microsecond to cause
the modulator to conduct. In contrast to spark gap devices, the hydrogen thyratron (figure 2-39) operates
over a wide range of anode voltages and pulse-repetition rates. The grid has complete control over the
initiation of cathode emission for a wide range of voltages. The anode is completely shielded from the
cathode by the grid. Thus, effective grid action results in very smooth firing over a wide range of anode
voltages and repetition frequencies. Unlike most other thyratrons, the positive grid-control characteristic
ensures stable operation. In addition, deionization time is reduced by using the hydrogen-filled tube.
Figure 2-39.Typical thyratron gas-tube modulator.
The hydrogen thyratron modulator provides improved timing because the synchronized trigger pulse
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Pros and cons of self studying for the SAT
Classes may spend time on material one already knows. Self studying is a nice way to know which concepts a student doesn’t understand. Furthermore, traveling back and forth to the class takes up time in itself, compared to sitting down at home and getting started right away. This flexibility of time is appealing, and doesn’t take up large chunks of time on the weekends.
Work at own pace
In a classroom or tutoring environment, a student may be hesitant to ask questions and ends up skipping foreign concepts, sometimes rendering the class useless. Studying alone ensures that covering material is not done too quickly or too slowly.
SAT classes often cost more than $100 per day. While buying a prep book will certainly not offer as much guidance as these classes, they can still be a quick and cheap way of reviewing considerable amounts of material.
SAT classes are generally known to be disciplinary in enforcing its rules and studying regimes. Self studying leaves the student vulnerable to many distractions. Sitting down to take a three hour practice test can be quite challenging to do out of self-motivation.
As handy as prep books can be to review in a quick amount of time, teachers can offer tidbits of advice that will ultimately benefit the student while taking the actual test. Most classrooms not only offer content, but effective uses of strategy that have helped students in the past. The SAT tests awareness and speed, along with the curriculum, so these strategies prove quite valuable come test day. For example, some functions on a calculator helps greatly with the graphical and algebraic concepts, while some grammatical patterns are easier to spot with good instruction.
No Group Setting
While being away from others may be beneficial in the sense that there are no outside distractions, many have grown up learning in a classroom environment – being around other students while learning the same material. As a result, self studying may be uncomfortable due to the different setting and difficult to adjust.
By Brian Chen, Staff writer | <urn:uuid:cf8e4904-52ef-4fbf-8076-4a084468c96a> | {
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Multiple Servings of Fish Each Week Associated With Lower Risk of Stroke
Fish and fish oils have been associated with a variety of heart healthy benefits. It is believed that the omega 3 fatty acids in fish may help reduce inflammation and triglycerides. Both of these factors may help to make sure blood can flow easily through the blood vessels to deliver oxygen to the organs like heart or brain. The majority of studies have focused on prevention of heart disease but healthy blood vessels also play an important role in brain health. Clogged or impaired blood vessels can cause strokes and other injuries to the brain. Since certain heart diseases and certain brain injuries are caused by injuries of the blood vessels it is reasonable to assume that factors that lower heart disease risk may also decrease risk of brain injuries.
Researchers from England reviewed previous studies on the benefits of fish oil for preventing strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs or mini-strokes). The review, published in British Medical Journal, found that higher consumption of fish may be associated with lower rates of these brain injuries.
The systematic review included 26 cohort studies with 794,000 participants. The studies asked participants about their average weekly fish intake. The participants were then followed for any incidence of strokes or TIAs. By the end of the studies about 4% of participants had a stroke or TIA. Compared to participants that ate 1 or fewer servings of fish per week:
- Participants that ate 2-4 servings of fish per week had a 6% lower risk of stroke or other vascular-related event
- Participants that ate more than 5 servings of fish per week had a 12% lower risk of stroke or other vascular-related event
The review also included 12 randomized trials with 62,040 participants. These trials compared the risk of stroke or vascular events in the brain with participants that took fish oil supplements. These trials did not find a link between the use of supplements and the risk of stroke or other vascular-related events.
A systematic review can improve the reliability of an outcome by pooling together several smaller studies. The higher the number of participants the more likely the outcomes are true. However, the quality of trials included in the review can also effect the results. The results related to servings of fish were based on observational studies. These types of trials can not establish cause and effect, they can only demonstrate a possible link. Overall the outcomes suggest that there may be a connection between fish intake and blood vessel health in the brain.
Fish is a good, low-calorie source of protein. It is high in good fats like omega-3 fatty acids. Consider adding a few servings of fish to your weekly diet plan. Fish oil supplements have had unclear results. Most trial seem to lean toward whole foods showing greater benefits than supplements but very few Americans seem to reach ideal diet goals. Start by making small changes in your current dietary habits. Add some fruits and vegetables and consider fish options in place of less healthy protein sources. Experiment with different types of fish or cooking methods. A varied balance diet can help you get the nutrient you need.
American Heart Association
National Stroke Association
Chowdhury R, Stevens S, Gorman D, et al.
Association between fish consumption, long chain omega 3 fatty acids, and risk of cerebrovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.
BMJ. 2012 Oct 30;345.
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SPORTS MASSAGE – THE STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION OF THE BODY
In previous blogs on sports massage we’ve looked at Sports Massage Treatments, Sports Massage: the effects and benefits: the lymphatic system. In today’s blog we’re focusing on the structural organisation of the body.
Personal trainers and other fitness professionals following courses on sports massage, for example a Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage (Soft Tissue Therapy), will need to familiarise themselves with the structural organisation of the body.
THE SYSTEMS OF THE HUMAN BODY
In all there are 10 primary systems, as follows:
- The skin
- The skeletal system
- The muscular system
- The nervous system
- The respiratory system
- The circulatory system
- The digestive system
- The urinary system
- The endocrine system
- The reproductive system
Each of these systems comprises many cells, some of which have specialist functions. Each organ is made up of tissue, which in turn is made up of cells and organelles.
THE STRUCTURE OF CELLS
A cell is made up of two-thirds water, plus molecules (carbohydrate, protein and fat). Every cell has a nucleus and a membrane comprising cytoplasm and organelles (specialist parts of a cell with a particular function).
During reproduction, a fertilised egg begins as one cell, which then divides under a process known as mitosis. As the embryo grows, its stem cells develop into specialised cells. These combine with other cells – both of the same type and of a different type – to form the various parts of the human body, such as the skin, muscle, bone and organs.
THE STRUCTURE OF TISSUE
The four main types of tissue are:
- Epithelial tissue – this is the membranes that line the body and form the skin, protecting tissues and absorbing or secreting substances
- Connective tissue – this protects and supports structures, eg bone or muscle; it also has a role in insulating and transporting
- Muscle tissue – this lengthens and contracts to aid movement
- Nervous tissue – this receives and transmits messages as part of the nervous system’s voluntary and involuntary activities
Made up of different tissues working together, organs each have a specific function and can work alone or in tandem with other organs and bodily systems. There are around 80 organs in total in the human body; the most important include the heart, brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach and intestines.
Understanding how sports massage might affect the client’s body – from blood circulation to muscle tissue – is an essential element of sports massage training. As with any kind of treatment, the practitioner should always ask the client about their general health and any medication they might be taking before starting treatment, to ensure there are no contraindications. | <urn:uuid:d5a956ba-f573-43ba-ae79-0b52985f5d10> | {
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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Life (06/15/06)
TITLE: THE DOOR
By Frank Parrino
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Have you ever noticed how we are surrounded by doors? Doors are part and parcel of life. Consider your house or apartment. There are front, back, side, closet, cellar, cabinet, and appliance doors. There are doors on trains, planes, buses, and cars. We find doors in the offices we work at, the stores we shop, and the churches where we worship. Beside these physical and tangible means of access, there is also the figurative door found for example in the expression, “opportunity knocks.” One may find an opening for a job or a deal on a new car. The Bible also has its share of doors both of the literal and figurative kind. Consider these later doors. Such convey vital spiritual truths to us. We find doors to our lips, heart, the heavenly wedding feast, service, and evangelism. People are always encountering doors in life.
There is however one crucial and exacting door. THE DOOR is He who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus declares, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9 NASB). His apostles confirm the great importance and narrow way to THE DOOR by affirming, “ And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:21 NASB). Jesus Christ is the only door to salvation. How do we enter? This sacred door rests upon two hinges: repentance and faith.
First we must face the reality of our own personal sin. We have offended the holy and righteous God who is our Creator and Lawgiver. We have waved the red flag of rebellion in the face of the Almighty by breaking His Law and serving sin and self. Like the prodigal who rebelled against the government of his father, we are broken and come to our senses. We acknowledge we have sinned against our Father and will go to Him seeking mercy. Convinced of our sins, we come just as we are, in all of our pollution and guilt. We come to our Heavenly Father by THE DOOR of Life. To enter, we must repent and believe. Jesus Himself declared from the beginning of His ministry, “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). What is the gospel duty of repentance? Repentance means to turn. We are on the wide road of sin which leads to the destruction of our soul and eternal woe. When our eyes are opened by the wondrous grace of God’s call, we do an about face. Repentance is to be truly sorry for our sin, hating it, turning from sin to God unto the narrow and straight way marked by the sign posts: Obedience and Service to God.
What is the gospel duty of faith? Faith is the conviction of the truth of the gospel and commitment to the Christ of the gospel. God’s gracious remedy for sin is centered in the Person and cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world to save sinners and to give us life in all its fullness. The Lord Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, stood in our place as our substitute. He bore the full wrath of God and paid in full the penalty our sins justly deserved. The hymn writer said, “Jesus sought me when a stranger; wandering from the fold of God. He to rescue me from danger; interposed His precious blood.” Faith is belief in the truth as it is in Jesus and trusting Him alone as our Savior from sin and Lord of our life. If you say you believe then your life will be radically altered by the truths of the gospel. If you say you trust Christ then your life will be wholly committed to Him as Savior and Lord. Real repentance and faith will produce real love for God which in turn will produce real obedience to Jesus Christ.
Life is short. Death is sure. Sin is the curse. Christ is the cure. Have I entered THE DOOR on God’s terms? No? Don’t despair! Jesus is still the same almighty Savior of sinners. Go to Him man, woman, boy, and girl. Enter into the meaningful and purposeful life in Christ both now and in the age to come. Amen.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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As college students head back to the classroom this semester, a harsh reality confronts them—the rewards for the time, energy, and money that young people put into. How to score a 9 on an ap english essay are you a high school ap english student the ap english essay is part of the final exam to. Explore essential course resources for ap english language and composition, and review teaching strategies, lesson plans, and other helpful course content.
When you are writing a for an ap english language or ap english literature prompt you need to make sure that you use to ap english sample essays 875,296 views. Ap® english language and composition the score should reflect a judgment of the quality of the essay as a whole ap06_english lang. Explore timing and format for the ap english language and composition exam, and review sample questions, scoring guidelines, and sample student responses.
Ap’s high school english language and composition course is a rigorous, college-level class that provides an opportunity to gain skills colleges recognize.
Advanced placement test prep help you get ahead in college — even before you get to college check out cliffsnotes' free ap test articles. | <urn:uuid:2d060748-36fd-42e8-9e05-d0a3b7513894> | {
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How Now Brown Cow: Phoneme Awareness Activities
By: Edwin S. Ellis
In this article
Research indicates a strong relationship between early phoneme awareness and later reading success, and it links some reading failure to insufficiently developed phoneme awareness skills. Intervention research clearly demonstrates the benefits of explicitly teaching phoneme awareness skills.
Many children at risk for reading failure are in general education classrooms where phoneme awareness training is not part of their reading program. This article presents a set of developmental phoneme awareness training activities that the special educator can integrate collaboratively into existing kindergarten and first-grade reading programs.
Before preparing to conduct phoneme awareness activities in a general education setting, the special educator needs to become familiar with the method being used to teach reading and should observe the class in action.
Most of the phoneme awareness activities should not take more than 15 or 20 minutes to complete and should fit the context of the classroom. Although a particular activity can be selected well in advance, the specific words targeted for phoneme awareness should be selected from material used actively in the class, such as a story or picture book that was just read and discussed, the immediate environment, words fitting a thematic unit being taught, or discussions about a field trip.
Phoneme awareness activities work well in classrooms where teachers implement shared reading. Typically, after previewing the text with the class, the teacher reads aloud a large-print text on a chart or in a big book, the teacher and children read the selection together, and then students complete individual activities related to the selection (Holdaway, 1979). Phoneme awareness activities are a natural extension of the shared reading activities.
To be successful, however, the general educator and special educator must plan ahead for sharing time, space, and teaching together in a collaborative effort. The benefits for the children far outweigh any disadvantages for the teachers. The willingness of the special educator to fit the activities to the contexts of the classroom can help diminish any existing reluctance a general education teacher might have toward phoneme awareness training.
Teachers need to be aware of the developmental requirements of phoneme awareness activities. For example, when teaching children to partition words into parts, segmenting a compound word into its two parts ("What two words do you hear in cowboy?") precedes segmenting syllables and sounds.
Similarly, identification tasks ("Which one doesn't rhyme — cat, hat, sun?") are generally easier than production tasks ("Tell me the first sound in car"). The difficulty level of most activities can be manipulated by changing the input or response modes. For example, "Find the picture that starts with /r/" will be easier than "What sounds do you hear in robe?" A set of guidelines to keep in mind when planning instructional activities is provided below.
Instructional Guidelines for Planning Phoneme Awareness Activities
- Identify the precise phoneme awareness task on which you wish to focus and select developmentally appropriate activities for engaging children in the task. Activities should be fun and exciting — "play" with sounds, don't "drill" them.
- Be sure to use phoneme sounds (represented by / /) and not letter names when doing the activities. Likewise, remember that one sound may be represented by two or more letters. There are only three sounds in the word cheese: /ch/-/ee/-/z/. You may want to target specific sounds/words at first and "practice" beforehand until you are comfortable making them.
- Continuant sounds (e.g., /m/, /s/, /i/) are easier to manipulate and hear than stop consonants (e.g., /t/, /q/, /p/). When introducing continuants, exaggerate by holding on to them: rrrrrring; for stop consonants, use iteration (rapid repetition): k-k-k-k-katie .
- When identifying sounds in different positions, the initial position is easiest, followed by the final position, with the medial position being most difficult (e.g., top, pot, setter).
- When identifying or combining sound sequences, a CV pattern should be used before a VC pattern, followed by a CVC pattern (e.g., pie, egg, red).*
*Note: CV = consonant-vowel; VC = vowel-consonant; CVC = consonant-vowel-consonant
Awareness of onset and rime
Phonograms are the common elements in word families (e.g., the letter sequence "and" in sand, hand, band, and land). The initial consonant that changes the meaning of the word is called an onset and the following vowel/consonant combination that remains constant is called a rime. Because an awareness of syllables, onsets, and rimes develops before an awareness of phonemes (Goswami, 1994, p. 36), the first set of suggestions focuses on ways to expose children to word play.
A natural and spontaneous way of providing children with exposure to phonemes is to focus on literature that deals playfully with speech sounds through rhymes. Simple rhyme patterns are easily recalled after repeated exposure, and children will get the idea of creating new rhymes.
In There's a Wocket in My Pocket (Seuss, 1974), initial sounds of everyday objects are substituted as a child talks about the strange creatures around the house, such as the "zamp in the lamp." Children can make up their own strange creatures in the classroom such as the "zuk in my book."
Alliteration is the repetition of an initial consonant sound across several words, such as presented in the alphabet book Faint Frogs Feeling Feverish and Other Terrifically Tantalizing Tongue Twisters (Obligato, 1983).
Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds within words, is often combined with rhyme, as in "It rains and hails and shakes the sails" from Sheep on a Ship (Shaw, 1989) or in humorous ways such as "The tooter tries to tutor two tooters to toot" in Moses Supposes His Toeses Are Roses (Patz, 1983). Some books include music to go with the rhymes, such as Down by the Bay (Raffi, 1987), in which two children try to outdo one another in making up questions that rhyme, such as "Did you ever see a goose kissing a moose?"
Yopp (1995) presented an annotated bibliography of 44 books for young children that deal playfully with language. She also provided guidelines for using these books in class:
- read and reread the stories;
- comment on the language use;
- encourage predictions of sound, word, and sentence patterns;
- comment on or elicit specific aspects of sound patterns (e.g., "What sound do you hear at the beginning of all those words?"); and
- be creative in inventing new versions of the language patterns utilized in the stories.
Word families chart
The exposure to rhymes leads naturally to the use of phonograms and the creation of word family charts. Charts can contain words from one story or a brain-stormed list from the children.
A story that leads naturally to a word family chart is Tog the Dog (Hawkins & Hawkins, 1986), which is constructed so that as each page is turned, a different letter lines up with the rime "og." For example, when Tog takes a jog, the letter "j" lines up with the "og." The children can dictate to the teacher words to be placed on a word family chart. As they begin to develop letter/sound knowledge, they can copy or write the words themselves.
You can use magnetic letters to "create" words for a word family chart. Provide a rime of plastic letters (e.g., at) and have the children take turns placing different letters in the onset position to create new words (e.g., hat, bat, sat, rat). These charts can be used as reference charts (or the children can make their own word families reference book) for spelling and creative writing activities.
Children who are struggling with recognizing and creating rhymed words may need more direct intervention. Initial rhyme recognition can be reinforced by direct modeling of instances (nose/rose) and non-instances (bed/car) of rhyming word pairs. The children are then presented other word pairs and asked if the two words sound the same or sound different.
This can be made into a game-like activity by having them respond with a "happy face" card if the words rhyme and a "sad face" card if they don't (or they can use a "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" response). It is important for the teacher to ask a child to repeat the rhyming pairs in this and the following activities to reinforce the verbal production of rhymed words.
Pictures provide visual cues for rhyme recognition and can be used during the modeling phase of instruction. The teacher can then present three pictures and ask the child to select and say the two that rhyme. A variation would be to display two nonrhyming pictures and have the child select the one that rhymes with the word being said by the teacher.
Bradley and Bryant (1983) used an activity called "Odd Word Out," which can be done with or without pictures. Four words, three of which rhyme, are presented by the teacher (e.g., weed, bead, pill, seed). The child determines which word is the odd one that doesn't belong with the others.
The game of concentration or memory is a good practice activity for rhyme recognition. Separate pictures (not printed words) of rhyming word pairs (e.g., cat/bat) are shuffled, and all are placed facedown in a grid pattern. The children take turns turning two cards face-up, trying to match a rhyme pair. If a match is made, the child keeps that pair and takes another turn. If not, the cards are turned facedown and the next child gets a turn.
A summary of activities to heighten awareness of onset and rhyme is offered in the table below.
Awareness of Onset and Rime
a. Rhyme patterns:
There's a Wocket in My Pocket (Seuss, 1974)
Faint Frogs Feeling Feverish and Other Terrifically Tantalizing Tongue Twisters (Obligato, 1983)
Moses Supposes His Toeses Are Roses (Patz, 1983)
Word families chart
Create words by adding beginning sounds — /b/ + at = bat
What is another word that sounds like bat?
Use literature — Tog the Dog (Hawkins & Hawkins, 1986
Create individual word family reference books
a. Rhyming word pairs:
Do these sound the same (nose/rose) or different (bed/car)
b. Odd word out
Which one doesn't belong? (weed, bead, pill, seed)
c. Rhyming word pair concentration
Name the pictures out loud. Find two that rhyme.
Simple phonemic awareness
Isolated sound recognition
As stated by Lewkowicz (1980), "Children should be familiarized with speech sounds in isolation before they attempt to detect sounds within words" (p. 694). Because children are usually unaware that words are made up of individual speech sounds that can be produced in isolation, it is up to the teacher to provide children with a concept of speech sounds.
This is probably best done by associating phonemes with a creature, an action, or an object that is familiar to the child. For example, the phoneme /s/ can be associated with the hissing sound a snake makes — sssssss. A sound personality can be created by calling /s/ the "Sammy snake" sound. Many sounds have natural associations, such as a crowing rooster for /r/, a buzzing bee for /z/, and the "be quiet" sound for /sh/.
Figure 1. An example of pictures of sound personalities incorporating letter-shape association.
Sound personalities can be introduced naturally and in context by selecting a particular sound to talk about that is stressed in alphabet or other books that use alliteration. For example, Obligato (1983) presented "smiling snakes sipping strawberry sodas" for the alphabet letter S. It is helpful to create or provide pictures that represent these sound personalities and to post them in the room as each is introduced. A natural connection can sometimes be made between the sound and the letter, such as presenting a picture of "Sammy snake" drawn in the shape of the letter S or "Buzzy bee" flying in a pattern of the letter Z (see Figure 1).
Besides providing a label to facilitate talking about sounds, the pictures provide self-correcting cues for children engaged in initial sound isolation and sound-to-word matching activities.
Word, syllable, and phoneme counting
Because words and syllables are more salient and more directly perceivable than individual phonemes, activities that involve counting the number of words in a sentence or syllables in a word can be used as initial steps leading to isolated phoneme synthesis and segmentation (Lundberg, Frost, & Peterson, 1988).
Word counting can be done for any sentence selected from a reading or writing lesson. The sentence should be read to the children without being visible. The children listen and place a marker from left to right for each word heard. The teacher can confirm the number of words by showing the printed sentence to the children, pointing to each word as it is read, and having the children touch their tokens in one-to-one correspondence. Or the teacher can reinforce the children's "counting" using auditory input only by repeating the sentence and having them touch each token to confirm the number of words heard.
To count syllables in words, activities can be used such as clapping hands, tapping the desk, or marching in place to the syllables in children's names (Ma-ry), items in the immediate environment (win-dow), or words from a favorite story (wi-shy, wa-shy). Initially, two-syllable words can be targeted, building up to three. Visible, manipulable representation of sounds also helps to clarify and guide counting and segmentation tasks for beginners (Lewkowicz, 1980).
The marker activity used for word counting can be adapted for use in counting syllables by providing each child with two or three horizontally connected boxes drawn on a sheet of paper. The children place a token in each box from left to right as they hear each syllable in a word. These same activities can be used to count sounds in words.
Sound synthesis or sound blending is an essential skill related to later reading ability (Lewkowicz, 1980; Lundberg et al., 1988; Wagner, Torgeson, Laughon, Simmons, & Bashotte, 1993) and one of the easiest phoneme awareness tasks for children to perform (Yopp, 1988).
Sound synthesis can be done using the following sequence: blending an initial sound onto the remainder of a word, followed by blending syllables of a word together, and then blending isolated phonemes into a word.
The teacher can model blending an initial sound onto a word by using the jingle, "It starts with /l/ and it ends with ight, put it together, and it says light." When they have the idea, the children supply the final word.
An element of excitement can be created by using children's names for this activity and asking each child to recognize and say his or her own name when it is presented — "It starts with /b/ and it ends with etsy, put it together and it says <u> </u>." Context can be provided by limiting the words to objects that can be seen in the room or to words from a particular story the children just read. As the children become proficient, they can take turns using the jingle to present their own words to be blended by the class.
Guessing games that utilize words broken into syllables or isolated phonemes provide fun sound blending activities.
One involves using a puppet (perhaps representing a character from a current reading lesson) who speaks "funny" by saying words syllable-by-syllable or sound-by-sound for the children to figure out. Initial clues can be provided by displaying three pictures, one of which is the word being said by the puppet. The puppet can confirm or negate a student response by picking up the picture and saying the word being segmented: "/f/-/i/-/sh/ — I said fish!"
Another is the familiar "What's in the bag?" activity. Instead of describing what is in the bag, the teacher says the word syllable-by-syllable or sound-by-sound and the children guess the word. A correct response is confirmed when the teacher brings the object out of the bag.
Yopp (1992) suggested the use of song games and presented an example to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands":
If you think you know this word, shout it out!
If you think you know this word, shout it out!
If you think you know this word,
Then tell me what you've heard,
If you think you know this word, shout it out!
The teacher says a segmented word such as /k/-/a/-/t/, and the children respond by saying the blended word (pp. 700-701).
Sound-to-word matching is useful as a beginning step in sound segmentation. Basically, sound-to-word matching requires that the child identify the beginning sound of a word.
Awareness of the initial sound in a word can be done by showing the children a picture (dog) and asking the children to identify the correct word out of three: "Is this a /mmm/-og, a /d/d/d/-og, or a /sss/-og?" A variation is to ask if the word has a particular sound: "Is there a /d/ in dog?" This can then be switched to "Which sound does dog start with — /d/, /sh/, or /l/?" This sequence encourages the children to try out the three onsets with the rime to see which one is correct.
It is easiest to use continuants that can be exaggerated and prolonged to heighten the sound input. Iteration should be used with stop consonants to add emphasis.
Yopp (1992) also suggested the use of songs in sound matching activities. One of several examples she presented uses the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm":
What's the sound that starts these words?
Turtle, time, and teeth.
(Wait for a response from the children.)
/t/ is the sound that starts these words:
Turtle, time, and teeth.
With a /t/, /t/ here, and a /t/, /t/ there,
Here a /t/, there a /t/, everywhere a /t/, /t/.
/t/ is the sound that starts these words:
Turtle, time, and teeth! (p. 700)
The children might use favorite stories from their reading lessons to identify different sets of three words that start with the same sound to incorporate into the song. Each repeated verse could then emphasize a different sound. The teacher again is cautioned to use the phoneme sounds, not the letter names for these activities.
Identification of sound positions
Establishing that sounds occur in different positions of words — initial, final, and medial — helps some children with the later task of segmenting whole words into isolated sound components.
One method of representing sound positions is to display a picture of a train composed of an engine, a passenger car, and a caboose. Three connecting boxes can be drawn under each component: one under the engine, connected to one under the passenger car, connected to the one under the caboose (use poster board and laminate). Explain that words have beginning, middle, and end sounds just like the train has a beginning, a middle, and an end part.
Demonstrate by slowly articulating a CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant word (e.g., /p/-/i/-/g/) and pointing to the box corresponding to the position of each sound in the word. You can then repeat the word and ask the children to identify where they hear the different sounds — "Where do you hear the /g/ in pig?" Slowly articulate other CVC words for them to listen to and have them mark the box under the train that indicates the position of the sound you specify.
Segmenting refers to the act of isolating the sounds in a spoken word by separately pronouncing each one in order (Ball & Blachman, 1991; Spector, 1992; Wagner et al., 1993).
Yopp (1988) stated that segmenting the sounds in a word is one of the more difficult simple phonemic tasks for children to perform. Lewkowicz (1980) and Yopp (1992) suggested starting with isolated productions of initial phonemes as a precursor to segmenting entire words. The previous sound-to-word matching and identification of position activities help in early recognition and practice with initial phonemes.
Figure 2. An example of Elkonin boxes used for hearing sounds in words.
Several researchers (Ball & Blachman, 1991; Bradley & Bryant, 1985; Griffith & Olson, 1992; Lewkowicz, 1980) have used visual and tactile cues based on Elkonin boxes (Elkonin, 1973) to help with phoneme segmentation. A card is prepared with a picture of a simple word at the top. Below the picture is a matrix that contains a box for each phoneme (not letter) in the word (see Figure 2).
The teacher models the process by slowing articulating the word phoneme-by-phoneme while pushing a counter into a box for each phoneme. The children can say the word with the teacher while the counters are being placed. Gradually the children should participate in this "say it and move it" (Ball & Blachman, 1991) activity by taking turns placing the counters in each box while saying each sound in a word. Both the matrix and picture can be eliminated over time so that the children are segmenting the word without visual clues.
Words should be selected from familiar text to ensure a whole-to-part sequence of instruction and to provide the children with contextual cues that link word segmentation to everyday classroom lessons.
Many researchers (Ball & Blachman, 1991; Byrne & Field- Barnsley, 1993; Hurford et al., 1994; Iversen & Tunmer, 1993) have demonstrated the advantage of combining phoneme awareness with letter knowledge in a classroom setting. As stated by Griffith and Olson (1992), "The most pedagogically sound method of phoneme awareness training is one that eventually makes explicit the complete letter-to-sound mappings in segmented words" (p. 518).
All phoneme awareness activities that use tokens or other visual representations of sounds can be modified to include letter- sound associations. As individual sounds are mastered by the children, their corresponding letter names can be introduced and placed on the tokens (magnetic letters or Scrabble tiles can be used) and gradually introduced into the segmentation activities.
At first, only one letter or tile should be provided, and the remainder should be blank. After the child has successfully segmented with one letter or tile, others can be added as new letter names are mastered.
To reinforce letter names, Blachman (1991) played "post office" — the children select a picture, say the initial sound of the picture, and identify the letter represented by the first sound by "mailing" it in the appropriate letter pouch.
A modified game of bingo can provide practice in sound-letter association. The desired letters to be emphasized are selected, starting with two or three, and adding more as the children progress. The letters are printed in random order on cards that have 4-by-4 or 5-by-5 grids drawn on them, one card for each child.
The teacher draws from a container letter tiles matching those on the children's cards. The teacher says the phoneme for the letter drawn from the container (replacing it each time) and asks the children to identify the letter corresponding to the phoneme by placing a marker in the appropriate box on their cards. Any child who fills a row or column can then name the letters aloud.
The practice of invented spelling in a classroom can also be used to make explicit connections between sound segments and letters. Children select words they wish to write but don't know how to spell.
A box is drawn for each sound in the word (remember that one sound may be represented by two or more letters — the word shoes, for example, has only three phonemes, /sh/-/oo/-/z/). A child can fill in the letters he or she hears and knows with the teacher's help. The teacher can fill in any letters the child does not know.
A summary of activities for enhancing simple phonemic awareness is presented in the table below.
Simple Phonemic Awareness
Isolated sound recognition
Sammy snake sound says (/s/)
How many (words/syllables/sounds) do you hear in this (sentence/word)?
It starts with /l/ and ends with ight, put it together and it says
Is there a /k/ in cat?
Identification of sound positions
Where do you hear the /g/ in pig (at the beginning middle or end of the word)?
What sounds do you hear in the word ball? Say each one.
What letter goes with the first sound in this word: book?
Compound phonemic awareness
Compound phonemic awareness requires holding a given sound in memory while performing a second operation such as determining whether two words begin with the same sound in a word-to-word matching task (e.g., "Do cup and cake begin the same?"; Yopp, 1988). Byrne (1991) offered several games for practicing word-to-word matching.
- Make a set of dominoes that have two pictured objects on each card. The children are required to join cards sharing beginning (or ending) sounds.
- A version of "snap" uses cards having one picture. The children take turns drawing a card from a face-down pile and placing it in a face-up pile. When a newly drawn card has the same beginning (or end) sound as the top card in the face-up pile, the first child to identify the match by saying "snap" collects the pile.
- Sound bingo uses bingo cards with pictures that children mark if one of their pictures has the same beginning (or end) sound as the word said by the caller.
Each of these games can be related to other classroom activities by having the children make their own dominoes, snap cards, and bingo cards using pictures cut from catalogs or magazines, or hand drawn and laminated. The pictures selected by the children can represent things related to the literature and themes being covered in class.
Because sound deletion tasks require manipulation of phonemes in words, they are considered to be more difficult than other types of phoneme awareness tasks.
Cole and Mengler (1994) stated that it is not until a mental age of approximately 7 years that children are able to perform phoneme deletion tasks adequately. Lewkowicz (1980) suggested that sound deletion activities be done after the children exhibit some skill in segmentation and after letter names have been introduced. Because phoneme deletion of medial consonants puts an undue burden on young children's memory, sound deletion should target only initial or final sounds in words.
To introduce the idea of deleting parts of a word, the teacher can show pictures or point to objects in the room that are compound words and demonstrate how each word can be said with a part missing. For example, "This is a seesaw. If I say seesaw without the see, it says saw (give other examples). Now you try it. This is a hotdog. Say hotdog without the dog." An element of fun can be introduced by making it a "Simon says" activity: "Simon says, 'say bookmark without the book.'"
Identification of a missing sound can be accomplished through a "What's missing?" guessing game. The teacher says two words for comparison and asks the children to identify the missing element: "Listen: eat/meat. What's missing in eat that you can hear in meat?"
Final position deletions can be done in the same way (e.g., "What's missing in play that you can hear in plane?"). The children can be encouraged to make up their own "What's missing?" words for the initial position by referring to the phonograms on the word families charts: "What's missing in an that you can hear in pan (man, ran, can)."
Identifying the missing element using phonograms tends to be easier than using unrelated words because the initial consonant determines the meaning of the word for the child and the rime remains constant.
The actual task of deleting a sound from a word can be made easier by building on earlier segmentation practice, playing a game of "sound take-away." The teacher models how to orally segment a word into the "target" sound plus "everything else" and then take the target sound away.
A modified version of the sound blending jingle can be used: "Chair. It starts with /ch/ and it ends with air; take the first sound away, and it says air." The jingle can be used until the children can delete sounds with a simple prompt: "Say ball without the /b/." A sound deletion that results in a "real" word such as deer becoming ear or card becoming car is easier than one resulting in a "nonsense" word such as book becoming ook or sun becoming su (although some children enjoy making "alien" or funny words).
Children who have difficulty with deleting sounds might benefit from visual clues. By placing two colored blocks side-by-side, the teacher can designate one as representing the target sound and the other as representing the remainder of the word: "I'm going to use these blocks to say moon. This (red block) says moo and this (yellow block) says /n/." The child is then asked what the first block says when the second block is removed.
A summary of compound phonemic awareness activities is given in the table below.
Compound Phonemic Awareness
Do cup and cake begin (end) the same?
Say hotdog without the dog.
Research has demonstrated not only a predictive relationship between phoneme awareness and reading success, but also a causal relationship. Phoneme awareness that has a positive impact on reading can be developed in children through systematic instruction in kindergarten and first-grade settings. Early training in phoneme awareness should be a priority for those interested in improving early reading instruction and in reducing reading failure.
General and special educators should be supported in their efforts to collaborate on incorporating phoneme awareness activities into kindergarten and first-grade classrooms.
These activities are not intended to replace children's interactions with meaningful language and print, but to be incorporated into classrooms as part of a language-rich environment. Reading aloud, using big books and predictable books, developing language experience charts, and using other language-oriented practices give children valuable reading experiences.
However, by supplementing these experiences with related phoneme awareness activities, general and special educators can draw children's attention to a critical aspect of their language — its phonemic base.
It takes only a few minutes a day to integrate activities that emphasize the sounds of language into the rich, oral language environments we are creating for our children. Those few minutes can result in a lifetime of reading benefits to children who otherwise might not learn to read.
Click the "References" link above to hide these references.
Adams, M.J. (1990). Beginning to read: Thinking and learning abort print. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Alexander, A., Anderson, H., Heilman, P. C., Voeller, K. S., & Torgesen,J. K. (1991). Phonological awareness training and remediation of analytic decoding deficits in a group of severe dyslexics. Annals of Dyslexia, 41, 193-206.
Ball, E. W., & Blachman, B. A. (1988). Phoneme segmentation training: Effect on reading readiness. Annals of Dyslexia, 38, 208-225.
Ball, E. W., & Blachman, B. A. (1991). Does phoneme awareness training in kindergarten make a difference in early word recognition and developmental spelling? Reading Research Quarterly, 26, 46-66.
Blachman, B. A. (1991). Early intervention for children's reading problems: Clinical applications of the research in phonological awareness. Topics in Language Disorders, 12(1), 51-65.
Bradley, L., & Bryant, B. (1983). Categorizing sounds and learning to read-a causal connection. Nature, 301, 419-421.
Bradley, L., & Bryant, B. (1985). Rhyme and reason in reading and spelling. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Brady, S. A., Fowler, A., Stone, B., & Winbury, N. (1994). Training phonological awareness: A study with inner-city kindergarten children. Annals of Dyslexia, 44, 26-59.
Brady, S. A., & Shankweiler, D. P. (Eds.). (1991). Phonological processes in literacy. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Byrne, B. (1991). Experimental analysis of the child's discovery of the alphabetic principle. In L. Riehen & C. Perfetti (Eds.), Learning to read: Basic research and its implications (pp. 75-84). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Byrne, B., & Fielding-Barnsley, R. (1993). Evaluation of a program to teach phonemic awareness to young children: A l-year follow-up. Journal of Educational Psychology, 55, 104 111.
Cole, P. G., & Mengler, E. D. (1994). Phonemic processing of children with language deficits: Which tasks best discriminate children with learning disabilities from average readers? Reading Psychology, 15, 223-243.
Crowder, R. G., & Wagner, R. K. (1991). The psychology of reading: An introduction. New York: Oxford University Press.
Elkonin, D. B. (1973). USSR. In J. Downing (Ed.), Comparative reading: Cross-national studies of behavior and processes in reading and writing (pp . 551 -579). New York: Macmillan.
Goodman, Y. M., Hood, W.J., & Goodman, K. S. (1991). Organizing for whole language. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Goswami, U. (1994). Phonological skills, analogies, and reading development. Reading Behaviour, US, 32-37.
Griffith, P. L., & Olson, M. W. (1992). Phonemic awareness helps beginning readers break the code. The Reading Teacher, 45, 516-523.
Hawkins, C., & Hawkins, J. (1986). Tog the dog. New York: Putnam.
Holdaway, D. (1979). The foundations of literacy. New York: Ashton Scholastic.
Hurford, D. P., Johnston, M., Nepote, P., Hampton, S., Moore, S., Neal, J., Mueller, A., McGeorge, K., Huff, L., Awad, A., Tatro, C., Juliano, C., & Huffman, D. (1994). Early identification and remediation of phonological-processing deficits in first-grade children at risk for reading disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 27, 647 659.
Iverson, S., & Tunmer, W. E. (1993). Phonological processing skills and the reading recovery program. Journal of Educational Psychology, 85, 112-126.
Lewkowicz, N. K. (1980). Phonemic awareness training: What to teach and how to teach it. Journal of Educational Psychology, 72, 686-700.
Lundberg, I., Frost, J., & Petersen, O. P. (1988). Effects of an extensive program for stimulating phonological awareness in preschool children. Reading Research Quarterly, 23, 263-284.
Obligato, L. (1983). Faint frogs feeling feverish and other terrifically tantalizing tongue twisters. New York: Viking.
Patz, N. (1983). Moses supposes his toeses are roses. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Raffi. (1987). Down by the bay. New York: Crown.
Seuss, Dr. (1974). There's a Wocket in my Pocket. New York: Random House.
Shaw, N. (1989). Sheep on a Ship. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Spector, J. E. (1992). Predicting progress in beginning reading: Dynamic assessment of phonemic awareness. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 353-363.
Strickland, D., & Cullinan, B. C. (1990). Afterword. In M.J. Adams, Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print (pp. 425-434). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Torgesen, J. K. (1993). Variations on theory in learning disability. In G. R. Lyon, D. B. Gray, J. E Kavanagh, & N. A. Krasnegor (Eds.), Better understanding of learning disabilities: New views from research and their implications for education and public policies (pp. 153-170). Baltimore: Brookes.
Torgesen, J. K., Morgan, S., & Davis, C. (1992). The effects of two types of phonological awareness training on word learning in kindergarten children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 364370.
Wagner, R. K., Torgesen, J. K., Laughon, R. Simmons, K., & Rashotte, C. A. (1993). Development of young readers' phonological processing abilities. Journal of Educational Psychology, US, 83-103.
Yopp, H. K. (1988). The validity and reliability of phonemic awareness tests. Reading Research Quarterly, 23, 159-177.
Yopp, H. K. (1992). Developing phonemic awareness in young children. Reading Teacher, 45, 696-703.
Yopp, H. K. (1995). Read-aloud books for developing phonemic awareness: An annotated bibliography. Reading Teacher, 48, 538542.
Excerpted from: Edelen-Smith, P. J. (November, 1997). How Now Brown Cow: Phoneme Awareness Activities for Collaborative Classrooms. Intervention in School and Clinic, Volume 33, Number 2, pp. 103-111. Copyright by PRO-ED, Inc. Reprinted by permission. | <urn:uuid:2a0ca5d1-59ff-42f0-93b5-1ab43c5f93ce> | {
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Groundwater can become polluted or contaminated as a result of historical industrial land-uses. Where dewatering systems are used, there can be a risk of mobilising contaminants during groundwater abstraction. This potential should be taken into consideration as part of a dewatering or hydrogeological risk assessment. Contaminants found in groundwater can include a broad spectrum of organic and inorganic chemicals.
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German-Czech Bead Industry
The German bead industry is still alive, but only just. It
is based out of southern Germany, in the Bavarian city of Neu
Gablonz, named, of course, after Gablonz, the Bohemian city which
was the capital of the Austrian bead industry during the Austrian
Empire, and later Czechoslovakia, when the name was changed to
Jablonec nad Nisou. The local chamber of commerce dates Jablonec
back to 1356 when it was first mentioned in documents, but permanent
settlement only occurred in the 16th century when a glass works
was established in Mseno, which is now incorporated inside the
city limits of Jablonec.
of the squares in the center of Jablonec.
How this all came to be starts way back in the 12th century
when early documents record German glass makers from the Rhineland
being invited to settle in the area of the Austrian-Hungarian
Empire known as Bohemia. This was a relatively unsettled province
with large forests and rivers, and sand useful for glass making.
The earliest known glass factory is outside of present day Jablonec.
It is of course just a ruin, but a museum stands on its site.
In the Jizera Mountains outside of Jablonec at Vysoka are the
ruins of another glass works, Sklenavice, which date back to
the 14th century.
By the 1700s, chandeliers were being produced in Jablonec,
as were glass stones for the jewelry trade. The first recorded
showing at a trade show in Prague of pressed glass beads was
in 1829. By 1850, glass beads were being produced by the millions,
and exported all over the world. The owners of these bead factories
were the German glassmakers, who had invented the costume jewelry
industry, and had made a name for themselves as the finest Austrian
crystal glass producers in the world. Swarovski is one name brand
that comes to mind.
The 1930s saw a decline, then a halt in the manufacture
of glass beads, as events leading up to World War Two overtook
the need for beads, and manufacture of ammunition and weapons
became all important, and all resources of raw materials and
people was used to this end. Not many beads were made during
At the end of the war, 1946, the Germans, known as the Suduten
Deutsch, as Germany had called that region of Bohemia Sudutenland
during their occupation of the area during the war, were expelled
from Czechoslovakia. They were given 48 hours to leave, usually
with just one suitcase of belongings. They had to leave behind
everything else they owned; their houses, their furniture, their
businesses. The Czech workers who were employed by them were
able to take over the factories, and keep them running. Whole
Czech families moved into German houses, filled with furniture
and chinaware, silverware and linens. The German refugees streamed
into war torn Germany, and most of the bead makers ultimately
settled in Bavaria, near the town of Kaufburen. In all, five
towns were settled by bead makers; Lauscha being one, as was
Neu Gablonz, Austria. Bayruth was another town. Another was Quedlinburg
in the Harz Mountains.
Efforts were made to keep all
the bead makers together, so the bead industry would survive,
and a bombed out ammunitions factory outside of Kaufburen was
purchased for this purpose. The town was named Neu Gablonz. Kaufburen/Neu
Gablonz is about an hours drive south of Munich on the way to
One of the town squares in Kaufburen.
By 1947, over 2000 bead makers had settled in Neu Gablonz,
and started producing beads. Resources were so scarce, clay and
bubblegum were used as molds to create bead shapes. Some of the
bead makers did bring their molds with them, and of course some
of the refugees were mold makers.
Today, these early beginnings are documented in the bead museum
in Neu Gablonz, which is located at the Gablonzer Industries
building and conference center.
Gablonzer Industries museum.
Sadly, although the bead industry is still alive, it is shrinking.
There are less than 400 factories still producing glass beads,
and most of these are small, family run operations, where the
owners are older, and the children are showing no interest in
continuing the business. Most of the glass beads being produced
are for internal consumption by the factories themselves, who
make finished jewelry for sale to the European market. Very few
are willing to sell just the raw component beads.
One such family is the Blaschke s. When we first met
them, they invited us in to their house, where they had a sales
room to show off their lampwork beads. Along one wall was a show
case of beautiful beads. When asked if any were for sale, they
replied no, they were beads made by all the previous generations
of Blaschkes that came before, their father, and his fathers,
both who had been in Gablonz. When they were young adults in
1946 they had been kicked out of Czechoslovakia, and had taken
these beads with them as examples of the beads to continue making
once they were settled in Neu Gablonz. We then asked if they
could make beads just like the museum beads in their display
case, and they said they could. We began our relationship with
them by ordering their new production beads, and by commissioning
them to remake new beads based on their grandparents designs.
The next year when we went back for more, they allowed us to
dig through a file cabinet in the back room that had job lots
of old vintage lampwork dating from their great grandparents,
grandparents, and their parents. While we were digging, we came
across the job lots of the current Blaschke production, where
he was continuing the tradition of filling up the filing cabinet
drawers with over production beads. It felt good to see history
happening right in front of us.
One sad thing about the Blaschkes, which is mirroring
all the German bead makers, is that they are the last generation
to make beads. Their daughter is the book keeper for their business,
but does not make beads, nor has she shown any interest in making
beads. Their style of lampwork beads will die with this generation.
The Blaschkes brother has a building next door where
he manufactures plastic beads using injection molds.
Another family whom we met and
purchase buttons from are the Schnabels. The Artur Schnabel Co.
manufactures traditional Bavarian accessories using metal parts
and eidelweiss flowers from the region. They were originally
from Gablonz, and had to leave at the end of the war with all
the other German refugees.
A sample of the products of the
Artur Schnabel Co.
One interesting side note about the bead making community
of Neu Gablonz and the town of Kaufburen, which is right next
to it, at least from a non german standpoint, such as myself,
is that at first blush they are all Germans. But this is not
so. The inhabitants of Kaufburen have been there for centuries,
and in fact are a mixture of German and Italian, because of all
the shifting of national borders over the centuries due to wars,
, (an example being the family who owns the beautiful
bed and breakfast Inn we stay at, built right into the medieval
wall of the town, the Lombardinis.) whereas the inhabitants
of Neu Gablonz are Sudeten German, which are foreign born Germans
who have been living in Bohemia under Austian rule since 12th
century, then Nazi German rule during the war, before settling
in Neu Gablonz in 1946/47. They are foreigners to the area, and
there is a lot of conflict and turmoil going on between the two
View of the town of Kaufburen
and the Tower
where the hotel Am Turm is located.
Another view of the wall that surrounds Kaufburen.
The last time we met with the Blaschkes they took us
to dinner, and told us a little about their experiences in going
back to Jablonec for the first time in 1990, after the wall came
down following the Velvet revolution in 1989.
They had been given 48 hours to leave Czechoslovakia, with
just suitcases of belongings, and consequently had to abandon
their house and all its contents. In 1990, they were able to
go back for a visit, which they did, and when they walked up
to their house they had lived in, they noticed it was in a ruinous
state, plaster crumbling off the walls, window panes cracked
and broken, unpainted, just in terrible neglect. They knocked
on the door, and an old Czech peasant lady open it, and after
explaining who they were, and why they were there, she invited
them in for tea. They sat in their original furniture, drank
tea from their old china, and on the walls were their oil paintings
and decorations that they had been forced to leave behind. They
were just amazed, but quite happy to leave the house knowing
the Czech lady had looked after everything. They have gone back
every year since, and have become friends with the current occupant.
In America, there are only a handful of importers who offer
German beads for sale. We are one such importer. Where ever possible,
we try to use old glass made in the 1940s, and of course
old molds. On one trip, we found a stash of old German milk glass,
dating from the 1930s, which is a milky, opaline white,
and had fire polish beads made from it.
Another recent development because of the decline in the German
bead industry is the export to India of entire factories from
Germany the molds, the machinery, and technicians to train
the Indian workers how to use the equipment. The only deviation
is that the Indians are still using Indian made glass, which
differentiates their beads from the original German.
One warning to unaware customers of German beads, is that
we have found that some German factories purchase Czech beads
and resell them as German beads. The most common example of this
practice is fire polish facetted beads.
Although glass bead making is a large portion of the trade
in Neu Gablonz, they also make plastic beads, buttons, crystal,
metal beads and findings, and side industries such as metallic
coatings, vacuum press technology, and faceting. Labor is expensive
in Germany, and the beads are all packaged loose. Stringing in
masses like the Czechs do is not feasible.
Although it is extremely hard to get in with a German bead
factory, it is not impossible. The first place to go to would
be the Gablonzer Industries center, in Neu Gablonz. They can
also be found on the web at www.gablonzerindustries.com . The
center houses a museum, and map of the exodus of bead makers
from Jablonec in 1946 to the different cities in Europe that
they settled in and started up business again. The center also
has a gift shop which offers for sale finished jewelry made from
the beads manufactured in Neu Gablonz. One reason that it is
so hard to buy from these factories is that they are cottage
industries, and the family business is making beads, not exporting.
So in most cases you would have to find an exporter who is familiar
with different bead makers, and who would be willing to work
with you. Unfortunately, most export agents in Kaufburen are
already affiliated with a large importer, such as John Allen,
or Alvee Rosenberg, and by using them you would not be buying
direct, but be buying through them.
Another good resource to find beads in Kaufburen/Neu Gablonz
would be antique shops. Children who have no interest in continuing
the family business are unloading the beads, tools, molds and
sample cards from their parents attics and basements into antique
shops and flea markets all the time.
Finally, if you have no luck hooking up with a factory in
Neu Gablonz, nor any luck finding beads in antique shops or flea
markets around town, then your very best shot at finding German
beads would be in Paris. And that is worthy of a whole other
Good luck and happy hunting! | <urn:uuid:6a5378e3-aba7-40b5-9421-6dcde2799bc1> | {
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Date of this Version
A meiotic linkage map is essential for mapping traits of interest and is often the first step toward understanding a cryptic genome. Specific strains of silver fox (a variant of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes), which segregate behavioral and morphological phenotypes, create a need for such a map. One such strain, selected for docility, exhibits friendly dog-like responses to humans, in contrast to another strain selected for aggression. Development of a fox map is facilitated by the known cytogenetic homologies between the dog and fox, and by the availability of high resolution canine genome maps and sequence data. Furthermore, the high genomic sequence identity between dog and fox allows adaptation of canine microsatellites for genotyping and meiotic mapping in foxes. Using 320 such markers, we have constructed the first meiotic linkage map of the fox genome. The resulting sex-averaged map covers 16 fox autosomes and the X chromosome with an average inter-marker distance of 7.5 cM. The total map length corresponds to 1480.2 cM. From comparison of sex-averaged meiotic linkage maps of the fox and dog genomes, suppression of recombination in pericentromeric regions of the metacentric fox chromosomes was apparent, relative to the corresponding segments of acrocentric dog chromosomes. Alignment of the fox meiotic map against the 7.6x canine genome sequence revealed high conservation of marker order between homologous regions of the two species. The fox meiotic map provides a critical tool for genetic studies in foxes and identification of genetic loci and genes implicated in fox domestication.
This work is available under a Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License).
cryptic genome, silver fox, canine genome, dog, fox
Kukekova, A. V., Trut, L. N., Oskina, I. N., Johnson, J. L., Temnykh, S. V., Kharlamova, A. V., Shepeleva, D. V., Gulievich, R. G., Shikhevich, S. G., Graphodatsky, A. S., Aguirre, G. D., & Acland, G. M. (2007). A Meiotic Linkage Map of the Silver Fox, Aligned and Compared to the Canine Genome. Genome Research, 17 (3), 387-399. http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/gr.5893307
Date Posted: 28 October 2014
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American White Pelican Information.
Learn about the American white pelican and its status in Utah from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
West Nile Virus at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge
In 2005 Chase Lake and wildlife officials investigated mass pelican deaths. Get the report.
Medicine Lake Mosquitoes
Find Montana State University's research on mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus around Medicine Lake.
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Learn more about this pelican-rich refuge in Montana.
Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge
This site provides further information about Chase Lake and pelicans.
Birds of North America Online
The Birds of North America provides comprehensive information on every species of bird in America. Subscription required.
Birds of America
John James Audubon's Birds of America (1840-1844) is a fascinating and well-regarded piece of ornithological literature.
Del Hoyo, J. E. A., and others. Handbook of the Birds of the World. (Vol. 1. Lynx Edicions, 1992.
Evans, R. M., and F. L. Knopf. "American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)." The Birds of North America. The American Ornithologists' Union and The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1993.
Friess, Steve. "In North Dakota, Pelicans Leave a Breeding Ground for Mystery; Birds' Abandonment of Wildlife Refuge Baffles Researchers." Washington Post, July 4, 2004.
Hunter, Adam. "Student Hopes to Save Pelicans." The Leader-Post, January 20, 2006.
Hutchins, M., and others. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol. 8-11. Gale Group, 2003.
Johnsgard, Paul A. Paul A. Cormorants, Darters, and Pelicans of the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1993.
Madden, Elizabeth M., and Marco Restani. "History and Breeding Ecology of the American White Pelican at Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Montana." Waterbirds (Special Publication 1, 2005), 23-6.
Marra, Peter P., and others. "West Nile Virus and Wildlife." BioScience (May 2004), 393.
Youth, Howard. "West Nile's New World." Zoogoer (March/April 2004).
Walker, Lewis Wayne. "Pelican Profiles." National Geographic (November 1943), 589-98. | <urn:uuid:d2bf7df6-4ec8-48ff-ae1d-89f0c6e76d08> | {
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The gaggle of 16 German schoolchildren making their way through Barcelona’s El Prat airport last Tuesday morning had been up since dawn. As they waited to board Germanwings Flight 9525 to Düsseldorf, some texted friends and family to say that they had enjoyed their week in Llinars del Vallès, the Spanish village twinned with their home town of Haltern in western Germany, but were looking forward to coming home. Several promised to bring souvenirs back from their trip.
It was a promise they were prevented from keeping. Just under 40 minutes into their journey, the plane’s 27-year-old co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, turned the Airbus A320 into a missile, guiding it into the southern Alps after locking its captain, Patrick Sonderheimer, out of the cockpit.
In the doomed flight’s final minutes, Sonderheimer attempted to force his way through the security door that separates the passengers from the pilots. At one stage he reportedly tried to use an axe. Recordings obtained by crash investigators capture him attempting to remonstrate with Lubitz – whose breathing, according to the microphones in the cockpit, remained sure and steady as the plane made its rapid descent. It was only in the final seconds that there was the sound of screams. Experts said death would have been instant.
For the families of the 150 people who perished, this is the only thin comfort to be grasped in a grotesque tragedy, the first crash of a large passenger jet in France since the Concorde disaster outside Paris nearly 15 years ago.
Within minutes of the plane going down, a frightened world was scrambling for answers. The A320 is the workhorse of the aviation industry and is considered one of its safest planes. Every two seconds of every day, one takes off or lands somewhere.
In Washington, the White House was quick to suggest that the crash did not appear to have been caused by a terrorist attack, while Lufthansa said it was working on the assumption that it had been an accident, adding that any other theory would be speculation.
One popular theory was that the cockpit windscreen had shattered. Another suggested mechanical failure. But there were many unanswered questions. Why had the pilots not issued a mayday? Why, if a mechanical failure had made it impossible to stop the plane from dropping, had they failed to alter course and swerve away from the mountains? And why had they failed to respond to repeated and increasingly frantic calls from air traffic controllers and other aircraft?
It was a mystery. As one former pilot told French television: “The pilots must have been unconscious, or dead, or forced by someone to fly the plane straight into the mountain.”
Speculation had reached fever pitch by 5pm on the afternoon of the crash when it was announced that one of the black boxes – the cockpit voice recorder – had been found and would be sent to the French air accident investigation bureau just outside Paris, an operation that inexplicably took until 9.45 the following morning.
The suspense was intense. The black box had been damaged in the 435mph impact and there were doubts it would yield any information. The announcement by Rémi Jouty, the bureau director, that “sounds, voices, alarms” had been extracted from it, sparked enormous relief. Jouty said he was optimistic that accident investigators would solve the mystery but refused to say more and became tetchy when asked to elaborate. It was, in his precisely translated words, “much too soon to draw the slightest conclusion about what happened”.
But even as he was speaking, investigators were becoming aware of what had happened to flight 9525.
As the New York Times revealed early on Thursday, French time, the voice recorder confirmed that Lubitz had locked the captain out of the flight deck and set the plane on its descent. The bureau battened down the hatches and refused to comment.
There were claims that the investigators, who come under the authority of the transport ministry, had been leant on to delay revealing its findings, to allow someone high-profile to break the “exclusive”. The French pilots’ union was outraged at the leak to the paper and announced that it was taking legal action to find out who had breached investigation secrecy rules.
Brice Robin, the French public prosecutor appointed to head the crash investigation, had not been immediately informed either, and was also angry. Robin began his press conference on Thursday saying that he had received the information he was about to give “a bit late for my liking”, but his irritation was quickly overshadowed by the extraordinary information he then released.
As Robin outlined slowly and clearly the grim and almost unbelievable events that brought the plane down, a sense of shock and incredulity spread around Europe and beyond. Half of the 150 victims of Tuesday’s disaster were German, with Spain accounting for at least 50, but the dead came from more than a dozen countries.
Politicians found themselves struggling for words. France’s prime minister, Manuel Valls, said that all the signs were “pointing towards an act that we can’t describe: criminal, crazy, suicidal”. German chancellor Angela Merkel said the conclusions brought the tragedy to a “new, simply incomprehensible, dimension”.
Comparisons were quickly made with the doomed flight MH370 that plunged into the Indian Ocean last year and has never been found. Many believe that plane was deliberately brought down, a scenario that is rare but not unprecedented.
In November 2013, a flight between Mozambique and Angola crashed in Namibia, killing 33 people. Initial investigations suggested the accident was deliberately caused by the captain shortly after his co-pilot had left the flight deck. In October 1999, an EgyptAir Boeing 767 went into a rapid descent 30 minutes after taking off from New York, killing 217 people. An investigation suggested that the crash was caused deliberately by the relief first officer, although the evidence was not conclusive. And in December 1997, more than 100 people were killed when a Boeing 737 flying from Indonesia to Singapore crashed; the pilot, who was said to be suffering from “multiple work-related difficulties”, was suspected of switching off the flight recorders and intentionally putting the plane into a dive.
But many who knew Lubitz were quick to defend him from being placed in the same category, saying that they did not believe he would have intentionally downed a plane in a deliberate act of mass murder.
Neighbours in his small home town of Montabaur in the Rhineland, where he lived some of the time with his parents, described him as a keen runner in excellent physical health. Several said they had seen him in the weeks before the crash and remarked that he seemed untroubled.
But this picture was contradicted dramatically by his ex-girlfriend. In an interview with the bestselling German tabloid Bild, the 26-year-old flight attendant, known only as Maria W, said that they had separated “because it became increasingly clear that he had a problem”. She said that he was plagued by nightmares and would wake up and scream “we’re going down”.
Last year he told her: “One day I’m going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember.”
Bild also reported that Lubitz had sought psychiatric help for “a bout of serious depression” in 2009 and was still receiving assistance.
A search of his parents’ home, and an apartment he kept in Düsseldorf, unearthed what prosecutors describe as “medical documents that suggest an existing illness and appropriate medical treatment”. The documents included “torn-up and current sick leave notes, among them one covering the day of the crash”.
Carsten Spohr, chief executive officer of Lufthansa, Germanwings’ parent company, said that Lubitz had suspended his pilot training “for a certain period”, before restarting and qualifying for the Airbus A320 in 2013.
On Saturday the New York Times reported that Lubitz had sought treatment for vision problems “that may have jeopardised his ability to continue working as a pilot”, according to two officials with knowledge of the investigation.
Lubitz’s ex-girlfriend suggested that if he did deliberately crash the plane, it was “because he understood that ... his health problems, his big dream of a job at Lufthansa, as captain and as a long-haul pilot, was practically impossible.”
Mental health charities have urged people to avoid linking depression with murderous acts. But it is clear that understanding Lubitz’s psychology will form an integral part of an investigation that will shine a spotlight on the pressures facing today’s pilots.
“This tragedy has opened a window into the issues of pilot pressures and mental health,” tweeted Brendan O’Neal, chair of pilots’ union Balpa. “No kneejerk but the issues are real.”
A debate now rages about the extent to which companies and regulators can monitor a person’s mental health, especially if they perform a job that carries responsibility for the lives of others. The UN world aviation body has stressed that all pilots must have regular mental and physical checkups. But psychological assessments can be fallible. “If someone dissimulates – that is, they don’t want other people to notice – it’s very, very difficult,” Reiner Kemmler, a psychologist who specialises in training pilots, told Deutschlandfunk public radio.
The task of sifting through Lubitz’s back story, trying to discern the causes of his actions, is almost as complex as the forensic combing of the crash site. French police said that they have so far recovered between 400 and 600 pieces of human remains.
Colonel Patrick Touron of the Gendarmerie Nationale said DNA samples had been taken from objects provided by victims’ families, such as combs or toothbrushes, that could help identify their loved ones. “We haven’t found a single body intact,” said Touron, who explained that the rough terrain meant that recovery workers must be backed up by mountain rescuers. “We have particularly difficult conditions, and each person needs to be roped up,” he said.
There is speculation that Lubitz picked the crash site intentionally. He is known to have visited the region regularly as a member of a gliding club.
Already, the tragedy has prompted a shake-up of airline safety rules. The European Aviation Safety Agency has recommended that at least two people are present in the cockpit at all times, something already standard in the US.
German authorities have agreed to the rule for Lufthansa, its subsidiary Germanwings, and other companies. Austria and Portugal also announced that they would be requiring the adoption of the “rule of two”, which has been backed by Air France, KLM, Britain’s easyJet, Brussels Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, among other airlines. Ireland’s Ryanair, Finland’s Finnair and Spanish carrier Iberia already adhere to the rule.
Balpa said such a reaction needed to be part of more fundamental changes. “Suggesting temporary measures such as this as an immediate response to this tragic incident is understandable,” a spokesman said. “When the investigation into this crash is completed, pilots want to work with regulators, airlines and other specialists to identify and thoroughly test all of the long-term solutions that will ensure it does not happen again.”
But this offers little comfort for those grieving. On Saturday Lufthansa and Germanwings took out a full-page advert in all major German newspapers expressing “deepest sorrow” at the crash. The black-bordered announcement read: “In deepest sympathy. The incomprehensible loss of 150 human lives fills us with deepest mourning. Our sincere condolences, our thoughts and our prayers go out to relatives and friends, and to our customers and colleagues. We would like to thank the many thousands of helpers from France, Spain and Germany and from numerous other countries of the world for your help and support.”
In Haltern, where pupils at Joseph Koenig school are trying to come to terms with the fact that they will never again see 16 of their friends and two of their teachers, there is a plea for people to be left alone. Cards reading “camera keep away – accept mourning” have been placed on the cars of the scores of journalists who have descended on the small town. Meanwhile, in Montabaur, the mayor, Edmund Schaaf, urged reporters to show restraint towards Lubitz’s parents. “Regardless of whether the accusations against the co-pilot are true, we sympathise with his family and ask the media to be considerate,” he said.
But the world wants answers and all eyes are on Montabaur. Johannes Seeman, the priest at St Paul’s, the town’s evangelical church where Lubitz’s mother played the organ, admitted: “We don’t know what to do as a community. It’s unreal for us.” | <urn:uuid:e69b98d9-0f66-432c-b093-25b4f2cf1b56> | {
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In the first years of the 19th century, Portugal was invaded by the troops of Napoléon Bonaparte, forcing Queen Maria I and Prince-Regent John (future John VI) to flee temporarily to Brazil. By the time the new King returned to Lisbon, many of the buildings and properties were pillaged, sacked or destroyed by the invaders. During the 19th century, the…
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- Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley (1865 – 1931) is one of the first known photographers of snowflakes. He perfected a process of…
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Deseret News archives
This next week, many will re-read the gospel stories of Jesus’ birth. In that light, a few brief notes on those accounts might be helpful and of interest.
First, let’s look at the word “espoused,” which is used in the King James translations of Matthew 1:18 and Luke 1:27 to describe Mary’s relationship with Joseph at the time of the annunciation of Christ. The ancient Jewish marriage ceremony was only fully complete when the groom took the bride into his house, and, in their case, this hadn’t yet happened. “Espousal” or “betrothal” refers to a written contract of marriage that had been drawn up between the groom (or his parents) and the bride’s parents, specifying such matters as property sharing and provisions for Mary in the event of Joseph’s death. (A woman was considered a widow even if her “fiancé” died between betrothal and full marriage.) During this interim period, commonly lasting a year, unchastity between bride and groom, though frowned upon, wasn’t quite considered adultery. But an espoused woman’s unchastity with another man would have been a deeply serious offense — perhaps, in an earlier period, even a capital crime — and this seemed to be exactly Mary’s situation. Repudiation of a marriage contract, which Joseph briefly considered, wasn’t precisely equivalent to divorce, but it was a very grave matter.
Only Matthew mentions the “Magi” or wise men from “the East” — that is, from Persia, Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) or the Arabian desert. The word “magus” comes from a Persian term for the learned religious leadership of Zoroastrianism, the pre-Islamic faith of Iran. As they are in Matthew, they were often linked with the lore of stars. The Magi suggested a threat to Herod’s rule because they arrived in his kingdom like ancient ambassadors trying to establish contact with a foreign monarch — one who clearly wasn’t Herod. The King James Bible says that they “worshipped” Jesus (Mt 2:10); the Greek word can refer to religious worship, but also describes the traditional Persian act of bowing before a king or important person.
In the gospel of Luke, “all the world” (2:1) refers to the “world” of the Roman empire. The process described was a preliminary registration or census for eventual tax purposes.
“Swaddling clothes” (2:7) were bands of cloth wrapped rather tightly around the baby in order, as was thought, to ensure its proper straight growth. The “manger” (from the Old French “mangier,” “to eat”) was a feeding trough, probably of stone (which is abundant throughout Palestine) rather than of wood (which isn’t). Middle Eastern inns (known in the Islamic period as “khans” or “caravanserais”) often included places for guests’ riding or pack animals — not unlike a modern motel’s parking lot. (Tradition identifies it, in Jesus’ case, as a cave. Bethlehem sits atop many of them.) This, says Luke, is where God’s Son was born.
Only Luke mentions shepherds in connection with the Nativity (2:8). As is typical in his gospel, the poor are those who first receive the message of salvation through Jesus. One of the signs given to John the Baptist of Messiah’s coming is that “to the poor the gospel is preached” (7:22; compare Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:17). But the shepherds’ veneration of the newborn Jesus also suggests his role as the culmination of the Old Testament. After all, the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the prophet Moses were also shepherds, as was King David. And the Lord himself is called the shepherd of Israel (Psalms 23:1, 80:2).
The very popular King James phrase “good will to(ward) men” (2:14) probably misrepresents what the angels said. (The Greek is somewhat difficult and ambiguous, perhaps reflecting a non-Greek origin.) A better rendering is “to people of good will,” most likely referring not to nice people but to those on whom God’s good will or favor rests.
Finally, the description of Jesus as “the son of the Highest” or of “the Most High” in Luke 1:32 importantly indicates both his elevated status and the distinction between him and his Father. In this regard, John 1:1-14 can also be read as a kind of Christmas or Nativity story. Around the time of Jesus and John, Jewish thinkers (notably Philo of Alexandria) were using the term “logos” (“word”) to describe an intermediary between humans and the Most High God. For more than 2,000 years, the Christmas message has been that, in Jesus, this intermediary came to Earth and dwelt among us.
Daniel Peterson teaches Arabic studies, founded BYU's Middle Eastern Texts Initiative, directs MormonScholarsTestify.org, chairs http://www.mormoninterpreter.com, blogs daily at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson, and speaks only for himself.
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The idea of intelligent design is that the universe, particularly the life contained therein, is too complex to have happened by chance as the theory of evolution would have it.
Therefore its sole basis lies in a negative: the failure to imagine how natural selection could arrive at the complexity of life we see all around us. We can perhaps sympathise with this notion since the fossil record has not preserved enough to demonstrate the continuity of the process and we must rely on our imagination to fill in the gaps. Nonetheless, modern biology continues to grow from strength to strength in fields as disparate as palaeobiology, neurophysiology, evolutionary psychology, molecular biology and genetics to name but a few.
It seems that biology is doing very well with only one underlying theory, Darwin’s theory of evolution. There is therefore no pressure from science to incorporate another theory, especially one for which there is no positive evidence.
But there is pressure from some sections of the church who look at the theory of evolution with dismay because it lacks any kind of teleology, any goal towards which it seeks to progress. This means that not only are human beings on this earth entirely by chance but also there is no meaning to their existence. The push to teach intelligent design theory, the idea that there was a guiding hand involved in evolution, is an effort to insert God into the teaching of science and to correct nihilistic conclusions that flow from it.
Intelligent design has displaced, at least in the public sphere, the push to teach creationism. Creationism is derived from a literal reading of the first two creation narratives and would have it that the universe was created in seven days a few thousands years ago - and that God placed dinosaur bones is the fossil record to amuse palaeobiologists. In the face of the discoveries of modern science this is just too silly for words.
Intelligent design is a more sophisticated version that attempts to escape from the absurdities of creationism. To do that it has had to jettison the biblical texts that creationism relies on and relies instead on an unadorned concept, the idea that God created the heavens and the earth. It is as if the biblical texts are an embarrassment and have been disregarded in order to make the theory more palatable to the modern mind.
You would think that the church would welcome the teaching of intelligent design in school because it places God in the syllabus. After all, the stocks of the church are so low in our society we need all the help we can get. But I will argue that the church should not support such a notion and that science should be left to the scientists.
The central objection to intelligent design is that it seeks to posit the activity of God from nature. The logic runs: if God created the universe then we should be able to see his fingerprints on it. We should be able to see his intelligence worked out in the fine tuning of the physical constants so that exactly this universe was created that would be able to harbour life. We should be able to see His intelligence in the complexity of molecular biology and in the organisation of the nervous system.
There are two objections to this idea. First, it is entirely wrongheaded to identify the creation stories that we find at the beginning of the Bible as being about the creation of the material world. What God creates is not a thing, a cosmos, but the setting for the covenant between Him and his people. “God does not create a world that subsequently has a history but a history that is a world.” When the prophet stands in the community and says, “Thus says the Lord,” the creative speech of God is present and active to create a new future for the people. When God raised Jesus from the dead he did not perform a medical miracle but vindicated the one in whom His Word dwelt in its fullness and thus created a new heaven and a new earth. The creative act of God is not confined to the beginning but is present throughout history creating the holy people Israel and the church and at the end fulfilling all things at the end of history. A theology that narrows the creative act of God to the first two chapters of the Bible mistakes what is actually created.
Big bang cosmology has given an enormous boost to the idea that God is involved in the process simply because it talks of a definite beginning which may be identified with the definite act of a creating god. But as I have pointed out above, this is a very thin understanding of what the Bible says about God’s creative acts. It is entirely fortuitous that big bang cosmology fits in nicely with a particular creative act of God. We may ask what would be the result if the scientists settled on a steady state theory of the universe. Given the changing nature of scientific theory this cannot be ruled out.
The second objection to the attempt to seek God in nature has been strongly formulated by Karl Barth. He makes the point that any attempt by humanity to find God will inevitably result in us looking in a mirror. Any god that is proven cannot be God because we make the terms for his discovery and we stipulate his properties. God becomes an object at our disposal and therefore cannot be God. When we read God from nature we are in a position to say what is important and what is being said. Does the marvellous complexity of life speak of the work of the creator? Does the malaria parasite or the HIV virus speak of God? It is not clear what nature has to say to us and we must conclude that if has anything to say, its message to us is ambivalent.
The generality and ambivalence of nature may be contrasted to the particularity of the witness of scripture. In this we do not choose what to hear as the word of God but are commanded to look in a specific place that has specific content. We are therefore not in a position of selecting what we may hear, we are under discipline and thus protected from hubris.
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Rodney Honeycutt set out to solve a scientific mystery, but he soon found himself up to his eyeballs in rats with a very strange story to tell.
Honeycutt, a professor of biology at Texas A&M, has been studying the evolution of rodents for the past eight years, and he has been particularly interested in the giant rats of South America, some of which can tip the scales at nearly 200 pounds. Genetic evidence shows that these strange rats shared a common ancestor with rats now living in Africa.
For years now scientists have postulated and bickered over how two species of closely related rodents could have found themselves separated by an ocean. Fossil evidence indicates that the rats arrived in South America between 36 million and 40 million years ago.
The Atlantic would have been a bit smaller then, because Africa and South America have been separating for about 100 million years at about the rate of the growth of a human fingernail. It would have still been an ocean, although perhaps about half its current width.
So how did the rats travel across the ocean from Africa to South America?
A Prehistoric Boat Trip?
They could have done it only one of two ways, as far as anybody knows. Either they swam across, which seems preposterous. Or they climbed aboard a raft and followed the currents across the Atlantic to the new world.
"That seems highly improbable," Honeycutt says. But it's the best answer anyone has been able to come up with. The thought of a bunch of rats, manning a raft and sailing across the sea, falls a bit short of an adequate scientific explanation, and it helped set Honeycutt off on a personal expedition several years ago. Perhaps, he reasoned, the South American rats split off from their African cousins much earlier than had been thought, and they were able to cross into South America when the two continents were joined together.
Honeycutt turned to one of the newest tools in the evolutionary sciences, called "molecular evolutionary biology."
When animals or plants adapt to a changing environment they are said to have evolved when the adaptation becomes "fixed" in a DNA molecule, allowing that change to be passed on to succeeding generations. And the rate at which mutations occur remains fairly constant.
"There's a pretty standard rate in which DNA mutates, and it's pretty similar across fairly diverse groups of organisms," Honeycutt says. "Within a group like rodents there's a more or less standard rate at which mutations become fixed."
DNA Timeline May Match Fossil Record
By determining the "rate of fixation" for the rodents on both sides of the Atlantic, Honeycutt came up with a "molecular yardstick, or clock," that allowed him to measure the time since the rats' ancestor diverged into two distinct groups. At that time, all the rats were in Africa, so if he could push that date back quite a bit, it would have been possible for some of the rats to scurry from Africa to South America before the two continents drifted too far apart.
No such luck.
Honeycutt and his graduate student, Diane Rowe, and fellow researcher Ron Adkins of the University of Massachusetts, haven't come up with a precise date, but so far it looks like the evidence will support the fossil record.
Divergence probably occurred around 45 million years ago, long after the two continents drifted far apart. And to that, one expletive comes to mind.
"We're still left with trying to explain how on earth they got to South America," Honeycutt says. Since the genetic evidence collected by Honeycutt and his colleagues "clearly supports" the idea that the African and South American rats shared a common ancestor, long after the Atlantic Ocean formed, they must, indeed, have sailed across the sea.
"There doesn't appear to be any other answer," Honeycutt laments.
Of course, that doesn't mean they had modern rafts with navigation equipment. They probably just found themselves trapped on a large chunk of debris, or on logs, and the currents most likely carried them across to their new homes. Once in South America, however, the newcomers set off on a very different course from those they had left behind.
Honeycutt began studying African rodents years ago because he was fascinated by their very complex social behavior. The African rats are similar to pocket gophers in this country, spending most of their time underground. One species called the naked mole rat, he says, "has a social structure that is very similar to bees and ants and termites," known for their hierarchy and sharing of labor.
But once the rats reached South America, they really put on an evolutionary show.
Rats Bigger Than Humans
"These South American rodents are more like ungulates, or large grazing mammals," Honeycutt says. "The ungulates went extinct, and then these rodents experienced major adaptive radiation [spreading into new environments] and more or less filled the ungulate niche.
"So you have some of the largest rodents in the world there, and they are more like big grazing mammals. A lot of them have feet that look very much like deer or an antelope."
And we're talking big here. These rodents, known as "caviomorphs," can weigh more than your average man. "That's a pretty good-sized rat," Honeycutt says.
The question over how these critters made it to South America has spawned all sorts of debates with some arguing that they could have made it to Asia and then across to the Americas, but there's no evidence to support that, Honeycutt says. Others have said they shouldn't be considered rodents at all, but the genetic record shows that their close relatives are in Africa, and definitely are rats.
So there it stands.
Unless someone comes up with a very different explanation, we're left with a bunch of rats, somehow sailing across the Atlantic, to start a new life and confound scientists years later.
You've got to love 'em. | <urn:uuid:671d6ff8-7a0c-44b3-a8a1-92b3b71bb4e1> | {
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The double capstan grips can be used to grip threads and thread-like tensile
With this deflection principle a force slope occurs in two stages. The specimen break takes place in the gage length without causing slippage of the specimen on the lower roller or jaw breaks.
The specimen is looped over the load cell roller. The specimen is then deflected to a lower roller and guided to a third height-adjustable roller.
After the deflection of the double thread, a pre-load weight (not included in scope of delivery) is attached. During this stage all three rollers are movable. The extensions, which are created when the pre-load weight is attached, are balanced. The three lengths are aligned to the material being tested.
The double thread is clamped into the wedge grip. This is also height adjustable.
After the specimen grip is closed the deflection rollers are locked. Frictional forces between the rollers and the specimen prevents slippage of the specimen. The roller diameter is dimensioned in such a way that the occurring friction does not influence the test results.
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This is the second post on kanji that originated from precious cowries — the kanji 実(實)貫慣賛鎖朋価賜唄. We also touch upon ‘a strand of small cowries” in kanji, such as 小少朋豊.
The kanji 実 “substance; nut; berry; reality”
The top of (a) and (b) in bronze ware style, in green, was a house or a family mausoleum. The top of the inside, 毌, meant “small cowries pierced through and strung together,” and the bottom 貝 was “cowrie,” signifying valuable items or money. Valuable offerings at a mausoleum signified fullness of wealth having “substance” and wealth displayed, signifying “real; actual.” It also came to be used to mean “fruit; nut; berry.” The kyuji 實, (e) in blue, reflected (d) in seal style, in red. In shinji 実, the inside of the bushu ukanmuri was replaced by a much simpler shape that had no meaning attached. The kanji 実 means “substance; contents; fruit; nut; berry; contents; reality.”
The kun-yomi 実 /mi/ means “fruit; nut; berry; substance; ingredient,” as in 実がなる (“to produce a crop or fruit” /mi-ga-na’ru/). The verb 実る/mino’ru/ means “to ripen; show results.” The on-yomi /jitu/ is in 実は (“as a matter of fact; in truth” /jitsu’-wa/), 現実 (“actuality; a hard fact” /genjitsu/), 実現する (“to realize; materialize; come true” /jitsugen-suru/), 実務 (“practical business; administrative work” /ji’tsumu/) and 誠実な (”sincere; truthful” /seejitsu-na/). /Jit-/ is in 実際に (“really; truly; in practice” /jissai-ni/).
The kanji 貫 “to pierce through; penetrate”
The kanji 貫 was a component of the kyuji of the kanji 実 above, but the earliest writing appears to be in seal style. So I suspect that this kanji was derived from the kanji 實. (If that is the case it is a curious reverse process.) The top 毌 of the seal style writing came from two cowries pierced through, and was used phonetically for /kan/. With the bottom 貝 “cowrie,” they meant “to pierce through; penetrate; carry through.”
The kun-yomi 貫く /tsuranu’ku/ means “to pass through; pierce; keep (one’s faith),” and is in 貫き通す (“to stick with; follow” /tsuranukito’osu/). The on-yomi /kan/ is in 貫通する (“boring through” /kantsuu-suru/), 初志貫徹 (“carrying out one’s original intention” /sho’shi kantetsu/). The word 一貫 (“consistency” /ikkan/) forms various compound word or phrase, such as 一貫教育 (“all-through education; education that has a unified program of elementary and secondary schools” /ikkan kyo’oiku/), 一貫作業 (“work in a continuous process; integrated linear operation of work” /ikkan sa’gyoo/) and 終始一貫して (“be consistent from beginning to end” /shu’ushi ikkan-shite/).
The kanji 慣 “to become used to; familiar”
The seal style writing of the kanji 慣 comprised扌, a bushu tehen “hand; an act that one does using a hand,” and 貫, which was used phonetically for /kan/ to mean “linking things.” Together they signified “to accumulate.” Doing things many times makes one’s mind being accustomed to it, and in kanji the left side was replaced by忄, a bushu risshinben “heart.” The kanji 慣 means “to become used to; custom.”
The kun-yomi 慣れる /nare’ru/ means “to become used to; grow accustomed to,” and is also in 場慣れする (“to be used to a situation” /banare-suru/) and 耳慣れた (“familiar” /miminareta/). The on-yomi /kan/ is in 習慣 (“(personal) habit; custom” /shuukan/), 慣習 (“(social) custom” /kanshuu/), 慣例 (“general practice; precident” /kanree/), 慣性 (“inertia” /ka’nsee/) and 生活習慣病 (life-style related disease” /seekatsu shuukanbyoo/).
The kanji 賛 “to agree”
The top of the kanji 賛 in seal style, (a), was used phonetically for /shin; san/ to mean “offer; present.” The bottom was 貝 “cowrie.” Together they meant “to present valuable goods at an audience or meeting.” The kyuji (c) had two 先 at the top, which in kanji was replaced by two 夫. The kanji 賛 means “to present; help; laud.”
Interestingly, despite of the shape at the top in (a), (b) in the green box, which came from a seal made during the Chin Han era, had two strands of small cowries, which signified valuable things. I would imagine that this might have been due to a decorative and creative element that a seal maker chose to make it more auspicious.
There is no kun-yomi. The on-yomi /san/ is in 賛成する (“to agree” /sansee-suru/), 賛同する (“to approve of; subscribe to” /sandoo-suru/) and 協賛会社 (“support company” /kyoosan-ga’isha.)
The kanji 鎖 “chain; link; to shut down”
For the kanji 鎖, the left side of the seal style writing was 金 “metal.” The right side comprised small shells at the top (小) and 貝 at the bottom, and was used phonetically for /sa/. Together small metal things linked together meant “chain” and “to lock down.” The top right component小flipped upside down and became a shape called sakasa–shoo “flipped 小.” (This flipping of 小 in shinji happened in other kanji such as 消.) The kanji 鎖 means “chain” and “to lock.”
The kun-yomi 鎖 /kusari/ means “chain.” The on-yomi /sa/ is in 鎖国 (“national isolation; national seclusion” /sakoku/) and 閉鎖する (“to shut down” /heesa-suru/).
Notes on the origin of the kanji 小 and 少
For a long time I treated the origin of 小 as just small markers, rather than having a specific origin. But after going over kanji such as 貫, 鎖, 朋 in the context of cowries that ancient people valued, the account by Shirakawa, which explains that those were small shells, makes some sense to me now. In the bronze ware style writing (b) for the kanji 少, shown on the left, the last long stroke of the kanji is viewed as a string that would have linked the small cowries. The history of the kanji 小 is shown on the right.
To have a better image of the small cowries that were made into strands, the history of the kanji 朋 shown on the right may be helpful. The kanji 朋is not a Joyo kanji but we are familiar with it because it is used in a given name. In the kanji 豊 “abundance” might have had two strands of cowries that were among offerings on an altar table (Ochiai 2014: 236).
The kanji 価 “value”
For the kanji 価, the right side in seal style had “person.” The right side 賈 comprised “cover” (襾) and “cowrie” (貝), and was used phonetically for /ka/ to mean “to sell and buy.” A value is something people apply. The kyuji 價 was replaced by 価. The kanji 価 means “value; price.”
The kun-yomi /atai/ means “value.” The on-yomi /ka/ is in 価値 (“value” /ka’chi/), 価格 (“price” /kakaku/), 定価 (“fixed price; manufacturer’s suggested price” /teeka/) and 地価 (“land value; land price” /chi’ka/).
The kanji 賜 “to bestow; confer”
The kanji 賜 is not a daily kanji that we would need at all. It describes an act of giving by royalty. (a) in oracle bone style had a rice wine pitcher pouring wine in a wine cup. An emperor giving a cup of wine out of a wine pitcher called shaku (爵) personally meant “to confer; bestow.” (b) in oracle bone style and (c) and (d) in bronze ware style was for 易. The origin of 易 could have been the sun’s ray and a lizard on the right, but the association is not clear. In seal style (e), 貝 was added to mean a valuable thing. The kanji 賜 means “to bestow; confer.”
The kun-yomi 賜る /tamawa’ru/ means “to bestow; confer by a king.” The on-yomi /shi/ is in 賜杯 (“trophy given by an emperor” /shihai/) and 恩賜財団 (“royal endowment foundation” /onshiza’idan/).
The kanji 唄 “folk song; song”
There is no ancient writing for the kanji 唄. The kanji is comprised of 口 “mouth; speaking,” and 貝, which is used phonetically for /bai/. It was a phonetic rendition of a Sanskrit word pathaka, which meant chanting in praise of Buddha’s virtues. In Japanese it is used for “popular song.” The kanji 唄 means “folk song; song.”
The kun-yomi 唄 /uta’/ means “song; folk song.” There is no on-yomi.
The ancient writings for 貝 and 鼎 looked very much like each other, and sometimes they appear to be mingled. In the next post, we shall be exploring kanji that originated from a bronze ware cooking pot with three or four legs that was used to cook sacrificial animal meat for an offering in ancestral worship. Thank you very much for your reading. — Noriko [June 24, 2017] | <urn:uuid:aed5fea2-02ee-4fe9-b0b6-7e1e16bb7c7e> | {
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Steve Jobs’ abrupt resignation from Apple is of course plastered all over the news and social network feeds, so let’s consider instead the legacy Jobs has left over the decades for creative technology. The highlights for artists and musicians begin far before the iPhone. Jobs’ sometimes-obsessive dedication to design, to uncompromising capabilities particularly in regards to multimedia, and to stewarding the creative teams that built these computers has shaped the development of computing for music and visuals. Now, what happens next – including the important role computers continue to have in creation – could be no less compelling. Here are just a few landmark contributions:
The Apple II, product of the company Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded, was for many of us our first experience in computing. Jobs was an impresario and ambassador to the Apple II as it aggressively took on education and widespread popular computing. With those roots, the makers of electronic music and electronic music software to come found fertile soil.
The Lisa and Macintosh brought what were once experimental ideas in computing interaction to the masses. Jobs was not a perfect manager in his early years by any stretch – with Apple II and Mac divisions turned against one another and difficulties with Jobs’ sometimes-hostile management style, there were reasons behind the ouster of Jobs from the company he founded. But he also, as he was to do later at Pixar, managed to protect a team of innovators in design unlike any that’s been assembled since, the group of people who defined computing interaction and the expressive computer for us today. And the Macintosh, while best known popularly as becoming the engine of the desktop publishing revolution, was also a platform for changing musical performance and creation. Laurie Spiegel’s Music Mouse on the Mac would be one of the first software synths and audiovisual instruments (perhaps the first, depending on the definition). The Mac also would come to lead the way with technologies like MIDI and sequencers like Performer and Vision, taking a key role in shaping music to come. Moreover, the design and philosophy Jobs had helped guide, even to the very notion of the computer as a “bicycle for the mind,” was what convinced so many in our community that computing had a place in music and art.
And then there’s Pixar. Jobs literally saved the company from a near-certain demise, and with it a group of artists and engineers who defined both the potential of computer animation as a feature medium and the techniques used to make it look visually appealing. By all accounts, it was Jobs’ ability to protect this group of creative people and allow them to do what they did best that allowed them to remake animation. It’s a sign of the times that Pixar executives effectively took over the Disney animation department and not the other way around. Today’s real-time, 2D and 3D visuals, visual media as performance, visual media interactively responding to music, are all possible because of the technologies and modes of expression pioneered by the team at Pixar.
The NeXT, while a business failure, had a vital role in music and creative technology. Aside from producing the basic operating system that would become Mac OS X, the NeXT machine, with its unusually-powerful DSP capabilities, was the box on which real-time Max audio processing and many other key achievements in early computer DSP became possible. I hear there are even a few of these black boxes haunting labs and facilities around the world now, still in working order. And this design is all Jobs: flaunting convention or, arguably, even business realities, Jobs built the machine of the future. NeXT may have been Jobs’ Ford Edsel, but like the Edsel itself, it keeps looking better in hindsight, and it really did represent the technologies to come.
The revitalization of Apple will be what most pundits observe. But I think it’s tough to overstate its importance for the computer industry. I’d actually been preparing in my head an editorial prior to the announcement. The gist went something like this: we’re not living in the post-PC age. We’re living in the Apple age. Sure, computer maker executives point clumsily to a perceived shift to “tablets” that’s hurting their PC business. But mostly what they’re saying is that PC profit margins are falling, and they can’t make netbooks or tablets or anything else new people want to make up the difference. Look at Apple, by comparison: the “tablet” market is almost exclusively the “iPad” market for now, and at the same time, Mac sales are up, Mac market share is up, and Mac enthusiasm is generally up (the odd misstep with video editing and OS design oddities notwithstanding). Love them or hate them, Apple are the benchmark for computing, whether that computing experience is on a tablet, a phone, a laptop, or a desktop. That’s what a competitive company does. And it’s a combination of Mac OS X (now also a mobile OS) and Apple’s systems integration that makes it possible. (Like their competitors, Apple pulls together components from many, many other makers – but that makes the integration more impressive, not less.)
The Mac as musical instrument. Regular readers (or anyone who talks to me) know that I pull no punches when it comes to being critical of Apple. I think that’s my job. I also believe competition is important. But I think it’d be a mistake to dismiss musician Mac fans as being simply charmed by pretty computers. Apple’s OS is, of the three major desktop operating systems, the most able to make music with minimal user intervention. Their hardware is, generally speaking, reliable and enjoyable to use. For many musicians, comfort with the PowerBook and MacBook lines – from industrial design to operating system – is what allowed them to feel able to go out and produce and perform with a laptop. “Design” is more than skin deep. It runs to the very kernel of an operating system, literally, and in music it means design and engineering that can perform in tiny fractions of a second. Apple is not the only company capable of such engineering, but the work they’ve done in areas you can see and can’t see alike is all work you experience when you use their product.
When Jobs took over Apple, the entire music market was potentially on the chopping block. The idea of native creative software was no longer a sure thing. Jobs managed to build a platform ecosystem and an organization that supported continued leadership in the industry. In the grand scheme of the history of creative computing, that’s no small feat.
Digital music consumption. iTunes, iPod, downloads, digital music consumption … yeah, that whole thing. Jobs’ personal commitment to music, and perhaps to the romanticized ideas of the relationship with album and artist, may last even when these individual products are long gone. Even as “cloud” music makes music more of a commodity, the feeling of satisfaction you get when you buy an actual album download from Bandcamp is in tune with the vision Jobs had of music listening. (It’s a vision misunderstood by record labels made nervous by that original “Rip. Mix. Burn.” ad campaign from 2001′s iPod launch, though I suppose what that campaign did accurately predict was the rise of the single.)
Digital music creation. Apple under Jobs was also a champion of music making software, acquiring Emagic, bundling GarageBand with every Mac, and developing Logic Studio and now GarageBand on iPad. Even beyond the immediate impact of this software, the focus on music creation apps and the underlying infrastructure with Core Audio and Core MIDI gets unparalled attention. Jobs has led that emphasis and the relationship with artists and industry from creation to consumption in a way that has impacted the entire music software industry. While third-party developers may not always be happy with the immediate results, the long-term benefit of making music instrumental to this generation of computers is hard to overstate. (Thanks to readers pointing this out in comments – and pointing out, as well, that once upon a time this was really more true of Atari than Apple. That history will have to wait for another day, though.)
Popularizing new mobility and interaction. Yes, the iPhone and iPad is what I’m talking about. But if you believe these designs will prove to have an impact in the greater history of computing, you have to assume that impact will be larger than a single product. The ideas behind mobile computing arguably began at Apple in Jobs’ absence, the era of Newton and John Sculley’s Apple, and then at upstart General Magic (a company which employed many of the future movers and shakers of today’s mobile landscape, including the founder of Android). But even those teams at Apple and General Magic had the thumbprints of the Mac team Jobs originally assembled, and their vision wasn’t truly realized until the iPhone and iPad. On the handheld and tablet, respectively, Apple under Jobs brought us new modes of interaction with software, from multi-touch and gestures to single-task focus, computers that began to feel more immersive, computing interaction that for the first time felt freed from the accumulated UI detritus (“chrome”) that had clouded the Mac’s original vision. Musicians and artists predicted (and built) these kinds of designs for years before the iOS revolution, and so it’s little wonder that some of the most ground-breaking software for these platforms comes from those communities. The ability to take a computer into a party, to make something as viscerally expressive as musical sound, is the perfect test for whether ubiquitous computing can be human. It’s the computer as part of culture, and it’s under Jobs’ Apple that we first saw those machines that made it seem like we were living in the future. If they’re not the last, if they do begin to come from other makers, that’s to me an even greater testament to that vision.
Jobs’ next act: Succession. Steve Jobs is by no stretch of the imagination a perfect manager; Apple’s products are hardly unassailably “perfect.” Often, the appealing vision of Apple is the counterpart of a lack of vision by their competitors, an inability to harness design and engineering talent – though that failure will give pause to anyone looking forward to the Jobs-less Apple.
But part of management is succession. Steve Jobs managed to grow as a manager, from the apparently tempestuous youth who was kicked out of Apple to someone who built a mature, wildly-successful global business. He learned from mistakes at Apple, at NeXT, and even at Pixar. He delivered new acts better than the last.
It’s immensely sad to many of us that health would be the reason for Jobs’ departure. I think those of us who work in computing and journalism hope for good health for everyone in this industry. But this is the nature of succession as a reality in any organization.
Jobs’ best days, his best achievements, have all come about as a result of intelligent leadership. Jobs didn’t design any of the products above; leadership is the ability to guide people who do that work. And to me, the best test of leadership is succession: it’s the ability to build an organization you can leave. I’m surprised by the gloom and doom around Apple. Jobs will be sorely missed. But I find it very unlikely that, as David Pogue argues, Apple will now be run “by committee.” This is the Apple Jobs built. Committees likely have nothing to do with it.
Ironically, Apple’s success following Jobs’ first departure – what were then some of the company’s best days – were partly possible because of the organization Jobs had built. Sculley ultimately proved the wrong leader for Apple, but he did helm smart decisions that helped Apple mature as a global business, helped the Mac mature as a platform, and defined how computers would be designed and marketed for years to come. And Sculley was not coincidentally a Jobs recruit. So, too, were many of the managers and engineers who built that healthy Apple, the Macintosh on which a lot of the music tech revolution has happened. They come out of an organizational culture and enthusiasm Jobs had built from the ground up.
Now, a more mature Jobs leaves Apple voluntarily, with a succession plan in place, and with an organization he has more directly molded. He’s staying on with the organization, too, and you can bet his voice will continue to carry enormous weight. If you want to evaluate the future of creative technology on the Mac and iOS, this is the greatest test yet of what Jobs can do as a manager, whether you love the man or not. In Sculley’s accounts of his long walks with Jobs in the early days of Apple, he reveals that Mr. Jobs was constantly aware of his own mortality. All of us will, without exception, be gone someday, someday not very far away. What is a “legacy” if not what you leave when you’re gone? | <urn:uuid:4bb75a20-71f1-4c6c-af3a-f5e5c9529550> | {
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January 2nd, 2014
04:01 PM ET
Having shingles, especially when you are younger, may increase your risk of having a stroke or heart attack later in life, according to a new study published this week in the online issue of Neurology.
Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's the same virus that causes chickenpox. Also called herpes zoster, shingles appears as a painful rash, which in some cases can lead to further infection if left untreated. Doctors say the virus remains dormant in the nerve roots of people who have had chickenpox; anyone who has the virus as a child may develop an outbreak of shingles later on.
In this study, British researchers looked at more than 105,000 people who had had shingles and more than 213,000 people who had not. They found people aged 18 to 40 who had shingles were more likely to have a stroke, warning stroke (also known as a transient ischemic attack), or heart attack later in life.
“Anyone with shingles, and especially younger people, should be screened for stroke risk factors,” said lead study author Dr. Judith Breuer.
This is not the first study to look at the link between shingles and stroke/heart attack risk.
For example, in an October 2009 issue of the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke, a study found adults with shingles were at an increased risk for stroke, especially if they had shingles that affected the eyes.
Compared to adults without shingles, those with the painful skin rash were about 30% more likely to suffer a stroke within a year of the attack. Patients who had shingles in and around an eye had four times the risk for stroke in the year following the episode.
"Many studies have shown that people with herpes zoster infection are more likely to develop stroke.," said lead author, Dr Jiunn-Horng Kang, attending physician in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Taipei Medical University Hospital. "But ours was the first to demonstrate the actual risk of stroke following herpes zoster infection."
For some doctors, these findings on the shingles virus and its relationship to stroke raise red flags.
“Although it’s still unknown why herpes zoster can cause stroke and heart problems, I am guessing it highlights the role of viral infections, like shingles and the cause of inflammation to the circulatory system,” explains Dr. Warren Levy, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at Virginia Heart in Northern Virginia. “We already know inflammation can cause serious heart problems. Perhaps we need to be extremely vigilant, especially with those who have been infected with shingles, and treat them more aggressively for heart attack and stroke prevention, no matter what age they became infected.”
Levy also brings up an interesting point: Shingles is considered to be a virus that primarily infects the elderly. In fact, the herpes zoster vaccine, designed to prevent shingles, is recommended for those over the age of 60. But these latest findings point to even greater risks of heart problems for those who contract shingles earlier in life. So the question remains, "Should younger people be getting the vaccine?"
“The shingles vaccine has been shown to reduce the number of cases of shingles by about 50%,” notes Breuer. “Studies are needed to determine whether vaccination can also reduce the incidence of stroke and heart attack."
About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. | <urn:uuid:f170cc8d-a4a9-4d35-83b8-3f121bcb6d5e> | {
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Preventing, diagnosing and treating disease
Cutting-edge research saving lives
Poor health and disease is a costly, universal problem. According to the World Health Organisation, it is estimated 35.6 million people are currently living with dementia and about 70 per cent of all cancer deaths occur in low to middle income countries.
What UWA is doing about this global issue
We’ve embarked on a number of exciting projects with the potential to improve the health and wellbeing of millions of people. Our research includes:
- Tailoring the genome to create novel cures for aggressive forms of tumours/cancers.
- Investigating the early origins of health and disease studying brain structure and function to aid functional recovery from neurological conditions, including developmental brain disorders, traumatic injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Improving the respiratory outcomes of preterm infants through the development of novel approaches to mechanical ventilation and postnatal care.
- Developing a repeatable, non-invasive, safe and painless method of measuring damaging iron deposits in the liver caused by diseases such as thalassemia (iron overload).
- Commercialising nanoparticle technology for drug delivery applications, enabling the precise delivery of drugs to diseased cells for the treatment of cancer and other diseases through ‘loaded’ nanoparticles.
- Researching the best combination of exercise and medications in the management of patients with hypercholesterolemia, diabetes and coronary disease.
- Optimising physical and mental functioning through nutrition.
- Using our understanding of how the mind works to foster resilience and improve mental health and wellbeing.
Our research is not only revealing the origins of diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, but finding ways to stop them before they begin.
13th in the world for Anatomy and Physiology (QS 2018)
21st in the world for Sports-related subjects (QS 2018)
Find a selection of current projects in this research theme here:
Vitamin D deficiency puts kids at risk of autism-like behaviour
Researchers at The University of Western Australia and Telethon Kids Institute have found vitamin D plays an important role in the brain development of children.Read more
Two thirds of children do not do enough physical activity
The largest global study to examine physical activity in children aged between two and five years old has found 66 per cent of children are not getting the nationally recommended three hours of daily physical activity needed for their growth and development.Read more
Chemistry is broadly concerned with the synthesis and study of molecules, from the simplest diatomics to polymers and biological machines, and their interactions. It is often said to be the ‘central’ science, with molecules and their interactions being essential to practically every other discipline, from physics to biology, geology to engineering and medicine to materials.Read more about Chemistry
Neuroscience (Biological Sciences)
Neuroscience in the School of Biological Sciences studies neurobiology and neuroecology as well as neural regeneration from spinal trauma in humans.Read more about Neuroscience (Biological Sciences)
Our research investigates different developmental paths for individuals with conditions such as autism or Parkinson’s and how we can encourage individuals to develop and age along their optimal path.Read more about Developmental psychology
Clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology
Our clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology researchers are exploring theories and interventions to improve quality of life by understanding the causes and consequences of brain and mental disorders.Read more about Clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology
Biochemistry and molecular genetics
Biochemistry and molecular genetics focusses on understanding the molecular basis of life, and the complex molecular processes of living organisms. It underpins our understanding of biology, leading to advances in agriculture, plant an animal science, human health and medicine.Read more about Biochemistry and molecular genetics
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Science is uncovering exactly how it has the power to change our world for the better
As a leading Australian research-intensive university, UWA’s Faculty of Science is at the forefront of discovery.
PhD opportunities in Science
Research your PhD at UWA and join leading academics and researchers on innovative projects answering the world’s big questions.
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences looks at advancing the health and wellbeing of communities through education and innovation. | <urn:uuid:c3a5be44-488a-47f7-ad7e-5c08ab3e7630> | {
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What Is A Bacterial Infection?
A bacterial infection is best described as any infection that might be as a result of bacteria. There are billions of bacteria all around us and even in our bodies. A good number of them are helpful while only less than 1% of them might make us sick. Ironically, whenever we talk about bacteria, most people only think of the bad ones! However, when bacteria make human beings or other animals sick, this becomes a “bacterial infection.” The following are some of the most common and dangerous bacterial infections that you should know about:
10 Bacterial Infections to Know About
This bacterial infection in stomach is the one that causes typhoid fever. It is normally found in contaminated food and water. Its incubation period is about 7-14 days, after which the symptoms of bacterial infection including headaches, fever, and diarrhea or constipation set in. It is best treated by use of strong antibiotics.
To be on the safe side, ensure that food is processed and kept in hygienic conditions. The typhoid vaccine does not provide 100% immunity against the bacterial infection in stomach.
What is a bacterial infection caused by this bacterium capable of? Bacterial infections by this bacterium cause tetanus. It gains entry into the body through open wounds then releases a lethal toxin called tetanospasmin. Its incubation period may last from two days to several weeks. The bacterial infection symptoms include violent spasms of the neck and jaws, pain and fever. It can be treated through sedation, taking muscle relaxing drugs, antitoxins and antibiotics.
This is the bacterial infection in stomach responsible for cholera. It might be ingested into the body through infected water, mostly contaminated by human feces. Its incubation period is anything between 1-7 days. The symptoms of bacterial infection in this case include: chronic diarrhea, loss of body fluids and salts as well as dehydration. Patients must up their intake of fluids to replace what is lost. The cholera vaccine does not offer 100% protection against this type of bacterial infection. Hence maintaining proper hygiene remains your best option of controlling the disease.
This is the bacterium responsible for syphilis infection, which is arguably the severest sexually transmitted bacterial disease. Its first stage‘s incubation period is about 3-12 weeks and it causes lesions called “syphilis chancre” on the private organs. The bacterial infection symptoms are fever, skin eruptions, less severe hepatitis, hair loss and genital condilloma. If left untreated for long, the lesions may extend into the nervous system causing death.
It can be treated using strong antibiotics, which are usually effective during the first stages. Avoiding irresponsible sex is the surest way of avoiding this type of bacterial infection. If infected, immediate treatment is advisable.
This bacterium causes plague. What is a bacterial infection by Yersinia pestis like? The black plague is believed to have broken out in Europe in 1947 after a boat from Crimea arrived in Mesina, Secily. The boat is believed to have transported the pest bacterium, which is normally transmitted by fleas, among its load. The pest soon spread all through Italy and in about only four years it had wiped about a third of Europe’s population. The infection is usually passed from rats to human beings and its incubation period is about 2-10 days. Its symptoms include fever and swelling of the lymphatic ganglion as well as the skin. Currently, such bacterial infection can be treated by antibiotics.
The bacterium causes gonorrhea and it is transmitted sexually. Its incubation period is about 3 days. In men, the disease causes urinary incontinence, pain in the urethra, testicle inflammation, reddening and a burning sensation in the penis. In women, it causes severe pain which may extend to the uterus and trumps. The bacterial infections can be treated using antibiotics.
This bacterium causes Legionnaire’s disease. The source of the bacteria is air and wet environments. Its symptoms are similar to those of pneumonia or flu, which are normally accompanied by renal failure. The bacterial infection can be treated using antibiotics. To prevent it, water and air conditioning installations should be controlled.
Koch Bacterium (Mycobacterium Tuberculosis)
This bacterium which causes tuberculosis is as old as humankind itself. It has been found even in mummies of ancient Peru and Egypt. The bacterium spreads through the air as well as milk from infected animals and it affects the whole body, especially the respiratory system. The bacterial infection symptoms are accompanied with prolonged coughing, shivering, fever, weight loss, blood expectoration, sweating, tiredness as well as glossy eyes.
TBC is treated but it can, however, not be eradicated because of the existence of multi-resistant strains and it needs a long treatment of over six months, which is likely to be interrupted before medication is over. Its treatment should also include resting, proper diet, clean air on top of medication. About 3-5% of new TBC cases are HIV co infected. Pasteurization of milk and BCG significantly reduces chances of this bacterial infection.
This is a bacterium that causes acute disease in animals and humans. Some of its strains are highly lethal and are believed to be used in the bioterrorism war. Its spores have an extremely long life of up to 70 years in the soil! The bacterium can spread from human to human. However, corpses are the most dangerous sources of the disease’s spores. It attacks the immune system releasing toxins into the blood stream in the process destroying tissues and causing massive internal hemorrhage and eventually death. If the antibiotics are not administered earlier, they may kill the bacteria but still the infected person may die from the toxins.
The bacterium can be passed from infected animals, and their products including wool, skin and meat. And it enters the human body through the intestines, skin or lungs. Its treatment includes large doses of intravenous as well as oral antibiotics. However, a few days delay might make the bacterial infection untreatable.
This is the bacterium that causes pneumonia. The symptoms of bacterial infection include: sweating, fever, cough with expectoration, shivering, headache, thoracic and muscle pain, weakness and loss of appetite. It can be treated using antibacterial drugs. It might also need physiotherapy, oxygen as well as liquids supply. Patients with the simple type of the disease can get healed within 2-3 weeks. Its vaccine is effective against its most common complications.
Most of the diseases caused by a bacterial infection can be treated using the right antibiotics if discovered early enough. The particular type of antibiotic will always depend on the type of bacteria that causes the infection. If the doctor prescribes antibiotics for a bacterial infection, taking the medication exactly as directed is paramount so as to avoid antibiotic resistance. | <urn:uuid:ea7a56b0-7be3-4b5b-b02e-38a378f7a4ad> | {
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This is an easy-to-use reference for the basics of writing an essay response to a prompt for Transitional English students or anyone needing help writing a essay response to that prompt on your test. It takes the student through the process of writing a good written response to any essay test prompt, but more specifically to the KYOTE Essay prompt so that students can Benchmark on the exam. The state of Kentucky requires all high school seniors benchmark on either the ACT English test of the KYOTE English essay test. This was designed to meet the needs of those students, but can be used for most any essay test.
**If you buy this and want the Guide Book cover to be more specific to your needs, just leave me a message and I will send you a cover page for your specific requirements.
**Included, in this reference, is the following...
*Steps to breaking Down the Prompt
*Creating a Thesis Statement
*TIPS for Good Paragraphs
*The STRUCTURE of the Essay
*TRANSITIONAL Words to Use
*Grammar Issues in Writing
*Things I Need to Work On
Thank you for buying my product. | <urn:uuid:c9090b5d-4bb6-4da2-a091-cf5c124e5c7b> | {
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Polio Cases Slowing in Pakistan Spur Hope for Elimination
Type-3 polio is close to being eliminated in Pakistan, one of three countries in the world where transmission has never been interrupted, researchers said in presentations today at a medical meeting in Atlanta.
Globally, 177 polio cases were identified from January to October 2012, compared with 502 during the same period last year. Fighting the paralyzing disease has been challenging in Pakistan, where a World Health Organization doctor was injured in July in a gun attack in Karachi. He was returning from supervising a polio vaccination campaign -- a program the Taliban has opposed elsewhere in the country.
“There have not been any Type-3 cases reported for six months, which is the longest gap in incidence there to date,” Steven Wassilak, a medical epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said in a statement. “CDC works with Pakistan officials to monitor different chains of transmission and Type-3 is down to only one chain, which is an indication that we are close to breaking the last link.”
The attack in the southern port city of Karachi was a month after Pakistan’s Taliban guerrilla movement said it would oppose polio immunization in the country’s northwestern tribal areas of North and South Waziristan to protest missile strikes by U.S. unmanned drone aircraft.
About 250,000 children in tribal areas located along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan won’t get the vaccine because of the opposition by the Taliban, the BBC reported July 16, citing WHO officials it didn’t identify.
Polio control is also being hindered in urban Karachi by parents refusing to allow vaccinators to give their children the two drops of the oral vaccine that will prevent infection, said Anita Zaidi, a pediatrician at the city’s Aga Khan University.
“Efforts should focus on building trust through grass- roots effort using community elders in populations with high vaccine-refusal rates,” she said. “By providing vaccination at mass transit sites, such as bus routes used to travel up country throughout the year, we can at least isolate the viral reservoirs and make sure we avoid what happened last year, which was exporting the virus to China.”
The other endemic countries are Afghanistan and Nigeria.
India hasn’t reported a polio infection since January 2011 and the World Health Organization’s Southeast Asia region will be certified polio-free in 2014 if no new cases arise, Wassilak told the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jason Gale in Melbourne at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jason Gale at [email protected] | <urn:uuid:12492f6a-2d7b-464c-a36b-4c955e19f291> | {
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The Doomsday Bug
Body snatcher targets mud crabs
When it comes to horror, Mother Nature stands at the top of the class.
Our Halloween Creature Feature comes from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, where scientists have a horribly resourceful parasite under their microscopes. With devilish ingenuity, it takes over its host’s reproductive system for its own replication.
Loxothylacus panopaei (Loxo for short) is a “highly evolved” barnacle preying on white-fingered mud crabs, a Chesapeake species.
In the 1960s, Loxo was transported to the Chesapeake from the Gulf Coast by way of oysters imported to restore the Bay population, SERC director Anson Hines reports.
Larval females burrow into molted crabs and take over like body snatchers. Egg sacs emerge through the crab’s abdomen to await fertilization by a free-swimming male.
“This process eliminates the crab’s ability to reproduce and results in the crab caring for the developing larvae of the parasite,” the Smithsonian reports.
Loxo “could eventually reach a species-destroying high,” Hines says, as each infected crab releases thousands of larvae into the water to seek new crab hosts.
The good news in this horror story: Loxo has no use for blue crabs.
The bad news: Its first cousin does, although that perilous bug has not migrated from its native Gulf waters.
But “it has opportunities,” Hines says. “Things are introduced all the time, deliberately or through ballast water.” | <urn:uuid:6cef3206-96fe-484f-a7a6-ff46534b7cdb> | {
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Researchers at UCSB working with the Ocean Health Index recently delivered a regional assessment of the state of ecosystems, giving an overall positive score of 71 out of 100 to the West Coast.
The OHI provides a comprehensive evaluation of marine environments that can contribute to policy and regulation decisions in regards to the preservation of the ocean and its ecosystems. By scaling the health of the ocean, the index provides accessible data that can be used to measure and reduce environmental degradation.
According to the lead scientist of the OHI, Professor Ben Halpern of the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, the index is a quantitative measure that scales the overall health of the ocean.
“What that means is in order for the ecosystems of the ocean to be healthy, the human communities that interact with the ocean need to be thriving, as well as the natural communities that are in the ocean,” Halpern said.
Catherine Longo, project scientist at UCSB’s Marine Science Institute and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, said the OHI is a way to track the state of the ecosystems and assess them with ecological, social and economic aspects.
“It is intended to assess the state of things that people want from healthy oceans, including sustainable seafood, conserving lasting special places, maintaining clean waters, enjoying coastal areas for tourism and recreation, maintaining jobs from marine-related sectors (e.g., fishing, tourism), preserving biodiversity, etc.,” Longo said in an email.
Halpern said the index defines ocean health as the delivery of a range of benefits to people now and in the future.
“We define healthy as an ocean that has thriving human communities as well as thriving natural communities and the only way you can do that is to allow people to use the ocean,” Halpern said, “but it has to be done in a sustainable way so that nature can continue to thrive now and in the future.”
Longo said the OHI assessment will help efforts to manage and protect environmental resources more effectively, as “measuring is a key step towards managing.”
“We can’t manage towards ocean health unless we know where we are, and where we’re headed,” Longo said in an email. “We can’t adapt management actions unless we keep monitoring progress.”
Longo said the approach taken with the OHI will be increasingly updated and continually developed.
“The Ocean Health Index is not an entity; it’s a conceptual framework that was generated by a collaborative effort across a large group of scientists,” Longo said in an email. “Reporting the methods as transparently as possible, and openly sharing the underlying data is intended to allow other scientists to understand, modify, and improve it.”
Halpern said she hopes the index will provide accessible data that will contribute to the decision making process of policies and similar types of assessments and decisions.
“Our hope is that it provides a base line of understanding of the health of the ocean along the West Coast and that future repeated assessments would allow policy makers and scientists to start tracking change in time in different aspects of the health of the ocean and begin to evaluate whether or not particular policies are having the intended effect that they wanted on ocean health,” Halpern said.
Fourth-year marine biology major Maria Nguyen from the California State University at Long Beach said the OHI is a pathway to information that will aid in the preservation of the ocean.
“Now that there is this Ocean Health Index, people have an accessible tool that provides stats towards an updated truth about ocean health and not just general global warming threats that people interpret as myths,” Nguyen said.
Halpern said the promotion of data sharing and open access practices allows people to connect to the efforts in improving the ocean’s health.
“There’s still a need for protection of the places that are really special to people, the places that you go to time and again. It helps you build a connection to the ocean and it makes people feel like they’ve got some place special to go to,” Halpern said. “A lot of those places are not yet protected sufficiently enough to ensure the cultural value that coastal areas have for people will continue into the future.”
According to Nguyen, scientists should continue to create and promote indexes such as the OHI in order to preserve natural environments.
“You can ask anybody on the street and they either won’t know about it or won’t have much to say,” said Nguyen, “but everyone loves the beach, especially because we all live on the coast so it should be a matter of great concern.”
Photo courtesy of universityofcalifornia.edu
A version of this story appeared on page 3 of Wednesday, June 25, 2014’s print edition of the Daily Nexus. | <urn:uuid:29ef0174-62d1-445a-beae-0e2841e59f78> | {
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When you curtail a word, you remove the last letter and still have a valid word. You will be given clues for the two words, longer word first.
Example: Begin -> Heavenly body
Answer: The words are Start and Star.
1. Bend out of shape -> Armed conflict
2. Muscle contraction -> Pack to capacity
3. Pass over; omit -> Glide on snow
4. Wet -> Large water barrier
5. Marsh; bog -> Moved through water
6. Waterproof canvas -> Pitch; oily residue
7. Cry; shed tears -> Very small
8. Assume a slouching posture; decrease suddenly -> Run-down part of a city
Hint:The words start with these letters:
Comments on this teaser
Most Popular | Hardest | Easiest
Privacy | Terms
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Introducing Virginia Special Education Mediation Service
The purpose of the Virginia SSEMS program is to provide parents and school administrators assistance in negotiating any issue around the identification, provision of services or placement of a child thought to need special education services, specialized instruction, or reasonable accommodations to benefit from education. The program is designed to quickly respond to joint requests made by parents and school administrators for assistance.
In 1998, eight Virginia mediators were selected by the Virginia Department of Education and trained to work with parents and schools on issues concerning special educational services provided by public schools to students. The first year, there were 59 cases. In 2002, there were 104. The mediators who have been with the program since its inception in September 1999 include Terri Colby Barr, Jerryanne Bier, Charles Broadfield, Jerry Minskoff, Regina Olchowski , Nancy Siford, Richard Vacca and Claiborne Winborne. The mediators work in a framework defined by federal and state laws and regulations, case law, and effective educational methodology. They are convened twice a year for training in these areas, along with discussion on considerations in mediating special education disputes. Karen Donegan Salter, Arthur Stewart, and Joanne DeSiato provide consultation for the program, along with guests who address specific issues. The mediators are evaluated annually.
Several elements make this form of mediation unique. It is carried out within a complex regulatory framework. Since 1975, federal law has required that the planning for individual students who need support to benefit from their education be developed through consensus among a team composed of parents and educators. These parties have access to mediation or a due process hearing to resolve issues that might arise in the consensual planning process. Students currently identified as needing specialized instruction or other modifications are eligible for services until graduation from high school or the twenty-second birthday. This creates a history of negotiations between parties, which may influence subsequent negotiations and events.
Kneeling: Charles Broadfield. Standing, left to right: Jerry Minskoff,
Karen Donegan Salter, Terri Colby Barr, Claiborne Winborne, Jerryanne Bier,
Nancy Siford, Art Stewart, Regina Olchowski, Dick Vacca
The mediators who work in other venues report that differences between people in special education contexts are more likely to be strongly emotional than in many other assisted negotiations. The issues involve high stakes because a student's growth and development is in question. People's belief systems are engaged in a larger way than they are in contests where identity does not figure so strongly. Consequent to belief and identity figuring into the process, the temptation to see only one acceptable outcome, one right way of doing things, often visits the parties. For the same reasons, the issues become personalized fairly early.
The influences on individual decision-makers are complex. An administrator may have to resolve conflicts between his or her own values and professional opinion, what staff members feel is the right decision, conflicting views of what a student needs, competing expert opinions, the view of what the law requires, preferences presented by parents, the history of the negotiations, resources available to support changed circumstances, and the individual's instinct and judgement about a practical and supportable outcome.
A parent may have to sort through different ideas offered by people who work with the child, the proper and productive stance as his or her son's advocate, the attainability of her wishes and preferences regarding the student's programming, credible sources of information about the child's progress in a given program, competing professional opinions, what the student prefers, the merit of the offer the school is making, advice given by family, friends, neighbors and advocates, the negotiating history.
The kinds of issues that may arise include eligibility for services, the categorical lens through which a student's needs for support are viewed, sufficiency of services, the progress of the student's learning, the order of priority of the student's needs, and the advisability of reducing or completing special education support services.
Searching for common ground and establishing a productive dialogue among experts who have tested the student or provided services may shape part of the mediator's task. Sometimes people have different perceptions of the student and what he or she needs, based on the context in which they have observed or tested the individual and the training and beliefs which inform their practices.
Mediators are working among individual and institutional interests in an assisted negotiation. Multiple parties are present at the mediation conference. This provides opportunities for the mediator to assist the intramural negotiations by focusing attention on the speakers offering the best new thinking.
The chief task at this point for the State Special Education Mediation Service lies in expanding public awareness of the program. It is an effective, low-cost and efficient way of resolving differences among team members who plan services for students. It can directly address relationship issues, a hostage taken by continued conflict.
For more information about the program, you may contact Art Stewart at 804-786-0711 or by e-mail at [email protected].
The department maintains descriptive information at its website: http://www.pen.k12.va.us/
path: site index>special education and student services>student services>mediation.
Article submitted by Arthur K. Stuart
Art was trained as a mediator by the American Arbitration Association in 1972 and has been a full-time mediator and trainer since 1979. From 1985 to 1998, he coordinated the mediation program for the Massachusetts Department of Education. He has participated in the learnings of mediators and negotiators as a trainer in 19 states and Canada. Stewart served as President of the Massachusetts Association of Mediators and Mediation Programs from 1987 to 1992. A resident of Richmond, he holds an unused license to catch fish in the James River.
This page last modified: March 26, 2003 | <urn:uuid:6b2216b8-ff91-4f77-9c8d-1469d69dada7> | {
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Blood donation is a voluntary practice that helps those in need of blood transfusion due to some accident or illness. The most essential body fluid, excessive blood loss can cause an untimely death if the need is not fulfilled immediately. Hence, blood donation is a life-saving procedure.
World Blood Donor Day
14th June is observed worldwide, as World Blood Donor Day to raise awareness among people regarding the requirement for safe blood as well as blood products like whole blood. A campaign of WHO, this day is also marked by the heart-warming gesture of thanking each donor.
National Voluntary Blood Donation Day
Under the initiative of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology, since 1975, 1st October is observed in India as National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. Besides natural disasters and diseases, an unstoppable increase in road accidents is a major factor in India that necessitates the demand for blood. Thus, on this day, several camps are organized in our country to influence people to donate blood willingly.
Now, there are various ways in which blood donation is useful to humanity. Let us explore how.
Benefits of Blood Donation: Why You Should Donate Blood
Donate Blood to Save Lives
There may be different reasons behind the blood requirement of an ill person. Maybe he has met with an accident, has undergone an operation or is suffering from an illness like anemia. Your donated blood goes on to help this affected person in overcoming his critical situation and regain new life. It symbolizes a helpful and responsible gesture not only to the person in need, but also towards society at large.
Advantageous for the Body
Blood donation is not at all harmful for the body; rather the four or five liters of blood that can be donated every three or four months by both men and women ensures that you remain fit and fine. Firstly, the cell depletion that occurs due to blood donation, forces the body to produce new cells within 48 hours, thereby freshening up the entire body system. Secondly, the body is armed against a host of diseases ranging from liver and heart problems to even cancer. Thirdly, within just one or two months, a donor regains his lost blood. Thus, donating blood is in another way, a step towards revitalizing your body.
Blood Donation is the Sole Way of Obtaining Blood
Blood can neither be artificially produced nor can it be stored beyond a definite time. Amidst the three components of blood, plasma can be preserved for years, red blood cells can be stored for 42 days and platelets can be kept only for 5 days. Consequently, the rush for blood is always on the high in hospitals and the only way to meet this requirement is through donation.
One Donation Fulfils Three Different Requisites
Since three different components are provided by a single donation, three different people may be helped by it. Considering the millions of people needing blood every year, imagine how each donation is, therefore, precious.
It Stabilizes the Collection of Blood Banks
In India, where the annual demand for blood is 12 million per units, only 9 million units get collected through voluntary or family donations. Naturally, many deaths occur due to insufficient blood supply. To avoid such calamities, more voluntary donors are required. It is important to note that blood taken from non-remunerated blood donors is generally considered as the safest source of blood since it has a low incidence of Transfusion Transmissible Infections such as HIV, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, Malaria, and Syphilis.
Initiates a Preliminary Health Check Up
A person, before donating blood is subjected to a complete diagnosis by doctors and hospital professionals to determine the levels of iron, haemoglobin, cholesterol, etc in his body. This enables the donor to have a clear idea of the condition of his body. It is only when everything is fine that he is allowed to donate blood.
Who Can Donate Blood
You can give blood if you are between 17‑66 years of age, if your weight is over 50 kg and you are in sound health. Similarly, you cannot donate blood if you suffer from diseases such as cardiac arrest, hypertension, epilepsy or diabetes or if you have undergone treatment for malaria within the last three months.
Human life is priceless and thus to make sure that not a single life is lost due to blood shortage, take a positive initiative towards donating blood and give someone the blessing of life. | <urn:uuid:815c8ff5-4cec-4df9-8355-9063baffb645> | {
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Wings allowed bugs to become the most widespread critters on Earth, about three-quarters of all animals, but the fossil record offers no clues to their origin. Wings probably already graced the oldest known insect fossil, Rhyniognatha hirsti, about 400 million years ago.According to the story, the authors used mayflies and wingless bristletail insects, which are considered to be more primitive in their genetic makeup when compared to animals like butterflies. Here is what they found:
Some religious writers — such as Matthew Vanhorn of Apologetics Press in Montgomery, Ala., who wrote that the "evolution of insect wings and subsequent flight is a concept impossible for evolutionists to explain" in a 2004 essay on the topic — have seen holes in evolutionary biology in the lack of an insect wing explanation.
But it turns out that just two genes may explain insect wings, reports a team led by Japan's Nao Niwa of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe.
A gene called "vestigial" and another called "wingless" (so named because it prevents wing growth when mutated in fruit flies) work together during the insects' embryonic growth to sprout wings in mayflies, and fail to fire up in the silverfish.This is still a bit sketchy but it is a workable, testable model for examining this aspect of evolution.
Both genes already were present in the wingless ancient ancestor of today's flying bugs, the researchers note, because they had other jobs to do. One plays a role in development of body shell sheets (vestigial) and the other helps limb growth (wingless). Add them together and you have a shelled limb — a wing, they conclude.
Now playing: The Buggles - Video killed the radio star | <urn:uuid:2fc50f45-5abc-4f43-b068-c9f4e671a343> | {
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by: Elizabeth Ramos
It has made national headlines regarding the increasing number of sexual assaults that are happening on college campuses. Unfortunately, this is a reality even on small campuses such as Loras. You may have noticed the posters around campus showing the importance of giving consent, because without consent, it is sexual assault.
When most people think of sexual assault, they think it is when you are alone in a dark alley and someone comes from behind and physically attacks and rapes you. While sometimes this could be the case, a majority of sexual assaults on a college campus look more like this: You go to a party, enjoy some drinks, and then a peer, sometimes even a friend, takes you somewhere and wants to be sexual with you. Even though you may be saying no in a bunch of different ways, he or she still pressures you until maybe you give in. Or sometimes the girl may pass out and then the guy takes advantage of her. Or you get somewhere and the guy just starts doing what he wants to you.
After the assault, it is very normal to feel shame, guilt, anger, fear and much more. It is really important for the person to get professional help to work through the trauma one has experienced. This may mean going to the hospital immediately or contacting a resident assistant, someone from security, or a counselor as soon possible after the incident.
Below are some basic safety guidelines for when you are going out with friends. Following these can help decrease the risk of a sexual assault happening to you.
1. Know your alcohol limits: drinking and becoming intoxicated can make you vulnerable to assaults by impairing your judgment and weaken your ability to fight off attackers.
2. Watch your drinks: Always carry your drink with you even to the bathroom. Also be aware of who you are getting your drinks from.
3. Trust your gut: If you get a bad feeling about a location or a person, leave immediately. Be loud and aggressive. Most attackers don’t like to put up a fight and have attention
brought to the situation.
4. Stick with your friends: Attend social events with friends. Look out for each other and make sure each person gets home safely.
5. Be assertive: If you are in a situation where someone is trying to be sexual with you and you do not want to be sexual, give eye contact and be very clear in what you want. For
example, “No I do not want to do anything with you. Please leave.” If they do not listen, the best thing you can do is leave the situation, scream for help, or fight them off.
For more information on dealing with a sexual assault or helping someone else who has experienced an assault, contact Counseling Services at 588-7085/588-7024. | <urn:uuid:c0859785-4053-4726-8696-55e4430c6b21> | {
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HOWTO Play With Your Old QBasic Programs on Linux
Most any geek who was a kid in the 80's played with BASIC at some point. And the BASIC language with one of the biggest followings is Microsoft QBasic - Microsoft's sole nod to the hobbyist programmer community. Dozens of online sites exist today that are devoted to QBasic, Quick Basic, and Basica, existing in much the same spheres as the surviving BBS/ ANSI art culture. If you still have some old floppies with archives of BASIC programs from your juvenile years which you'd like to revisit, here's how to do it on a Linux box:
Step 1: Get a copy of DOSbox. DOSbox is a no-brainer to install and set up, with its main dependency being the SDL library. Once you have that in, I recommend creating a directory named /DOS/ under your home directory - note that this is a plain old ext2 (or whatever you have set up) file system directory, you don't need to create a special FAT or DOS partition. Thereafter, starting your simulated DOS environment will involve starting DOSbox, typing "mount c ~/DOS/", then typing "c:", and you can then type "dir" to see that you're in your simulated "C:\" drive. Wasn't that easy?
Step 2: Find a QBasic version to download! Here's one. | <urn:uuid:38d2e414-3b45-40ad-b03e-713dc400eb6d> | {
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Few universities can claim to have a 1-megawatt solar PV system, a wind turbine, a 60-collector solar thermal system, and a smart microgrid system that monitors and regulates the campus energy sources. Santa Clara University isn’t afraid of experimenting with renewable, clean technology that will help it work towards achieving reduced energy consumption and climate neutrality.
Based in Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara University (SCU) is on its way to become the first university in the San Francisco Bay Area and the first Jesuit university in the United States to implement a smart microgrid system that will manage and optimize the production, storage, and consumption of its campus energy.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Joe Sugg, the forward-thinking instigator of this project and the Assistant Vice President of University Operations. In 2006, the school performed a 20-year energy strategy study that looked at energy needs, reliability, sustainability, and the economics. Mr. Sugg and his team evaluated various energy opportunities with green and economic feasibility in mind. With top-down support from the university, the team concluded that the installation of a variety of infrastructure ultimately tied to a smart microgrid system would give them the best return on investment for its 106-acre campus in Silicon Valley.
In the last five years, several infrastructural applications have come online to help SCU generate its own electricity and reduce its energy consumption through energy efficient building strategies.
- In October of 2010, SCU activated its 1-megawatt solar PV system which is currently the 13th largest solar installation among colleges and universities in the U.S. The solar panels are located on the roofs of the recreation center and parking structures. The system is estimated to annually produce 1.42 million-kW hours and provide about 9% of total campus electricity.
- Around the same time, a wind turbine was installed on the campus facilities building. The generated energy gets captured in a battery bank and used for charging the campus electrical vehicles. The wind turbine’s effectiveness and energy production are being carefully measured and monitored.
- In April of 2011, SCU turned on its 120- kW, 6,727- therms concentrating solar thermal system on its rooftops, the largest installation built in California. The system heats water to 200 degrees F for Benson Memorial Center’s dining services and will reduce its water-heating bills by as much as 70%. Chromasun Micro-Concentrator (MCT) solar collectors are used and were manufactured at a Chromasun facility in San Jose, California. The workforce at this facility includes former New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) autoworkers that were re-trained as solar manufacturing experts after the NUMMI facility closed.
- Energy efficient building strategies have been implemented throughout campus buildings. Upgrading to energy efficient mechanical systems help save energy. Occupancy sensors turn off light fixtures when people are no longer using the interior spaces. Air conditioning economizers draw fresh air from the outside rather than rely on energy intensive chillers. Buildings have been re-roofed to accommodate increased insulation. Excess energy is funneled to the parking lot lights.
All of these strategies have resulted in huge, positive impacts, enabling SCU to reduce energy usage and costs, and at the same time grow its campus size by 30%. Each system has recently been integrated with new sub-electrical meters installed within the campus’ fourteen buildings. The next step is the final implementation of connecting all the systems to the smart microgrid system and is expected to be completed at the end of this year.
The beauty of a microgrid system is that its intelligent energy management system can actively monitor every single hook up and provide online, real-time feedback. It can increase or decrease the supply load of energy based on demand and it also has a prioritization system of load shutting. SCU worked with Serious Energy, founded by a SCU alumnus, to develop a software/hardware package that can monitor the microgrid.
At the end of the day, the microgrid system should help Santa Clara University reduce energy consumption by 50% and save about 20% in operating costs. As with any type of project, the key is to monitor and measure results post-completion.
Mr. Sugg said that one of SCU’s sustainability goals is to “graduate students with awareness.” Bravo. Colleges and universities operate like small towns and have the capacity to influence and educate people. Think about the power of ten and what the impacts would be if all schools lead the way in developing awareness, self sufficiency, and sustainability. | <urn:uuid:4ae3842b-3129-45d5-912d-60cbcc3f9fed> | {
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Treatment of intussusception typically happens as a medical emergency. Emergency medical care is required to avoid severe dehydration and shock, as well as prevent infection that can occur when a portion of intestine dies due to lack of blood.
When your child arrives at the hospital, the doctors will first stabilize his or her medical condition. This includes:
- Giving your child fluids through an intravenous (IV) line
- Helping the intestines decompress by putting a tube through the child's nose and into the stomach (nasogastric tube)
Correcting the intussusception
To treat the problem, your doctor may recommend:
- A barium or air enema. This is both a diagnostic procedure and a treatment. If an enema works, further treatment is usually not necessary. This treatment is highly effective in children, but rarely used in adults. Intussusception recurs as often as 15 to 20 percent of the time and the treatment will have to be repeated.
- Surgery. If the intestine is torn, if an enema is unsuccessful in correcting the problem or if a lead point is the cause, surgery is necessary. The surgeon will free the portion of the intestine that is trapped, clear the obstruction and, if necessary, remove any of the intestinal tissue that has died. Surgery is the main treatment for adults and for people who are acutely ill.
In some cases, intussusception may be temporary and go away without treatment.
Dec. 14, 2012
- Kitigawa S, et al. Intussusception in children. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Oct. 25, 2012.
- Hodin RA, et al. Small bowel obstruction: Causes and management. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Oct. 25, 2012.
- Pepper VK, et al. Diagnosis and management of pediatric appendicitis, intussusception, and Meckel diverticulum. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2012;92:505.
- Lindor RA, et al. Adult intussusception: Presentation, management, and outcomes of 148 patients. The Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2012;43:1.
- AskMayoExpert. Intussusception. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012. | <urn:uuid:71ea4769-4794-4303-ad4d-9cedc8763fae> | {
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Did You Know
Did you know that there is a town in Germany by the name of Reher??
That there is also one by the name of Stoltenberg??
Do you know where our Reher and Stoltenberg ancestors came from in Germany??
Johann Reher came from the town of Bebensee.
His father Casper came from Dreggers which was 6 miles east of there. Bad Segeberg is also associated with the family. It is about 7 miles north and the closest large town.
Since the town of Reher is 40 miles west of Bebensee and Dreggers I'm not sure if there is any connection to our name and family. Forty miles in the mid 1800's was quite a distance to travel.
Claus Stoltenberg came from Brodersdorf which is 46 miles north of Bebensee and about 10 miles northeast of Kiel, a major city on the Baltic Sea. Brodersdorf is two to three miles south of the Baltic Sea. Other towns associated with the Stoltenberg side of the family are all located in close proximity. They are LaBoe, Stein, Fahren, Probsteierhagen and Wentdorf.
The town of Stoltenberg is only seven miles to the southeast of Brodersdorf.
The above map of northern Germany will show you where the towns Reher, Stoltenberg, Bebensee, Dreggers, and Brodersdorf are located. I've marked these towns with a dark asterisk * to make them easier to find.
Click on the map to make it bigger and easier to see the towns marked with an asterisk. After the larger map comes up, click on that again to zoom in.
It is about 60 miles from Kiel at the top of the map to Hamburg which is towards the bottom of this map. From Reher to Bebensee it is 40 miles, to Brodersdorf it is 46 miles which is also the distance from Bebensee to Brodersdorf and Stoltenberg... almost a perfect equilateral triangle. See the map below... Reher is in the bottom left corner or the triangle, Bebensee in the bottom right and Brodersdorf in the top.
Hamburg is the port that our Johann & Sophia Reher sailed out of with their two small children, Emma and Ernest when they came to America in 1872.
The map above shows a closer view of the area where Bebensee & Dreggers are located... where Johann Reher and his father were born.
Once again, click on the map to make it larger.
The map above shows a closer view of the area where the Stoltenberg side of the family came from. You'll see all of the towns: Brodersdorf, LaBoe, Stein, Fahren, Probsteierhagen and Wentdorf. I've added the Stoltenberg name myself as the town didn't show up on this map.
So Now You Know | <urn:uuid:093caeea-82d7-4228-9893-9bb346f428bd> | {
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Workflow is the process that is executed when an event happens. The most common workflow event is when a submission is submitted, but there are a number of others available on the platform, including when users are created, when users are added to teams, when submissions are created, and more.
There are some terms you will hear used while working with workflows that help to understand up front.
- Workflow/Task Builder: Graphical process builder that allows configuration and sequencing of tasks.
- Workflow/Task Engine: The Task Engine is a processing engine that takes input from applications and executes configured workflows.
- Handler: Standalone collection of code designed to perform a business task. Task Handlers take parameters, return results, and can throw exceptions in the event of an error. These are also the connections to external systems once a workflow has started. They can reach out an perform one or more CRUD (Create-Read-Update-Delete) actions in an external system.
- Task Node: a specific instance of a handler on a workflow.
- Connector: Link between two task nodes. Can have logic applied to limit processing.
- Source: An incoming connection with an external system. These allow processing of incoming data from other systems to make it easy to work with.
- Tree: A Tree is a workflow process defined by nodes and connectors. It can be called/run from an external application. It can accept inputs and reference values from the external application; it is connected to a source.
- Routine: A Routine is a workflow very much like a tree except that it does not take external data (are not connected to a source) but instead have defined parameters and return results much like a handler. Routines can be called from trees or from routines.
- Run: An instance/execution of a workflow connected to a specific set of data. For example, a tree execution triggered by the submit on a submission is a run of that tree.
- Error: Both the task management system and handlers can throw errors. Those often occur when there is bad data, a bad connection, or bad coding in a parameter or connector. Errors can often be skipped or retried once corrections have been made (depending on the type of error). | <urn:uuid:4707a66c-c668-47c4-ba69-fc9c87265142> | {
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Several months ago, we received an iPad. I knew that we would adore this amazing piece of technology, but it was a bit confusing to me. There are so many apps out there and my boys were hungry to try different items. Some apps are free, but others have price tags that range from $1 to $10 or more. Reviews at the app store left me curious for more information. When we were given the opportunity to review the new iPad Apps For Kids For Dummies, I knew it was a resource we needed. The minute it arrived, the boys took it over.
My oldest, NHL 9, read it to my kindergarten kid, JSL 5. They sat, looked, read, and plotted what apps they were going to ask us to purchase. The color photos kept them engaged, but my older son enjoyed reading what Jinny Gudmundsen wrote about each of the items that he was interested in. NHL was even curious to compare what he thought of some apps that we already had to the thoughts in the book (I was wondering the same thing).
As my kids found out, iPad Apps For Kids for Dummues follows the traditional easy to follow layout of the other Dummies books. This book is broken down by age groups, book apps, app themes, and more. Here is a quick overview of why this resource is so easy to use.
- Chapter 1: Using an iPad with Kids – Tips for parents/caregivers on using password locks, making folders, buying covers, and other items that will be useful when sharing your iPad with children.
- Chapter 2-4: Age Collections – App collections for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten aged children.
- Chapter 5: Art – Apps that help kids to draw, be creative, and learn about Art.
- Chapter 6-7: Book Apps – Broken down into suggestions for younger kids and older kids.
- Chapter 8: Cars, Trucks, and Things That Go Vroom
- Chapter 9: Co-op and Multiplayer – This included apps like Uno and Blokus HD. I liked that Gudmundsen explains that the popular Uno translates well onto the iPad format. It is also great to see that there are tutorials to help people to learn the strategy behind Blokus.
- Chapter 10: Creativity, Storytelling, and Journaling
- Chapter 11: Dinosaurs
- Chapter 12: Games – Includes Angry Birds and other popular games like Peggle, Where’s My Water?, Plants vs. Zombies, and more.
- Chapter 13: Games Great for Kids – This includes LEGO Harry Potter which both of the boys are begging for.
- Chapter 14: Girl Power – Heroines, Fashion, and Princesses.
- Chapter 15-19: Learning Apps – Broken down into Language Arts, Math, Reference, Science, and Social Studies.
- Chapter 20: Monsters & Aliens
- Chapter 21: Music
- Chapter 22: Puzzles
- Chapter 23: Road Trip Apps
- Chapter 24: Special Needs
- Chapter 25: Toy Ads-Ons – So many of these items like The Game of Life ZappED are out and this chapter talks about them.
- Chapter 26: Ten Favorite Free Apps for Kids
- Chapter 27: Ten Favorite Kid Apps – We will be reading this more closely since we are intrigued with Toca
For parents that are not sure of a starting point on apps for their children, I really adore this book. It is a resource that helps busy families to break down possible apps that their children may enjoy. Even the Appendix with the Apps by Age Groups is a huge asset to someone like me.
Oh and if you were wondering, we did look and compare a few apps that we already owned with the pages in the book.
We definitely agree with what was written about Angry Birds and Where’s My Water? by Jinny Gudmundsen. She explains what the game is about, how there is an educational twist, and what families may enjoy. There are also warnings about some links on the apps and other pointers about upgrading the Angry Birds.
If you have apps that you adore for your kids, I would love to hear about them. I know our list of apps to purchase is growing thanks to iPad Apps for Kids for Dummies and the pointers within the valuable resource.
Disclosure: I wrote this post as an Ambassador for Dummies books through a Global Influence campaign. I received a copy of this book for review purposes, but as a fan of Dummies books, the opinions expressed are 100% my own and no other compensation was received. An Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for the Dummies book mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to purchase it through that link. | <urn:uuid:ede934c5-acfa-4912-8be4-03af754c8cae> | {
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Each year, beef producers are injured by overly aggressive cows at calving time. In fact, 23 people were killed by cows over a recent 15-year period in Canada. In the U.S., injury reporting by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 14% of fatalities caused by cattle are due to beef cows with calves.
Nonetheless, research in Canada reveals that cattle producers are surprisingly tolerant of aggressive mother cows at calving time, and tend to leave them in the herd for another year. However, those same producers are much more likely to cull a cow that has mis-mothered or abandoned her calf.
These are some of the key findings of a voluntary survey of 168 Canadian cattle producers who collectively own more than 33,600 cattle. The survey was conducted at two major cattle shows and a educational cattle symposium in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
The survey found that roughly 6% of cows with a newborn calf will hurt a producer if given the chance. While seemingly a small number of cows, such dangerous cattle appeared on 76% of the farms surveyed. Surprisingly, however, only 13% of the cattle that producers identified as dangerous in the survey were culled for that reason.
Meanwhile, the incidence of mis-mothering reported (1.4%) was much lower than that of dangerous cattle, but mis-mothering was still seen on 56% of farms. Most prevalent in first-calf heifers, 62% of bad mothers were culled.
The survey results suggest producers may be willing to cope with a dangerous cow for a short period after calving, especially if she raises a good calf. Since revenue is derived from the sale of calves, producers are more likely to tolerate a cow that produces a good calf despite the other problems she presents.
However, producers are less forgiving of cows that mis-mother their calf (see graph). Obviously, cows that mis-mother or abandon their calf require more time and labor, which isn’t easily forgotten by producers.
Meanwhile, the dangerous cow may not require more work, other than to remember to stay away from her. It’s also possible that producers put great value in mothering behavior and some may believe that cows that are dangerous at calving time are perhaps more protective of their calf in other situations (such as when confronted with a predator).
Surprisingly, producers are willing to keep a dangerous cow for multiple calvings. More than a third of producers admitted they believe dangerous cattle don’t change, and 22% believe they become more dangerous over subsequent calvings.
Conversely, nearly 30% of producers believe that cattle will mis-mother less in subsequent calvings, and only 7% expected them to mis-mother more often.
Producers cite genetics as the greatest factor contributing to dangerous cows, and admitted they’re potentially selecting for more dangerous cows if they keep such cows’ daughters.
Some of the most shocking results centered on cow-induced injuries and producers’ reactions to being injured. Nearly 37% of producers reported having been intentionally injured by a cow at calving. Of those injured, only 53% culled the offending animal.
Producers often rationalized the cows’ aggression, citing the circumstances or their own culpability. In some cases, the producer decided to not cull the cow because she was a good producer. As researchers, we found it surprising that producers would tolerate a cow that had injured them, despite believing the cow’s disposition was unlikely to improve over time!
We wondered whether producers’ tolerance for dangerous cows was related to experiences with predation, as predation was a significant problem for some producers. One producer reported having lost up to 85 calves to predation over a five-year period. In fact, 37% of the producers surveyed had experienced predation over the past five years, each losing an average of eight calves.
Perhaps losing calves to predators makes producers more tolerant of dangerous mother cows; or perhaps cows exposed to predators are dangerous at calving. However, based on survey results, we found the number of calves killed by predators wasn’t related to the number of dangerous cattle.
Additional research with the University of Saskatchewan’s herd found that most cows can distinguish between predators and people around calving time, and treat them differently. We found the response to people from cows with newborns wasn’t related to their response to a predator, indicating that cows that are nonaggressive to people shouldn’t be assumed to be less protective when confronted by a predator.
This was seen firsthand by Wayne Ray of Fort Fraser, British Columbia, in summer 2010. Many readers likely have seen the photos circulating on the Internet of Ray’s cows attacking a black bear.
While checking his cattle, Ray noticed a small black bear wandering around near a group of cows. When the bear moved toward a calf, the calf’s mother charged the bear and knocked it down. Two other cows then joined in to stomp and kick the bear with their feet, heads and chests. The bear, bleeding from the nose and mouth, limped into the forest.
Ray insists these cows are extremely calm around people, even with newborns at their side. In fact, Ray keeps extensive records on his cattle and actively culls cattle even slightly aggressive. “We know too many people who have been injured by aggressive or protective cows,” he says.
Research suggests that cattle can be excellent mothers and protective of their calf from a predator without being aggressive toward humans. Producers can select for cattle that are intolerant of predators, but will remain calm around producers who must handle their newborn calf.
Brooke Aitken earned an MS degree at the Univer-sity of Saskatch-ewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine, while Joseph Stookey is a professor of large animal clinical science at the same institution. | <urn:uuid:d8a6e63a-dd42-4e2e-8296-3501737f7fb9> | {
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(UNDATED) - Most Indiana residents are hoping for sunny skies to help them celebrate the 4th of July holiday.
But dry weather over the next couple of weeks could spell disaster for the state's corn crops.
Purdue University Agronomist Tony Vyn says pollination is occurring the next two weeks, and rainfall will affect how successful that procedure is.
The number of kernels per ear is strongly affected by the weather. Typically, on each ear shoot, 750 to 1,000 ovules develop, which have the potential to become kernels.
Vyn says rain helps pollen shed from the tassel reach receptive silks protruding from the ear. These silks are connected to the ovules, which when pollinated form the kernels.
Corn ears average between 400 and 600 kernels.
Have a question or comment about a news story? Send it to [email protected] | <urn:uuid:62a6ad87-2b64-42bf-9db4-db8ff57a9533> | {
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La Classe et L’Égalité:
Early Female Cyclists and an Overview of the Columbia Lady's Pneumatic Safety Bicycle
by Laura Moran
The 1890s saw the largest bicycle boom in cycling history. Certainly, the first wheelmen began riding in the late 1860s at the height of high wheel popularity. The popularity of high wheels can be attributed to the lack of other two-wheeled options, and it is important to note that the first wheelmen were specifically men. The gender disparity in cycling began to shift with the emergence of safety bicycles in the mid-1870s. A safety is a bicycle with equal sized wheels and a chain drive, and it was first designed to suit elderly and female riders. The safety is considered the cause of the bicycle boom as it was truly approachable to all sorts of riders. Eventually even the young and male high wheel riders realized the design of the safety was superior, and soon all riders were closer to the ground.
Due to cultural norms of the late 19th century, high wheel riding was not realistically available to women. Regardless of the sometimes dangerous and macho (though thrilling) act of riding a high wheel, the everyday costume severely limited female mobility. And the women from upper class families whose pockets could most easily afford high wheels were those who were expected to adhere most strictly to social code. The aristocratic dress during the 1870s-1890s included a stiff bustle and corset, petticoats, knee-length drawers, and multi-folded skirts called an “Aesthetic Dress” which gave a lady’s hips and rear volume. All of those garments would be worn at one time - any athletics would be daunting with all those layers. With the advent of the safety and its female-friendly design, as can be seen on this c.1897 Columbia Lady’s Pneumatic Safety Bicycle, women were finally able to ride alongside men simply because they were able to get their dresses around the vehicle.
This particular women’s safety (on long-term loan to the Cycling Museum of Minnesota) is crafted specifically with a high-class lady rider in mind. It’s top bar swoops down and is attached to the seat tube near the bottom bracket, rather than traveling nearly straight across towards the seat tube. This makes negative space for the dress or skirt to fill. The chain guard and fenders kept grease, dust, and mud off of the fabric. Luckily, by the time of this particular bike’s manufacture, a loosened dress code for female bikers was already in place (eventually, female riders used knickerbockers similar to men’s garments for their rides).
This coincides and relates to another boom of the 1890s: that of the New Woman. The New Woman was a termed used, sometimes not so endearingly, to describe the modern woman whose independence suddenly extended outside the boundaries of housekeeping and motherhood and into the social and political sphere dominated by men. It was the era of the suffragette, and it was no coincidence that many New Women traveled by bicycle. In fact, the bicycle was a powerful tool: it allowed women to travel about without the accompaniment of a man, and quickly. Even Susan B. Anthony proclaimed that cycling had “done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”
And if that emancipated woman was traveling about on this specific women’s safety, she traveled in style and in comfort. This beautiful burgundy model is outfitted with a precise and lovely design. Its wooden wheels pair beautifully with its functional and trendy wooden fender and handlebars. The handlebars arc gracefully for an easy grip, and their grips match the frame. These wooden parts needed a precise sort of carpentry, so as to ensure not only the ease but also the possibility of a ride on this machine. The fender is attached to the frame via very taut and tightly wound hemp. Renowned for its stiffness and strength, hemp was trusted in this setting to keep the lady’s fender in place. This Columbia model also boasted a gorgeous chain guard, coated in an aluminum filigree which during the 1890s was a precious investment. The rider of this bicycle was lucky enough to have a revolutionary and fairly unique pneumatic saddle. Affixed with Schrader valves (the tubes required the same), one merely had to pump air into the seat until its user cried “comfortable.” Another fun component of this Women’s Safety is the carbide lantern. Useful for dark rides, this unique mode for light was also potentially dangerous. The lantern had a chamber that was filled with carbide powder and a canteen within the lantern held water. By turning a valve, water would drip into the carbide powder chamber and created acetylene gas. This required a careful hand, as acetylene gas is highly flammable and the light had to be lit using a match. It was nothing that a New Woman could not manage.
Having new riding pants and fellow like-minded suffragettes did not mean life was not always easy or kind to the early female rider. Boston’s The Sunday Herald once described female cyclists as “vicious things.” Women riders of were constantly warned about the dangerous effects of too much biking on the internal organs, the sex organs, and the head, and were encouraged to cease their riding (remarkably, it seemed that male riders were less at risk to these ailments). However, the warnings were all for naught. The New Woman already knew and enjoyed the independence of cycling. In 1894, Annie “Londonderry” Kopchovsky, a Boston-based Jewish immigrant and mother of three, set off on a bicycle tour around the world after two men made a bet of $10,000 that no woman could circumnavigate the globe while earning $5,000 worth of donations in15 months. Annie Londonderry completed the task with 14 days to spare.
The maltreatment of lady cyclists was especially true for female cyclists of color. During the bicycle boom, a time when segregation was rampant and Jim Crow laws were still in effect, cycling clubs were an incredibly popular and social activity. While some all-black cycling clubs formed during this era, many cyclists of color began to consider joining the only national club: League of American Wheelmen. A mixed-race female cyclist, Kittie Knox, joined the League in 1893. At the time, there were a few hundred female members and “twenty to several hundred” members of color in the League’s membership. In 1894, the League’s governing body passed a color bar. Knox was already a prominent member of the Riverside Cycling Club, the first all-black cycling group in Boston and a well-known cyclist who raced on 100-mile courses. During the League’s 1895 annual meeting - this time held in Boston - Knox became a sensation. Not only had she attended the meeting, but she arrived wearing knickerbockers of her own design and won a Fourth of July costume contest in her outfit. Kittie Knox again pushed racial boundaries by showing up to the League’s annual Meet later that day. Southern papers reported that even upon showing her membership card, Knox was denied entry. However, The Boston Globe reported that Knox did enter the meet, and that “the leaders tried to lose Knox during the eighteen mile run but she was game, and when the big crowd entered the town on the return trip she was up with the leaders, sailing with the best of them.” Though a few Bostonian League officials threatened to protest her remaining membership, the League later denied her exile. They explained that the color bar would not be retroactive. As Knox joined the League prior to 1894, she would remain a member. Kittie Knox single-handedly brought attention to the color bar that the League of American Wheelmen instituted and became a source of inspiration for other female cyclists of the time, whether they were serious or social riders.
Amidst challenging social norms, female cyclists broke the mold and took ownership of the sport. Cycling classes specifically for women began appearing and more shapes and styles of cycling knickerbockers were available. In 1896, Maria Ward published Bicycling for Ladies, a definitive text for women cyclists and covered every topic from purchasing to repairing bicycles - without the aid of a man. The bicycle became a tool and a symbol of social change for many women in the western world. And atop such rides as the above Columbia Lady’s Pneumatic Safety Bicycle, a woman would be able to boast la classe and l’égalité.
Questions? Comments? Tales of your own female emancipation atop two wheels? Please share below.
Works Cited for “La Classe and L’Égalité: Early Female Cyclists and an Overview of the Columbia Lady's Pneumatic Safety Bicycle”
•David Mozer. “Bicycle History “Chronology of the Growth of Bicycling and the Development of Bicycle Technology.” International Bicycle Fund at ibike.org. (2004)
•Kate Davies. “Aesthetic Dress.” Fabrickated (February 2015)
•Sarah Gordon. Beauty and Business: Commerce, Gender, and Culture in Modern America. (2001) via annielondonderry.com
•Peter Zheutlin. “Women on Wheels: The Bicycle and the Women’s Movement of the 1890s.” annielondonderry.com (2006)
•“Champion of Her Sex.” New York Sunday World. (February 1896) via annielondonderry.com
•Caroline Wood interviewing Juston Anderson, 2016.
•Adrienne LaFrance. “How the Bicycle Paved the Way for Women’s Rights.” The Atlantic (June 2014)
•Zheutlin, Peter. “Chasing Annie: The Woman Who Changed My Life Was Brave, Cunning, Daring And Free -- And I Never Met Her.” Bicycling (May 2005)
•Andrew Ritchie. “The League of American Wheelmen, Major Taylor and the ‘color question’ in the United States in the 1890s.” Culture, Sport, Society. (June 2003)
•Guy Still. “Guy on a Bike: African-American Bicycling Pioneers.” WCCO CBS Minnesota (February 2017)
•Dan Adams, 2013. “Pluck on Wheels.” Boston Globe (September 2013)
•Carolyn Szcezepanski. “Women’s (Bike) History: Kittie Knox.” News from the League. (March 2013)
•Hilary Angus. “Three Women who Changed the Course of History on Bicycles.” Momentum Magazine (March 2015, updated since)
Laura Moran is a member of the Cycling Museum of Minnesota’s Board of Directors, and she serves on the Collections and Exhibits Committee. | <urn:uuid:d9276b5d-27cb-44d4-914b-04f2a0531cfd> | {
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|Select the Course Number to get further detail on the course. Select the desired Schedule Type to find available classes for the course.|
|PRDV 74724 - Shake the Sodium|
An overview of sodium including quidelines and recommendations for children and adolescents. Topics include: definition of sodium, role of sodium in the human body, current guidelines and actual intake, the use of sodium in the current food supply, and initiatives to reduce sodium content in the school environment. This course is intended for school nutritution professionals, teachers, administrators, and school nurses.
0.250 Credit hours
Schedule Types: Lecture
Division of Graduate & Cont Ed Division
Graduate Studies &Cont Ed(GCE) Department | <urn:uuid:d28a9f53-a9b1-4489-b240-ab076d8bb04e> | {
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Sunday, September 26, 2010
A cartesian coordinate robot (also called linear robot) is an industrial robot whose three principal axes of control are linear (i.e. they move in a straight line rather than rotate) and are at right angles to each other. Among other advantages, this mechanical arrangement simplifies the Robot control arm solution. Cartesian coordinate robots with the horizontal member supported at both ends are sometimes called Gantry robots. They are often quite large.
A popular application for this type of robot is a computer numerical control machine (CNC machine). The simplest application is used in milling and drawing machines where a pen or router translates across an x-y plane while a tool is raised and lowered onto a surface to create a precise design.
Due to the linear nature of their movements, Cartesian robots are inherently more accurate than rotary motion style robots such as the SCARA. However, typical Cartesian robots have offered a trade-off of lower speed for this greater repeatability. In addition, in the past, Cartesian robots have tended to be larger units, requiring bigger workcells that take up more factory floor space. Not any longer.
The XM3000 Series is our third generation of Cartesian robots and yet another example of how EPSON has listened intently to customer feedback . Available in two standard sizes the XM3064 has a 600 x 400 mm XY work envelope while the XM3106 has a 1000mm x 600mm envelope. Both units come standard with the same style 150mm Z axis and +/- 360 degree tool rotation axis as the E-Series SCARA robots. And, as with the E-Series SCARA Robots, an optional 300mm Z-Axis is also available. The XM3000 is also available in a variety of other sizes and configurations such as 2 and 3 axis models
Posted by sri at 4:47 AM | <urn:uuid:c42e977c-1d8a-45a3-905e-69982806388d> | {
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Dr. Seuss, not-so-arguably one of the greatest children’s authors of all time, would be 109 today. From Green Eggs and Ham to Horton Hears a Who!, his books educate and inspire children and adults alike. Here, a few things about the author that may surprise you.
1904: Theodor Seuss Geisel is born.
1925: At Dartmouth College, the humorous writer and poet penned the pseudonym “Seuss” after a drinking violation forbade him from writing for school publications. We can thank Prohibition for this one-of-a-kind byline.
1927: While studying at Oxford University, Seuss met and married his wife, Helen Palmer.
1937: After it was rejected 27 times, Seuss published his first children’s book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.
1940: Before the U.S. entered WWII, Seuss worked as a cartoonist, drawing over 400 editorial cartoons for the left-wing PM Magazine.
1943: Seuss joined the U.S. Army Air Forces as a captain and wrote Our Job in Japan, a military training film that became the basis for the 1947 Oscar-winning documentary feature, Design for Death.
1954: Horton Hears a Who! – featuring Horton the elephant for the second time and The Whos for the first – was published. Seuss was ever-vocal in his efforts to educate children, and many of his books were allegories for his own political and social concerns. The Lorax speaks to pollution, The Sneetches to racism, and Horton Hears a Who! to American anti-isolationism during WWII.
1957: A turning point came in Seuss’s career when he was asked to write a book in response to LIFE’s criticism of children’s poor reading levels. The result? The Cat in the Hat, which contains over 220 vocabulary words.
1966: How The Grinch Stole Christmas! was adapted into animated film.
1991: With 48 books in his repertoire and over 200 million copies sold, Seuss died at age 87. The New York Times called him the Modern Mother Goose.
Our Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss: Kids’ Books, Art, & More Boutique opens Saturday, March 2, at 11AM ET.
By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer
Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now. | <urn:uuid:0eecbca3-5518-49c0-9f01-baa30ab6194e> | {
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What is Warfarin? What is warfarin used for?
- 1 What is Warfarin? What is warfarin used for?
- 2 What is Aspirin? What is Aspirin used for?
- 3 So, is warfarin and aspirin the same?
- 4 Difference between aspirin and warfarin
- 5 Aspirin vs Warfarin for atrial fibrillation
- 6 Aspirin vs Warfarin for stroke prevention
- 7 Can you take aspirin and warfarin together?
Warfarin is a Generic name for an anticoagulant medicine that works by reducing the formation of blood clots. It is available on the market, both in a generic and brand name form. As a Brand name it is best known as: Coumadin, Jantoven, Rodex etc. FDA approved indications for warfarin are:
- Myocardial Infarction
- Systemic Embolism
- Venous Thrombosis
- Transient ischemia attacks
- Prophylaxis of Pulmonary embolism
Under its brand name Coumadin as a tablet it is available in following doses: 1 mg, 2 mg, 2.5 mg, 3 mg, 4 mg, 5 mg, 6 mg, 7.5 mg and 10 mg. It is also available as an injection for intravenous use. FDA approved warfarin in 1954.
What is Aspirin? What is Aspirin used for?
Aspirin is a Brand name for a medicine containing acetyl salicylic acid as an active ingredient. This drug reduces substances in the body that cause pain, fever, and inflammation. It is used as a mild pain and fever reducer. Aspirin also inhibits aggregation of platelets and is used in the prevention of venous and arterial thrombosis. Aspirin is prescribed in order to prevent and treat conditions after heart attacks, strokes and to treat arthritis or inflammation. Aspirin is available as over-the-counter (OTC) medicine and prescription medicine. It has variety brand names, but it can be also found in many combination products. This drug is available in different forms, including: tablet, film coated tablet, chewing-gum, Rectal suppository or chewable tablet. It is available in doses of 81 mg, 325 mg and 500 mg. FDA approved Bayer Aspirin in 1965.
So, is warfarin and aspirin the same?
No they are absolutely not. Warfarin is an anticoagulant drug that inhibits process of coagulation while aspirin only works as platelets aggregation inhibitor and it can’t stop the process of coagulation. Warfarin inhibits enzyme vitamin K reductase, resulting in the inhibition of synthesis of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X and anticoagulant proteins S and C with further inhibition of prothormbin and thus thrombin and fibrin synthesis. Aspirin works different. It is irreversible inhibitor of cyclooxygenase in thrombocytes that prevents synthesis of thromboxane A2 in platelets. Since platelets lost ability to produce new proteins, anti-aggregative effects remains during platelets life which is about 7-10 days.
Difference between aspirin and warfarin
Except their difference in mechanism of action, which is described above, there are also other differences.
Despite high therapy effectiveness compared to aspirin, warfarin has several limitations. It has many interactions with drugs and also with some foods such as leaf vegetable that contain large amounts of vitamin K1 which is warfarin’s antidote. Also, warfarin dosing has to be completely individual. To ensure that a correct and safe dose is taken, blood testing and INR counting should be performed during warfarin’s therapy. INR is value that quantifies warfarin’s activity. A high INR value will influence patients to have increased risk of bleeding, while an INR values below the expectance may indicate that warfarin dose is inadequate to protect against thromboembolic events. Patients on anticoagulant therapy have to carry an information card so first responders are aware of the situation. If anticoagulants are switched, this should be updated to the card or medical alert bracelet, as having the wrong data can be dangerous in patient care.
Aspirin therapy doesn’t need constant monitoring, but the patient does need to be careful about ulcers and liver damage. Certain individuals may be placed on long-term therapy including low-dose aspirin and warfarin.
Studies found that both medicines are effective for their indications. However, it has been shown that warfarin is better for strokes prevention caused by blood clots but it can increase the risk of bleeding in the brain.
Aspirin vs Warfarin for atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is indication where warfarin shows a clear advantage over aspirin. This condition which is characterized with an irregular heartbeat rhythm may lead to forming blood clots from the heart causing stroke or heart attack. A study in 2005 published in the “Texas Heart Institute Journal” found that warfarin can reduce the rate of recurrent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation by 45 to 52 %, compared aspirin’s reduction rate of only 22 %. Atrial fibrillation causes about 15 % of strokes, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Aspirin vs Warfarin for stroke prevention
One study looked at patients with previously suffered strokes. One study, after about 6 years of treatment, found no significant overall advantage of long-term therapy with warfarin compared to aspirin for prevention of vascular events. In some patients, a slight favor of warfarin against aspirin for preventing stroke was found, but when bleeding and other side events were calculated and added the overall benefit was not significant. Patients who had stroke once, have increased chances of having another one, but according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, taking aspirin on regularly basis may reduce the risk of having a first stroke by about 25 %. By controlling your blood pressure, blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels will also reduce your risk of stroke. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends women at ages 55 to 75 and men between the ages of 45 and 79 to take as little as 75 mg of aspirin daily to decrease their stroke risk.
Can you take aspirin and warfarin together?
Aspirin is indicated in a prevention of thrombosis in conditions associated with atherosclerosis and warfarin is indicated to prevent thrombosis in conditions associated with stasis such as atrial fibrillation. While warfarin and aspirin should not be used together, their combination has been found to be very beneficial in selected patients such as those with mechanical valve prostheses.
The interaction between aspirin and warfarin is classified as major. The mechanisms of this adverse interaction between aspirin and warfarin are antiplatelet effects, gastric mucosal damage and hypothrombinemic response to warfarin and aspirin doses of 2 to 4 g per day. Several studies have also been shown that the combination of warfarin and aspirin in a low dosage of 75 to 100 mg per day may increase the incidence of minor bleeding, but this was not the case of causing major bleeding. Patients who used this drugs together may need a dose adjustment based on their prothrombin time or INR – International Normalized Ratio. Patients should call their doctor promptly if theyu have any unusual bleeding or bruising, blood in your urine or stools, vomiting, headache, dizziness, or weakness. | <urn:uuid:ea16f23f-b523-4edb-a48d-ef1ec707a08d> | {
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Agoraphobia can be defined as significant fear of situations such as using public transport (e.g buses, trains, planes), being in open spaces such as car parks and bridges, being in enclosed spaces such as movie cinemas and shops, standing in line or being in a crowd, and being outside of the home alone. The fear is related to a belief that it would not be possible to escape the situation or that help might not be available if panic-like symptoms occurred. While many people have some anxiety about being in some of these places, a person with Agoraphobia will try to avoid these situations, want someone with them if they have to endure them, or experience the situation with extreme anxiety.
Other common situations that people with Agoraphobia may find difficult include:
- Being a long way from home
- Going to concerts in stadiums or large venues
- Going anywhere new and unfamiliar
Genetics and temperament
A family history of anxiety disorders increases the likelihood of children developing anxiety disorders, including Agoraphobia. This may be through genes, as well as through children learning through observing others being anxious about certain situations. An introverted temperament or personality style has been linked to an increased chance of developing an anxiety disorder, including Agoraphobia.
Punitive and controlling parenting styles have been linked to an increased chance of developing an anxiety disorder. Children of parents who have anxiety disorders are more likely to develop anxiety disorders, as their parents demonstrate or model high anxiety about certain situations. This can lead to the child developing anxiety about the same situation.
Thinking (cognitive) style
Certain styles of thinking have been linked with anxiety disorders. A “looming” cognitive (or thinking) style is a tendency to think about and pay attention to thoughts about upcoming dangers and risks. This thinking style has been linked to Agoraphobia.
Learning experiences and negative life events
Ongoing life stressors that cause anxiety are linked with the development of Agoraphobia. Agoraphobia usually appears after a person has started experiencing panic attacks.
If you experience high anxiety when outside the home and in public places, and the anxiety is significantly affecting your life, there are effective treatments available. You can seek help via:
Your GP. Your GP can refer you to a mental health professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. Your GP is the best person to start with when looking for effective treatment for Agoraphobia
Like all anxiety disorders, Agoraphobia is highly treatable.
People with anxiety disorders, including Agoraphobia, should be offered psychological therapies first, before medication. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has been developed for the treatment of Agoraphobia, and panic symptoms will also be focused on during treatment. CBT is a practical treatment, and involves teaching practical skills to deal with anxiety symptoms. CBT focuses on understanding the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that keep anxiety going, and strategies to gain more control over symptoms. Often people with Agoraphobia will avoid situations they fear, or do things when in those situations to try to reduce their anxiety, such as making sure they have someone with them. However, these strategies often lead to increased anxiety over time. CBT helps people to begin to change these behaviours, and reduce their anxiety.
Online treatment programs for some anxiety disorders, including Agoraphobia, have recently been developed. Online treatment programs are based on CBT, and panic symptoms should also be targeted when treating Agoraphobia via the Internet. Online treatment programs may involve some contact with a therapist over the Internet.
A type of anti-depressant medication known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) has been found to be effective in treating Agoraphobia. Your GP or psychiatrist will need to prescribe this medication to you.
How family and friends can help
- Avoid telling the person with Agoraphobia to just “snap out of it”, or to get over it.
- Try to understand what situations the person with this disorder finds difficult
- Remember that although you might not find the situation hard, for the person with Agoraphobia, the fear of a particular social situation can be extremely intense
- Encourage the person with Agoraphobia to seek professional treatment, and to persist with it | <urn:uuid:8fdc86fc-fff5-40e7-a2cd-fcd49319df74> | {
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Liver Cancer Diagnosis
If you have symptoms that suggest liver cancer, your doctor will try to find out what's causing the problems. You may have one or more of the following tests:
- Physical exam: Your doctor feels your abdomen to check the liver, spleen, and other nearby organs for any lumps or changes in their shape or size. Your doctor also checks for ascites, an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Also, your skin and eyes may be checked for signs of jaundice.
- Blood tests: Many blood tests may be used to check for liver problems. One blood test detects alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). High AFP levels could be a sign of liver cancer. Other blood tests can show how well the liver is working.
- CT scan: An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of your liver and other organs and blood vessels in your abdomen. You may receive an injection of contrast material so that your liver shows up clearly in the pictures. On the CT scan, your doctor may see tumors in the liver or elsewhere in the abdomen.
- MRI: A large machine with a strong magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside your body. Sometimes contrast material makes abnormal areas show up more clearly on the picture.
- Ultrasound test: The ultrasound device uses sound waves that can't be heard by humans. The sound waves produce a pattern of echoes as they bounce off internal organs. The echoes create a picture (sonogram) of your liver and other organs in the abdomen. Tumors may produce echoes that are different from the echoes made by healthy tissues. | <urn:uuid:c2ba8c03-f535-4a85-b3db-cf19534ca8f2> | {
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The “Significant Public Health Risk” Of Fracking: The Data Mounts
“Elevation in Cancer is Certain to Happen”
The shale ‘boom’ in the United States since the mid-2000s has resulted in unprecedented growth for the oil and gas industry. This is largely the result of the technology known as ‘fracking’ — hydraulic fracturing.
The process involves drilling thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface, then using explosives and hundreds of chemicals to blast apart age-old rock formations causing the release of gasses — stored for centuries inside the planet — which are captured and converted to meet our energy needs by the largest and most profitable companies on Earth. The array of chemicals used includes highly dangerous toxins, including endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, and carcinogens. (A list of chemicals commonly used in fracking operations can be seen here.)
The industry and its lobbyists insist the process is safe. In recent months, however, numerous studies conducted by a several scientific and academic researchers have been published which link fracking operations directly to significant water, air, and soil contamination across the United States, with serious public health implications. One researcher said that fracking is “spewing cancer-causing chemicals into the air;” another said that an increase in cancers, among residents living close to fracking operations, “was nearly certain.”
The following is a review of recent findings.
In May, the National Academy of Sciences reported on the presence of toxic drilling liquids in household drinking water in Bradford County, Pennsylvania (the ‘most fracked’ county in Pennsylvania). The chemicals, including 2-Butoxyethanol, a known rodent-carcinogen (it’s not known if its carcinogenic in humans) “had migrated laterally” in the soil, from fracking operations, into a public drinking water aquifer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also in May, confirmed several deaths of oil and gas workers, in several states, due to acute exposure of toxic hydrocarbon fumes regularly used in the industry.
Also in May, 100 California government officials sent a letter to Governor Brown calling on a statewide moratorium on fracking operations due to water contamination. The legislators cited growing public concern about the safety of fracking operations since the release, late in 2014, of industry documents which revealed that billions of gallons of highly toxic fracking wastewater was dumped directly into California aquifers which supply both drinking water and farming irrigation. Testing revealed high levels of arsenic, a known carcinogen, and other toxic chemicals including thallium (commonly used as rat poison) in the aquifers.
“The fact that high concentrations are showing up in multiple water wells close to wastewater injection sites raises major concerns about the health and safety of nearby residents,” said Timothy Kranz, a professor of environmental studies at University of Redlands. “Arsenic and thallium are extremely dangerous chemicals.” Previous research confirmed the presence of benzene in California fracking wastewater at hundreds of times higher concentrations than federal standards allow.
In April, researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health reported a strong correlation between radon levels and fracking throughout Pennsylvania. (Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.) The scientists studied over 2 million different radon test sites between 1987 and 2013 at nearly one million buildings and homes. Radon levels increased in direct correlation to the increase in fracking operations during these years. The highest levels were found in locations closest to the drilling operations, often at alarming levels; almost 300,000 locations recorded radon levels which exceeded the EPA’s safety minimum. Townships (where most fracking occurs) had a 39% higher concentration of radon than urban areas. “By drilling 7,000 holes in the ground, the fracking industry may have changed the geology and created new pathways for radon to rise to the surface,” said Joan Casey, a researcher involved in the report. “These findings worry us,” said David S. Schwartz, the lead author of the report.
(Previous studies over the past several years have linked methane contamination in groundwater to nearby fracking operations; in some cases methane had been leaking from wells, continuously, for years before detection.)
In March, the American Chemical Society published the results of a joint study conducted at the University of Oregon and the University of Cincinnati which found high levels of carcinogenic PAHs ( polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ) in residential areas of Pennsylvania close to active gas wells; air samples were taken throughout the region, and proximity to the wells corresponded to higher concentrations of PAHs. PAHs are commonly used in fracking operations. The author of the study concluded, “Air pollution from fracking operations may pose an under-recognized health hazard to people living near them.”
New York governor Andrew Cuomo cited public health risks when he announced a statewide ban on large-scale fracking in New York in December 2014. “When the public health commissioner says, ‘I wouldn’t let my family live in an area that is doing high-volume fracking,’ that is very sobering, and frankly, that is enough for me,” Cuomo told reporters. “Because if the state health commissioner doesn’t want his kids living there, I don’t want my kids living there, and I don’t want any New Yorkers’ kids living there.”
In October 2014, the journal Environmental Health published a report which concluded that oil and gas operations across the United States are “spewing” dangerous cancer-causing chemicals into the air — the lead author of the study called it “a significant health risk.” The study, conducted by researchers from the Institute for Health and the Environment at the State University of New York at Albany, found eight poisonous chemicals, in high concentrations, near wells and fracking sites in Arkansas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wyoming at levels that far exceeded recommended federal limits. This included hydrogen sulfide, a known neurotoxin, and benzene and formaldehyde, both carcinogens. “I was amazed,” said Dr. David Carpenter, the lead author of the study. “Five orders of magnitude over federal limits for benzene at one site – that’s just incredible. You could practically just light a match and have an explosion with that concentration. This is a significant public health risk.”
Carpenter emphasized the risk of cancer: “Cancer has a long latency, so you’re not seeing an elevation in cancer in these communities. But 5, 10, 15 years from now, elevation in cancer is almost certain to happen.”
Public disclosure of the chemicals used in fracking is limited; there is no federal reporting requirement. Proposals to regulate a mandated reporting system have been thwarted repeatedly by the gas industry and its political allies in state capitals and in the US Congress. The fracking industry exerts considerable influence on the national political stage; oil and gas companies contributed more than $60 million to federal candidates in the 2014 cycle, 87% percent of which went to Republican party members. Republican congressional leadership, in turn, has consistently opposed new disclosure regulations, and lobbyists are active on many fronts across the States to prevent widespread knowledge of the public health dangers. The New England Journal of Medicine in 2013 accused the natural gas industry and its political allies of “infringing on the patient-physician relationship” in Pennsylvania, after the governor enacted laws which restrict the state’s doctors from discussing freely the potential links between a patient’s symptoms and chemicals used in nearby fracking operations.
Most recently, in March 2015, the GOP-led House of Representatives rejected new regulations proposed by the Obama administration which would require disclosure of chemicals used and introduce new regulations on wastewater disposal. House Speaker John Boehner, arguing against the new regulations, promised to “do all we can” to stop attempts to ‘impeded the energy boom.”
“There is no logical reason to add a new layer of top-down bureaucratic regulation,” he said. Boehner received $679,000 from the oil and gas industry in 2014. | <urn:uuid:782d4b2c-bd99-4e67-902e-367890ea91ec> | {
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Gem Natural Stone
Why many gem collectors prefer natural gem stones
If you look at a gem, you may see it labeled as a natural gem stone.
You may ask yourself, "What, then, is an unnatural stone?"
For a gem to be called natural, the following statements must be true:
- The stone must have formed completely without human intervention. In other words, it is found in the Earth as is. Nothing was done during the formation process to enhance or 'culture' the stone.
- After it is mined, a natural gem stone cannot undergo any special processing that changes the composition, color or structure of the stone. This includes heat treatment or any chemical treatment other than cleaning or polishing compounds.
Certain 'after mining' procedures which enhance the natural appearance are allowed. These include:
- Cutting: This is shaping the crystal by breaking off pieces along natural lines of cleavage.
- Polishing: This can apply to cut crystalline stones as well as to the amorphous stones, such as turquoise.
- Shaping: Depending on the composition of the natural gem stone, it may lend it self to being shaped.
- Scribing, engraving, or other surface decorations.
Anything else is labeled as synthetic gem stones, enhanced or cultured.
Anyone who has seen a collection of loose gem stones in their natural state can appreciate the need for polishing and cutting. However, the end result is to highlight the existing appearance, not to alter it.
Why is a gem that is a so called gem stone natural preferred over the synthetic gem stone version?
- Rarity:Since we cannot control or initiate the formation of natural gem stones, they must be found. This puts a real limit on the quantity of natural gems that are available.
- Appearance:Natural gem stones are often marked by the impurities, whether chemical or structural, that occur during their haphazard formation. The gem purist will argue that these impurities which give the natural gem stones their character and charm.
Here are several of the better known gem stones and how they are formed in nature:
- Diamond:The hardest material found in nature.The diamond literally sets the bar for hardness. Most hardness scales use the diamond to define their upper limits.Being composed of pure carbon makes the diamond gem stone unique in another respect.
It is one of the few gem stones, natural or synthetic, to be made from a single element. The natural diamond gem stone is formed in the earth by the application of tremendous heat and pressure on carbon deposits over a long period of time.
- Sapphire:Made up primarily of aluminum oxide (also known as corundum), this gem in its natural state is usually a bluish stone and the corn flower blue sapphire gem stone that comes from Sri Lanka or Ceylon considered the best natural gem stone in the world.
However, Sapphires can come in a range of colors including pink, orange, yellow or green. The color range is caused by chemical impurities in the stone.
- Ruby:A close cousin to the sapphire, it is also based on the compound aluminum oxide. The natural gem stone ruby gets its reddish hue from traces of the metallic element chromium in the chemical mix.
All of these gems are found as natural stones and are mined throughout the world. As loose natural stones, they may resemble a collection of shiny pebbles.
However, to the experienced gemologist or collector, each gem has a natural potential for beauty that makes it a cut above the common stone. | <urn:uuid:576180dd-1270-494d-af9e-dbfa08170cd7> | {
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Improving pedestrian safety through walkable campus design - Free Report Download
School campuses need to welcome children arriving by foot, bike, bus, and car. Too often, a student walking to school is confronted with traffic congestion, unsafe crossings and a circuitous route to the front door. As documented by the Safe Routes to School movement, children who travel by “active transportation modes” are more likely to get the physical activity they need every day, arrive at school ready to learn, and gain independence through mastery over their own environment.
Since 2002, when the National Trust for Historic Preservation published their influential report “Why Johnny Can’t Walk to School,” educators, community activists, and school committees across the country have made progress both in choosing walkable, central locations for new schools, and in realizing the benefits of either renovating, retrofitting, or expanding existing neighborhood schools.
Communities have begun to:
However, as WalkBoston discovered in our work with communities across Massachusetts, even when communities build new schools in the right place, the design of school campuses still provides only limited support for walkers, and too often favors vehicles over walkers in their site layout. | <urn:uuid:b8baa180-1752-42e2-a6f0-e78046fe355f> | {
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Dual-fuel systems can protect homeowners from rising utility costs. They're more energy efficient, provide greater comfort, and have a smaller carbon footprint.
A hybrid heating system is the combination of an air source heat pump (ASHP) or ground source heat pump (GSHP) with a propane or natural gas furnace. Hybrid heating systems, which may also be called dual-fuel systems, improve ASHP and GSHP performance by using a propane furnace — typically a high-efficiency unit — in colder, outdoor temperatures, rather than the heat pump's inefficient electric resistance secondary heat. By relying on the high-efficiency propane furnace during colder periods, the overall heating system is more energy efficient, provides greater comfort, and has a smaller carbon footprint.
Hybrid heating systems are a good alternative to ASHP-only or GSHP-only systems, especially in mixed and colder climates where winter temperatures will fall below approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit. At these lower outdoor temperatures, ASHPs will rely more on electric resistance back-up heat. By using the high-efficiency propane furnace to heat the home during colder outdoor temperatures, the hybrid system maintains efficiency, delivers warm air, and reduces electricity costs, which rise sharply with the use of electric resistance back-up.
Hybrid heating systems offer the ability to use both a high-efficiency heat pump (which offers heating and cooling benefits) and a high-efficiency furnace to efficiently and comfortably address colder winter conditions. In the case of ASHP-furnace hybrids, when the propane furnace cycles on for heating — typically at a transition point near 40 degrees Fahrenheit — it greatly boosts the heating system's output capacity and also ensures that warm air delivery temperatures of around 120 degrees Fahrenheit leave the furnace.
Hybrid heating systems also provide a homeowner with an energy choice. As energy prices fluctuate, or if the homeowner prefers the warmer air delivery of the furnace, the transition point can be adjusted upward or downward. Hybrid systems also provide a redundant heating system. If the ASHP compressor experiences a problem, the home can still be heated with the high-efficiency propane furnace.
Energy consumption and costs
Hybrids composed of an ASHP and a high-efficiency propane furnace save nearly $400 per year compared with a standard efficiency ASHP-only system (see table below). In existing homes with an older ASHP, at the time of system replacement (about 10–15 years) the marginal first cost for upgrading to a hybrid system instead of another ASHP-only system is about 14 percent. The hybrid system offers a 2.5-year payback, based on its annual energy savings. Also, government and industry incentives worth hundreds or thousands of dollars are available for hybrid systems.
Cold Climate Annual Heating & Cooling Costs for a 2,400-square-foot Home
|HVAC SYSTEM||ANNUAL ENERGY COST|
|Hybrid HP: High-efficiency ASHP & high-efficiency propane furnace||$1,715|
|Standard-efficiency ASHP with electric resistance back-up||$2,103|
See the full analysis of the results, including cost comparisons of heating and cooling systems in larger homes, in our hybrid heating systems fact sheet (pdf). | <urn:uuid:3cb7a11f-5df0-4997-b2e7-987ec7243fa9> | {
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Download a copy of our background primer on motor drives, from AC line input to motor mechanical shaft output today!
- AC line voltage and current
- Power semiconductors
- Power conversion systems
- Variable frequency motor drives
- Sensing of motor shaft torque, speed, direction, and angle
- Power measurements on sinusoidal (AC) and distorted (PWM) waveforms
Motor Drive Technical Primer | <urn:uuid:b6ff6f36-4c20-4d48-8904-12f47ff33dbb> | {
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For young brains to retain information, they need to apply it. Information learned by rote memorization will not enter the sturdy long-term neural networks in the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) unless students have the opportunity to actively recognize relationships to their prior knowledge and/or apply new learning to new situations.
Here are some teaching strategies to help build executive function in your students.
1) Provide Opportunities to Apply Learning
When you provide students with opportunities to apply learning -- especially through authentic, personally meaningful activities -- and then provide formative assessments and feedback throughout a unit, facts move from rote memory to become part of the memory bank.
These opportunities activate the isolated small neural networks of facts or procedures, which then undergo the cellular changes of neuroplasticity that link them into larger neural circuits of related information. These extensive neural circuits integrate new information when they are a) simultaneously activated and b) when they recognize patterns in common.
The expanding of related categories of information (Piaget's schema) through executive function activities will consolidate learning into networks. These networks can be activated when students are prompted to use new learning to solve problems or create new products. This is the transfer process that further promotes network activation with the resulting neuroplasticity to construct long-term memory. Without these opportunities for strengthening, any memories learned by rote are simply pruned away from disuse after the test.
2) Introduce Activities to Support Developing Executive Function
Students need to be explicitly taught and given opportunities to practice using executive functions such as how to learn, study, organize, prioritize, review, and actively participate in class. Activities that can support executive function network development include comparing and contrasting, giving new examples of a concept, spiraled curriculum, group collaboration, open-ended discussions. Additionally, executive function is developed when students summarize and symbolize new learning into new formats, such as through the arts or writing across the curriculum. (See The Brain-Based Benefits of Writing for Math and Science Learning.)
Authentic, student-centered activities, projects, and discussions will give students the opportunity to do the following:
- Make predictions
- Solve a variety of types of problems
- Pursue inquiries
- Analyze what information they need
- Consider how to acquire any skills or knowledge they lack to reach desirable goals
This type of student-prompted information and skill seeking strengthens students' attitude about the value of learning. When motivated to solve problems that are personally meaningful, students apply effort, collaborate successfully, ask questions, revise hypotheses, redo work, and seek the foundational knowledge you need them to learn. And they do this because they want to know what you have to teach.
When students acquire desired facts, skills, or procedures to achieve authentic, valued goals, the information has a template (neural circuit) to which it can link. Foundational knowledge is not isolated. Learning is consolidated into related patterns, connected in neural networks of long-term conceptual memory, and available for retrieval and transfer to solve future problems and investigate new ideas.
3) Model Higher Thinking Skills
In planning instruction, consider how and when you will model these higher thinking skills and provide opportunities for students to activate their developing executive function networks throughout the learning process.
This executive function, when developed, promotes a student's ability to monitor the accuracy of his or her work, and to analyze the validity of information heard or read. Techniques such as estimation with feedback and adjustment, editing and revising one's own written work using rubric guidance, or evaluating websites using criteria to separate fact from opinion are examples of promoting the development of networks for judgment.
This executive function helps students to separate low relevance details from the main ideas of a text or topic of study. Prioritizing is the executive function that guides students when they plan an essay, select information to include in notes, and evaluate word problems in math for the relevant data. Prioritizing also promotes one's ability to combine separate facts into a broader concept with recognition of degrees of relevance and relatedness.
Prioritizing networks will be activated as you guide students to organize, plan ahead, keep records of their most successful strategies, and use this information to make the most efficient use of their time.
Setting Goals, Providing Self-feedback and Monitoring Progress
Until students fully develop these pre-frontal cortex (PFC) executive functions, they are limited in their capacity to set and stick to realistic and manageable goals. As they develop these executive functions, they need guidance to recognize their incremental progress they make as they apply effort towards their larger goals. This is part of the "video game model" described in my previous blog, How to Plan Instruction Using the Video Game Model.
Prior Knowledge Activation and Transfer Opportunities
Plan activities where students can relate what they know from past experiences to their current learning and tie it to the larger concept. When you provide learning experiences by which students can apply new learning to multiple applications, you promote the neural construction of larger conceptual networks that make the new information a valued tool and part of long-term memory. An example would be the use of the rules of magnetism and geographic facts to discover how to use a compass.
Taking the time to plan learning contexts that are personally desirable often means going beyond the curriculum provided in textbooks. This is a hefty burden when you are also under the mandate of teaching a body of information that exceeds the time needed for adequate activation of prior knowledge and mental manipulation. When you plan for and teach with mental manipulation for executive function in mind, your students will come to recognize their own changing attitudes and achievements. When students begin to experience and comment on these insights, consider sharing the processes you used to create the instruction that they respond to positively. Describe your mental manipulation, challenges, and the executive functions you used to create something new as you found the authentic active learning opportunities that activated the students' interest, perseverance, and higher levels of thinking.
These are teachable moments to promote student metacognition, where they can recognize their abilities to extend their horizons and focus beyond simply getting by with satisfactory grades. Help them make the connection that they can build their executive function of long-term goal-directed behavior when they choose to review and revise their work, even when it has been completed, rather than to be satisfied with "getting it done." Your input helps students see the link between taking responsibility for class participation, proactive collaboration, and setting high self-standards for all classwork and homework such that they can say, "I did all I could to do my best."
Making the Case for Investing in Executive Functions
As the caretaker of your students' brains during the years of rapid prefrontal cortex development, you should consider how you can activate and guide the development of your students' greatest resources -- strong executive functions. The opportunities you provide for mental manipulations using these critical neural networks are precious gifts. These tools will empower them to achieve their highest potentials and greatest satisfaction as they inherit the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
Time Well Spent
Planning instruction and teaching units that activate executive function processing takes teacher and student time -- and it's time that's already severely taxed. However, that time is regained because the learning in these units is successfully retained in long-term memory and re-teaching time is vastly reduced.
The first ones to notice the brain changes of learning that is mentally manipulated through executive functions may be your students. Beyond the increased engagement they experience through active learning, they will find it takes less time to review for tests beyond the unit test, such as a final exam. You'll find that students, who previously didn't have the growth mindset needed to stay with challenging lessons when understanding was not instantaneous, now persevere. But the "payoff" will be especially powerful when their teachers ask you the next year, "What did you do?? The students from your class actually remember what they learned last year."
Now think what this means in terms of time. If you didn't have to re-teach "last year's material" you'd be getting all those weeks of time at the beginning of each unit. Thus the a school that promotes instruction for the activation that is needed for development of strong tracts of executive function and long-term memory will build better brains for its students. These brains will retain learning in sustained, transferable, and retrievable long-term memory. Instead of the re-teaching previously required before new instruction can start, there will be weeks of "found time."
Take Care of Yourself
In the professional learning communities I observe when I travel throughout the country I see dedicated professionals who chose to become educators because of their dedication to making a difference for all students. Teachers are drawn to their career choices for admirable reasons. (We know it is not for the big bucks or having the work day "end at 3.") Creativity, imagination, perseverance, and motivation endure in the educators I meet, even in these times of teacher blame and over-packed curriculum.
It is critical that we prepare today's students with the executive function skill sets they will need for success in the globalized, information explosive, and ever-expanding technologically progressive 21st century. Just as certain is the continued accountability by educators to teach the over-packed curriculum in the existing standards.
Please take care of yourselves. Take the time to acknowledge any progress toward your goals. What I'm advocating regarding more activation of students' executive function networks may not provide you with immediate evidence of the changes you are promoting in their brains -- although it is highly likely you'll find behavior "management" problems decrease as engagement increases. You'll have to use your executive function of resisting immediate gratification (such as eight hours of sleep or a weekend without prep work) to persevere on the long-term goal of setting in motion the birth of dendrites and synapses to give your students the best chance of achieving their highest potentials of professional, social, and emotional joy, and success in the years to come.
Thank you for what you do!
In This Series
- Understanding How the Brain Thinks
- The Brain-Based Benefits of Writing for Math and Science Learning
- Improving Executive Function: Teaching Challenges and Opportunities
- Three Brain-Based Teaching Strategies to Build Executive Function in Students
- Three Strategies for Using the Arts to Build Student Executive Functions
- Executive Function, Arts Integration and Joyful Learning | <urn:uuid:d84f029b-a985-4c25-a03d-4c55f3ed50bf> | {
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The biodiversity loss caused by climate change will result from a combination of rising temperatures and predation – and may be more severe than currently predicted, according to a study by University of British Columbia zoologist Christopher Harley.
The study, published in the current issue of the journal Science, examined the response of rocky shore barnacles and mussels to the combined effects of warming and predation by sea stars.
Harley surveyed the upper and lower temperature limits of barnacles and mussels from the cool west coast of Vancouver Island to the warm shores of the San Juan Islands, where water temperature rose from the relatively cool of the1950s to the much warmer years of 2009 and 2010.
“Rocky intertidal communities are ideal test-beds for studying the effects of climatic warming,” says Christopher Harley, an associate professor of zoology at UBC and author of the study. “Many intertidal organisms, like mussels, already live very close to their thermal tolerance limits, so the impacts can be easily studied.”
At cooler sites, mussels and rocky shore barnacles were able to live high on the shore, well beyond the range of their predators. However, as temperatures rose, barnacles and mussels were forced to live at lower shore levels, placing them at the same level as predatory sea stars.
Daily high temperatures during the summer months have increased by almost 3.5 degrees Celsius in the last 60 years, causing the upper limits of barnacle and mussels habitats to retreat by 50 centimeters down the shore. However, the effects of predators, and therefore the position of the lower limit, have remained constant.
“That loss represents 51 per cent of the mussel bed. Some mussels have even gone extinct locally at three of the sites I surveyed,” says Harley.
Meanwhile, when pressure from sea star predation was reduced using exclusion cages, the prey species were able to occupy hotter sites where they don’t normally occur, and species richness at the sites more than doubled.
“A mussel bed is kind of like an apartment complex – it provides critical habitat for a lot of little plants and animals,” says Harley. “The mussels make the habitat cooler and wetter, providing an environment for crabs and other small crustaceans, snails, worms and seaweed.”
These findings provide a comprehensive look at the effects of warming and predation, while many previous studies on how species ranges will change due to warming assume that species will simply shift to stay in their current temperature range.
Harley says the findings show that the combined effects of warming and predation could lead to more widespread extinction than are currently predicted, as animals or plants are unable to shift their habitat ranges.
“Warming is not just having direct effects on individual species,” says Harley. “This study shows that climate change can also alter interactions between species, and produce unexpected changes in where species can live, their community structure, and their diversity.” | <urn:uuid:546a3e53-9862-47d0-9555-2f8ac265fbef> | {
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I wanted to write a post on the brief history of theater – hence the title – but in doing my research I realized that it was quite the undertaking.
So, to begin with, let me just say that this isn’t a text book on theater history. If you want that, you should go buy a text book on theater history. This is an overview. Important, landmark events and people that helped to shape our current theatrical world – and still, there is no way it can be 100% complete.
I just did it because I wanted to do it. Let’s leave it at that.
But this could be a good starting point, and an interesting read for anyone who wants to know what happened before superheroes and pop groups from the 70s and 80s took over Broadway. I tried my best to hit most of the major events over the past centuries, but theater is a global thing. So I had to ask some questions and make some decisions:
First, where do I focus? The Americas? Europe? Do I ignore Asia and its thousands of years of performance art? That isn’t fair, since at some point it all blends together. But, let’s be honest, western theater (as opposed to Kabuki) is probably the most popular and what we most regularly recognize as “our” theater, particularly since American theater started with British theater. So, for me, focusing on Europe and America is the way to go.
Basically, theater as we know it started in Greece more than 2,000 years ago. Thespis, the first “actor”, was essentially the inventor of tragedy. He was the first to use dialogue in a play. So, in a nutshell, he invented theater as we know it some time around 537 BC.
Then came the Greek tragedians. The most famous of which are Aeschylus (Agamemnon and Prometheus Bound), Sophocles (Oedipus and Antigone), and Euripedes (Hippolytus). Their influence is immeasurable. Theater was off and running.
Shortly afterwards, the Romans began their own theater tradition.
Then came the Christians and the excommunication of actors in 197 AD. Christians were forbidden from attending theater. In 300 there was widespread Christian resistance against theater – they didn’t approve of its lewd messages. In 568, all roman spectacles are stopped, and in 692, theater is officially opposed by the church. Theater at this point consisting of roving troupes of performers – slaves, but performers.
By 925, medieval theater was, as would be expected, religious theater. Three hundred years later, religious drama was being performed outside of church – the beginning steps to establishing secular drama and theater. But, thanks to the church, quite literally nothing happened for nearly 1,000 years.
English plays started popping up in early 15th century, followed by the return of professional actors in the mid 15th century. Commedia Dell’Arte troupes appeared shortly after.
Commedia Dell’Arte was a form of improvisational theater that relied on stock characters – delineated by different masks – and was the precursor to pantomime. It was popular until the late 1700s.
In a reversal, Elizabeth I bans religious dramas in 1558. She did this to try and subdue a potential uprising between the Catholics and the Protestants. This led to a surge of secular drama. Theater is back on the upswing.
William Shakespeare is born in 1564.
The first permanent theater opens in London in 1576. Christopher Marlowe, the most important English playwright who isn’t Shakespeare, is stabbed to death at the age of 29.
1595 – Romeo and Juliet
1599 – The Globe theater opens.
1601 – Hamlet
And theater is back, and it spreads throughout Europe and everything is great, until…
1642 – Puritans take over England, beheading King Charles, and closing the theaters.
Literally nothing happens for 18 years.
1660 – Theaters reopen. Women can play the roles of women. A novel idea.
In 1716, the first theater in America was built in Williamsburg, Va. In 1752, professional theater began in American with the arrival of pro troupe from England. .
First theater in New York – The Theater on Nassau Street. http://www.musicals101.com/bwaythhist1.htm
David Garrick. Born in 1717 in England, David Garrick began his extraordinary career at the age of 22, when he first appeared as Shakespeare’s Richard III. He is regarded, without much argument, as the greatest actor of his time, and one of the greatest ever. He revolutionized a natural style of acting, that was rare at the time, and added a maturity to the profession. He did the same to the techniques of running a theater company, including demanding strict adherence to rehearsal rules, and creating consistency among costumes, scenery, and lighting. Oddly enough, this was rare at the time. (source: http://www.garrickclub.co.uk/david_garrick/)
Plays banned in America – 1774 – Congress closed the theater from 1774 until the end of the American Revolution, citing theater, along with other forms of entertainment, as “expensive Diversions and Entertainments”. Following the revolution, Shakespeare continued his popularity in the states, and American works started popping up towards the end of the 18th century (the plays produced until that point were usually British – not surprising).
1849 – The Astor Place Riot. Twenty two people died over performances of Macbeth. British actor William Macready vs. American actor Edwin Forrest. Macready was performing at the Astor Place Opera House (no longer there) when a crowd of Forrest supporters descended and began rioting. State militia came in, fired shots to stop the rioters, and killed 22 people. Macready finished his performance – barely – and escaped the country, never to perform in America again. http://www.shakespeareinamericanlife.org/stage/onstage/yesterday/astor.cfm
Edwin Booth. A superstar actor, theater owner, and interpreter of Shakespeare. One of the greatest American actors to ever live. His brother assassinated President Lincoln. That’s where you’ve seen that name before.
Realism – Mid-late 19th century. Henrik Ibsen is by many to be considered to be the seminal writer of realistic plays. His work addressed issues that, at the time, were probably considered very controversial. His play, A Doll’s House, questions a woman’s role in society, and its action and ending would be considered surprising even to today’s audience. Ibsen’s structure and writing style – one that mirrored real life more closely than previous playwrights – set the standard for modern drama. He is, in effect, the first modern playwright. His influence can be seen everywhere, but most notably in the work of Arthur Miller (who even penned a modern adaptation of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People). Other writers of realism include Anton Chekhov and George Bernard Shaw. (source: http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/realism.htm#eme)
1895 – The Moscow Art Theater is founded by Constantin Stanislavsky. A breakthrough company, the influence of which cannot be measured, gave birth to Stanislavsky’s unique style of producing theater, eventually leading to his “method” of techniques emphasizing emotion-based acting. He worked with actors to discover the very human elements of characters. I wrote a brief post on some of his techniques. You can read it here. (source: http://www.biography.com/people/constantin-stanislavski-9492018)
Part 2 – 20th century and beyond – coming…at some point. Eventually.
I used a variety of sources (this wasn’t all from my head and you can see some of the sources cited above), but this one in particular helped me out tremendously, and offers a great outline: http://www.glencoe.com/theatre/Timeline/timeline_content.html. From there I continued my research on many different sites, and in books, all while trying my best to avoid Wikipedia whenever possible.Follow @theaterific | <urn:uuid:ee554ef1-03a4-40a2-97fb-f5f69c8965c6> | {
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Apple's Operating Systems Are Malware
Malware means software designed to function in ways that mistreat or harm the user. (This does not include accidental errors.) This page explains how the software in Apple's computer products are malware.
Malware and nonfree software are two different issues. The difference between free software and nonfree software is in whether the users have control of the program or vice versa. It's not directly a question of what the program does when it runs. However, in practice nonfree software is often malware, because the developer's awareness that the users would be powerless to fix any malicious functionalities tempts the developer to impose some.
Here's how Apple's systems are malware.
Apple has made various MacOS programs send files to Apple servers without asking permission. This exposes the files to Big Brother and perhaps to other snoops.
It also demonstrates how you can't trust proprietary software, because even if today's version doesn't have a malicious functionality, tomorrow's version might add it. The developer won't remove the malfeature unless many users push back hard, and the users can't remove it themselves.
Various operations in the latest MacOS send reports to Apple servers.
Spyware in MacOS: Spotlight search sends users' search terms to Apple.
iOS, the operating system of the Apple iThings, is a jail for users. That means it imposes censorship of application programs.
Apple has used this power to censor all bitcoin apps for the iThings.
Apple, in the iThings, pioneered the practice of general purpose computers that are jails, and the term comes from iThing users, who referred to escaping from the censorship as “jailbreaking.”
Here is an article about the code signing that the iThings use to jail the user.
Apple arbitrarily blocks users from installing old versions of iOS.
The iBeacon lets stores determine exactly where the iThing is, and get other info too.
The iThings are tyrant devices: they do not permit installing a different or modified operating system. There is a port of Android to the iThings, but installing it requires finding a bug or “exploit” to make it possible to install a different system.
DRM (digital restrictions mechanisms) in MacOS. This article focuses on the fact that a new model of Macbook introduced a requirement for monitors to have malicious hardware, but DRM software in MacOS is involved in activating the hardware. The software for accessing iTunes is also responsible.
DRM that caters to Bluray disks. (The article focused on Windows and said that MacOS would do the same thing subsequently.)
The iPhone has a back door that allows Apple to remotely delete apps which Apple considers “inappropriate”. Jobs said it's OK for Apple to have this power because of course we can trust Apple.
The iPhone has a back door for remote wipe. It's not always enabled, but users are led into enabling it without understanding.
An Apple firmware “upgrade” bricked iPhones that had been unlocked. The “upgrade” also deactivated applications not approved by Apple censorship. All this was apparently intentional.
Apple can, and regularly does, remotely extract some data from iPhones for the state. | <urn:uuid:aaaaa72b-e30a-4e45-83ff-f17e3b5a3323> | {
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I'm Steve Ember. And I'm Shirley Griffith with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.
Today, we tell about Eleanor Creesy. She helped to guide one of the fastest sailing ships ever built.
The name Eleanor Creesy is almost unknown today. But in the middle eighteen hundreds she was a famous woman. Those were the days of wooden sailing ships. It was a time before ships had engines. Cloth sails were used to catch the wind to move a ship through the water.
A ship that sailed from New York to San Francisco had to travel around the bottom of South America. Such a trip could take two hundred days to complete. Not all ships completed the trip. The high winds and angry seas in this area of the world created deadly storms. Ships often sank. No one could survive the freezing waters in this dangerous area if the ship went down.
One hundred fifty years ago, women did not receive much education. Most women were expected to learn to read and write. But they almost never held positions of great responsibility.
Eleanor Creesy was different. She was the navigator for a ship. A navigator is responsible for guiding a ship safely from one port to another.
Eleanor's father taught her to navigate. She wanted to learn this difficult skill because she liked the mathematics involved. A navigator also had to know how to use a complex instrument called a sextant. It was used to gather information about the sun, moon, and some stars to find a ship's position at sea.
Eleanor married a captain of a ship, Josiah Perkins Creesy, in eighteen forty-one. It was not unusual for a ship captain to take his wife with him on long trips. A captain's wife often acted as a nurse, which Eleanor did. But she did a lot more. Josiah Creesy quickly learned that his wife was an extremely good navigator.
Eleanor was the navigator on each ship that Josiah commanded during all their years at sea. They were husband and wife, but they also enjoyed working together.
Eleanor and Josiah Creesy are forever linked to one of the most famous ships in American history. That ship is the Flying Cloud. It was designed and built at the shipyard of Donald McKay in the eastern city of Boston. Grinell, Minturn and Company bought it. Captain Creesy worked for Grinell, Minturn. Company officials chose him to be the captain of the new ship.
The Flying Cloud was a new kind of ship. The front was very narrow and sharp. This helped it cut through the water. The ship itself was narrow and long. This also added to its speed. A New York newspaper wrote a story about the ship when it was new. The paper said it was extremely beautiful. The world soon learned it was one of the fastest sailing ships ever built.
The large number of sails the Flying Cloud could carry increased the speed of the ship. It usually carried at least twenty-one large sails. The crew often added many more to increase the speed.
It was the second day of June, eighteen fifty-one. Goods and passengers had been loaded on the Flying Cloud. The ship quietly sailed out of New York City on its way to San Francisco.
Very quickly it became evident the ship was special. Part of Eleanor Creesy's work was to find out how far the ship had traveled each day. This involved doing complex mathematics and usually took Eleanor several hours. The first time she completed her work, she could not believe the results. She did the mathematics again, carefully looking for mistakes. There were none.
The ship had traveled almost four hundred eighty kilometers in twenty-four hours. This was an extremely fast speed. Few ships had ever sailed this fast.
The captain of a ship keeps a written record of each day's events when a ship is at sea. This record is called a ship's log. On May fifteenth, just seventeen days after leaving New York, Captain Creesy wrote this in the Flying Cloud's log:
"We have passed the Equator in two days less time than ever before. We have traveled five thousand nine hundred and nine kilometers in seventeen days!"
As the Flying Cloud sailed south, each day was extremely exciting. As it neared the South Atlantic, however, storms began to cause great concern.
For Eleanor Creesy to learn the correct position of the ship each day, she had to be able to see the sun, the moon or stars. This was impossible when the ship entered an area of storms. It was then that her greatest skill as a navigator became extremely important.
When bad weather prevented navigators from seeing the sun, moon or stars, they had to use a method called "dead reckoning" to find the ship's position.
Dead reckoning is not exact. A navigator would take the last known position of the ship, then add the ship's speed. The navigator also had to add any movement of the ship to the side caused by waves or the wind. But this information was only a guess. Even a good navigator could be wrong by many kilometers.
If a ship was sailing in the middle of the ocean, a navigator could make mistakes using dead reckoning and no harm would be done. However, when a ship was near land, dead reckoning became extremely dangerous. The ship might be much closer to land than the navigator knew. In a storm, the ship could be driven on to land and severely damaged or sunk. Using dead reckoning near the southern most area of South America called for an expert.
The Flying Cloud was near land at the end of the South American continent. Eleanor Creesy used all her skill to find a safe path for the huge ship.
Captain Creesy was responsible for the safety of the Flying Cloud, the passengers and crew. He would be blamed for any serious accident. Most captains did their own navigating. Perhaps no other captain sailing at that time would think to have a woman do this extremely important work. However, Josiah Creesy never questioned his wife's sailing directions.
He would often stand on the deck of his ship, in the cold rain and fierce winds. He would shout below to Missus Creesy and ask for a new sailing direction. She would quickly do the work required for a new dead reckoning direction and pass the information to her husband. Captain Creesy would give the orders to turn the big ship.
The storm began to grow. The crew put out the fires used for heat and cooking. Fire was a great danger at sea. No fires were ever permitted on a ship during a storm. Not even lamps were lit. Everyone ate cold food. The temperatures were now near freezing.
Hour after hour Eleanor Creesy worked to find the ship's dead reckoning position.
When the storm ended, the crew of the Flying Cloud could see the very southern coast of South America -- a place called Tierra del Fuego. They could see the snow-covered mountains and huge amounts of blue ice. It was an area of deadly beauty. And, it was only eight kilometers away. Eleanor Creesy had guided the ship perfectly.
The Flying Cloud sailed north toward San Francisco traveling at speeds no one thought possible. On July thirty-first, the ship traveled six hundred and one kilometers in only twenty-four hours. No ship had ever sailed that far in one day. The Flying Cloud had set a world record. That record belonged to the ship, the crew, the captain and the navigator.
On August thirty-first, the Flying Cloud sailed into San Francisco Bay. The Flying Cloud had set a record for sailing from New York to San Francisco. It made the trip in eighty-nine days, and twenty-one hours. Newspapers across the country spread the news. Josiah and Eleanor Creesy were famous. Newspapers wrote stories about them and their beautiful ship. People wanted to meet them. But soon the two were back at sea.Two years later Captain Creesy and his wife again took the Flying Cloud from New York to San Francisco.
This time they made the trip in eighty-nine days, eight hours. This record would stand unbroken for more than one hundred years.
Josiah and Eleanor Creesy went on to sail in other ships. They continued to work as a team until they left the sea in eighteen sixty-four. They retired to their home in Massachusetts.
Captain Josiah Creesy died in June of eighteen seventy-one. His wife lived until the beginning of the new century. She died at the age of eighty-five, in August of nineteen hundred.
Eleanor Creesy is remembered by anyone who loves the history of the sea. She is honored for her great skill as navigator of the Flying Cloud, one of the fastest sailing ships the world has ever seen.
This program was written by Paul Thompson. It was produced by Cynthia Kirk. I'm Steve Ember. And I'm Shirley Griffith. | <urn:uuid:c35eb859-9dcc-4635-b47a-583d241c2c88> | {
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Rabbi Noah Weinberg was a once-in-a-generation giant who deeply impacted thousands of people around the world, teaching what it means to be a human being and a Jew.
Here are five key lessons I learned during 20 years as his student.
Rabbi Weinberg always said: “When I’m gone, then you’ll grow up.” (He was told this by his own teacher, older brother Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg zt”l.) This message was that we’d been relying too much on him to get the job done; after his passing we would “grow up” – i.e. take responsibility and step up into the role of a leader.
Rabbi Weinberg made the story of Moses a constant refrain: “In the place where there is no man, be a man!” (see Exodus 2:12, Avot 2:5). By accepting responsibility to further the Almighty’s plan, we merit the Divine assistance to get the job done.
Rabbi Weinberg always spoke about how, prior to starting Aish HaTorah in 1974, he had many failed attempts to build a successful organization. He would quote the verse, “A tzaddik falls seven times and gets up” (Proverbs 24:16), and say that the key to becoming successful is precisely the act of falling and getting back up.
When Rabbi Weinberg failed, he would always engage in a rigorous process of self-evaluation, then make any readjustment to accord with God’s will. With deep belief, he would say: “The Almighty can do anything. We just need to want it badly enough.”
The Talmud says: “Who is powerful? He who empowers others.” Rabbi Weinberg was enormously influential, not because he clamped down on others, but rather because he empowered them. He found a role for everyone, assisting and encouraging them to achieve their full potential.
In Jerusalem, he formulated the Aish Yeshiva as an incubator for creativity and innovation – producing groundbreaking Jewish initiatives such as the Jerusalem Fellowships, SpeedDating, the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project, Hasbara Fellowships, HonestReporting, and Aish.com, to name a few.
(4) Peace and Unity
In deciding whether or not to do something, Rabbi Weinberg’s only consideration was whether it would constitute a Kiddush Hashem – an infusion of God-consciousness into the world. His sole gauge was whether an action produced more peace and unity as defined by the Torah.
Rabbi Weinberg lived by these principles throughout his personal life, and made them the cornerstone of Aish HaTorah. If an action would contradict the ideals of peace and unity, Rabbi Weinberg was willing to back down.
The Talmud says: “Make God’s will, your will.” Rabbi Weinberg taught that the only way to discern “the Almighty’s will” is through a relentless process of self-evaluation. In order to attain this objectivity – and see where personal self-interest may be creeping in – he taught these principles:
Consistency: We must check ourselves regularly, using the tool of Cheshbon HaNefesh (self-evaluation). Minimally one should set aside 10 minutes a day; Rabbi Weinberg did so constantly.
Trusted advisor: Find someone who knows you very well – a spouse or close friend – and ask them to point out where your sense of objectivity is falling short.
Torah perspective: Whenever confronted with a serious decision – especially one with implications for Kiddush Hashem – we need to use the Torah as our guidebook and consult with Torah scholars. At the same time, Rabbi Weinberg insisted on “thinking for yourself” – by first formulating your own idea of the best option moving forward based on the Torah. Only then would he give feedback.
Perhaps most inspiring of all, Rabbi Weinberg taught that achieving this clarity and pushing toward our goal of peace, unity, and Kiddush Hashem is the greatest pleasure we could have in this world. | <urn:uuid:8950be15-ab60-403a-82a8-095295062b65> | {
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-written by Matt Clotfelter
The dictionary defines the word resolution as “a firm decision to do or not to do something.” Some of the synonyms of the word resolution include aim, resolve, single-mindedness, will power, and decision. In other words, when resolved, we have decided our course, and we are doing what it takes to achieve that end.
Resolution is also defined as “the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter.” This word is what we think of in legal action. People go to mitigation to achieve resolution to a dispute.
As I think of resolutions, I think of one of the most famous resolutions, which became something so much different. The Richard Henry Lee Resolution became something that changed our world. It was his resolution, submitted to the Second Continental Congress, which led to the creation of the Declaration of Independence. It was the line drawn in the sand to declare the “colonies” as an independent nation called the United States.
Throughout history, God has had a plan of resolution. As modern day Christians, we have the ability to look back at the entire story of the Bible and see it from beginning to end. At the time of Micah, God’s people lacked this perspective. Their perspective was affected because they were in the middle of the story, just like our own perspective can be affected when we are in the middle of a situation.
As we enter the story in Micah 5, God’s people have heard almost nothing positive from the prophet. Here, after what becomes 4 chapters rebuke and warning, they receive a promise from God, one that changes the course of the story. God promises His resolution to them again. He promises the Messiah is coming. And the Messiah, the solution to the problems, will come from the most unlikely place, Bethlehem. Ultimately, He will protect them with His strength and give them peace.
God spells out His resolution, defining exactly how He is going to change the situation to achieve His Will. He tells the people He will strip away any offensive strength and destroy any man-made stronghold. He will destroy their idols and take away their self-made safe havens, where they hide because it is easy and comfortable. He will do these things to ensure we have no choice but to see their sin, and to see our sin, for what it is: sin.
The last piece of His resolution holds a promise, as well as a warning. God promises to give an abundant gift to anyone who does not obey Him. This gift is His vengeance. At the time of Micah, the people have heard and understand the story of Noah, God’s vengeance poured out. They understand how God is unafraid to give punishment to those who refuse Him. With this perspective, they heard Micah’s warning.
God’s solution is clear. He sent His Son for us. He desires our obedience, but more importantly, He desires our hearts. His aim is to save us from our sin, but we have to choose. It is our choice and it has dire consequences. How resolved are you?
Matt Clotfelter is married to Amie and they have 2 children, Tyler and Marcus. Matt serves as a deacon as well as volunteers in the SoHills nursery, preschool ministry, and preteen ministry. | <urn:uuid:850c07f5-b9ae-46d7-a7a0-ad217e4ae515> | {
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The Eastern Shore has always been a distinctive region, and has several times attempted to split off from the state of Maryland. Proposals have been debated in the Maryland General Assembly in 1833-1835, 1852 and most recently in 1998 for the Eastern Shore becoming its own state. Early proposals encompassed a state of the entire Delmarva Peninsula. The proposal in 1998 by state Senators Richard F. Colburn and J. Lowell Stoltzfus did not specifically specify the status of the nine counties of the Eastern Shore after secession. However, they did sponsor a Maryland Senate Bill - (SB 564) - that would have provided a question to be placed on the 1998 General Election ballot. The initiative would have tested the waters for the eastern shore to become its own separate state. And, as a lifelong eastern shore resident - I can assure you with a certain degree of accuracy that the measure would most likely have passed because of the eastern shore's conservative values, and principles.
Grounds for Secession
From the Atlantic Ocean to the Chesapeake Bay - (eastern shore) - we have just 4 Senators out 47 Senators or just 8.5% of the Senatorial body. On the Delegate side we have only 12 Delegates out of 141 Delegates or just 8.5% of the Legislative body. However, land wise the eastern shore comprises 1/3 of the Maryland's land area. In population - Maryland's eastern shore only comprises about 8% or 420,792 - (2004) census estimate.
Special Interest Is Stripping Easternshore's Autonomy
This past Maryland legislative session SB 590 - Fairness In Negotiations Act - was passed by the Maryland General Assembly. In essence - passage of this key piece of legislation circumvents each Counties elected or appointed school board decisions and thus subjects the local decisions to central power - The Governor. This piece of legislation will allow for the local school barganing unit to appeal virtually any decision that it is not satisfied with - thus stripping local autonomy. And guess who appoints the Appeals Board - The Governor. Moreover, strong State central control over population growth allocation, business development, and environmental regulation is circumventing the easternshore's right to self-govern.
Sales Tax Collections Not Being Returned Back To Locality
As a devout reader in all of Maryland's House & Senate Bill synopsis for each of the past 5 legislative sessions - I can assure the typical eastern shore citizen - that our aspiring views are not held with the same weight and respect as we might be led to believe. For example under -both -Republican and Democratic Governorships - I have been personally informed by each administration and the State's Comptrollers offices that they were working on a formula to try and ascertain as to how much of the sales tax collections were actually being returned back into each respective District. After all isn't it fair to assume that what comes in - (sales tax revenues) - should stay in - as opposed to being funneled out into Districts that don't share in our representation. This is what I thought our Constitution was suppose to be about - to protect our population from taxation without representation. Then why should entities like the Maryland Stadium Authority and Baltimore Development Corporation be entitled to proceeds that come from our region. Do we - (eastern shore) - realize the same significant benefit?
Maryland Motorist Fuel Tax Not Being Returned Back To Locality
Or how about our Maryland fuel tax that is collected here on the shore in the millions and then we suddenly realize that all but $200,000 is being returned to Wicomico County.
Maryland's Unfunded State Employee Pensions
Let's not forget that Maryland's unfunded liability for its state employee pension system has now gone from just under $3 billion in 2004 to over $17 billion.
Maryland Retiree Health Care Benefits
We also have unfunded liability for retiree health care benefits that are over $15 billion dollars.
So all told we have over $32 billion in unfunded liability that is just simply being ignored.
Frederick County Also Taking Up Secession Study
Don't think that we aren't alone either - (Kent, Cecil, Caroline, Queen Anne, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset, Dorchester). Just this past month a Frederick County Commissioner, Republican Lennie Thompson, also made the suggestion for Frederick County to Secede. In fact, the Commissioners have already formally met to study the benefits of such a move.
In light of all of the above cited items - wouldn't it be prudent to either split and form our own separate State - or - alternatively, join-up with another entity - like Delaware - in order to allow our people to decide on how best to govern ourselves?
Soon to be elected officials - perk-up. If you aren't listening - now is a high time to be attentive! | <urn:uuid:7ec09015-ddd2-4984-9fd5-e20c0dfcb747> | {
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|About this Recording
NA401112 - JOYCE, J.: Ulysses (Abridged)
Ulysses is one of the greatest literary works in the English language. It created a stir as soon as it was published in 1922, partly because of the experimental nature of the writing and formal design and partly because in certain passages it contained more than usually explicit language. Indeed, the book was banned in parts of the world until 1936, and a New York court required expert witnesses to testify to its artistic merit. Despite such auspicious notoriety, Ulysses has remained more famous than popular, and for one simple reason: it is a very difficult book to read. Not so difficult as Joyce’s final novel, Finnegans Wake, to be sure, but difficult nevertheless.
The proof of its greatness, however, is that it rewards effort with an endless feast of delights, the more delightful for being hard won.
Put simply, Ulysses is an account of a single day in Dublin, June 16, 1904, seen from the perspective of three characters: Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom and Bloom’s wife Molly.
Readers of Joyce’s earlier novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, will recall Stephen Dedalus as its central character — Joyce’s own alter ego. Indeed, the confusion of fact with fiction continues in Ulysses. Virtually all the characters, from Bloom himself to the dozens of Dubliners with whom he collides during the course of the day, are based in some way on real people known to Joyce, just as all the references to the streets and buildings of Dublin are factually correct in every detail.
Leopold Bloom, an advertising canvasser, is the real protagonist of this novel. He is Ulysses. Ulysses was the Roman name for Odysseus, and this novel is, in one way, an updated version of Homer’s epic tale: The Odyssey. In Homer, Odysseus wanders for several years over several seas, before returning home at last to his faithful wife Penelope. In Joyce’s novel, Bloom wanders for but a day through the streets of Dublin, before returning at last to his faithless wife Molly. In Homer, Odysseus escapes from the cave of the one-eyed Cyclops, the Cyclops hurling rocks after his ship as he sails away. In Joyce, a drunken Irish nationalist, blinded by the sun in his eye, hurls a biscuit tin after Bloom (Jewish, and therefore a foreigner) as he makes his escape on a jaunting car. This is one of the many hundreds of clever parallels with The Odyssey, most of them so subtle that they go unnoticed.
Musical references abound too. At the start of Bloom’s day, he takes breakfast
into Molly, still in bed, along with the morning post. This includes a card from the impresario Hugh ‘Blazes’ Boylan, informing Molly of the program she is to sing in a forthcoming concert tour which he is arranging for her. On the program are the seduction duet ‘La ci darem’ from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and the popular ‘Love’s Old Sweet Song’. Boylan is to call that afternoon to go through these with her — though in point of fact he and Molly have rather more than musical rehearsal in mind. Bloom is well aware of all this, and for this reason ‘La ci darem’ and ‘Love’s Old Sweet Song’ are very much in his thoughts throughout the day. In the final chapter, too — Molly’s famous ‘stream of consciousness’ monologue — snatches of the two numbers rise
constantly to the surface, both consciously (as she imagines how she will perform them) and unconsciously (to accompany her careful breaking of wind).
The ‘stream of consciousness’ technique, for which the novel is so famous, is one of the things, which makes it so hard to read. Different trains of thought constantly intercept one another (as they do in real life), often without helpful punctuation, often leaving ideas or even words incomplete, and often making it hard to separate reality from fantasy, trivial matters from matters of significance. This last problem is particularly tricky, for in Joyce apparently trivial events or remarks can suddenly assume a huge significance.
An example: when Bloom is pestered by Bantam Lyons wanting to borrow his
newspaper to check on the horses running in the Gold Cup later that day, Bloom tells him to keep the paper, as he was only planning to throw it away. By coincidence (and unbeknown to Bloom), there is a horse called ‘Throwaway’, running in the race, with odds of twenty to one. Bantam Lyons takes Bloom’s remark to be a tip and hurries off excitedly. Much later, when Throwaway actually wins the race, there is huge resentment among the assembled company at Kiernan’s pub that Bloom had kept this tip to himself, and it is this which leads to the argument, which ends with the biscuit tin episode.
Even more unusual, perhaps, than the stream of consciousness passages, is the chapter describing Bloom and Stephen’s adventures in ‘Nighttown’ — the brothel area of Dublin — in the early hours of the morning. This chapter, the longest in the book, is set out like a play script, with capitalized character names, followed by stage directions and lines spoken by that character.
Although an important episode in the narrative, it also becomes a wild
phantasmagoric fantasy, with lines given to THE GASJET and THE FAN, as well asbrief appearances by LORD TENNYSON and KING EDWARD THE SEVENTH. The whore-mistress Bella Cohen appears in male apparel and is referred to as BELLO as she booms out her orders to Bloom (now female) and whips and threatens him.
Bloom has come to the brothel to keep an eye on young Stephen Dedalus who is far too drunk for his own good. When Stephen wildly smashes a gas lamp and races out of the house, Bloom follows after him and eventually takes him home to his own house to sober him up.
The chapter which follows, takes yet another unusual literary form: that of question and answer. Here, answers given to direct questions about the sequence of events as they unfold are often elaborate, even pedantic, and usually very amusing, with no detail going unspoken. At the end of the chapter, Bloom, now finally home in bed with Molly (they sleep head to toe, however), drifts off to sleep with two last questions: When? Going to a dark bed there was a square round Sinbad the Sailor roc’s auk’s egg in the night of the bed of all the auks of the rocs of Darkinbad the Brightdayler. Where?
The final chapter, Molly’s interior monologue, begins with a marvelous and subtle joke. Listening to her husband’s final sleepy murmurings she has taken them to be a request for morning room service: Yes because he never did a thing like that before
as ask to get his breakfast in bed with a couple of eggs…
Ulysses abounds with jokes such as this; for, long and difficult as it is, it is in fact
a comic novel. For the reader many of the jokes have to be dug out, worked out
through careful study — but for the listener many of the barriers to understanding
simply disappear. This is why the present recording will be so valuable to those
countless readers who have begun reading the book but “never got around to finishing it.” Brought to life through the spoken word, the difficulties melt away, to leave a
narrative as natural, as amusing and as moving as anything you have ever read.
A NOTE ABOUT THE ABRIDGEMENT
To record the whole of Ulysses would be a vast project, and would result in some
15 cassettes. In order to keep the issue to a size, which would not deter listeners either financially or in terms of sheer duration, a decision was made at the outset to limit this recording to four cassettes.
This has meant editing on a considerable scale. The outline of Bloom’s day remains, however, and we believe that enough of the narrative, color and variety have been retained to leave a version that will be satisfying as a first encounter with the book.
For those who already know Ulysses well, we hope that there will also be much here that will provide further elucidation as well as a great entertainment.
As with any abridgement, the starting point has been to maintain all that is essential to an understanding of the narrative. Of the first three chapters, we have retained only the opening of the first (Telemachus) — a famous opening and the important first account of Stephen’s mother’s death. The second chapter (Nestor) — with headmaster Deasey’s gleeful observation that Ireland has had no history of persecuting the Jews because ‘“she never let them in” — has regrettably gone. For reasons of balance, so too has the third, ‘Stephen’ chapter (Proteus) — ineluctably invisible in this case.
In the next two chapters (Calypso and The Lotus Eaters) only small edits have been made. It is here that we meet Leopold and Molly Bloom, and that many of the themes which are to recur throughout the book are first encountered — the music for the tour, the death of Paddy Dignam, the Gold Cup, and so on.
From here on we have selected key points in Bloom’s day: the meeting with Mrs. Breen and her litigious husband, lunch and its attendant nostalgic reminiscences (The Lestrygonians), political debate at Barney Kiernan’s (The Cyclops), Bloom’s erotic episode at the beach (Nausicaa), the fantastic events in Nighttown (Circe), Bloom’s return to Eccles St. (Ithaca) and Molly ’s final soliloquy (Penelope). All of these chapters have been editted to a greater or lesser extent, so that what we present here is clearly not Ulysses but ‘readings from Ulysses’. Our hope is that listeners will be intrigued and captivated by this material and subsequently feel emboldened to take on the book in its entirety. With the sound of these readings in their ears, this should now seem a far less daunting prospect.
All the music used in this presentation is music specifically referred to in Ulysses. Indeed, Don Giovanni and The Flying Dutchman are models for the book almost as important as The Odyssey itself. And the popular Love’s Old Sweet Song permeates the text.
Notes by Perry Keenlyside.
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Calculi - urinary
Last updated: Thursday, 08, April, 2004
MBS Online Search Page: Click here for details
Calculus obtained from spontaneous passage or surgical intervention
Commonly a series of spot tests are performed on pulverised, dissolved calculus. The mineral composition is then deduced from the relative amounts of each compound.
Calcium:spectrophotometry, atomic absorption spectrophotometry
Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction provide more definitive identification.
Identification of risk factors for stone recurrence. May guide extracorporeal lithotripsy.
Stones containing calcium may indicate hypercalciuria.
Uric acid stones, or stones with a uric acid nidus, may indicate strongly acidic overnight urine or hyperuricosuria.
Oxalate stones may indicate hyperoxaluria. Magnesium ammonium phosphate ('triple phosphate') stones indicate bacterial infection.
Cystine stones indicate cystinuria.
Xanthine stones indicate xanthinuria or treatment with allopurinol.
Stones that do not dissolve in acid are usually factitious.
Tiselius HG et al. Eur Urol 2001; 40(4): 362-3671. | <urn:uuid:7552db3e-14d7-4d16-89fe-ee3ec82a0aff> | {
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With the information below in your hip pocket, you can make an informed decision about your electric provider by submitting your zip code in the box. You will be able to compare the providers and plans available in your area, check out their rates and other cost factors, and select the provider and plan that works best for you. And don’t be surprised if you see some big savings as a result of your choice!
Electricity cost per kwh (kilowatt hour) is the standard way of pricing power. Generally speaking, the price you are paying on your electric bills reflects the cost of building, maintaining, and operating power plants and the electricity “grid” (the system of transmission and distribution lines that span the country), as well as the cost of getting power to your door and billing you for it.
Factors that Affect Your Electricity Cost per Kwh
Some of the factors that affect the price of power include:
- The fuel used to generate electricity (Coal, for example is relatively inexpensive and natural gas is more costly)
- Types and location of power plants
- Maintaining and using the grid to deliver electricity contributes to the cost of electricity.
- Weather conditions (Extreme heat or cold can significantly increase demand)
- State regulatory structure
Electricity prices are usually highest for residential and commercial consumers. Though customers pay set rates for power, the cost of electricity generation changes minute by minute, impacted by variables that include fluctuations in demand, fuel costs, availability of different generation sources, and plant availability. Electricity prices tend to rise during peak usage months in the summer and winter.
The average retail electricity cost per kwh in the United States in 2010 was 9.88 cents. The average electricity cost per kwh by type of utility customer were:
- Residential: 11.6¢
- Transportation: 11.0¢
- Commercial: 10.3¢
- Industrial: 6.8¢
Local Variations in Electricity Price
This map shows average electricity cost per kwh by state in 2007.
In 2010, the states with the highest electricity prices were:
- Hawaii (25.12¢ per kwh)
- Connecticut (17.39¢ per kwh)
- New York (16.31¢ per kwh)
Those with the lowest prices in 2010 were:
- Wyoming (6.20¢ per kwh)
- Idaho (6.54¢ per kwh)
- Kentucky (6.75¢ per kwh)
The variation in these prices has a lot to do with the fuel used to generate power. For example, Hawaii generation plants rely on expensive fuel oil, which is why the electricity cost per kwh and residents electric bills are high. At the other end of the cost spectrum, Idaho’s low electricity cost per kwh is primarily due to the availability of low-cost hydroelectric power.
With the wide variation in rates, one obvious (but likely not practical) way to lower electric bills is to relocate to a cheaper state. On the other hand, many of the states with higher electricity cost per kwh may have financial incentive programs; in all states, federal energy tax credits can make building renewable energy systems a useful strategy for lowering electric costs. | <urn:uuid:ad870ef6-7091-4902-b960-c35294244a0a> | {
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The Season Survivors - Birds!
This winters season has been quite a knockout! From torrential down pours in the west to snow and ice in the east – everyone has been up against some fierce competition dodging the elements. So, how are our feathered friends doing?
Tim Kiladze of Forbes.com just announced America’s Top 10 Worst Weather Cities this year (see list below). Some of them may surprise you, but what about the birds… how are they surviving.
Believe it or not, birds are very instinctive creatures and where there’s a will, there’s a way. They are wired to find food in these conditions and their bodies adjust to hang-in there during winter months.
A few of the things birds do to adapt to the cold and snow is to eat less during winter, fly further south, and can even go a few days without food if necessary.
No doubt, birds are affected by the cold – especially the young and weak, however, they are survivors and do their best each season to brave the storm.
Some experts suggest it is not necessary to put out feed for our feathered friends, but hobbyists and enthusiasts alike beg to differ. There is nothing wrong with putting out a feeder or two to help the birds cope during these times.
Some good food options to provide include black-oil sunflower seed, peanuts, and suet. These options are hearty and will keep bird energy levels high. Pet food, bread, and any of your dinner leftovers are not recommended. This will cause more problems by attracting mice, rats, and other unwanted pests.
Birds are amazing creatures and we still have a lot to learn. Remember to clean your feeders to prevent mold and bacteria growth and if you are looking for a new feeder, let us help! We have any and every type you need right at your fingertips – check it out!
Top 10 Worst Weather Cities in the U.S.
- New York City
Cohn, Meredith. Batimore Sun.com. Birds, squirrels weather the storm. Retrieved from the World Wide Web February 16, 2010. http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/bal-md.gr.animals16feb16,0,6181362.story
Kiladze, Tim. Forbes.com. America’s Worst Winter Weather Cities. Retrieved from the World Wide Web February 16, 2010. http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/05/weather-snow-storm-lifestyle-travel-winter-snowfall.html?feed=rss_forbeslife_travel
back to Birding Articles»
Birdfeeders.com is your leading online source for bird feeders, bird baths and bird houses. We offer the broadest and deepest selection of quality bird products to make your bird watching experience even more enjoyable! | <urn:uuid:5844a7d2-1a9d-453a-b01a-c485cac1e3a2> | {
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In the early years of farming, many tasks were done manually, including the job everyone hated; clearing the land of rocks. Each spring as the ice and snow left the fields, the field that had been completely cleared of rocks the previous spring was once again, dotted with a new crop of rocks. Clearing the land of rocks was one of the first tasks each spring. They were picked by hand and hauled off the field to prevent damage to the cultivating, planting and harvesting equipment.
During the summer when it rains the water moves around a rock carrying tiny bits of soil underneath it, gradually moving the rock to the surface. The same is true of frost. As frost heaves the ground, the rock is moved and again, soil is displaced under the rock causing it to gradually rise to the surface. As verified each spring, the supply under the surface seems to be never ending.
Eventually mechanical rock pickers pulled behind a tractor were developed but in the early years rocks were picked by hand. This was probably one of the most tiring and boring jobs on the farm, although weeding the garden was right up there. The job involved walking alongside a wagon with a low-sided box that was pulled by a team of horses and picking the rocks from strips 8 – 10 meters wide. The rock picking crew would proceed up and down the field until the entire field had been covered.
The team of horses were ideal for this chore as they didn’t require a driver, thus providing an extra pair of hands to pick rocks. Once the horses were set on a course would proceed straight down the field and would move forward or stop on the verbal commands ‘get-up and whoa’. Occasionally they would have to be re-directed but it was amazing how straight they would go.
Rocks too big to lift onto the wagon were rolled up a heavy plank (ramp) onto the wagon. Very big rocks were rolled onto a “stone boat”, a 4-ft by 6-ft (1½ by 2 metre) steel toboggan pulled by a team of horses or the tractor. If too big to roll onto the stone boat, the rocks were removed by wrapping a heavy (“logging”) chain around them and pulling them to the side of the field with a team of horses or the tractor.
Driving through the countryside today, tidy rows of rocks can still be seen lining the fence lines; rocks that were placed there through the hated but necessary tedious task of early pioneer families. | <urn:uuid:bfb36b56-4c08-4c3b-833a-14ae553349ba> | {
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The Keeshond used to be called a Spitz, Wolfspitz or German Spitz. In 1926, in England, they decided to call it the Keeshond, pronounced (/ˈkeɪz.hɒnd/ KAYZ-hond; plural: Keeshonden), according to Wikipedia. I couldn’t discover why that was – please let me know if you do. Maybe it was because the dog had too many names, so they would add one more. In England, they had called it the Dutch Barge Dog.
This dog is closely related to Spitz dogs (obviously!), such as the Großspitz, Mittelspitz, and Kleinspitz also known as Pomeranian.
They have a two-layer fur coat, silver and black, with perky ears, a ruff and a tail that curls over.
Would you love one of these? What about NINE little ones – and a couple of ducks?
[youtube width=”602″ height=”350″ video_id=”23eXVYrclEw”]
This Keeshond must have run into a snowbank. | <urn:uuid:b27c6383-c01b-45b6-8714-ecacc4b3ef7b> | {
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Journal Issue: Children and Poverty Volume 7 Number 2 Summer/Fall 1997
The Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
The Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) started as a two-year pilot program in 1972 in response to growing concern about evidence of malnutrition and related health problems among low-income pregnant women and children. Over the years, WIC has expanded and now serves almost seven million women and children per month. WIC focuses on the special nutritional needs of low-income pregnant women, infants, and children, based on the assumption that insufficient nutrition during these critical development periods may result in adverse health outcomes.
WIC participants must satisfy the eligibility conditions listed in Table 1. The WIC program provides three main benefits to participants: (1) vouchers for specific supplemental foods; (2) nutrition education; and (3) referrals to health care and social service providers. The foods target specific nutrients—protein, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron. Nutrition education in the WIC program focuses on the relationship between nutrition and health, assists participants to make positive changes in eating habits, and considers ethnic, cultural, and geographic food preferences. WIC providers also advise clients about types of health care, accessible locations of health care, and the utility of health care; however, WIC funds cannot be used directly to provide health care to participants.
Like the FSP, WIC is a food and nutrition assistance program for low-income individuals that attempts to raise the nutrition of participants. However, WIC is expected to be only supplemental to the FSP and is not an entitlement program. Participation in WIC is limited by federal funding levels, which have never been adequate to serve all eligible applicants. Federal regulations specify that a waiting list of eligible applicants be maintained. As program openings become available, a priority system, which gives priority to pregnant and breast-feeding women and infants over children, fills these openings from the waiting list.Program Coverage
Evidence concerning WIC's success in serving eligible individuals indicates almost full coverage (100% participation) of eligible infants but substantially less coverage (57% participation) of eligible children one to four years of age.9 Because WIC is not an entitlement program, estimated coverage rates reflect both the ability of WIC to serve all applicants with available funds and the decision of eligible individuals to apply for and receive WIC benefits. The extremely high infant participation presumably reflects WIC's system of giving priority to infants over children and the strong incentive of receiving free infant formula as an important motivator for eligible mothers.Achievement of Program Goals
Most large-scale evaluation studies of WIC have not used random assignment and, instead, compare the outcomes of WIC participants with those of a comparison group, with adequate statistical controls. The most comprehensive WIC program evaluation was the National WIC Evaluation (NWE), conducted during the early 1980s. The NWE compared outcomes for preschool children enrolled in WIC in 1983 with outcomes for preschool children previously enrolled in WIC and with those for children never enrolled in WIC, with controls for age, sex, and a vast array of socioeconomic characteristics.
Findings from the NWE indicate that participation in the WIC program is associated with increased intakes of some of but not all the nutrients targeted by WIC food packages. WIC participation is associated with higher intakes of iron and vitamin C for both infants and children, lower intakes of calcium and protein for infants, and no significant differences in vitamin A intakes for either infants or children.10 These dietary patterns are consistent with the almost exclusive use of iron-fortified formula by WIC infants compared with the use of whole cow's milk by the comparison group of non- WIC infants.10-12 Whole milk is higher in calcium and protein but lower in iron than WIC formula and is not recommended for infants. The strongest dietary effects were observed for the poorest children and for children from very large families and from female-headed households. Children receiving WIC benefits also were more likely than other similar children to receive any immunizations. Finally, children receiving WIC benefits were significantly more likely to have a regular source of health care than non-WIC children, although no statistically significant relationship was found between WIC participation and the actual use of preventive health care by infants or children.
Overall then, the findings from the NWE suggest that the WIC program achieves some of its program goals, especially regarding the intake of some key nutrients. The NWE may not, however, have adequately controlled for differences in socioeconomic status between WIC children and non-WIC children and may therefore underestimate WIC program effects.
Other evidence from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey also indicates improved infant feeding practices for WIC participants. These data show that mothers of infant WIC participants are significantly more likely than mothers of income-eligible nonparticipants to follow infant feeding guidelines and feed iron-fortified formula rather than cow's milk in the fifth and sixth months of infant feeding. 12 It is impossible to determine, however, whether these findings reflect WIC's nutrition education efforts or its provision of iron-fortified formula or a combination of the two. To date, no systematic evaluation of the nutrition education provided by WIC clinics has been conducted, although there are currently some ongoing studies.
In contrast to evaluation studies of the FSP, which focus primarily on food expenditures and dietary outcomes, many studies of the WIC program examine its effects on key health outcomes, in particular, the effects of the food supplements on reducing iron-deficiency anemia and on improving the physical and mental growth and development of infants and children. Although there are few rigorous evaluations of the effects of WIC on anemia, repeated measurements of the hematological status of WIC enrollees provide fairly convincing evidence of WIC's effect on reducing the incidence of iron-deficiency anemia among participating infants.13-16 Mixed and very dated evidence, however, suggests that little is known about the long-term effects of WIC on improving behavioral and cognitive development, outcomes that would presumably result from better iron nutrition status. In addition, little evidence exists concerning the effects of WIC participation on children one to four years of age, an age group that comprises about half of the total WIC caseload.
Other evidence of WIC's beneficial effects comes from studies of pregnancy outcomes among prenatal WIC participants. Numerous studies have documented the effects of prenatal WIC participation on increasing newborn birth weight and preventing low birth weight, preventing preterm delivery, reducing Medicaid costs, and even reducing infant mortality.17-21 While these studies attempt to control for differences in the characteristics of participants and nonparticipants, they generally have not been successful in adequately adjusting estimated effects for potential selection bias. The major problem with these selection bias models is that it is very difficult to find predictors of WIC participation that are not predictors of the outcomes in question, and thus it is very difficult to separate the effects on pregnancy outcomes of prenatal WIC participation from those of other factors. Despite the fact that the research on WIC's beneficial effects on birth outcomes may suffer from selection bias, the number of studies that have examined the effects of prenatal WIC participation, the broad range of outcomes that have been examined, and the efforts to control for participant-nonparticipant differences all suggest some beneficial effects of prenatal WIC participation.Indirect Program Outcomes
WIC is a broad-based program that often goes far beyond providing food in that it attempts to integrate the services available to low-income children. The finding presented earlier that WIC participation is associated with some improvements in immunization status is consistent with both WIC's referral role and with recent evidence that WIC may be used to promote immunizations.22
In addition, WIC may also have had a role in reducing the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia over time among all infants and children, including those who do not receive WIC. Because WIC vouchers constitute a large share of the market for infant formula and children's cereal, manufacturers may have changed the iron content of their products to meet WIC's eligibility requirements that include iron fortification. | <urn:uuid:04badf8b-db95-416a-86d1-1020a36cdc4a> | {
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« The use of social media in schools : some examples » by Patrick Dejarnac (teacher at HELMo, Liège-Belgium)
The Twitter Experiment – Twitter in the Classroom, by Dr. Monica Rankin :
«Most educators would agree that large classes set in the auditorium-style classrooms limit teaching options to lecture, lecture, and more lecture. And most educators would also agree that this is not the most effective way to teach. I wanted to find a way to incorporate more student-centered learning techniques and involve the students more fully into the material.»
Dr. Monica Rankin
Utilisation de Twitter à l’école Primaire : écrire pour lire :
Facebook : “The use of Facebook with students in HELMo’s classes”, by Pascale PEREAUX (teacher at HELMo, Liège-Belgium)
Two questions to Pascale Pereaux :
1°) what about the students who don’t have a FB account?
2°) why doesn’t she want to be “friends” with her students while they’re studying but she agrees when they’re graduated?
Here are her answers:
1°) students create a fake FB account just to follow the discussion
2°) to keep a sane pedagogical distance between teacher and students. This distance isn’t necessary anymore after graduation.
“Augmented learning environments & Social Network” by Sergio GARCIA, an skype live conversation with LaSalle University (Madrid-Spain)
First on-line lectures through Skype. Always a special moment with technical aspects to resolve !
Technical organisation !
Spanish students, Manuel and Jeremy
Sergio Garcia presentation @Bett 2013
Augmented reality : Augmented reality is a live, copy, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. Wikipedia
HowStuffWorks “How Augmented Reality Will Work” : The SixthSense augmented reality system lets you project a phone pad onto your hand and phone a friend — without removing the phone from your pocket.
Selected Bibliography concerning education (by Sergio Garcia : http://www.ticyeducacion.com/2013/02/augmented-learning-enviroments.html) :
Beauchamp, G. y Kennewell, S 2. (2010). Interactivity in the classroom and its impact on learning. Computers & education, 54(3), 759-766.
Beeland, W. (2002). Student engagement, visual learning and technology: can interactive whiteboards help? Valdosta State University http://chiron.valdosta.edu/are/Artmanscrpt/ vol1no1/beeland_am.pdf.
Istvan, F. (2009). Interactive boards and their function in education. International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning (iJAC), 2(1).
Online virtual lecture (Skype) with Mario ASSELIN (Quebec-Canada)
The Mario Asselin’s blog : http://blogue.marioasselin.com
His posts concerning education (in french) : http://www.opossum.ca/blog/category/nouvelles/
The blogs’ St-Joseph school : http://st-joseph.qc.ca/blog/archives/category/vie-pedagogique/blogues
A text about « Les blogues : de puissants outils pour faire apprendre » (.pdf) : http://www.cndp.fr/savoirscdi/fileadmin/fichiers_auteurs/cdi_outil_pedagogique/conduire_projets/MarioAsselin.pdf
A conference (in french) about « Social media : solutions or problems ? » | <urn:uuid:9af75f7a-17be-4ba0-a87f-1a35c3550c56> | {
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The low sperm count among rural Missouri males and the decline of the amphibious hellbender in the state's streams may be connected. But what is the cause?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Jeffrey Bonner, President of Saint Louis Zoo
February 3, 2008
In the second of a monthly series this year, Saint Louis Zoo President Jeffrey Bonner explores a part of the globe where the Zoo is working to conserve threatened species, protect natural habitat and partner with other organizations to strengthen the web of life in which we all live.
See video in St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
If you're a young man - say a twentysomething - or you know a young man in that age range, it's a pretty safe bet that he's half the man his grandfather was. That's about how much sperm counts have fallen in industrialized nations over the last 50 years.
When the first definitive study of declining sperm counts was published in the British Medical Journal in 1992, it caused quite a furor. Studies since then have shown that sperm counts are continuing their steady decline, though not at the same rate everywhere. In Minneapolis, for example, the sperm counts are dropping fairly slowly.
But in rural Missouri, they're going down more rapidly.
I find this a little scary. I'm not just worried for my son, a twentysomething who lives in rural Missouri, but also for me. Sperm counts aren't falling because guys are wearing underwear that's too tight or spending too much time in the hot tub, although those two things certainly can cause sperm counts to drop. I'm worried because industrialized nations all over the world are experiencing something that is causing a clear deterioration in our overall health.
The declining sperm counts are just a symptom of a much bigger problem - a problem that affects us if we are male or female, young or old.
In 2003, the authors of a study of Missouri men found a strong link between trace amounts of herbicides in the men's urine and the quality of their semen. The authors concluded that men were exposed to the herbicides through public drinking water.
An Endangered Amphibian
Missouri's fast flowing streams are not just a ready source of drinking water in rural areas, but they're also home to both subspecies of a wonderfully ugly - and startlingly large - amphibious salamander called a hellbender. Hellbenders grow to about a foot long, hide under flat rocks while breathing through their skin and can live up to 50 years. They are especially fond of the rivers in which we like to canoe. In fact, Missouri canoeists have probably passed over dozens of hellbenders without knowing they were there.
About 12 years ago, scientists realized that our native hellbenders had virtually stopped reproducing. The mature ones were doing fine, but offspring were not being born in substantial numbers.
The Missouri Department of Conservation began to bring wild-caught hellbenders to the St. Louis Zoo for our reproductive scientists to examine. The females seemed to have plenty of eggs, but the males had poor sperm counts and high numbers of abnormal sperm. Because hellbenders spend virtually all their lives in the water, it could well be that whatever has made the male hellbender's sperm go bad is having much the same effect on us.
In laboratory tests, trace amounts of herbicides (which are present in the bodies of rural Missouri men) can cause male frogs to turn into hermaphrodites, creatures with male and female sex organs. Worse, the herbicides can cause those changes at concentrations of about one-tenth of a part per billion - 30 times lower than those deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Of equal concern is many of the common drugs we consume. Their contents pass through our bodies, into sewage treatment plants and back into our rivers and streams. Estrogen, the active ingredient in many birth control pills, is one of these. In frogs, low levels of estrogen cause exposed tadpoles to become female; under normal conditions, half develop female and half develop male.
Tracking a Cause
So what is in the water that's harming our hellbenders? Could it be pesticides or herbicides? Growth hormones from cattle seeping into our watersheds? Estrogen?
Let's think about that last one a minute. It wouldn't take much estrogen, and there are a lot of canoeists. Most canoeists are young, that is to say of breeding age. Many of those breeding-age canoeists are females, and odds are many of those are on the pill. Canoeists can drink a lot on hot days on the river, and portable restrooms are few and far between. So, could estrogen present in female canoeists' urine be the culprit in the hellbenders' decline?
We don't know for certain. Estrogen is a possibility, but it is likely that multiple factors are at work altering the water quality. Because the bodies of hellbenders, like all amphibians, are like sponges, soaking up everything in their watery world, they are highly susceptible to changes in their environment.
At the Zoo, we're taking the first steps toward finding out exactly what's harming these incredible amphibians. In the basement of the herpetarium you'll find a replica of a Missouri stream. The temperature, oxygen levels, depth and current are timed to precisely mimic real conditions. Sprinklers come on to mimic rain and the light levels are adjusted to reflect the seasonal fluctuations in the length of daylight. Eight hellbenders live under large flat rocks, darting out to catch the crayfish that make up much of their diet in the Zoo and in the wild.
Last year, for the first time in history, females in our stream laid eggs and the males battled one another for the privilege of fertilizing them. One canny female stole some of the eggs, probably to cluster them around her own eggs so that a predator would eat her rival's first.
Unfortunately, none of the eggs hatched. We're hopeful that this year they will hatch, and we'll make history again. If we can get regular breeding and regular hatching, we can begin to subtly alter the water quality and measure the effects on the males' sperm, the females' eggs, and the number of offspring produced. Only then can we hope to unravel the mystery of why hellbenders have all but stopped reproducing in the wild.
At the same time, our nutrition scientists are intently studying and analyzing the diets of wild hellbenders. Perhaps the secret lies not in the water per se, but in what lives in the water that forms the hellbenders' diet. In St. Louis, our drinking water comes primarily from two rivers, the Missouri and the Mississippi. The headwater of the Mississippi is in Minnesota, which, as mentioned earlier, has more virile men than in much of Missouri.
We're proud of our water quality in St. Louis, but we're quite a ways downstream from the headwater. By the time you pour a glass of tap water from your kitchen faucet, you have no way of telling what elements that water has collected or how well it was treated on its way downstream.
We need to pay much more attention to what we're putting into our water, whether they be small streams or mighty rivers. We need to be careful of how we dispose of our waste oil, paint and solvents, careful of how much water we consume, careful to practice the best agricultural practices possible. We need to consider that a tiny bit of something that someone has poured (or excreted) into the water upstream can easily enter our bodies. And a tiny bit of something we put in our water can be ingested by someone in New Orleans.
Like Canaries in the Coal Mine
Why should anyone care about hellbenders? They are like the canaries in the coal mine. Our hellbenders and our frogs are giving us a warning: We can no longer treat our rivers and streams like giant natural sewers. Their power to self-cleanse is nearing - or has already passed - its limit. We can choose to swim in a stream; they can't. They live there.
If our Missouri streams are no longer safe for hellbenders to live in, how long will it be before it is unsafe for us to swim in them?
Republished with the permission of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Copyright 2008 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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Explorables: Handmade Science
Saturday, December 21, 2013 • 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Exploratorium, Pier 15, Phyllis C. Wattis Webcast Studio
Included with museum admission.
Use everyday materials to create models and other tools for exploring the world around us. Run by a dedicated team of volunteers, these drop-in workshops mix classic activities with open-ended investigations, encouraging participants to follow their hunches to aha! moments of scientific insight.
This month’s activities:
Glove-A-Phones are musical instruments you create with gloves, tubes, and straws. Some say they sound like saxophones; others think they sound more like bagpipes. What’s indisputable is that playing your glove-a-phone is a unique and wonderful experience.
Spectroscopes: Not all lights are the same, but all are equally fascinating. Spectroscopes allow the curious observer to examine the colors present in a light source. Is there a difference between the sun and lights in your home?
Rotocopters are a cross between spinning maple seeds and modern propellers. How far can your rotocopter fly?
Paper planes come in all shapes and sizes and range from simple to complex designs. Experiment to find which designs fly the furthest or perform the best tricks.
All materials provided; take what you make. For ages 3 and up. | <urn:uuid:38c6dbb7-7090-4f82-b94e-68537fa00846> | {
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Nutrition and cancer: A review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet
© Donaldson; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2004
Received: 28 September 2004
Accepted: 20 October 2004
Published: 20 October 2004
It has been estimated that 30–40 percent of all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle and dietary measures alone. Obesity, nutrient sparse foods such as concentrated sugars and refined flour products that contribute to impaired glucose metabolism (which leads to diabetes), low fiber intake, consumption of red meat, and imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats all contribute to excess cancer risk. Intake of flax seed, especially its lignan fraction, and abundant portions of fruits and vegetables will lower cancer risk. Allium and cruciferous vegetables are especially beneficial, with broccoli sprouts being the densest source of sulforophane. Protective elements in a cancer prevention diet include selenium, folic acid, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, chlorophyll, and antioxidants such as the carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin). Ascorbic acid has limited benefits orally, but could be very beneficial intravenously. Supplementary use of oral digestive enzymes and probiotics also has merit as anticancer dietary measures. When a diet is compiled according to the guidelines here it is likely that there would be at least a 60–70 percent decrease in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers, and even a 40–50 percent decrease in lung cancer, along with similar reductions in cancers at other sites. Such a diet would be conducive to preventing cancer and would favor recovery from cancer as well.
The field of investigation of the role of nutrition in the cancer process is very broad. It is becoming clearer as research continues that nutrition plays a major role in cancer. It has been estimated by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund that 30–40 percent of all cancers can be prevented by appropriate diets, physical activity, and maintenance of appropriate body weight . It is likely to be higher than this for some individual cancers.
Most of the research on nutrition and cancer has been reductionist; that is, a particular food or a nutrient has been studied in relation to its impact on tumor formation/regression or some other end point of cancer at a particular site in the body. These studies are very helpful in seeing the details of the mechanisms of disease. However, they do not help give an overall picture of how to prevent cancer on a dietary level. Even less, they tell little of how to eat when a person already has a cancer and would like to eat a diet that is favorable to their recovery.
This review will focus on those dietary factors which has been shown to be contribute to increased risk of cancer and then on those additional protective dietary factors which reduce cancer risk. Finally, some whole-diet studies will be mentioned which give a more complete picture of how these individual factors work together to reduce cancer risk.
Over Consumption of Energy (Calories)
Eating too much food is one of the main risk factors for cancer. This can be shown two ways: (1) by the additional risks of malignancies caused by obesity, and (2) by the protective effect of eating less food.
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Sixty-four percent of the adult population is overweight or obese . About 1 in 50 are now severely obese (BMI > 40 kg/m2) . Mokdad et al found that poor diet and physical inactivity was the second leading cause of death (400,000 per year in the USA), and would likely overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death.
It was estimated in a recent study, from a prospective cancer prevention cohort, that overweight and obesity accounted for 14 percent of all cancer deaths in men and 20 percent of those in women . Significant positive associations were found between obesity and higher death rates for the following cancers: esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, stomach (in men), prostate, breast, uterus, cervix, and ovary . The authors estimated that over 90,000 cancer deaths per year could be avoided if the adult population all maintained a normal weight (BMI < 25.0) . Clearly, obesity is a major risk factor for cancer.
On the other side, careful menu planning brings about an approach entitled CRON-Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition. The basic idea is to eat a reduced amount of food (about 70–80 percent of the amount required to maintain "normal" body weight) while still consuming all of the necessary amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other necessary nutrients. The only restriction is the total amount of energy (calories) that is consumed. While being difficult to practice, this approach has a lot of scientific merit for being able to extend average life spans of many species of animals including rats, mice, fish, and possibly primates (currently being tested). Along with this life span extension is a reduction in chronic diseases that are common to mankind, reviewed in Hursting et al . A recent meta-analysis of 14 experimental studies found that energy restriction resulted in a 55% reduction in spontaneous tumors in laboratory mice . Calorie restriction inhibited induced mammary tumors in mice and suppressed implanted tumor growth and prolonged survival in energy restricted mice . Among Swedish women who had been hospitalized for anorexia nervosa (definitely lower caloric intake, but not adequate nutrition) prior to age 40, there was a 23% lower incidence of breast cancer for nulliparous women and a 76% lower incidence for parous women . So, too many calories is definitely counter-productive, and slightly less than normal is very advantageous.
Refined sugar is a high energy, low nutrient food – junk food. "Unrefined" sugar (honey, evaporated cane juice, etc) is also very concentrated and is likely to contribute to the same problems as refined sugar. Refined wheat flour products are lacking the wheat germ and bran, so they have 78 percent less fiber, an average of 74 percent less of the B vitamins and vitamin E, and 69 percent less of the minerals (USDA Food database, data not shown). Concentrated sugars and refined flour products make up a large portion of the carbohydrate intake in the average American diet. One way to measure the impact of these foods on the body is through the glycemic index.
The glycemic index is an indication of the blood sugar response of the body to a standardized amount of carbohydrate in a food. The glycemic load takes into account the amount of food eaten. An international table of the glycemic index and glycemic load of a wide variety of foods has been published .
Case-control studies and prospective population studies have tested the hypothesis that there is an association between a diet with a high glycemic load and cancer. The case control studies have found consistent increased risk of a high glycemic load with gastric , upper aero digestive tract , endometrial , ovarian , colon or colorectal cancers [16, 17]. The prospective studies' results have been mixed. Some studies showed increased risk of cancer in the whole cohort with high glycemic load [18–20]; some studies found only increased risk among subgroups such as sedentary, overweight subjects [21–24]; other studies concluded that there was no increased risk for any of their cohort [25–28]. Even though there were no associations between glycemic load and colorectal, breast, or pancreatic cancer in the Nurses' Health Study there was still a strong link between diabetes and colorectal cancer .
Perhaps the dietary glycemic load is not consistently related to glucose disposal and insulin metabolism due to individual's different responses to the same glycemic load. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a time-integrated measurement of glucose control, and indirectly, of insulin levels. Increased risk in colorectal cancer was seen in the EPIC-Norfolk study with increasing HbA1c; subjects with known diabetes had a three-fold increased risk of colorectal cancer . In a study of a cohort in Washington county, Maryland, increased risk of colorectal cancer was seen in subjects with elevated HbA1c, BMI > 30 kg/m2, or who used medications to control diabetes . However, glycated hemoglobin was not found to be associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer in a small nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study . Elevated fasting glucose, fasting insulin, 2 hour levels of glucose and insulin after an oral glucose challenge, and larger waist circumference were associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer . In multiple studies diabetes has been linked with increased risk of colorectal cancer [34–37], endometrial cancer , and pancreatic cancer [35, 39]. It is clear that severe dysregulation of glucose metabolism is a risk factor for cancer. Foods which contribute to hyperinsulinemia, such as refined sugar, foods containing refined sugar, and refined flour products should be avoided and eliminated from a cancer protective diet.
Unrefined plant foods typically have an abundance of fiber. Dairy products, eggs, and meat all have this in common – they contain no fiber. Refined grain products also have most of the dietary fiber removed from them. So, a diet high in animal products and refined grains (a typical diet in the USA) is low in fiber. In prospective health studies low fiber was not found to be a risk for breast cancer . It is possible that fiber measurements are just a surrogate measure for unrefined plant food intake. Slattery et al found an inverse correlation between vegetable, fruit and whole grain intake plant food intake and rectal cancer, while refined grains were associated with increased risk of rectal cancer. A threshold of about 5 daily servings of vegetables was needed to reduce cancer risk and the effect was stronger among older subjects . Many other nutrients are co-variants with fiber, including folic acid, which is covered in detail below.
Red meat has been implicated in colon and rectal cancer. A Medline search in February 2003 uncovered 26 reports of human studies investigating the link between diet and colon or colorectal cancer. Of the 26 reports, 21 of them reported a significant positive relationship between red meat and colon or colorectal cancer [17, 41–64]. A recent meta-analysis also found red meat, and processed meat, to be significantly associated with colorectal cancer . Meat, and the heterocyclic amines formed in cooking, have been correlated to breast cancer in a case-control study in Uruguay as well .
Omega 3:6 Ratio Imbalance
Breast Cancer and Omega 3:6 Ratio.
# of cases w/ breast cancer
# of controls
Post / pre Menopausal
Measure of n-3 / n-6 fat
Odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval)
554 (population and hospital)
Pre & post
↑N3/N6 ratio in premenopausal women = Non-signif. ↓Breast cancer risk
In study site with population controls, find ↑N3/N6 ratio = Signif ↓Breast Cancer risk
0.50 (0.27, 0.95)
Nested case-control study in population study
4 out of 5 centers showed ↑N3/N6 ratio = ↓Breast Cancer risk
0.65 (p for trend = 0.55)
88 w/ benign breast disease
↑DHA = ↓Breast cancer
↑Ratio of long chain N-3:N-6 fat = ↓Breast cancer
74 w/ macromastia
N-6 fat content signif. higher in cases
P = 0.02
For given level of N-6 fat, EPA and DHA had a protective effect
P = 0.06
71 (within ORDET study)
142 (nested case control)
↑DHA = ↓Breast cancer
No associations between N-3:N-6 ratio and breast cancer
314 (within Singapore Chinese Health study)
↑Intake of N-3 fat from fish / shellfish = ↓Breast cancer, for all 3 highest quartiles
Among women in lowest quartile of N-3 fat intake, ↑N-6 fat intake = ↓Breast cancer
Flax seed provides all of the nutrients from this small brown or golden hard-coated seed. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber, omega 3 fat (as alpha-linolenic acid), and lignans. The lignans in flax seed are metabolized in the digestive tract to enterodiol and enterolactone, which have estrogenic activity. In fact, flax seed is a more potent source of phytoestrogens than soy products, as flax seed intake caused a bigger change in the excretion of 2-hydroxyestrone compared to soy protein .
Ground flax seeds have been studied for its effect on cancer, including several excellent studies by Lilian Thompson's research group at the University of Toronto. In one study the flax seed, its lignan fraction, or the oil were added to the diet of mice who had previously been administered a chemical carcinogen to induce cancer. All three treatments reduced the established tumor load; the lignan fraction containing secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG) and the flax seed also reduced metastasis . In another study the flax lignan SDG was fed to mice starting 1 week after treatment with the carcinogen dimethylbenzanthracene. The number of tumors per rat was reduced by 46% compared to the control in this study . Flax or its lignan (SDG) were tested to see if they would prevent melanoma metastasis. The flax or lignan fraction were fed to mice two weeks before and after injection of melanoma cells. The flax treatment (at 2.5, 5, or 10% of diet intake) resulted in a 32, 54, and 63 percent reduction in the number of tumors, compared to the control . The SDG, fed at amounts equivalent to the amount in 2.5, 5, or 10% flax seed, also reduced the tumor number, from a median number of 62 in the control group to 38, 36, and 29 tumors per mouse in the SDG groups, respectively .
More recently Thompson's research group studied mice that were injected with human breast cancer cells. After the injection the mice were fed a basal diet (lab mouse chow) for 8 weeks while the tumors grew. Then one group continued the basal diet and another was fed a 10% flax seed diet. The flax seed reduced the tumor growth rate and reduced metastasis by 45% .
Flax seed has been shown to enhance mammary gland morphogenesis or differentiation in mice. Nursing dams were fed the 10% flax seed diet (or an equivalent amount of SDG). After weaning the offspring mice were fed a regular mouse chow diet. Researchers then examined the female offspring and found an increased number of terminal end buds and terminal ducts in their mammary glands with more epithelial cell proliferation, all demonstrating that mammary gland differentiation was enhanced . When these female offspring were challenged with a carcinogen to induce mammary gland tumors there were significantly lower incidence of tumors (31% and 42% lower in the flax seed and SDG groups, respectively), significantly lower tumor load (51% and 62% lower in the flax seed and SDG groups, respectively), significantly lower mean tumor size (44% and 68% lower in the flax seed and SDG groups, respectively), and significantly lower tumor number (47% and 45% lower in the flax seed and SDG groups, respectively) . So, flax seed and its lignan were able to reduce tumor growth (both in number and size of tumors), prevent metastasis, and even cause increased differentiation of mouse mammary tissue in suckling mice, making the offspring less susceptible to carcinogenesis even when not consuming any flax products.
Other researchers have tested flax seed and prostate cancer. In an animal model using mice, Lin et al found that a diet supplemented with 5% flax inhibited the growth and development of prostate cancer in their experimental mouse model. A pilot study of 25 men who were scheduled for prostatectomy surgery were instructed to eat a low-fat diet (20% or less of energy intake) and to supplement with 30 g of ground flaxseed per day. During the follow-up of an average of 34 days there were significant changes in serum cholesterol, total testosterone, and the free androgen index . The mean proliferation index of the experimental group was significantly lower and apoptotic indexes higher compared to historical matched controls. Ground flax seed may be a very beneficial food for men battling prostate cancer. However, a meta-analysis of nine cohort and case-control studies revealed an association between flax seed oil intake or high blood levels of alpha-linolenic acid and prostate cancer risk . It is quite likely that the lignans in flax seed are a major component of flax's anti-cancer effects so that flax oil without the lignans is not very beneficial. Some brands of flax seed oil retain some of the seed particulate because of the beneficial properties of the lignans.
Fruits and Vegetables
One of the most important messages of modern nutrition research is that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables protects against cancer. (The greatest message is that this same diet protects against almost all other diseases, too, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.) There are many mechanisms by which fruits and vegetables are protective, and an enormous body of research supports the recommendation for people to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Block et al reviewed about 200 studies of cancer and fruit and vegetable intake. A statistically significant protective effect of fruits and vegetables was found in 128 of 156 studies that gave relative risks. For most cancers, people in the lower quartile (1/4 of the population) who ate the least amount of fruits and vegetables had about twice the risk of cancer compared to those who in the upper quartile who ate the most fruits and vegetables. Even in lung cancer, after accounting for smoking, increasing fruits and vegetables reduces lung cancer; an additional 20 to 33 percent reduction in lung cancers is estimated .
Steinmetz and Potter reviewed the relationship between fruits, vegetables, and cancer in 206 human epidemiologic studies and 22 animal studies . They found "the evidence for a protective effect of greater vegetable and fruit consumption is consistent for cancers of the stomach, esophagus, lung, oral cavity and pharynx, endometrium, pancreas, and colon." Vegetables, and particularly raw vegetables, were found to be protective; 85% of the studies that queried raw vegetable consumption found a protective effect. Allium vegetables, carrots, green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, and tomatoes also had a fairly consistent protective effect . Allium vegetables (garlic, onion, leeks, and scallions) are particularly potent and have separately been found to be protective for stomach and colorectal cancers [82, 83] and prostate cancer .
There are many substances that are protective in fruits and vegetables, so that the entire effect is not very likely to be due to any single nutrient or phytochemical. Steinmetz and Potter list possible protective elements: dithiolthiones, isothiocyanates, indole-32-carbinol, allium compounds, isoflavones, protease inhibitors, saponins, phytosterols, inositol hexaphosphate, vitamin C, D-limonene, lutein, folic acid, beta carotene (and other carotenoids), lycopene, selenium, vitamin E, flavonoids, and dietary fiber .
A joint report by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research found convincing evidence that a high fruit and vegetable diet would reduce cancers of the mouth and pharynx, esophagus, lung, stomach, and colon and rectum; evidence of probable risk reduction was found for cancers of the larynx, pancreas, breast, and bladder .
Many of the recent reports from prospective population-based studies of diet and cancer have not found the same protective effects of fruits and vegetables that were reported earlier in the epidemiological and case-control studies [reviewed in ]. One explanation is that people's memory of what they ate in a case-cohort study may have been tainted by their disease state. Another problem might be that the food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) used to measure food intake might not be accurate enough to detect differences. Such a problem was noted in the EPIC study at the Norfolk, UK site. Using a food diary the researchers found a significant correlation between saturated fat intake and breast cancer, but using a FFQ there was no significant correlation . So, inaccurate measurement of fruit and vegetable intake might be part of the explanation as well.
It must be noted that upper intakes of fruits and vegetables in these studies are usually within the range of what people on an American omnivorous diet normally eat. In the Nurses Health Study the upper quintiles of fruit and vegetable intake were 4.5 and 6.2 servings/day, respectively . Similarly, the upper quintiles of fruit and vegetable intake in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study were 4.3 and 5.4 serving/day for fruits and vegetables, respectively . Intakes of fruits and vegetables on the Hallelujah Diet are much higher, with median reported intakes of six servings of fruits (646 g/day) and eleven servings of vegetables per day (971 g/day) in addition to a green powder from the juice of barley leaves and alfalfa that is equivalent to approximately another 100 g/day of fresh dark greens. So, it is very possible that the range of intakes in the prospective population based studies do not have a wide enough intake on the upper end to detect the true possible impact of a very high intake of fruits and vegetables on cancer risk.
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts) contain sulforophane, which has anti-cancer properties. A case-control study in China found that intake of cruciferous vegetables, measured by urinary secretion of isothiocyanates, was inversely related to the risk of breast cancer; the quartile with the highest intake only had 50% of the risk of the lowest intake group . In the Nurses' Health Study a high intake of cruciferous vegetables (5 or more servings/week vs less than two servings/week) was associated with a 33% lower risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma . In the Health Professionals Follow-up Study bladder cancer was only weakly associated with low intake of fruits and vegetables, but high intake (5 or more servings/week vs 1 or less servings/wk) of cruciferous vegetables was associated with a statistically significant 51% decrease in bladder cancer . Also, prostate cancer risk was found to be reduced by cruciferous vegetable consumption in a population-based case-control study carried out in western Washington state. Three or more servings per week, compared to less than one serving of cruciferous vegetables per week resulted in a statistically significant 41% decrease in prostate cancer risk . Similar protective effects of cruciferous vegetables were seen in a multi-ethnic case-control study . A prospective study in Shanghai, China found that men with detectable amounts of isothiocyanates in their urine (metabolic products that come from cruciferous vegetables) had a 35% decreased risk of lung cancer. Among men that had one or two genetic polymorphisms that caused them to eliminate these isothiocyanates slower there was a 64% or 72% decreased risk of lung cancer, respectively .
Broccoli sprouts have a very high concentration of sulforophane since this compound originates in the seed and is not made in the plant as it grows [95, 96]. One sprout contains all of the sulforophane that is present in a full-grown broccoli plant. So, if sulforophane is especially cancer-protective, it would seem reasonable to include some broccoli sprouts in an anti-cancer diet.
Selenium is a mineral with anti-cancer properties. Many studies in the last several years have shown that selenium is a potent protective nutrient for some forms of cancer. The Arizona Cancer Center posted a selenium fact sheet listing the major functions of selenium in the body . These functions are as follows:
1. Selenium is present in the active site of many enzymes, including thioredoxin reductase, which catalyze oxidation-reduction reactions. These reactions may encourage cancerous cells to under apoptosis.
2. Selenium is a component of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.
3. Selenium improved the immune systems' ability to respond to infections.
4. Selenium causes the formation of natural killer cells.
5. P450 enzymes in the liver may be induced by selenium, leading to detoxification of some carcinogenic molecules.
6. Selenium inhibits prostaglandins that cause inflammation.
7. Selenium enhances male fertility by increased sperm motility.
8. Selenium can decrease the rate of tumor growth.
Prospective Nested Case Control Studies of Selenium and Prostate Cancer.
Physicians Health Study
↑Se = ↓risk of advance prostate cancer (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.28–0.98)
Result only in men with PSA ≥ 4 ng/mL
Netherlands Cohort Study
↑Se = ↓risk prostate cancer (OR for quintiles of Se = 1.0, 1.05, 0.69, 0.75, 0.69; 95% CI = 0.48–0.99)
Results greatest in ex-smokers
Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
↑Se = ↓risk prostate cancer (OR for quartiles of Se = 1.0, 0.15, 0.21, 0.24
Washington County, Maryland
Top 4/5 of Se had reduction in prostate cancer risk; statistically significant result for Se only when γtocopherol levels were high
Men in top quintile of serum γtocopherol had 5-fold reduced risk of prostate cancer compared to lowest quintile
Health Professional Follow-up Study
↑Se = ↓risk of advanced prostate cancer
Adjusted OR = 0.35 (95% CI = 0.16–0.78)
↑Se = ↓risk of gastrointestinal and prostate cancer
Results not statistically significant
Overall, it appears that poor selenium levels, especially for men, are a cancer risk. If a person has low selenium levels and other antioxidant defenses are also low the cancer risk is increased even further. Women do not appear to be as sensitive to selenium, as breast cancer has not been found to be influenced by selenium status in several studies [100–104], although both men and women were found to be protected by higher levels of selenium from colon cancer and lung cancer [105, 106]. Good vegetarian sources of selenium are whole grains and legumes grown in selenium-rich soil in the western United States, brazil nuts (by far the most dense source of selenium), nutritional yeast, brewers yeast, and sunflower seeds.
All green plants also contain chlorophyll, the light-collecting molecule. Chlorophyll and its derivatives are very effective at binding polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (carcinogens largely from incomplete combustion of fuels), heterocyclic amines (generated when grilling foods), aflatoxin (a toxin from molds in foods which causes liver cancer), and other hydrophobic molecules. The chlorophyll-carcinogen complex is much harder for the body to absorb, so most of it is swept out with the feces. The chemoprotective effect of chlorophyll and its derivatives has been tested in laboratory cell cultures and animals [107, 108]. There is so much compelling evidence for anti-carcinogenic effects of chlorophyll that a prospective randomized controlled trial is being conducted in Qidong, China to see if chlorophyllin can reduce the amount of liver cancer cases, which arise from aflatoxin exposure in their foods (corn, peanuts, soy sauce, and fermented soy beans). A 55% reduction in aflatoxin-DNA adducts were found in the group that took 100 mg of chlorophyllin three times a day . It was supposed that the chlorophyllin bound up aflatoxins, but there were chlorophyllin derivatives also detected in the sera (which had a green tint to it) of the volunteers who took the supplement, indicating a possible role in the body besides binding carcinogens in the gut .
Vitamin B-12 has not been proven to be an anti-cancer agent, but there is some evidence indicating that it could be beneficial. The form of administered vitamin B-12 may be important.
Some experimental cancer studies have been carried out with various forms of vitamin B-12. Methylcobalamin inhibited tumor growth of SC-3 injected into mice , and caused SC-3 mouse mammary tumor cells to undergo apoptosis, even when stimulated to grow by the presence of growth-inducing androgen . Methylcobalamin, but not cyanocobalamin, increased the survival time of mice bearing implanted leukemia tumor cells . 5'-deoxyadenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin, but not cyanocobalamin, were shown to be effective cytotoxic agents . Methylcobalamin also was able to increase survival time and reduce tumor growth in laboratory mice .
Laboratory mechanistic evidence for the effects of vitamin B12 were seen in a laboratory study with vitamin B-12 deficient rats. Choi et al found that the colonic DNA of the B-12 deficient rats had a 35% decrease in genomic methylation and a 105% increase in uracil incorporation, both changes that could increase risk of carcinogenesis. In two prospective studies (one in Washington Country, Maryland and the Nurses' Health Study) a relation between lower vitamin B12 status (but not deficiency) and statistically significant higher risk of breast cancer was found [117, 118]. So, there is evidence from laboratory studies, prospective cohort studies, and mechanistic studies showing that vitamin B-12 is an important nutrient for genetic stability, DNA repair, carcinogenesis, and cancer therapy.
Folate and Colon / Rectal Cancer.
Case / control USA
Folate supplementation = 62% lower incidence of neoplasia
result not SS
Case / control NY state
Matched neighbor-hood controls
↑Folate = ↓rectal cancer, OR = 0.5 men, OR = 0.31, women Folate no effect for colon cancer
Case / control Majorca, Spain
Colon cancer related to total calories, cholesterol, animal protein, low fiber, low folic acid
Case / Control Wash. state
↑Alcohol = ↑cancer risk; ↑fiber = ↓risk; no relation to folate intake
2.5X risk for 30 g/day alcohol
Nurses' Health Study & Health Professionals Follow-up Study
564 women, 331 men
↑folate = ↓risk of colorectal adenoma: ORwomen = 0.66, ORmen = 0.63
Case / Control, Italy
2,024 hospital controls
Protective trends for β-carotene, ascorbic acid, vit E, and folate (OR = 0.32, 0.40, 0.60, 0.52, respectively)
Similar for colon and rectal cancer
US male health professional cohort
↑Alcohol = ↑colon cancer (OR = 2.07 for ≥ 2 drinks/day; folate weakly protective; ↑Alcohol + ↓folate = ↑colon cancer risk (OR = 3.30)
α-tocopherol, β-carotene study cohort of smokers
↑dietary folate = ↓colon cancer (OR = 1.0, 0.40, 0.34, 0.51, P-trend = 0.15);
alcohol intake increased risk
Case control, population based
Composite dietary profile (alcohol intake, methionine, folate, vit B12, B6) trend of increasing risk for high risk group
Nurses' Health Study
↑folate intake = ↓colon cancer (OR = 0.69); long-term use of multi-vitamins beneficial
Folate intake includes multi-vitamins
NYU Women's Health Study
↑folate = ↓colorectal cancer risk (OR = 0.52, P-trend = 0.04
Alcohol increased risk
NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study
↑folate = ↓colon cancer (ORmen = 0.40, P-trend = 0.03; ↑alcohol, ↓folate = ↑colon cancer (ORmen = 2.67
Results not stat. signif in women
Nurses' Health Study
↑folate intake = ↓colon cancer in women with family history (OR = 0.48)
Folate effect greater in women with family history
Canadian National Breast Screening Study
↑folate = ↓colorectal cancer (OR = 0.6, P-trend = 0.25
Results not SS
Prospective cohort in The Netherlands
Rectal: OR, men 0.66, women no trend
Trends SS only in men
Case / Control Italy
↑folate = ↓colorectal cancer (OR = 0.72)
Population drinks alcohol regularly
Iowa Women's health Study
↑folate + (↑B12 or ↑B6) = ↓colon cancer (OR = 0.59, 0.65, respectively
Nutrients not independent, alcohol increases risk
Case / Control NC state
↑β-carotene, vit C, calcium = 40–60 % ↓risk colon cancer in whites; in African Americans ↑ vit C and E = 50–70% ↓risk colon cancer; no relation to folate to cancer risk
Colon cancer rates higher in Aftrican Americans in NC; due to less UV light absorption with dark skin?
Wheat Bran Fiber trial, test for recurrence of adenoma polyps
1,014 men and women
↑homocysteine = ↑risk (OR = 0.69); ↑plasma folate = ↓risk (OR = 0.66) ↑folate or B6 intake (diet + supplements) = ↓risk (OR = 0.61
SS; cut-off for highest quartile is 664 μg/day (way above RDA)
Prospective Studies of Folate and Breast Cancer.
Nurses' Health Study
↓folate intake + alcohol = ↑risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.55, P-trend = 0.001)
Folate intake not associated with overall risk of breast cancer
Canadian National Breast Screening Study
↓folate intake + alcohol = ↑risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.34, P-trend = 0.004)
Folate intake not associated with overall risk of breast cancer
Prospective study in USA with postmenopausal women
Among drinkers, ↓folate intake = ↑breast cancer risk (OR = 1.59)
No association in overall cohort
Shanghai Breast Cancer Study, China
↑folate intake = ↓ risk (OR = 0.71, P-trend = 0.05); ↑folate, ↑methionine, ↑B6, ↑B12 = ↓risk (OR = 0.47, P-trend = 0.01)
No alcohol, no supplements, unprocessed, unfortified foods
Nurses' Health Study II, study of premenopausal women
Vitamin A protective (OR = 0.28); Vitamins C, E, and folate not associated with risk.
Nurses' Health Study
↑plasma folate = ↓risk (OR = 0.73, P-trend = 0.06). For women who drank alcohol, ↑plasma folate even more protective, OR = 0.11.
↑plasma B6 and plasma B12 were also protective
Prospective study in USA with postmenopausal women
1,823, 308 with family history (FH)
FH- +Alcohol = ↑risk (OR = 1.40) FH- + Alcohol + ↑folate = normal risk; FH+ ↓folate = ↑risk for drinkers (OR = 2.21) and non-drinkers (OR = 2.39); FH+ +Alcohol + ↑folate = ↑risk (OR = 1.67); FH+ + ↑folate = normal risk
Women with family history of breast cancer can reduce risk by increasing folate intake and not drinking.
Folate may be more important for rapidly dividing tissue, like the colonic mucosa. Therefore, the cancer risk associated with low folate intake is probably higher for colon cancer than for breast cancer. Most of the breast cancer studies only found a protective effect of folate among women who consumed alcohol (see Table 4). However, among women residents of Shanghai who consumed no alcohol, no vitamin supplements and ate unprocessed, unfortified foods there was a 29% decreased risk of breast cancer among those with the highest intake of folate . So, there may be a true protective effect that is masked in the western populations by so many other risk factors. Two studies showed that the risk of cancer due to family history can be modified by high folate intake, so a prudent anti-cancer diet would be high in dark green leafy vegetables. The mean intake of folic acid on the Hallelujah Diet was 594 μg/day for men and 487 μg/day for women .
Vitamin D is produced primarily from the exposure of the skin to sunshine. Even casual exposure of the face, hands, and arms in the summer generates a large amount of vitamin D. In fact, simulated sunshine, equivalent to standing on a sunny beach until a slight pinkness of the skin was detected, was equivalent to a 20,000 IU oral dose of vitamin D2 . (Note that the RDA is 400 IU for most adults.) It has been estimated that 1,000 IU per day is the minimal amount needed to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D in the absence of sunshine , and that up to 4,000 IU per day can be safely used with additional benefit .
The concentration of the active hormonal form of vitamin D is tightly regulated in the blood by the kidneys. This active hormonal form of vitamin D has the potent anti-cancer properties. It has been discovered that various types of normal and cancerous tissues, including prostate cells , colon tissue , breast, ovarian and cervical tissue , pancreatic tissue and a lung cancer cell line all have the ability to convert the major circulating form of vitamin D, 25(OH)D, into the active hormonal form, 1,25(OH)2D. So, there is a local mechanism in many tissues of the body for converting the form of vitamin D in the body that is elevated by sunshine exposure into a hormone that has anticancer activity.
Indeed, 25(OH)D has been shown to inhibit growth of colonic epithelial cells , primary prostatic epithelial cells , and pancreatic cells . So, the laboratory work is confirming what had been seen some time ago in ecological studies of populations and sunshine exposure.
Prospective Studies of Vitamin D and Cancer.
Vit D measure
19-year cohort study of 1,954 men
↑vit D + calcium = ↓colorectal cancer (rates for lowest to highest intakes were 38.9, 24,5, 22,5 and 14.3/1000 population
Significant effect even after adjustments for confounding factors; 2.7 fold reduction.
Washington county, Maryland cohort
↑serum vit D = ↓colon cancer. Relative risk was 0.25 for 3rd quintile and 0.20 for 4th quintile.
4–5 fold reduction
Physicians' Health Study
Serum 25(OH)D & 1,25(OH)D2
No relation between vitamin D metabolite levels and prostate cancer
Nurses' Health Study
Dietary and supplement intake
Colon cancer RR = 0.42 (SS) for total vitamin D, comparing top and bottom quintiles
Calcium not related to colon cancer risks; 2.4 fold reduction
Finnish clinical cohort
Serum 25(OH)D & 1,25(OH)D2
↑serum 25(OH)D = ↓risk of rectal cancer, RR by quartile = 1.00, 0.93, 0.77, 0.37, P trend = 0.06.
Serum 25(OH)D 12% lower in cases than in controls (12.2 vs 13.8 ng/l, P = 0.01; 2.7-fold reduction
NHANES I Follow-up Study
Sunlight and diet
Risk reductions for breast cancer for women in regions with high solar radiation (RR 0.35 – 0.75).
Helsinki Heart Study
↑serum 25(OH)D = ↓prostate cancer. 1.7 fold greater risk for below median level compared to above median level.
Young men (<52 years old) with low 25(OH)D had much higher risk of advanced prostate cancer (OR = 6.3)
Randomized controlled trial for colon adenoma recurrence
Serum 25(OH)D & 1,25(OH)D2, and supplementary calcium
803 subjects total
Above medium 25(OH)D and supplemental calcium reduced adenoma recurrence (RR = 0.71)
Calcium and vitamin D appeared to work together to reduce colon cancer risk.
Norway, Finland, Sweden cohort of men
≤ 19 nmol/l and ≥ 80 nmol/l of 25(OH)D at higher risk of prostate cancer. (40–60 nmol/l had lowest risk).
α- and β-Carotene and other Carotenoids
Carotenoids have been studied vigorously to see if these colorful compounds can decrease cancer risk. In ecological studies and early case-control studies it appeared that β-carotene was a cancer-protective agent. Randomized controlled trials of β-carotene found that the isolated nutrient was either neutral or actually increased risk of lung cancer in smokers [142, 143]. Beta-carotene may be a marker for intake of fruits and vegetables, but it does not have a powerful protective effect in isolated pharmacological doses.
Studies of Carotenoids and Lung Cancer.
Dose-dependent inverse associations for dietary β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein; Subjects with highest intake of all 3 had the lowest risk
Previous study showed variety of vegetables more protective than just foods rich in a particular carotenoid
Washington county, Maryland residents
↑Serum/plasma levels of cryptoxanthin, β-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin = ↓cancer (OR = 0.74, 0.83, 0.90, SS)
Case control, Spain
No association for intake of α-carotene, β-carotene, or lutein.
Case control, Uruguay
↑total carotenoids = ↓cancer (OR = 0.43, SS)
Risk reduction for vit E and glutathione also seen.
↑α-carotene = ↓cancer (OR = 0.61, SS); β-carotene inversely related but not SS.
90% of α-carotene from carrots
↑Fruits and ↑root vegetables = ↓cancer (OR = 0.58, 0.56, respectively, SS)
Nurses' Health Study & Health Professionals Follow-Up Study
↑α-carotene, lycopene, total carotenoids = ↓cancer (OR = 0.75, 0.80, 068 respectively, SS); Never smokers + ↑α-carotene = ↓cancer (OR = 0.37, SS)
4–8 year lag between diet assessment and date of diagnosis gave strongest correlations.
Shanghai men's cohort
↑serum β-cryptoxanthin = ↓cancer (OR quartiles = 1, 0.72, 0.42, 0.45, P-trend = 0.02); Smokers with above median level of total carotenoids had a SS 37% reduction in cancer risk
Study population had ~50% lower mean levels of serum carotenoids compared to US whites.
Canadian National Breast Screening Study
Non-significant inverse trend in risk for α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin
β-cryptoxanthin most from citrus, red peppers
Japan Collaborative Cohort Study
↑α-carotene, β-carotene, canthaxanthin, total carotenoids = ↓risk (OR = 0.35, 0.21, 0.37, 0.27 respectively, SS); lycopene and β-cryptoxanthin reduce lung cancer risk, but not significantly
Singapore Chinese Health Study
↑dietary β-cryptoxanthin = ↓cancer risk (OR = 0.73, 0.63 for smokers, SS)
No significant associations of other carotenoids with lung cancer
Pooled analysis of 7 cohorts in USA and Europe
↑ dietary β-cryptoxanthin = ↓lung cancer (OR = 0.76, SS)
Other dietary carotenoids not significantly related to lung cancer.
The richest source of α-carotene is carrots and carrot juice, with pumpkins and winter squash as a second most-dense source. There is approximately one μg of α-carotene for every two μg of β-carotene in carrots. The most common sources of β-cryptoxanthin are citrus fruits and red sweet peppers.
Of the various carotenoids lycopene has been found to be very protective, particularly for prostate cancer. The major dietary source of lycopene is tomatoes, with the lycopene in cooked tomatoes being more bioavailable than that in raw tomatoes. Several prospective cohort studies have found associations between high intake of lycopene and reduced incidence of prostate cancer, though not all studies have produced consistent results [144, 145]. Some studies suffer from a lack of good correlation between lycopene intake assessed by questionnaire and actual serum levels, and other studies measured intakes among a population that consumed very few tomato products. The studies with positive results will be reviewed here.
In the Health Professionals Follow-up Study there was a 21% decrease in prostate cancer risk, comparing the highest quintile of lycopene intake with the lowest quintile. Combined intake of tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice, and pizza (which accounted for 82% of the lycopene intake) were associated with a 35% lower risk of prostate cancer. Furthermore, lycopene was even more protective for advanced stages of prostate cancer, with a 53% decrease in risk . A more recent follow-up report on this same cohort of men confirmed these original findings that lycopene or frequent tomato intake is associated with about a 30–40% decrease in risk of prostate cancer, especially advanced prostate cancer .
In addition to the two reports above a nested case control study from the Health Professional Follow-up Study with 450 cases and controls found an inverse relation between plasma lycopene and prostate cancer risk (OR 0.48) among older subjects (>65 years of age) without a family history of prostate cancer . Among younger men high plasma β-carotene was associated with a statistically significant 64% decrease in prostate cancer risk. So, the results for lycopene have been found for dietary intakes as well as plasma levels.
In a nested case-control study from the Physicians' Health Study cohort, a placebo-controlled study of aspirin and β-carotene, there was a 60% reduction in advanced prostate cancer risk (P-trend = 0.006) for those subjects in the placebo group with the highest plasma lycopene levels, compared to the lowest quintile. The β-carotene also had a protective effect, especially for those men with low lycopene levels .
In addition to these observational studies, two clinical trials have been conducted to supplement lycopene for a short period before radical prostatectomy. In one study 30 mg/day of lycopene were given to 15 men in the intervention group while the 11 men were in the control group were instructed to follow the National Cancer Institute's recommendations to consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Results showed that the lycopene slowed the growth of prostate cancer. Prostate tissue lycopene concentration was 47% higher in the intervention group. Subjects that took the lycopene for 3 weeks had smaller tumors, less involvement of the surgical margins, and less diffuse involvement of the prostate by pre-cancerous high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia . In another study before radical prostatectomy surgery 32 men were given a tomato sauce-based pasta dish every day, which supplied 30 mg of lycopene per day. After 3 weeks serum and prostate lycopene levels increaed 2-fold and 2.9-fold, respectively. PSA levels decreased 17%, as seen also by Kucuk et al . Oxidative DNA damage was 21% lower in subjects' leukocytes and 28% lower in prostate tissue, compared to non-study controls. The apoptotic index was 3-fold higher in the resected prostate tissue, compared to biopsy tissue . These intervention studies raise the question of what could have been done in this intervention was longer and combined synergistically with other effective intervention methods, such as flax seed, increased selenium and possibly vitamin E, in the context of a diet high in fruits and vegetable?
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, has been studied in relation to health and is the most common supplement taken in the USA. Low blood levels of ascorbic acid are detrimental to health (for a recent article see Fletcher et al ) and vitamin C is correlated with overall good health and cancer prevention . Use of vitamin C for cancer therapy was popularized by Linus Pauling. At high concentrations ascorbate is preferentially toxic to cancer cells. There is some evidence that large doses of vitamin C, either in multiple divided oral doses or intravenously, have beneficial effects in cancer therapy [154–156]. Oral doses, even in multiple divided doses, are not as effective as intravenous administration. Vitamin C at a dose of 1.25 g administered orally produced mean peak plasma concentrations of 135 ± 21 μmol/L compared with 885 ± 201 μmol/L for intravenous administration .
While vitamin C is quite possibly an effective substance, the amounts required for these therapeutic effects are obviously beyond dietary intakes. However, intravenous ascorbate may be a very beneficial adjuvant therapy for cancer with no negative side effects when administered properly.
There are many more substances that will have some benefit for cancer therapy. Most of these substances are found in foods, but their effective doses for therapy are much higher than the normal concentration in the food. For example, grape seed extract contains proanthocyanidin, which shows anticarcinogenic properties (reviewed by Cos et al \ . Also, green tea contains a flavanol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which can inhibit metalloproteinases, among several possible other mechanisms . And there are claims for various other herbal substances and extracts that might be of benefit, which are beyond the scope of this review.
The bacteria that reside in the intestinal tract generally have a symbiotic relationship with their host. Beneficial bacteria produce natural antibiotics to keep pathogenic bugs in check (preventing diarrhea and infections) and produce some B vitamins in the small intestine where they can be utilized. Beneficial bacteria help with food digestion by providing extra enzymes, such as lactase, in the small intestine. Beneficial bacteria help strengthen the immune system right in the gut where much of the interaction between the outside world and the body goes on. Beneficial bacteria can help prevent food allergies. They can help prevent cancer at various stages of development. These good bacteria can improve mineral absorption, maximizing food utilization.
However, the balance of beneficial and potentially pathogenic bacteria in the gut is dependent on the diet. Vegetable fiber encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria. A group of Adventist vegetarians was found to have a higher amount of beneficial bacteria and lower amount of potentially pathogenic bacteria compared to non-vegetarians on a conventional American diet . Differences in bacterial populations were seen between patients who recently had a colon polyp removed, Japanese-Hawaiians, North American Caucasians, native rural Japanese, and rural native Africans. Lactobacillus species and Eubacterium aerofaciens, both producers of lactic acid, were associated with the populations with the lower risk of colon cancer, while Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium species were associated with higher risk of colon cancer
There is a solid theoretical basis for why probiotics should help prevent cancer, especially colon cancer, and even reverse cancer. Probiotics produce short chain fatty acids in the colon, which acidify the environment. Lower colon pH is associated with lower incidence of colon cancer. Probiotic bacteria reduce the level of procarcinogenic enzymes such as beta-glucuronidase, nitroreductase, and azoreductase .
L. casei was used in two trials of patients with superficial bladder cancer. In the first trial, the probiotic group had a 50% disease free time of 350 days, compared to 195 days for the control group . The second trial also showed that the probiotics worked better than the placebo, except for multiple recurring tumors .
Except for the two studies noted above, most of the research of probiotics and cancer has been done in animals. Studies have looked at markers of tumor growth or at animals with chemically induced tumors.
Studies in rats have shown that probiotics can inhibit the formation of aberrant crypt foci, thought to be a pre-cancerous lesion in the colon. Some of the best results were obtained with a probiotic strain consumed with inulin, a type of fructooligosaccharide. Total aberrant crypt foci, chemically induced, were reduced 74% by the treatment of rats with inulin and B. longum, but only 29 and 21% by B. longum and inulin alone, respectively . There was a synergistic effect in using both products together. Similar synergy was seen in rats with azoxymethane-induced colon cancer in another study. Rats fed Raftilose, a mixture of inulin and oligofructose, or Raftilose with Lactobacilli rhamnosus (LGG) and Bifidobacterium lactis (Bb12) had a significantly lower number of tumors compared to the control group . A probiotic mixture, without any prebiotic, given to rats fed azoxymethane reduced colon tumors compared to the control (50% vs 90%), and also reduced the number of tumors per tumor-bearing rat .
In lab mice bred to be susceptible to colitis and colon cancer, a probiotic supplement, Lactobacillus salivarium ssp. Salivarius UCC118, reduced fecal coliform levels, the number of potentially pathogenic Clostridium perfringens, and reduced intestinal inflammation. In this small study two mice died of fulminant colitis and 5 mice developed adenocarcinoma in the control group of 10 mice, while there was no colitis and only 1 mouse with adenocarcinoma in the probiotic test group .
The research on probiotics and disease is still an emerging field. There is a high degree of variation of health benefits between different strains of bacteria. As new methods for selecting and screening probiotics become available, the field will be able to advance more rapidly.
Many people diagnosed with cancer have digestion or intestinal tract disorders as well. Impaired digestion will greatly hinder a nutritional approach to treating cancer. If the nutrients cannot be released from the food and taken up by the body, then the excellent food provided by the Hallelujah Diet will go to waste. Digestive enzyme supplements are used to ensure proper and adequate digestion of food. Even raw foods, which contain many digestive enzymes to assist in their digestion, will be more thoroughly digested with less of the body's own resources with the use of digestive enzymes. So, the enzymes taken with meals do not have a direct effect upon a tumor, but assist the body in getting all of the nutrition out of the food for healing and restoring the body to normal function. Recently, an in vitro system was used to test the use of supplemental digestive enzymes. The digestive enzymes improved the digestibility and bioaccessibility of proteins and carbohydrates in the lumen of the small intestine, not only under impaired digestive conditions, but also in healthy human digestion .
There is evidence that indicates the presence of an enteropancreatic circulation of digestive enzymes . Digestive enzymes appear to be preferentially absorbed into the bloodstream and then reaccumulated by the pancreas for use again. There appears to be a mechanism by which digestive enzymes can reach systemic circulation.
Enzymes, especially proteases, if they reach systemic circulation, can have direct anti-tumor activity. Wald et al reported on the anti-metastatic effect of enzyme supplements. Mice inoculated with the Lewis lung carcinoma were treated with a proteolytic enzyme supplement, given rectally (to avoid digestion). The primary tumor was cut out, so that the metastatic spread of the cancer could be measured. After surgical removal of the primary tumor (day 0), 90% of the control mice died by day 18 due to metastasized tumors. In the first group, which received the rectal enzyme supplement from the time of the tumor-removal surgery, 30% of the mice had died from metastasized cancer by day 25. In the second group, which received the enzymes from 6 days prior to removal of the primary tumor, only 10% of the animals showed the metastatic process by day 15. In the third group, which received the enzyme treatment since the initial inoculation of the Lewis lung carcinoma, no metastatic spread of the tumor was discernible. One hundred day-survival rates for the control, first, second, and third groups were 0, 60%, 90%, and 100%.
In a similar experiment, an enzyme mixture of papain, trypsin, and chymotrypsin, as used in the preparation Wobe-Mugos E, was rectally given to mice that were inoculated with melanoma cells. Survival time was prolonged in the test group (38 days in the enzyme group compared to 24 days in the control mice) and 3 of the 10 enzyme-supplemented mice were cured. Again, a strong anti-metastatic effect of the proteolytic enzymes was seen .
Further evidence of the efficacy of oral enzyme supplementation is available from clinical trials in Europe. Two different studies have demonstrated that two different oral proteolytic enzyme supplements were able to reduce high levels of transforming growth factor-β, which may be a factor in some cancers [172, 173]. In the Slovak Republic an oral enzyme supplement was tested in a placebo-controlled trial of multiple myeloma. For stage III multiple myeloma, control group survival was 47 months, compared to 83 months (a 3 year gain) for patients who took the oral enzymes for more than 6 months .
Enzyme supplements have also been shown to reduce side effects of cancer therapy. Enzyme supplementation resulted in fewer side effects for women undergoing radiation therapy for carcinomas of the uterine cervix , for patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancers , and for colorectal cancer patients undergoing conventional cancer treatments . In a large multi-site study in Germany women undergoing conventional cancer therapy were put into a control group or a group that received an oral enzyme supplement. Disease and therapy related symptoms were all reduced, except tumor pain, by the enzyme supplement. Also, survival was longer with less recurrence and less metastases in the enzyme group . In all of these studies the oral enzyme supplements were well tolerated, with only a small amount of mild to moderate gastrointestinal symptoms.
Even though these few studies don't give a lot of evidence of the effectiveness of oral enzyme supplementation, it is clear that there are some circumstances that will be helped by enzyme supplementation, with very little danger of negative side effects. At the least, enzymes will improve digestion and lessen the digestive burden on the body, leaving more reserves for disease eradication. However, as the research indicates, the effect may be much greater than that, with the potential for direct anti-tumor activity.
Whole Diet Studies
Gerson Therapy for Melanoma .
Stage of melanoma
I – II
100% (N = 14)
79% (N = 15,798)
82% (N = 17)
39% (N = 103)
IIIA + IIIB
70% (N = 33)
41% (N = 130)
39% (N = 18)
6% (N = 194)
An Italian cohort of 8,984 women was followed for an average of 9.5 years, with 207 incident cases of breast cancer during that time. Their diets were analyzed by patterns – salad vegetables (raw vegetables and olive oil), western (potatoes, red meat, eggs and butter), canteen (pasta and tomato sauce), and prudent (cooked vegetables, pulses, and fish). Only the salad vegetable diet pattern was associated with a significantly lower risk of breast cancer, about 35% lower. For women of normal weight (BMI <25) the salad vegetable pattern was even more protective, about a 61% decreased risk of breast cancer . The overall dietary pattern does make a very significant difference.
In US-based studies the "prudent" diet has been shown to be protective for colon cancer, while the "western" diet has been shown to be detrimental. The "western" dietary pattern, with its higher intakes of red meat and processed meats, sweets and desserts, French fries, and refined grains, was associated with a 46% increase relative risk of colon cancer in the Nurses' Health Study . Slattery et al found a two-fold increase in relative risk of colon cancer associated with a "western" dietary pattern, and a 35–40% decrease in relative risk associated with the "prudent" pattern, especially among those diagnosed at an earlier age (<67 years old). The "salad vegetable" pattern is still more likely to be protective compared to the prudent dietary pattern, but this pattern did not exist in this study population.
In an analysis of the colon cancer data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, Platz et al found that there was a 71% decrease in colon cancer risk when men with none of six established risk factors were compared to men with at least one of these risk factors (obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, early adulthood cigarette smoking, red meat consumption, and low intake of folic acid from supplements). So, if all men had the same health profile as these healthier 3% of the study population, colon cancer rates would have been only 29% of what they measured.
A plant-based dietary pattern in being currently tested in the Women's healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Study. About 3,000 women who were treated for an early stage of breast cancer have been randomized into two groups. The dietary goals for the test group of the study are 5 servings of vegetables, 16 oz of vegetable juice, 3 servings of fruit, 30 g of fiber, and <20% of energy from fat. No guidelines were given for animal product intake, and initial results seem to confirm, since there were no changes in body weight, total cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol , which would be affected by animal protein intake. However, over the first year of follow-up vegetable intake did increase to seven servings/day, fruit intake increased to 3.9 servings/day, energy from fat decreased from 28% to 23%. Also, plasma carotenoid concentrations increased significantly in the intervention group, but not in the control group. α-Carotene increased 223%, β-carotene increased 87%, lutein increase 29%, and lycopene increased 17% , indicating that a substantial dietary change had been made by these women. It will be very interesting to follow the results of this study.
What is the result when all of these things are put together? What if all of these factors reviewed here were taken into account and put into practice? This anticancer diet would have:
• adequate, but not excessive calories,
• 10 or more servings of vegetables a day, including cruciferous and allium vegetables; vegetable juice could meet part of this goal,
• 4 or more servings of fruits a day,
• high in fiber,
• no refined sugar,
• no refined flour,
• low in total fat, but containing necessary essential fatty acids,
• no red meat,
• a balanced ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 fats and would include DHA,
• flax seed as a source of phytoestrogens,
• supplemented with ~200 μg/day selenium,
• supplemented with 1,000 μg/day methylcobalamin (B-12),
• very rich in folic acid (from dark green vegetables),
• adequate sunshine to get vitamin D, or use 1,000 IU/day supplement,
• very rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals from fruits and vegetables, including α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, vitamin C (from foods), vitamin E (from foods),
• very rich in chlorophyll,
• supplemented with beneficial probiotics,
• supplemented with oral enzymes
As reviewed above, reductions of 60 percent in breast cancer rates have already been seen in human diet studies, and a 71 percent reduction in colon cancer for men without the known modifiable risk factors. These reductions are without taking into account many of the other factors considered in this review, such as markedly increased fruit and vegetable intake, balanced omega 3 and 6 fats, vitamin D, reduced sugar intake, probiotics, and enzymes – factors which all are likely to have an impact on cancer. Certainly cancer prevention would be possible, and cancer reversal in some cases is quite likely.
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- Kato I, Dnistrian AM, Schwartz M, Toniolo P, Koenig K, Shore RE, Akhmedkhanov A, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Riboli E: Serum folate, homocysteine and colorectal cancer risk in women: a nested case-control study. Br J Cancer. 1999, 79: 1917-1922.
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- Harnack L, Jacobs DR, Nicodemus K, Lazovich D, Anderson K, Folsom AR: Relationship of folate, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and methionine intake to incidence of colorectal cancers. Nutr Cancer. 2002, 43: 152-158.
- Satia-Abouta J, Galanko JA, Martin CF, Potter JD, Ammerman A, Sandler RS: Associations of micronutrients with colon cancer risk in African Americans and whites: results from the North Carolina Colon Cancer Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003, 12: 747-754.
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- Cho E, Spiegelman D, Hunter DJ, Chen WY, Zhang SM, Colditz GA, Willett WC: Premenopausal intakes of vitamins A, C, and E, folate, and carotenoids, and risk of breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003, 12: 713-720.
- Sellers TA, Grabrick DM, Vierkant RA, Harnack L, Olson JE, Vachon CM, Cerhan JR: Does folate intake decrease risk of postmenopausal breast cancer among women with a family history?. Cancer Causes Control. 2004, 15: 113-120.
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- Tangrea J, Helzlsouer K, Pietinen P, Taylor P, Hollis B, Virtamo J, Albanes D: Serum levels of vitamin D metabolites and the subsequent risk of colon and rectal cancer in Finnish men. Cancer Causes Control. 1997, 8: 615-625.
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- Comstock GW, Alberg AJ, Huang HY, Wu K, Burke AE, Hoffman SC, Norkus EP, Gross M, Cutler RG, Morris JS, Spate VL, Helzlsouer KJ: The risk of developing lung cancer associated with antioxidants in the blood: ascorbic acid, carotenoids, alpha-tocopherol, selenium, and total peroxyl radical absorbing capacity. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1997, 6: 907-916.
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- Stefani ED, Boffetta P, Deneo-Pellegrini H, Mendilaharsu M, Carzoglio JC, Ronco A, Olivera L: Dietary antioxidants and lung cancer risk: a case-control study in Uruguay. Nutr Cancer. 1999, 34: 100-110.
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- Michaud DS, Feskanich D, Rimm EB, Colditz GA, Speizer FE, Willett WC, Giovannucci E: Intake of specific carotenoids and risk of lung cancer in 2 prospective US cohorts. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000, 72: 990-997.
- Yuan JM, Ross RK, Chu XD, Gao YT, Yu MC: Prediagnostic levels of serum beta-cryptoxanthin and retinol predict smoking-related lung cancer risk in Shanghai, China. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2001, 10: 767-773.
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- Mannisto S, Smith-Warner SA, Spiegelman D, Albanes D, Anderson K, van den Brandt PA, Cerhan JR, Colditz G, Feskanich D, Freudenheim JL, Giovannucci E, Goldbohm RA, Graham S, Miller AB, Rohan TE, Virtamo J, Willett WC, Hunter DJ: Dietary carotenoids and risk of lung cancer in a pooled analysis of seven cohort studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2004, 13: 40-48.
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. | <urn:uuid:3f78b475-c531-4883-aa2e-d0874f8f238b> | {
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ECE435 Music, Movement, Drama, Dance
Lead Faculty: Dr. Judy Mantle
Focus on enriching and enhancing young children’s learning through the creative arts. Emphasis on integrating creative experiences within core subjects to create developmentally appropriate experiences.
- Demonstrate, in writing and discussion, supportive historical background and developmental perspectives for the use of creative arts in the growth and development of young children.
- Demonstrate, in writing and discussion, the effectiveness of music, movement, drama, and dance as teaching-learning strategies with young children.
- Demonstrate, in writing and discussion, blending of subject matter in music, movement, drama and dance and integration into an age appropriate dynamic learning curriculum units for young children.
- Compile a variety of music, movement, drama and dance resources for use in curriculum unit planning for young children.
- Develop skills in improvisation of activities to accompany play activities.
- Exhibit personal and social behavior while presenting culturally diverse performing arts – dance and music.
- Implement the use of environmental materials to create musical instruments.
- Demonstrate core standards for the performing arts as a means of fitness and health promotion.
- Demonstrate undergraduate-level written communication.
- Demonstrate undergraduate-level oral communication and presentation skills.
- Demonstrate undergraduate application of analytical and critical thinking skills.
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There are many risk factors responsible for the rise in numbers of obese people lately. Normally the experts point to the main culprits of obesity in children as being the long hours spent in front of the computer, the refusal to exercise, as well as the increased consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks.
It turns out that there's another different reason for kids to begin gaining excess weight. Children under 2 years of age, who are taking antibiotics, will only increase their risk of obesity, show the results of a new study by Agence France-Presse.
Because the causes for obesity vary, overcoming it depends on identifying all of the risk factors, states the head of the study Dr. Charles Bailey from the pediatrics hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to him, the results show that taking medications before reaching 2 years of age might be among those factors.
Researchers analyzed the digital medical data of over 64 000 children from their very birth until they reached 5 years of age, in the period from 2001 to 2013.
It became evident that 69% of the kids took antibiotics 2-3 times before 2 years of age. Cases of obesity were seen as follows: 10% among 2-year-olds, 14% among 3-year-olds and 15% among 4-year-olds.
The scientists also noticed that 23% of the 2-year-olds were overweight. It was also a problem for 30% of 3-year-olds and 33% of 4-year-olds.
The experts came to the conclusion that children who were treated with antibiotics 4 or more times before the age 2 were at risk of obesity.
Being overweight truly is dangerous for children but parents should not panic. They need to approach the problem wisely and with understanding, in order to resolve it along with their kids. Parents need to aim to develop healthy habits in their children.
They need to motivate them, in the way most suitable for their child's mentality. Reveal new opportunities to your kids and never nag them if they are overweight because this can only make things worse, warn experts. | <urn:uuid:d9ef963f-e440-432e-84df-bf9378968adf> | {
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> About This Site
ve, vis, ver
Examples of TreesEven if the concept of tree structures isn't familiar to you, you are bound to be familiar with many examples. Any printed material that is divided into sections and subsections is organized as a tree; textbooks and legal documents are particularly notable. Large companies are organized as trees, with a president at the top, a vice-president for each division, and so on; similarly for governments. Mailing addresses, too, are trees—instead of sending mail to, say, house #187598003, we send it first to the correct country, then to the correct state, and similarly to the correct city, street, and house number. (I'm ignoring the ZIP code because it overlaps with the city and state in a peculiar way.)
There are abundant examples of trees on computers, as well. File systems are the canonical example, I suppose: each drive is the root of an independent tree of files and directories (folders). File systems also provide a good example of the fact that any node in a tree can be identified by giving a path from the root. For example, here's the path to a random file from my browser cache.
Web addresses—that is, HTTP URLs—seem like another good example, but really they're not, because they're not another example at all, they are essentially just a way of getting at part of a file system. To be fair, URLs do contain domain names (e.g., www.cs.cmu.edu), and domain names do form a beautiful and well-designed tree structure, but in practice I think the tree is too wide and shallow to be cited as a good example of hierarchical structure.
Prose Explanation (Old)
@ May (2000) | <urn:uuid:39e1b505-2160-4491-9e97-7b9859875525> | {
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Development and support of Willow is now discontinued. Willow was removed from production at UW on June 30, 1999.
Willow is designed to be a general-purpose bibliographic database front-end. It can be configured to act as an interface to virtually any network-accessible text-retrieval database. This flexibility is a direct consequence of Willow's architecture. The architecture is based loosely on the concept of Unix device-drivers. In Unix, any program can communicate with any physical input/output device (such as disks, printers, networks, terminals, keyboards etc.) through a few simple, standardized procedure calls. It does not matter that the physical devices may be wildly different from each other. This is because for each device somebody has written a program called a device-driver. The job of this program is to translate between the simple standardized procedure calls and the instructions that the hardware device expects to receive. Thus an application program can read data from a disk-drive with the exact same lines of code it uses to read from the keyboard, even though the two physical devices are entirely different from each other.
In Willow, instead of device-drivers, we have database-drivers. The Willow program itself does not know anything about the command syntax for any particular database. Instead, it knows how to communicate with a second program, the database driver. It is this program that actually knows how to make a connection to a particular database host, as well as the details of its commands, and how to parse the incoming stream of data.
Unlike Unix device-drivers, Willow and the database-drivers do not communicate via a procedure call interface. Instead, they use message-passing. More specifically, Willow opens a Unix pipe, and then splits off the driver (using standard Unix fork and exec functions). The two programs then send information back and forth in packets over the pipe (It is also possible to run the driver program on a separate computer, and communicate via a socket. See Willow for MS-Windows).
Though a Willow database-driver is hopefully easier to write than a Unix device-driver, it is no trivial undertaking. However, the Z39.50 driver promises to alleviate the need to customize a driver for every unique database. See Z39.50 Driver for details.
The Willow interface is a Unix application, built with the Motif tool-kit, which is itself layered on top of the X Windows system. Because it is built with a standard user-interface tool-kit, the interface acts in a standard way. Thus anybody who is familiar with other Motif applications will already be familiar with the basics of manipulating the Willow user interface.
The interface is set-up via the Motif User Interface Language (UIL), rather than in the C language code. Thus it is relatively easy to change the look of the interface without having to touch (or understand) real code. Willow has been successfully ported to a variety of standard Unix workstations including DEC Ultrix, Sun, IBM RS/6000, and Hewlett Packard HP/UX.
When Willow is running there are as many as three separate computers involved. Willow itself is running on a Unix box somewhere, but the user is often not actually sitting in front of that machine. Instead she is using the X Window System to display Willow on her own screen (X-Terminal, other workstation, or PC/Mac running an X server). And the database that she is searching is usually on a third machine. At the UW a typical configuration is: user sitting at an NCD 17c X-Terminal, remotely running Willow on a DECstation 5000/240, connected to a BRS database (BRS Search is the commercial database engine we employ at the UW) running on an IBM RS/6000.
Like all X programs, Willow is event-driven. This means that Willow initially sets up lots of routines to handle all of the X Windows events it is interested in -- button clicks and key-strokes in various areas of the user-interface. After initial set-up, Willow spends most if its time waiting for the X system to pass incoming events to the specified handlers. In Willow's case though, not only are events coming in from the user-interface, but once it is connected to a database, packets are also coming in from the connection to the database-driver. The code to handle the packets is set up much like the code to handle X-events, i.e. a handler is declared for each type of packet that may come in.
Willow knows very little about interacting with databases -- it leaves that to the database drivers. For example, when the user selects a new database, Willow first sets up the pipe, forks the appropriate driver program, and sends a "connect" packet to it. Then Willow sits back and waits for events to come in -- either X-events such as button presses, or packet-events coming in from the driver. Eventually the driver will send a packet saying that the database has been started up, and is ready to search (or there was some specific problem starting it).
Searching is very similar. When the user presses the search button, Willow gathers up all the information the user has typed in, the names of the fields, and the settings of the limit buttons, and ships it all out to the driver. Willow lets the driver format all the information into the appropriate syntax for the current database system. Eventually the driver will send back a packet with some search result-statistics, followed by a stream of packets containing result-titles.
Data Flow in a Willow Session
The database-drivers are simple Unix applications. They know nothing at all about X Windows (and consequently are much smaller than Willow itself). The only requirement for a driver is that it understands the protocol that Willow uses. The implementor decides how a driver translates between the Willow protocol and the commands that a given database is expecting. However, Willow comes with a model driver, which with some modification, can probably be used for most bibliographic databases. In an attempt to make the model driver portable, its interactions with the host database system are table-driven. This section describes the implementation of the model driver, which communicates with BRS Search on an IBM RS/6000 running AIX.
The driver communicates with the database host by opening a pipe, and forking a telnet connection to the appropriate machine. Thus any database that is on the Internet can have a driver customized for it. It is certainly possible to write drivers which use other methods to reach non-internet databases (for example by dialing a modem, or releasing carrier pigeons) but there are no current plans to do so.
Like Willow itself, the driver has two sources of incoming events. One is the pipe to Willow, over which packets will periodically appear. The other is the pipe to the telnet process, over which a stream of characters will appear. The driver sends back command strings to the database, mimicking the actions of a human user. In fact, as far as the database is concerned, there is a human user at the other end of the telnet connection (a rather fast typist though).
Protocol packets coming in over the pipe from Willow are taken care of by event-handlers, one for each packet type, just as in Willow itself. The stream of characters from the database on the other hand, is handled by a finite state automaton (FSA). An FSA consists of a set of states, and for each state a set of input strings which might be encountered. Encountering a given input string causes the automata to move to another state (or return to the current state), and send out an output string.
For programming purposes the FSA is converted to a table. Thus at the core of the database driver is an FSA, in table form. The program has a variable called state, which indicates the current row of the table. For each state, there is a list of possible input strings that are currently "interesting". For each input string there is a corresponding output string which should be sent as a response, and a next state (row) to move to.
The driver continually scans the telnet connection, looking to see if the any of the listed input strings for the current state show up. If one does, the driver sends back the appropriate output string, then updates the state variable to the specified next state, and starts scanning again. Thus the command syntax of the host-database is not built into the driver directly, instead it is stored in the table.
As you might suspect, the driver is actually rather more complicated than it sounds. Incoming packets from Willow can also trigger output strings. For example, search requests obviously cannot be built into the table in advance, since they are dynamically created by the user. In addition, there is another optional item in each row of the table -- a procedure to be called when the input string is discovered. For example, when the driver sees the string which tells it that the search is complete, it will automatically call a routine named in the table which analyzes the text that came back from the database, extracts the search's vital statistics, and sends them back to Willow for display to the user. In fact, there are a number of similar routines for analyzing the data stream, and putting it into a form that Willow is expecting. Some of these data-parsing routines can get quite ugly. These routines will typically all have to be re-written in order to port the driver to a new database.
The biggest problem with the current driver-architecture is that remote databases can change at any time. For example, if the driver is scanning for the prompt "PRESS ANY KEY:", and one day that prompt changes to "PRESS A KEY:" 99% of the human users would never notice, but it would stop the database-driver dead in its tracks. Many databases come with an API (Application Program Interface). If one is available, it would make sense to use that to communicate with the database rather than trying to mimic a human user by sending command-strings. An API could also make the data-parsing much simpler.
A much better solution to the complexities of writing a custom driver for every database would be if a single driver could speak to a wide variety of different databases using a standard protocol. Z39.50 is an ANSI standard network protocol for bibliographic database access over the Internet. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has successfully interfaced the UW model Willow driver to the Stanford Z39.50 API library. This driver translates between the Willow/driver protocol and the Z39.50 protocol. Thus Willow is now a full-featured Z39.50 search client, and can talk to a wide variety of Z39.50-speaking databases across the Internet. There is detailed information on using Willow with Z39.50 available.
As described in Browsing Lists of Search Terms, Willow provides a simple-to-use interface for browsing the possible search terms in some database fields. However the implementation of this system is far from simple. Because BRS, the database engine used at UW, does not handle this type of browsing at the speeds that are required, we pre-build the lists. I.e. for each field of each database that we want to provide browsing capability for, we have to extract every existing value for that field, and sort them. There are a large number of lists (as many as five or six per database), they can each be quite long (the list of titles held by the University of Washington Libraries is almost 100 Megabytes), and some of them need to be updated quite frequently. We have also created a centralized network browse-list server which our BRS database driver can talk to. This is a custom text-search engine, optimized for doing extremely fast searches of sorted lists (Using a simple binary search turns out to be plenty fast). Willow makes a browse query on every user keystroke in the List Browser window, and the server returns one screen's worth of the list, centered around the first item in the list which matches the prefix the user has typed. See figure. (Actually, if the user is typing rapidly we wait until a pause to send the request). The user can also move through the list via the scrollbar. Motif is duped into thinking it is scrolling a huge file, when actually only a tiny fraction of the file is there at any time.
Note that the Willow program itself does not know anything about the BRS list-server. A list-browse is just a second type of search that gets sent down the pipe to the database-driver. It is the BRS driver which interacts with our list-server.
In the simplest case, a browse list consists of a simple list of homogenous items, i.e. just the subject terms. However Willow and our list-server can also handle multi-field lists, with a variety of display formats (do not confuse browse-list fields with the fields of the actual database). For example some of our lists also include a second field which indicates the number of records in which this term appears, i.e. how many hits you will get if you actually search this item. See figure. Sometimes the text we want to display to the user is not directly searchable in our database. For example, in our list of titles in the Libraries Catalog, we want the user to be able to browse through entries such as "Music (vocal & instrumental) in the Works of Kalidasa", but as you can imagine, inputting a string with all those special characters would not go over well with the database engine. Instead, we want to search the string "Music-vocal-instrumental-in-the-works-of-Kalidasa" which has no special characters, and is pre-bound at database load-time so that the retrieval is very fast. In order to support this, certain browse-list fields are invisible. So what the user sees in the List Browser is not necessarily what gets transferred back to the Search window.
Other parameters of the list-server indicate whether secondary fields should be displayed on the same line as the main field, or whether every field should get its own line, where and how the list field-names should be displayed, and whether the text should be displayed right or left justified.
Our list-server is definitely a home-brew system, and is not likely to be supported by non-UW database servers. However, the Z39.50 driver provides a more generic solution to the list-browse problem, via that protocol's SCAN functionality. When Willow is connected to a Z39.50 database, it sends the exact same list-browse requests down the pipe to the driver, but instead of forwarding the requests to the BRS list-server, the Z39.50 driver will send a SCAN directive to the host-database. The driver then packages the results of that search into the form that Willow expects, and sends it back. Not all of the options described above are available with the SCAN-based browse lists.
There are several other interesting pieces of software developed at the University of Washington that are closely tied to Willow.
WILCO -- the Washington Information Looker-upper - Character Oriented, is, as the name implies, a character-cell version of Willow. The idea is to provide as much as possible of Willow's functionality using only standard text-terminal emulation, so it can be run at home via a modem, or on other non-X-capable devices. Wilco uses the exact same protocol (and much of the code) as Willow, so it can run with identical driver programs. Thus Wilco is also a full-featured Z39.50 search client. Wilco has a very similar interface to Pine, the UW-developed electronic mail interface for character-cell environments. Of course much of Willow's power comes from the ability to have several windows on the screen at the same time, and from the convenience of using a mouse. Naturally both of these features are missing in Wilco. However user-feedback indicates that Wilco is still considered an improvement over standard text-based database interfaces. To see Wilco, simply telnet to uwin.u.washington.edu, and select the UW Libraries Catalog.
Wilco Search Screen.
Willow has successfully been ported to Microsoft Windows, and is now generally available.
Willow for MS-Windows prototype Search screen.
To help with porting to non-Unix platforms, the connection between Willow and the driver can be made a network socket, rather than a simple pipe. That way, the drivers can always run on a Unix box, and only the Willow interface itself needs to be ported.
Willow is designed to be compatible with the World Wide Web (WWW) and and any standard browser. The situation is analogous to the way image files work with Mosaic. With those, you click on a hypertext link which causes a file with a .gif extension to be downloaded. Mosaic knows that when it has a GIF file, it should start the xv program to view it. Similarly, you can pick a WWW hypertext link that causes a file containing a single db.conf entry to be downloaded (with the extension .dbcf), and if you have configured your browser properly, it will know to start a Willow session to "view" that file. One important difference however, is that if you select a second Willow link, the first Willow will offer to change to the new database for you, so you do not have to wait for an entire new Willow session to start up, nor clutter your desktop with Willows. Live Willow-launching links can be found on the University of Washington home pages.
As previously mentioned, Willow is normally configured to retrieve its help and database configuration files remotely from a Web server, via http.
Willow can be used to search any database that speaks the standard Z39.50 information retrieval protocol (though these are not the only databases Willow can talk to). One notable example of a Z39.50 compatible system is Isite, formerly called free-WAIS. Isite provides a Z39.50 protocol engine that can be put in front of a standard search engine, such as WAIS. Isite is produced by the Clearinghouse for Networked Information Discovery and Retrieval (CNIDR).
In order to achieve 100% buzzword compatibility, a multimedia extension mechanism has been developed for Willow. Willow itself only deals with data in the form of plain ASCII text. However, more and more databases contain data in a more complex form -- images, sounds, animations, SGML, HTML, and Unicode, just to name a few. Rather than try to add a mode to Willow that can handle every possible data type, there are hooks that allow you to configure Willow so that it can start external programs to handle the non-standard portions of any retrieved information.
For example, many of our Libraries Catalog holdings are in non-Roman languages (i.e. Chinese, Japanese, Korean). We are developing a program that allows you to view library holdings in any of the languages in which they appear. When Willow retrieves a record that contains non-Roman text, it can start this viewer program to display it properly.
Similarly, we are experimenting with having Willow launch the Adobe Acrobat viewer to display page-images of the full text of articles in certain databases.
One complication the UW faced in the implementation of the database driver for our locally mounted BRS databases was the user-account problem. We wanted to support walk-in library users without forcing them to get personal accounts on the machine that runs BRS. Yet BRS requires each search session to run from a different account, so we could not just have a single public account. We implemented a general purpose network license server, and created pools of Willow accounts on the BRS host. When the user selects a BRS database, the BRS driver transparently contacts the license server and requests a BRS account and password. The account and password are then used to log into the host machine. The license server makes sure only one person is using an account at any time. We can also use the license server to make sure only a certain number of users are on a particular database at any time, which some contracts with database vendors require.
It is important to note the distinction between accounts on the database host system, and accounts on the Willow system. As discussed earlier, Willow itself is quite capable of running without accounts for individual users. The problem discussed here is with accounts on the machine where the database is running. Willow can also be configured to allow the user to use her own personal account and password on a database host, but this has become obsolete for us.
For increased security, the passwords are temporary -- they are generated on the fly by the license server, and can only be used for 30 seconds after they are issued. Also, the license server looks at the IP address of all requests, so we can deny non-UW requests for login-tickets to our licensed databases, but still allow a limited number of non-UW users into our Libraries Catalog.
Though Willow is now considered a mature system, there are still many enhancements we would like to add. For example, search history reference and sorting of result sets are not yet supported.
Much of the current development efforts are focused towards greater integration with the World Wide Web. An HTML-based help system is under development, to replace the current home-brew help system. We will also be experimenting with using an HTML display widget for display of retrieved records, and re-doing our multi-media extensions mechanism to be more compatible with that of typical Web browsers. Implementation of the Z39.50 EXPLAIN service is under development, to allow Willow's target databases to be self-configuring. Further down the road, we need to figure out an intuitive and simple interface for allowing the naive user to construct complex boolean searches, i.e. a painless way of specifying ANDs, ORs, and NOTs, or even natural language processing. Parallel searches of multiple databases would also be a nice feature. | <urn:uuid:ea09a74f-bc5e-4c9d-b048-bb3036b91b38> | {
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All About Cognitive Enhancement
Throughout our lives we constantly take measures to improve our mental functions, from memory and intelligence to attention and concentration. From ages 5 to 18, we sit through countless hours of education to improve cognition, and many of us continue our education through college. As humans persistently work to expand their knowledge and increase the capacities of the mind, it's no surprise that numerous drugs, memory enhancers, and supplements have been marketed to help us enhance our cognitive abilities.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the core of our beliefs at Road to Nutrition, and that includes a healthy mind. We work to formulate supplements backed by science to promote better health, improve body functioning, and enhance overall well-being. With this, cognitive enhancement has been a particular focus of ours. Now, with Road to Nutrition, you can stay healthy and improve your mental functions! But first, let us take a moment to explain cognitive enhancement.
What Exactly is Cognitive Enhancement?
While numerous and varying forms of cognitive enhancement exist, in general, it can be defined as extending the existing capacities of the mind through improving internal and external information processing systems. In other words, cognitive enhancement is a means to improve mental functions, such as memory, intelligence, and concentration. It is through cognition-enhancing drugs, technology, supplements, and even foods in which cognitive enhancement is achieved.
Though countless drugs and forms of technology are utilized in improving mental functions, we believe in a more natural approach: supplements, exercise, and a nutritional diet. Proper nutrition and consistent exercise often present many improvements in terms of cognition. Additionally, certain supplements, which fall into nootropics, can also improve the aforementioned mental functions.
Cognitive Enhancement: Beneficial Foods
In addition to exercising regularly, you can eat a variety of beneficial foods that are known to promote specific cognitive functions. These foods are not only known to improve cognition, but they can also potentially prevent age-related cognitive decline. Take a look below to see which foods could help you concentrate.
- Walnuts: Packed with anti-inflammatory nutrients, walnuts are the only nut with a source of alpha linolenic acid, which helps transport oxygen to the brain.
- Olive Oil: Monounsaturated fats have proven to slow down the aging of the brain, and olive oil is filled with them.
- Berries: Researchers have been aware of a link between berries and brain health for years. Strawberries and blueberries are believed to decrease mental decline in terms of memory and focus.
- Spinach: Spinach is a great source of lutein, an antioxidant believed to also decrease cognitive decline.
- Water: It may not be food, but dehydration can actually affect cognitive function, as brain tissues shrink when dehydrated.
In terms of foods that promote cognitive function, dark chocolate, coffee, sardines, and avocados are all beneficial as well. Remember, much like a nutrient-rich diet will improve cognition, a poor diet can do the opposite. So, be sure to eat well and, of course, add some beneficial supplements!
Supplements for Cognitive Enhancement
In addition to the foods listed above, you can take a variety of supplements known to boost the brain and improve cognitive function. Creatine, omega-3 fatty acids, and piracetam + choline are just a few. Our Neurological VITALgh supplement, on the other hand, includes the amino acid L-theanine, which can enhance working memory, rapid visual information processing, and help maintain focus. Between a healthy lifestyle and our supplements, you could be giving your brain a great boost in power!
If you're interested in improving your mental capacities, consider adding some of these beneficial foods and supplements to your diet and daily routine. You can explore our website for more information. | <urn:uuid:9ee5a81e-ba36-46fa-bed7-bbed14ed22cf> | {
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How can I tell if I have any water leaks?
Newer types of water meters have a leak indicator on the face of the dial. It is a triangular or diamond-shaped indicator that revolves 354 times for every gallon of water that passes through the meter. Note: You may see what looks like water on the face of the dial. It is oil that prevents corrosion and increases the life of the dial mechanism. It does not enter the water supply and does not affect the quality of the water delivered to the customer.
To check for leaks, look at the indicator when no one is drawing water. It should not be moving. If it is moving, check every plumbing fixture at the property, i.e., toilet, sink, outside sprinkler, washer, etc. Shut off the valves that supply each fixture, one by one, and check the indicator after each shutoff. When closing a valve stops the indicator from moving, or slows its movement, you have found the location of a leak. There may be more than one leak!
Be sure to check toilets at the property! Toilet leaks are the most common and are hard to see or hear. Put food coloring or laundry bluing in the toilet tank and wait 10 minutes. Do not flush the toilet during this time. If the coloring appears in the toilet bowl, there is a toilet leak. Also, if you hear the toilet refilling and no one has used it, there is a leak. A major toilet leak can waste 800 cubic feet of water a day -- which would cost over $24.00 for water and over $23.00 for sewer each day. That adds up to over $1,400.00 a month!
Look for leaky faucets, too. A fast drip from a faucet wastes about 265 gallons a day -- which would cost about $1.08 for water and $1.05 for sewer per day. That's almost $65 a month! Repair leaky faucets and toilets promptly -- do it yourself or call a plumber because these leaks cost money. Once the leak is repaired, check the leak indicator again and make sure all leaks are repaired.
Ways to Reduce Your Utility Bill
Remember that water is a valuable resource that shouldn't be wasted. Your water is clean, safe and convenient but you have to pay for its treatment and the system to deliver it to you. By conserving water in your home, you also save energy needed to heat it or run appliances.
Two thirds of the water used in an average home is used in the bathroom, and a lot of it goes into the sewer. From 2-7 gallons of water are used every time a toilet is flushed. Do not use the toilet to flush items that can go in a wastebasket or garbage can.
Be aware of toilet leaks. See information about leaks.
You may have been advised to take showers rather than baths to conserve water. If you take a long shower, however, you may use more water than if you took a bath. Long, hot showers not only waste water but also energy to heat the water. Consider using reduced-flow devices for showerheads.
Don't leave the water running while you shave or brush your teeth. You are just running clean water down the drain.
Be sure the dishwasher is fully loaded before running it. There is no need to rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.
If you wash dishes by hand, do not let the water run while washing or rinsing. Don't let the water run while cleaning vegetables or other foods, either. Use a large pan or dish for rinsing.
Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting it run until it's cold.
Be sure to have full loads, or use the automatic controls for smaller loads. Use cold water for rinsing.
Don't water on a fixed schedule or if rain is forecast -- water grass or plants only if they show signs of needing it. Water during the coolest part of the day to avoid excess evaporation and let the water sink in slowly. Water applied too fast runs off into storm sewers.
When washing the car, use a bucket of water for washing and run the hose only for rinsing.
Install shutoff valves for appliances and fixtures in case a pipe blows out. Most importantly, check for a main shutoff valve that turns off water to the whole house, and make sure that it works.
Related Links on Water Conservation
Last updated Jun 26, 2014 | <urn:uuid:9bf2a3e0-0446-4fdf-bb7e-330020290257> | {
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The Helix Nebula, also known as NGC 7293, is a large planetary nebula formed at the end of a star’s evolution. Located in the constellation Aquarius, it is discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding, around 1824. About 700 light-years from the Earth, it spans about 3 light-years across, and is similar in appearance to the Cat’s Eye Nebula and the Ring Nebula in its characteristics. At magnitude 7.3 the Helix Nebula is the brightest planetary nebula in the sky, with a 13.4 magnitude for its central star.
Gases from the star in the surrounding space appear as if we are looking down a helix structure. The remnant central stellar core, known as a planetary nebula nucleus is destined to become a white dwarf star. The observed glow of the central star is so energetic that it causes the previously expelled gases to brightly fluoresce. The rotational-vibrational temperature ranges from 1800 K in a cometary knot located in the inner region of the nebula, while in the outer region they are about 900 K.
In this infrared image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope of the Helix nebula, the infrared light from the outer gaseous layers is represented in blues and greens. The white dwarf is visible as a tiny white dot in the center of the picture. The red color in the middle of the eye denotes the final layers of gas blown out when the star died. The brighter red circle in the very center is the glow of a dusty disk circling the white dwarf. Any inner planets in the system would have burned up or been swallowed as their dying star expanded. The composite picture is a seamless blend of ultra-sharp NASA Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images combined with the wide view of the Mosaic Camera on the National Science Foundation’s 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, near Tucson, Ariz.
The blue-green glow in the centre of the Helix comes from oxygen atoms shining under effects of the intense ultraviolet radiation of the 120,000 degree Celsius central star and the hot gas. A careful look at the central part of this object reveals not only the knots, but also many remote galaxies seen right through the thinly spread glowing gas.
What causes unusual knots of gas and dust in planetary nebulas? Pictured here is a fascinating image of the Helix Nebula by the Hubble Space Telescope showing tremendous detail of its mysterious gaseous knots. These cometary knots have masses similar to the Earth but have radii typically several times the orbit of Pluto. They all extend away from the nucleus in a radial and symmetric direction, and each containing bright cusps and tails. There are more than 20,000 cometary knots estimated to be in the Helix Nebula. One hypothesis for the fragmentation and evolution of the knots includes existing gas being driven out by a less dense but highly energetic stellar wind of the central evolving star. The Helix Nebula is the closest example of a planetary nebula created at the end of the life of a Sun-like star.
Sources: Hubblesite; NASA; Space; Wikipedia. | <urn:uuid:cb017c38-adee-4643-90ce-adf41a71ced1> | {
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Subsets and Splits