Table of Contents
The primary difference between a purifier and a clarifier centrifuge is that a purifier separates one liquid from another liquid and solids simultaneously. Therefore, a purifier is a three-phase separator. A clarifier centrifuge separates a liquid from solids, which is also known as two-phase separation.
This illustrated article explains the technical differences between these two types of disc-stack centrifuges.
A purifier is a disc-stack centrifuge that separates one liquid from another liquid and solid particles (if any). A purifier centrifuge can continuously separate two liquid phases and one solid phase.
The illustration below shows the bowl cross-section of a purifier centrifuge. The incoming process fluid enters the disc stack through the hole in the distributor. The corresponding holes on the bowl discs line up and create a vertical passage for the process liquid.
As it passes through the discs, the centrifugal force causes the solids to move towards the bowl periphery. The solids being the heaviest, accumulate in the sludge space at the outer edge of the bowl.
These separated solids are intermittently ejected from the bowl by the self-cleaning operation of the bowl. In manual cleaning centrifuges, the operator must manually remove the sludge from the bowl.
The dense phase (water) also moves radially outward from the bowl rotation axis. The water collects in the water space, as shown in the diagram.
The incoming separated water displaces and pushes this accumulated water over the top disc into the water chamber at the top of the bowl assembly. The water gets pressurized by the water-paring disc and escapes the bowl through the heavy phase outlet.
The separated light phase (oil) moves towards the center of the rotating bowl. It rises through the oil passage on the distributor. The oil then enters the light phase chamber inside the top disc. The paring disc pump expels the separated oil under pressure from the bowl.
In most purifier centrifuge applications, the light phase is the predominant phase, and the heavy phase is a much smaller proportion of the process fluid. The following are some real-world purifier centrifuge applications.
A clarifier centrifuge separates a liquid phase from the solids in the fluid. In other words, it is a liquid-solid separation device. Therefore a clarifier continuously separates the solids from liquid-carrying solids.
The diagram below shows the cross-section of a clarifier centrifuge bowl.
The process fluid enters the bowl through the distributor to the underside of the distributor. A blind disc (without holes) is assembled at the bottom of the disc stack.
This closure prevents the fluid from entering the disc stack through the bottom holes or fluid passage mentioned above.
The incoming liquid enters the disc stack from the outside. As the fluid passes through the disc stack, the heavier solids move outward due to the centrifugal force.
Also, in a clarifier centrifuge, the gravity disc is replaced by a sealing ring (clarifier disc), closing the passage of water to the water chamber in the bowl top. This closure of the heavy phase pathway essentially blocks one fluid passage from the bowl.
All the processed fluid moves towards the only exit in the bowl. The liquid passes through the disc stack into the fluid passage between the distributor’s ribs. The fluid then enters the light-phase chamber inside the top disc.
The centripetal pump (paring disc) converts the liquid’s rotational energy into pressure, and the pressurized fluid exits the bowl through the light phase pathway.
Clarification applications involved the separation of solids from one liquid phase. Clarifier centrifuges are used in all of these applications.
As mentioned above, two essential components are required to convert a purifier to a clarifier centrifuge. The first and most crucial part is a clarifier disc or a sealing ring.
A standard purifier has a gravity disc installed in it, which regulates the bowl’s oil-water interface location. A seal ring, which is a gravity disc with the smallest opening, replaces the gravity disc.
The second component that needs to be replaced is the bottom bowl disc in the disc stack. A blind disc replaces the bottom disc. This replacement closes out the rising fluid pathway through the disc stack.
It is important to note that though it is possible to convert all purifiers to a clarifier, switching a clarifier to a purifier centrifuge is not always possible.
This inability to modify is because some centrifuges designed as clarifiers do not have a water chamber. They may also lack the water-paring disc pump and not have a provision to install a gravity disc.
Other disc-centrifuge articles of interest......
Disc Centrifuge Backpressure - Comprehensive Guide
9 Steps to Selecting & Buying the Right Industrial Centrifuge
Centrifuge RCF and RPM | Difference & RCF Calculation
Disadvantages of a Disc-Stack Centrifuge | Illustrated Guide
Difference Between Decanter & Disc Centrifuge | Technical Comparison
A clarifier is a simplified version of a purifier centrifuge. This difference between the centrifuge configurations reflects in the operation of either design.
Firstly, a clarifier does not require sealing liquid due to the absence of the gravity ring. Since the heavy phase outlet is closed out by the sealing ring, the incoming process liquid fills the bowl and can only exit the bowl through the light phase outlet.
In a purifier, sealing liquid is needed before feeding the process fluid to the bowl. This liquid is also known as the priming fluid and typically consists of the fluid's heavy phase.
The priming liquid prevents the incoming process fluid from escaping the bowl through the heavy phase outlet.
Secondly, back-pressure on the light phase outlet is essential for the operation of a purifier. The back pressure stabilizes the liquid column within the bowl and helps keep the paring disc pump immersed in the light phase. Backpressure is not essential to the operation of a clarifier centrifuge.
Thirdly, selecting the correct gravity ring is crucial for effectively separating the two phases in a purifier centrifuge. A clarifier does not have a gravity ring, so problems associated with an incorrect gravity disc do not apply to clarifiers.
Fourthly, liquid seal breaking is a common occurrence in purifier centrifuges. When the heavy phase or sealing liquid is not present in the bowl or escapes the bowl during operation, the light phase exits the bowl through the heavy phase outlet.
This issue is known as a “liquid seal break” condition. Since there is no sealing liquid in a clarifier, this problem does not occur in clarifiers.
A concentrator centrifuge is a purifier centrifuge specially configured to separate fluids with a large proportion of the heavy phase (water) from a smaller percentage of the light liquid (oil).
It is also a three-phase centrifuge, which implies it simultaneously separates the solid particles as well.
An example of a concentrator application is separating water-based machining fluid from tramp oil and metal fines. In this case, the coolant is mainly water and is the majority phase that the user wants to separate from the tramp oil.
Another example of a concentrator centrifuge application is the separation of oil from water-based parts washer fluids.
A purifier centrifuge with minor modifications is known as a concentrator. The main change is the position of the holes in the distributor and disc stack.
The holes in a concentrator disc stack are moved radially inward towards the axis of rotation. This change allows for a more settling area for the coolant, which is the desired fluid.
The following is a list of concentrator centrifuges and their processing capacities available from Dolphin Centrifuge.
|Concentrator Model||Capacity on Water De-Oiling Applications|
|Alfa Laval WSPX 303||3~5 GPM|
|Alfa Laval WSPX-207||8 ~ 12 GPM|
|Alfa Laval WSPX-307||15~22 GPM|
|Alfa Laval WSPX-213||35~45 GPM|
In summary, a clarifier centrifuge is a simplified version of a purifier centrifuge. The clarifier version is modified to separate the liquid from solids, whereas the purifier centrifuge can separate the primary liquid from another liquid and solids.
by Sanjay Prabhu MSME
Engineering Manager, Dolphin Centrifuge


Sagrada Família, Detail of Architecture & Structure of the Nave Columns & Vaulting
Detail of Architecture & Structure of the Nave Columns & Vaulting
Central Nave and Side Naves
The church has a basilical ground plan and five naves, the central one rising to a height of 45 m and the side ones to 29 m. The central nave and side naves are supported by a system of columns which is completely new in the history of architecture. In the eyes of the observer, the interior looks like a forest of trees with beautiful alignments, of which we can see the trunk, the branches and a cluster of leaves. In this forest of columns, the light filtered through the windows will give a bucolic appearance and give a feeling of undergrowth.
The ceilings of the central nave, seen from the interior, will be crowned by aedicules that will provide support for lights with the initials of the Holy Family. Five thick parabolic shields, placed on either side, will have "Amen" and the words of praise "Al", "le", "lu", "ia", broken up into syllables, written on them. The large columns that support the vaults and the roofs also represent the apostles and the churches of the whole world. The columns dedicated to the apostles St Peter and St Paul are outstanding; they are situated between the crossing and the apse, joining the triumphal arch with the Calvary.
During the last fifteen years of his life, Gaudí planned many parts of the church so that they could be built in the future. He did so combining geometrical forms, chosen for their formal, structural, luminous, acoustic and constructive qualities: hyperboloids, paraboloids, helicoids, conoids and ellipsoids. Many of these surfaces are ruled, which makes the construction easier. He assigned one of these forms to each type of the elements that make up the naves. With helicoids he invented a new column in the history of architecture: the double twisted column. He used hyperboloids for the openings of the windows and the vaults. With paraboloids he created linking surfaces on the vaults, the roofs and the columns of the Passion façade. He generated the knots or capitals of the main columns with ellipsoids. And earlier he had planned the building of the parish schools with conoids.
Moreover, Gaudí developed a system of proportions applied to all the dimensions and elements of the church.
Structure of the Naves
Gaudí wanted to create a new architecture, with balanced, self-resistant structures. And so in his professional career he constructed parabolic and catenary arches and experimented with a reverse model of strings and bags for the church at Colonia Güell to calculate and construct inclined columns. For the expiatory church of La Sagrada Família, he proposed to improve the Gothic structure of the main European cathedrals and the project of the first architect of the church, and planned a balanced structure of columns that branch out like trees, as the culmination of the structural studies of his other buildings.
Double Twisted Columns
The double twisted column begins at the base with a regular or starred polygon with straight or parabolic sides or with a combination of polygons which, as the column rises, are transformed into different sections with an increasing number of vertices, until they reach the circle at the top.
Geometrically it is the intersection of two helicoidal columns with the same base, but with opposite twists. All the branching columns are double twisted, but with different polygons at the base. With this type of column Gaudí achieves the continuity of arrises and surfaces between one column and the ones above or beneath it.
Sagrada Família, Overview of Architecture & Structure of the Nave Columns & Vaulting
The Nave Columns & Vaulting are between the Nativity Façade and the Passion Façade of La Sagrada Família. making Gaudí's unique tree canopy design !! The interior measurements are: nave and apse, 90 m; crossing, 60 m; width of the central nave, 15 m; side naves 7.5 m, total main nave, 45 m; width of the crossing, 30m.
Works of Antoni Gaudí on UNESCO World Heritage List


East African Rift
The East African Rift (EAR) is an active continental rift zone in East Africa. The EAR began developing around the onset of the Miocene, 22–25 million years ago. In the past, it was considered to be part of a larger Great Rift Valley that extended north to Asia Minor.
The rift is a narrow zone that is a developing divergent tectonic plate boundary, in which the African Plate is in the process of splitting into two tectonic plates, called the Somali Plate and the Nubian Plate, at a rate of 6–7 mm annually. As extension continues, lithospheric rupture will occur within 10 million years, the Somalian plate will break off, and a new ocean basin will form.
A series of distinct rift basins, the East African Rift System extends over thousands of kilometers. The EAR consists of two main branches. The Eastern Rift Valley (also known as Gregory Rift) includes the Main Ethiopian Rift, running eastward from the Afar Triple Junction, which continues south as the Kenyan Rift Valley. The Western Rift Valley includes the Albertine Rift, and farther south, the valley of Lake Malawi. To the north of the Afar Triple Junction, the rift follows one of two paths: west to the Red Sea Rift or east to the Aden Ridge in the Gulf of Aden.
The EAR runs from the Afar Triple Junction in the Afar Triangle of Ethiopia through eastern Africa, terminating in Mozambique. The EAR transects through Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique. It also runs offshore of the coast of Mozambique along the Kerimba and Lacerda grabens, which are joined by the Davie Ridge, a 2200 km-long relic fracture zone that cuts across the West Somali basin, straddling the boundary between Tanzania and Mozambique. The Davie Ridge ranges between 30–120 km wide, with a west facing scarp (east-plunging arch) along the southern half of its length that rises up to 2300 m above the sea floor. Its movement is concurrent with the EAR.
Competing theories on geologic evolution
Over time, many theories have tried to clarify the evolution of the East African Rift. In 1972 it was proposed that the EAR was not caused by tectonic activity, but rather by differences in crustal density. Others proposed an African superplume causing mantle deformation. However, the varying geochemical signatures of a suite of Ethiopian lavas suggest multiple plume sources: at least one of deep mantle origin, and one from within the subcontinental lithosphere. Additionally, the subject of deep-rooted mantle plumes is still a matter of controversy, and therefore cannot be confirmed.
The most recent and accepted view is the theory put forth in 2009: that magmatism and plate tectonics have a feedback with one another, controlled by oblique rifting conditions. At that time it was suggested that lithospheric thinning generated volcanic activity, further increasing the magmatic processes at play such as intrusions and numerous small plumes. These processes further thin the lithosphere in saturated areas, forcing the thinning lithosphere to behave like a mid-ocean ridge.
Prior to rifting, enormous continental flood basalts erupted on the surface and uplift of the Ethiopian, Somalian, and East African plateaus occurred. The first stage of rifting of the EAR is characterized by rift localization and magmatism along the entire rift zone. Periods of extension alternated with times of relative inactivity. There was also the reactivation of a pre-Cambrian weakness in the crust, a suture zone of multiple cratons, displacement along large boundary faults, and the development of deep asymmetric basins. The second stage of rifting is characterized by the deactivation of large boundary faults, the development of internal fault segments, and the concentration of magmatic activity towards the rifts.
Today, the narrow rift segments of the East African Rift system form zones of localized strain. These rifts are the result of the actions of numerous normal faults which are typical of all tectonic rift zones. As aforementioned, voluminous magmatism and continental flood basalts characterize some of the rift segments, while other segments, such as the Western branch, have only very small volumes of volcanic rock.
The African continental crust is generally cool and strong. Many cratons are found throughout the EAR, such as the Tanzania and Kaapvaal cratons. The cratons are thick, and have survived for billions of years with little tectonic activity. They are characterized by greenstone belts, tonalites, and other high-grade metamorphic lithologies. The cratons are of significant importance in terms of mineral resources, with major deposits of gold, antimony, iron, chromium and nickel.
A large volume of continental flood basalts erupted during the Oligocene, with the majority of the volcanism coinciding with the opening of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden approximately 30 Ma. The composition of the volcanics are a continuum of ultra-alkaline to tholeiitic and felsic rocks. It has been suggested that the diversity of the compositions could be partially explained by different mantle source regions. The EAR also cuts through old sedimentary rocks deposited in ancient basins.
Volcanism and seismicity
The East African Rift Zone includes a number of active as well as dormant volcanoes, among them: Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Mount Longonot, Menengai Crater, Mount Karisimbi, Mount Nyiragongo, Mount Meru and Mount Elgon, as well as the Crater Highlands in Tanzania. Although most of these mountains lie outside of the rift valley, the EAR created them.
Active volcanos include Erta Ale, DallaFilla, and Ol Doinyo Lengai, the former of which is a continuously active basaltic shield volcano in the Afar Region of northeastern Ethiopia. When DallaFilla erupted in 2008 it was the largest volcanic eruption in Ethiopia in recorded history. The Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano is currently the only active natrocarbonatite volcano in the world. The magma contains almost no silica, making the flow viscosity extremely low. “Its lava fountains crystallize in midair then shatter like glass” according to the National Geographic. Approximately 50 volcanic structures in Ethiopia alone have documented activity since the onset of the Holocene.
The EAR is the largest seismically active rift system on Earth today. The majority of earthquakes occur near the Afar Depression, with the largest earthquakes typically occurring along or near major border faults. Seismic events in the past century are estimated to have reached a maximum moment magnitude of 7.0. The seismicity trends parallel to the rift system, with a shallow focal depth of 12–15 km beneath the rift axis. Further away from the rift axis, focal depths can reach depths of over 30 km. Focal mechanism solutions strike NE and frequently demonstrate normal dip-slip faults, although left-lateral motion is also observed.
Discoveries in human evolution
The Rift Valley in East Africa has been a rich source of hominid fossils that allow the study of human evolution. The rapidly eroding highlands quickly filled the valley with sediments, creating a favorable environment for the preservation of remains. The bones of several hominid ancestors of modern humans have been found here, including those of "Lucy", a partial australopithecine skeleton discovered by anthropologist Donald Johanson dating back over 3 million years. Richard and Mary Leakey have done significant work in this region also. More recently, two other hominid ancestors have been discovered here: a 10-million-year-old ape called Chororapithecus abyssinicus, found in the Afar rift in eastern Ethiopia, and Nakalipithecus nakayamai, which is also 10 million years old.
- Baikal Rift Zone
- Lake Victoria
- Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province
- West Antarctic Rift
- West and Central African Rift System
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- Seward, Liz (2007). "Fossils belong to new great ape". BBC News London. Retrieved March 14, 2008.


This Ellen MacArthur Foundation video shows the biologist and ecologist at the design table. Products and processes which use nature as mentor, model and measure.
Biomimicry (from bios = life, and mimesis = imitate) is a growing field that studies the technology of biology and emulates nature's best ideas to solve human made problems.
The basic idea is that nature has solved many of the challenges mankind is facing right now - life has been performing design experiments on Earth's R&D lab for 3.8 billion years. What's flourishing on the planet today are the best ideas -- those that perform well in context, while economizing on energy and materials.
The number one resource
for sustainability in post-16 education


- Scientists used high sound waves to levitate water droplets to identify impurities in water.
- This technique helped them to detect small scale heavy elements like cadmium and barium, within few minutes.
- It could be used by pharmaceutical, agricultural and other industries for water analysis.
Researchers at the Instituto de Ciencias Físicas UNAM, Mexico have levitated water droplets in midair using sound waves to detect harmful contaminants present in the water.
Since these contaminants are injurious to both human and environment, it’s crucial to identify tiny amounts of metals (like mercury and lead) in water. We already have several water monitoring systems, but they require sending samples to a lab for in-depth analysis, which is a time consuming process.
On the other hand, this new technique of levitating water droplets can help scientists to carry out on-site contaminant analysis in real time to prevent future lead contamination issues or detect wastewater impurities from industrial areas. It could be used by pharmaceutical, agricultural and other industries for water analysis.
How This Technique Works?
Levitating droplets of water makes it easier to perform laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) –a sensitive technique that analyzes heavy elements in the drops — because the water drop in air can be evaporated in a controlled manner, increasing the contaminant mass concentration.
The laser induced breakdown spectroscopy provides a simple and quick way to detect different elements in droplets concurrently. It vaporizes the substance and produces a plasma by projecting a high-power laser pulse onto a sample.
Since the light beam ejected by plasma consists of atomic fingerprints of the substance, the sample’s chemical composition can be detected by observing this beam of light.
Image credit: Jairo Peralta and Victor Contreras, Instituto de Ciencias Físicas UNAM
This new technique combined with LIBS can help researchers identify small-scale heavy elements such as cadmium and barium, within few minutes. For instance, in this experiment, researchers detected 200 microgram per liter of barium and 700 microgram per liter of cadmium.
Advantages Over Other Existing Techniques
There are already dozens of commercial handheld devices available for LIBS analysis. But it isn’t easy to monitor liquid samples because the plasma generated in these samples lasts for a very short period – it cools down rapidly. Also, because plasma rests on splashes of water, it slightly changes the spectroscopy reading.
In order to provide a better signal to detect contaminants in liquid, one needs to have high-powered laser equipment to produce a plasma, which are generally heavy and non-portable.
Schematic representation of the setup on the xz and xy plane | Courtesy of researchers
That’s why liquid drops are placed on a substrate, which gradually dries, leaving contaminants present in the sample. The process is simple, but involves 2 major problems –
- High-powered laser excites atoms present in the sample as well as in the substrate.
- Liquid evaporation results in nonuniform distribution of contaminants on the substrate, damaging signal quality.
Therefore, researchers came up with a new, inexpensive technique [acoustic levitation] that involves levitating single droplet of water using high sound waves, which generates enough [stable] force to counterbalance gravity and hover a droplet in the air without any support.
The best thing is, unlike other levitation mechanisms, the sample doesn’t need to have any magnetic or electric response to be levitated in the air.
Scientists plan to further enhance their technology – they will improve the design of acoustic trap to levitate samples more stably. This will refine the readings of LIBS. Also, they will try to make samples more sensitive by stably hovering tinier drops in the air. Overall, the technology will enable compact and less sensitive detector to find impurities in water in real time.


HOOKED FIG Ficus recurva Blume (1825) SECTION: RHIZOCLADUS
Latin: Hooked – referring to the uncinate (hooked) hairs on the leaves , fig and twigs.
Habit: An extremely variable and common Rhizocladus root climber with two very different types of leaves accrophylls and bathyphylls.
Leaf: As with other Section Rhizocladus root climbing figs, Ficus recurva is most often encountered in the juvenile phase with the lower bathyphyll (juvenile phase) leaves pressed against a trunk.
Fig: The small figs (0.5-1.2 cm) ripen orange to red. The figs are extremely variable and may be stipitate, stalked or sessile and may occur in clusters of up to 12 on the twigs.
Similar species: .F villosa, F. sagittata and F. urnigera.
Distinguish: (1) Both F.villosa and F. sagittata have 6-10 side veins on the acrophylls whereas F. recurva only has 3-6 side veins (2) The hairs on F. recurva are always more or less uncinate (hooked at the tips) as shown in the drawing. The only other Rhizocladus hairy fig with uncinata hairs is F. urnigera which can be easily distinguished by the flattened shape of the mature fig. Note that in the field you will need a 10x lens to see the hooked hairs on both species.
Distribution: Herbarium collections show that F. recurva is the commonest hairy Rhizocadus root climbing fig in Borneo. On Kinabalu the 5th commonest fig. overall Beaman (2004). Range: From Thailand south to Malaya, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Philippines.
Taxonomy: Berg (2005) describes 5 different varieties of Ficus recurva in Borneo.
(1) var recurva (2) var eleganitor (3) var pedicella (4) var ribesioides (5) var. urnigera. Later in Berg (2011) var urnigera was raised to the status of a separate species-which we deal with separately.


Coral reefs are an important part of the ocean ecosystem, and the rapid death of corals over the past few years is leading to significant changes in the way species live underwater. While this loss could significantly affect human lives as well, new research has found that coral loss can also lead to an increase in fish biomass.
According to a recent story by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Great Barrier Reef in March 2020 was found to have undergone a mass bleaching event. The third mass bleaching of its kind in the past five years is being attributed to increased temperatures in the month before. With researchers warning of more such loss in the years to come, the new study led by a team at the James Cook University points out the repercussions of this loss.
Analyzing data from reef surveys from 2003-04 and 2018, the new research found that ecosystems with a severe coral loss could experience an increase in the fish biomass, which translates to more fish weight in the ocean.
This increase in the herbivorous fish biomass refers to an increase in the weight of the fish rather than an increase in the fish population. This is potentially the result of an increase in algal material over dead corals, allowing herbivorous fish access to food. However, the paper warns that this might be a short-term change. Either revival of corals or the erosion of their skeletons could lead to a crash in this biomass growth.
“It’s as if the herbivorous fish community has been scaled up, with larger fish growing and providing more food for predators when they die. However, this does not come without a cost,” said Renato Morais, lead author of the study. “This suggests that many of these long-living herbivorous fishes, such as surgeonfish which can live up to 40 years, could have been there before the corals died, only growing bigger. Eventually, these older fish will die and, if not replaced by young ones, productivity could collapse.”
The results of this long-term trend study have been published in the Functional Ecology journal of the British Ecological Society.


For Families: Supporting Your Young Dual Language Learners at Home
How can families whose children attend dual language programs support their children at home during the COVID-19 pandemic? Here is some advice for families:
1. Engage with your child in the language of your home.
Numerous studies have shown that knowledge and skills students learn in the first language transfer to the new language. Once you have the language and ability to make tamales or plant flowers in one language, you only need to put the labels of the second language on it to be able to explain that know-how to someone else. Once you know how to read in one language, you have the conceptual knowledge needed to learn to read in multiple other languages.
Here are some things you can do to develop your child’s first language at home which will help your child when he or she returns to school:
- Read to and with your child. Ask them questions about the text.
- Have your child assist you with daily chores and purposefully use language, asking and answering questions about what you are doing.
- Play games, bring out the deck of cards or the board games. You’ll be surprised at how much language you use.
- Use togetherness at family meals as an opportunity to talk about things of interest to your child; again, asking questions that will elicit extended use of language.
Don’t be afraid to use higher level vocabulary with your child. They can just as easily learn less frequently used vocabulary as they can everyday language, it’s just a matter of using the new words with them.
2. Seek ways that you might support your child’s second language
Even if you yourself don’t know the second language your child is learning, you can provide other opportunities for your child to engage in receptive language development. For example, your child can participate in age-appropriate activities in the second language, and you can show your excitement by asking your child questions in your home language about what they are learning or doing, Suggested activities include:
- listening to books on tape
- playing online games
- listening to songs that include video with visuals (and subtitles)
- watching TV, films, or cartoons
In closing, you can support your dual language learner in continuing to learn while at home. Your child will be better prepared when they return to school if they grow their home language and knowledge of the world with you at home while you provide opportunities for them to engage in activities in the language they are learning.


What happens when you remove all the constraints of today’s traditional building practices? You get AMIE. AMIE, or the Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy project, is one of the world’s first 3D printed houses. But it’s not just a house. It’s also a vehicle. It’s also solar panels, and energy storage, and intelligent controls. It’s an entire integrated energy system, and it’s changing how we think about generating, storing, and using energy. Sponsored by DOE’s Building Technologies Office, Advanced Manufacturing Office, and Vehicle Technologies Office, AMIE is redefining what’s possible.
SOM in the Press
What Makes AMIE, the 3D Printed Home and Vehicle, Unique?
Source: Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy


Federal Circuit Court of Appeals Denies Patent on Cloned Animals to the Inventors of Dolly the Sheep
By Mia E. Mendoza and Kara K. Fairbairn
Dolly the Sheep was the first mammal created by cloning of an adult cell. To create her, a nucleus was extracted from a mammary cell of an adult sheep (the nuclear donor). The nucleus was then fused with an egg cell produced by another sheep (the egg donor). This fused egg cell was implanted into the womb of a surrogate ewe, where it successfully developed into the baby lamb, Dolly, a clone of the nuclear donor sheep. The inventors of the process used to create Dolly were granted a patent on the method of cloning mammals from adult cells. However, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office refused to grant a patent on the cloned animals themselves. The case, In Re Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), was appealed to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that the claims to a cloned mammal were not eligible for patenting because the cloned animals are genetically identical to the nuclear donor animal. The Federal Circuit reasoned that the nuclear donor animal is a product of nature, and therefore its clone is unpatentable as a copy of a product of nature.
If Dolly was truly an exact copy of the sheep from whom the nucleus was obtained, the Federal Circuit decision would be less significant. “Products of nature” are not eligible for patent protection under 35 U.S.C. §101. In the case of cloning, the original adult sheep from whom the nucleus was obtained was a naturally occurring organism and was therefore a “product of nature” and not patentable. In addition, if a product as made by an old process is not patentable then the identical product made by a new process is also not patentable. Making the product by the new process would only make the new product patentable if it is different from the old product. Therefore, if Dolly was an exact duplicate of the nuclear donor sheep, then she and other animals like her would also not be patentable. The process of making the cloned animals is patent eligible. However, the cloned animals would not be patentable even though they are made by the new process.
Cloned animals like Dolly, however, are not exactly the same as the animals from whom their nuclear DNA is obtained. There are several differences between the nuclear donor animals and their clones, including phenotypic differences in size, shape, color, and behavior that develop as a result of the environment, differences in the ages of the animals (with the clone being a time delayed version of the nuclear donor animal), and differences in the mitochondrial DNA. The later difference occurs because the mitochondria are located outside of the nucleus. In cloned animals like Dolly, the mitochondria of the clone come from the egg cell and therefore from the egg donor animal, not the nuclear donor. As a result, the cloned animals can be distinguished, at a cellular level, from the nuclear donor animal of which they are a copy.
The Federal Circuit held that these differences between the cloned animal and the nuclear donor animal were not adequate to make the clone patentable because they were not called for in the claims. In its decision, the Court presented the following claim as representative:
155. A live-born clone of a pre-existing, non-embryonic, donor mammal, wherein the mammal is selected from cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats.
The Federal Circuit explained that the use of the word cloned in the claims connotes genetic identity, and any differences in phenotype or mitochondrial DNA are not claimed. The Court further stated that having the same DNA as a donor animal would not make an animal ineligible for a patent, but in this particular case the claims did not call for clones with markedly different characteristics from the nuclear donor animal.
The reasoning applied by the Federal Circuit may be surprising to many patent attorneys. The claim calls for the animal to be a “clone,” which indicates the process by which the animal was made – by cloning. The use of the cloning process results in inherent differences between the cloned animal and the nuclear donor animal. The clone is, therefore, not truly identical to the animal from which it is copied, even if it includes the same nuclear DNA. Therefore, one might expect the use of the word “clone” in the claim to be sufficient to distinguish the animal, as a product of cloning, from a naturally occurring organism and therefore to make the clone patentable.
This decision is particularly significant for the biotech community, since it seems to raise the patentability bar even higher for products which are copies of things which occur in nature. That is, even if a patent claim calls for a product to be made by a particular process, and that process would result in the product being different than in nature, this decision suggests that this may not be enough. The product may still be held unpatentable as a product of nature if the differences are not included in the claim. This decision, therefore, calls into doubt the patentability and validity of claims to artificially created products which are like those that exist in nature, such as recombinantly produced products, if a difference between the natural products and the recombinantly produced products is not stated in the claims. In addition, the Federal Circuit’s decision includes references to cloned animals not being “markedly different” from the animals in nature, suggesting that a certain degree of difference (a “marked” difference) may be required for patentability, though such a requirement is not definitively stated in the decision.
Patent practitioners should take note of this decision when drafting claims to biotech products. If the product is a copy of a product of nature but has inherent differences due to the process by which it is made, at least some of the claims should include limitations directed to these differences. In addition, if the differences are minor and not “marked” there may still be difficulties in achieving patentability, although the applicability of this standard is less clear.


Exponential Growth and Carrying Capacity
Exponential growth happens when the species in a population duplicate at a steady rate. At a steady rate of reproduction, the growth rate increases in increasingly large increments due to the increase in breeders until it approaches an infinitely vast size. Of course, this infinite population does not actually occur due to a variety of limiting factors. Populations just starting out in a new region may experience a quick exponential increment in numbers to create a J formed curve, but this curve can't maintain its shape in that environment. The new population will eventually face one or more scarcities due to it's increased size, and the rate of growth will slow, stop, or even fall into decline. When this happens, either a partial or full migration may occur, in which either the entire population moves or a small group of the population goes to colonize another area.
The growth rate and size of population can be related through the following equation:
dN /dt = rN
where N = number of individuals, r = biotic potential and t = time
- Biotic Potential
This is the extreme reproduction limit of a living being under ideal natural scenario. It is frequently communicated as a corresponding rate, or shown in terms of percentage increment every year. Full articulation of the biotic capacity of a specific species is confined by ecological resistance, or any element that represses the expansion in population size. These elements incorporate unfavorable seasonal scenarios such as absence of space, light, or a reasonable substitute, mineral insufficiency, and the repressing impacts of predators.
The exponential growth model can also be presented as:
Using this particular formula b represents a constant. In this case, If b > 0, the function presents the span of a growing establishment. If b < 0, the function presents the span of a decaying establishment. The a is the size of the establishment at initial time when t = 0 and y demonstrates the size at any later time t.
Carrying capacity represents the manageable extreme limit of population from a specific group of species under given circumstances of the residing area, considering unlimited resources introduced in that environment. For exponential increase in population, development begins gradually, enters a quick incremental stage and after that settles down when the carrying capacity for that species has been achieved. The population span then varies above or below that limit. Reproductive lag time is the period for the birth rate to fall and the death rate to rise corresponding to the resource limits. This time span may also lead the population to pass beyond the carrying capacity for the time being.
Understanding Carrying Capacity and it's Effect on Exponential Growth
To understand the concept of carrying capacity, suppose for pond that the carrying capacity for fish is 800. In this scenario, we can say that the pond can support 800 fish indefinitely with present resources. Now consider that the fish population starts at 600 fish. These 600 fish have everything they need to maintain their population. Imagine now that another 500 fish migrate from another pond connected by a stream, but the other factors that determine carrying capacity do not change. This is a carrying capacity of only 800, but an actual population of 1,100. The entire fish population would immediately begin suffering the limiting factor of scarcity. Scarcity of food, space, and potentially even mates would drive reproduction down while eliminating adults through starvation and young through increased predation by starving adults.


||The English used in this article or section may not be easy for everybody to understand. (January 2012)|
A quantum computer is a model of how to build a computer. The idea is that quantum computers can use certain phenomena from Quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data. The basic principle behind quantum computation is that quantum properties can be used to represent data and perform operations on it. A theoretical model is the quantum Turing machine, also known as the universal quantum computer.
The idea of quantum computing is still very new. Experiments have been done. In these, a very small number of operations were done on qubits (quantum bit). Both practical and theoretical research continues with interest, and many national government and military funding agencies support quantum computing research to develop quantum computers for both civilian and national security purposes, such as cryptanalysis.
Today's computers, called "classical" computers, store information in bits; each bit is either on or off. Quantum computation use qubits, which, in addition to being possibly on or off, can be in between on and off. Only very simple quantum computers have been built, although larger designs have been invented. Quantum computation uses a special type of physics, quantum physics.
If large-scale quantum computers can be built, they will be able to solve some problems much more quickly than any computer that exists today (such as Shor's algorithm). Quantum computers are different from other computers such as DNA computers and traditional computers based on transistors. Some computing architectures such as optical computers may use classical superposition of electromagnetic waves. Without quantum mechanical resources such as entanglement, people think that an exponential advantage over classical computers is not possible. Quantum computers cannot perform functions that are not theoretically computable by classical computers, i.e. they do not alter the Church-Turing thesis. They would, however, be able to do many things much more quickly and efficiently.
References[change | change source]
- "Quantum Computing with Molecules" article in Scientific American by Neil Gershenfeld and Isaac L. Chuang - a generally accessible overview of quantum computing and so on.
- Quantum Information Science and Technology Roadmap for a sense of where the research is heading.
- One photon Grover algorithm
- Lieven M.K. Vandersypen et al. (1999). "Separability of Very Noisy Mixed States and Implications for NMR Quantum Computing". Phys. Rev. Lett 83: 1054–1057. .


Vaccination/immunizations are very important for your pet’s health in protecting them against infectious diseases. Without immunization pets are at risk for becoming seriously ill and can even die if exposed to one of these diseases. Preventing disease can be very easy and inexpensive as compared with the cost of treatment. Our veterinarians will work with you and your pet to determine an appropriate vaccination program that best fits your pet’s needs.
Vaccination should begin early in life as a puppy or kitten as they have the highest risk for serious disease and complications. Young nursing animals (birth to 5-6 weeks) will have short-lived protection from ingesting antibodies from their mother’s milk as long as the mother has been appropriately vaccinated. As they are weaned from the mother their antibody level declines and they are no longer protected so risk for contracting disease is high.
Some vaccinations, especially the first year of life, require frequent boosters to stimulate the immune system in order to develop effective protection. We will discuss with you the recommended booster frequency during your visit.
The following infectious diseases of dogs and cats can be prevented or minimized with vaccination:
Core Vaccinations: Vaccinations that are recommended for all pets of a specific species (dog or cat).
Non-Core Vaccinations: Vaccinations that are recommended based on an individual pet’s risk exposure.
DHPP (Core Vaccine-Dogs)
Canine Distemper is a virus that is spread in all body secretions (blood, urine, saliva etc.) and causes a high mortality in dogs. The virus causes respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. Exposure to this virus is almost inevitable so starting the vaccinations at an early age (6-8 weeks) is imperative.
Infectious Canine Hepatitis (CAV-1) is a virus that can affect the liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs and eyes. It is also a very hardy virus meaning that it can survive in the environment for months. Severe liver disease, illness and death may occur if infected.
Canine Parvovirus is one of the most common viral diseases that cause serious illness and death in young dogs. The virus infects the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow. The disease causes mild to severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and low white blood cell count. The virus is spread through the feces of an infected animal and is very stable in the environment.
Canine Parainfluenza is a highly infectious virus that infects the upper respiratory tract and is spread through the air or by direct contact.
Rabies (Core Vaccine- Dogs & Cats)
Rabies is a fatal viral disease that can be transmitted to all warm-blooded mammals, including humans. The disease is most commonly spread through bite wounds from an infected animal. The virus enters the body through the bite wound and infects the central nervous system causing behavioral abnormalities. The animal may develop a change in attitude, unusual aggression, dementia, disorientation, excessive salivation/frothing, stupor or other behavior changes. Vaccines are very effective in preventing rabies. The first rabies vaccination your pet receives is good for 1 year; thereafter it is good for 3 years as long as you update your pet before the expiration date noted on their rabies certificate. If you pet is more than 4 weeks, as directed by the manufacturer of the vaccination your pet will receive a 1 year booster. The city of Brooklyn Park requires that all dogs and cats are current on their rabies vaccination and are licensed with the city; faliure to do so can result in fines.
Bordetella Bronchiseptica (Kennel Cough) is a common infectious bacterial infection of dogs that affects the upper and lower respiratory tract and is usually accompanied by another infectious upper respiratory disease. The disease affects the larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. The infection is spread through aerosol droplets after an episode of coughing and direct contact. The typical signs include a dry, honking type cough, sneezing and nasal discharge. This bacteria does have some zoonotic potential with immunocompromised humans.
*Recommended for pets that have increased exposure to other dogs (ie. boarding, grooming, dog parks, show/trial dogs).
Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi found in infected deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis). The bacteria are transmitted during attachment and engorgement of the victim’s blood. In order to expose the bacteria to the animal the tick must remain attached for 24-48 hours. (For this reason, we also recommend using an approved monthly tick preventative such as the Frontline Plus.) Lyme disease does not develop in all animals exposed to the bacteria initially however the more exposure, the higher the risk. The most common clinical signs with this disease include; lameness, fever, swollen joints, kidney failure, change in attitude/activity and anorexia. If left untreated, permanent damage to the joints and kidney can develop. If caught early and treated, the outcome for this disease is usually very good.
*Recommended for dogs that have an increased exposure to wooded areas, tall grasses and history of tick exposure.
*To reduce the risk for adverse side effects from vaccination and to monitor the effectiveness, we require dogs (9 months or older) to be tested for lyme exposure prior to starting the vaccine series.
Leptospirosis (Non-Core BUT highly recommended due the increasing risk of this disease)
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that develops secondary to the exposure of contaminated food/water or from the urine of infected wildlife. The bacterium most commonly affects the kidneys and liver but is also spread throughout the body. The clinical signs of this disease are many and many of these signs mimic other more common kidney and liver diseases making this disease more difficult to identify.
This bacteria can also be spread to humans causing serious illness. The bacteria is spread by contact with urine from an infected animal most commonly through with breaks in the skin and mucous membranes.
FVRCP (Core Vaccine-Cats)
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis is a very common and contagious herpes virus that causes upper respiratory tract signs such as sneezing, nasal discharge, coughing and inflammation of the eye. Usually once infected these cats will remain chronic carriers and therefore may shed the virus during periods of stress. This virus can also result in abortion of infected fetuses and reproductive problems.
Feline Calicivirus also another common virus that is contagious and causes upper respiratory tract infection. The signs include sneezing, oral ulcers, swelling of the ocular tissue (chemosis), ocular and nasal discharge.
Feline Panleukopenia (aka. Feline Distemper) is a highly contagious virus that is very stable in the environment and most severely affects young cats. The virus is spread through fecal material and contamination and can cause fever, anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration and abdominal pain.
Feline Leukemia (Core Vaccine for Outdoor Cats and 1st year of life for all cats)
Feline leukemia is an infectious and deadly disease of cats that is caused by a retrovirus that causes immunodeficiency and leukemia. The disease can be spread through direct contact with infected cats, saliva, mutual grooming, litter boxes, food dishes and bite wounds. Young kittens are more susceptible to the virus so we recommend all kittens be vaccinated the first year of life. Thereafter the vaccination can be discontinued if risk for exposure is low.
*For the health of your pet we require all cats/kittens to be tested for feline leukemia prior to vaccination.
Chlamydia psittaci (Non-Core)
Chlamydia is a less common bacterial infection that can cause upper respiratory tract signs such as ocular and nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, sneezing and swelling of the ocular tissues (chemosis). Due to the lower incidence of this disease and risk for vaccine reactions (lethargy, fever, decreased appetite etc.) this vaccination is only recommended in situations such as catteries and shelter environments.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis/FIP (NOT Recommended)
FIP is an infectious and deadly disease that is caused by a corona virus. The disease causes inflammation of the abdominal cavity and organs, and death. Clinical signs of the disease include diarrhea, fever, lethargy, jaundice, weight loss, and abdominal distention. Studies have shown that the efficacy of this vaccine is variable therefore we do not recommend it.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus/FIV (NOT Recommended)
FIV is an infectious and deadly retrovirus that causes immune suppression and death. It is spread through the saliva and bite wounds of an infected cat. The symptoms include, fever, weight loss, diarrhea, stomatitis, enlarged lymph nodes and chronic infections. The vaccination interferes with blood testing therefore we do not recommend this vaccine at this time.


Influenza, also known as flu, is a highly contagious disease caused by Influenza virus. Symptoms mostly include a sore throat, cough, fever, runny nose, muscle pains, headaches, and tiredness.
Flu can be treated with medications prescribed by your doctor, however, there are other natural ways that the symptoms can be eased quickly. Here are 7 tips to reduce the symptoms of flu:
This tip is essential since it allows the body to use all its energy to fight the virus. Doing any activity when you are sick weakens the body’s defences and leaves you exposed to possible infections.
2. Drink plenty of fluids.
Fluids, especially water, are very important if the flu causes fever, as dehydration may occur. Fluids can also provide the nutrients needed when the individual is too sick to eat. Invest in fruit juices, teas, vitamins.
3. Take pain relievers
Use Aspirin and Ibuprofen for pain relief and speed recovery.
4. Gargle with salt and water.
This method promotes the relief of a sore throat and removes excess secretions from it.
ALSO READ: 5 Symptoms Of Heart Disease
5. Increase humidity level
Increase the humidity in places such as your bedroom, study room but to mention a few. This procedure helps to reduce the discomfort of coughing and dry nose. Simply distribute a bucket of water per room.
6. Do a body massage with hot water
Use a bag of hot water on the muscles to ease muscle discomfort. This tip helps to relax tense and rigid muscles as it promotes vasodilation.
7. Warm up your feet.
Dipping your feet in warm water helps to reduce headaches and stuffy nose.
By following these tips it is possible to significantly decrease the flu symptoms.
Although influenza is a simple disease, it should not be late to take the necessary steps to fight it, as there may be complications.
In addition to following the tips, a physician should be consulted for the most appropriate intervention to the patient.
ALSO READ: Natural Remedies for a headache


Anti-Immigrant Prejudice in the Union Army
On February 6, 1864, after engaging the enemy in northern Virginia, Major Henry Livermore Abbott of the 20th Massachusetts wrote to his mother about the foray, displaying a not uncommon contempt for foreigners who had been drafted into the Union Army:
“It was a very small affair as far as fighting was concerned. We lost only a couple hundred men I believe, & a few officers. . . One regiment (a rare thing to say of any in this army now) behaved disgracefully — the ‘Garibaldi Guard,’ a beastly set of Dutch boors, Maccaronis, & Frogratecs, in short the rag tag & bobtail of all creation, little short beastly fellows with big beards & more stupid than it is possible for an American who has never seen them to conceive of. It is a rule in this army that the more foreign a regiment is, the more cowardly it is . . .”
– Submitted by Bill Halainen, Milford, PA
From Fallen Leaves: The Civil War Letter of Major Henry Livermore Abbott, published by Kent State University Press.
Union Soldier Re-Enlists Because Nearly Everyone Else Did, Tells Friend in Vermont to Make Lots of Maple Sugar for Pancakes
February 15, 1864. While in Barrancas, Florida, Private Proctor Swallow of Vermont, wrote a friend back home: “When I wrote you [yesterday], I did not think I would Enlist again but the Company have nearly all Enlisted and I did not want to be the last one I have Considered the matter over and think it is the best thing I can do if the War is over in a year it is the best thing to do if it should last 3 years I should be back again we shall be at Home some time this year on a Furlough I presume it will be in June July or Aug besides . . . Mother could not be any better off if I was at Home than she is now I hear that the President has called for 500,000 more men if he gets them I think the south cannot stand it a great while longer I hope you will be so luck as not to be Drafted . . . make a good lot of maple Suggar and grow some Buckwheat so I can have some Pancakes when I get Home give my love to mother and the children write soon good bye”
– Submitted by Vermont Humanities Council executive director Peter A. Gilbert
Tuf as a Boiled Owl, The Civil War Letters of Proctor Swallow, 7th Vermont Volunteer Regiment, (2006) Kenena Hansen Spalding, ed. p. 109.


Balancing the marine ecosystem through the protection of estuaries
Estuaries are highly productive types of ecosystems worldwide and of considerable value, yet are some of the most degraded systems on earth. South African estuaries are widely distributed across the State and cover a diversity of geomorphological types. In South Africa, a number of studies have shown that estuaries contribute significantly to the local and national economy. International law has put measures and principles in place to protect estuaries; and South Africa has adopted those measures and principles. The country already has legal instruments to protect estuaries, which include the National Environmental Management Integrated Coastal Management Act. Several challenges pertaining to estuary management in South Africa remain as degradation continues. Few estuaries are regarded as near pristine and the vast majority are vulnerable to a range of threats influencing terrestrial, freshwater and marine systems. The greatest threat facing estuaries globally is human behaviour. There is less planning done to protect estuaries; the focus is on economic development opportunities and approval procedures, such as, port and related facilities, public facilities, mariculture and aquaculture, tourism, leisure and recreation, and lastly, mining among them. Emphasis in this priority area is on local economic development. However, co-operative governance is required to assist in estuarine management and protection to promote sustainable coastal development.


Five Things to Do Outside
April 4, 2020
by Aaron Pflug • Kidzeum Staff
It’s not breaking news that, for most kids (and adults), spending time outside is extremely beneficial! But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to accomplish…even under the best circumstances. So, to help, here are five activities to get everyone moving outdoors!
Kites – A Classic
Ok, ok, we’re starting off with an easy one as this topic was just covered! However, it’s well worth mentioning again because as an activity, it has it all. From initial design and construction with lots of opportunity for creative choices and decoration to the thrill of seeing a personal creation soar after running and catching the wind, kites are one of those activities that could easily become a hobby.
Really, this is a catch-all category for all those projects and experiments too big or messy for inside the house! Perhaps a spot outside would prove a solid choice for the test phase of an Egg Drop project. Or, as a landing zone for a Water Balloon Parachute! Maybe you want to whip up a batch of Elephant Toothpaste. Of course, what “messy” means is open to interpretation, so use any level of potential mess necessary to get outside and let loose!
Why not spend an afternoon enjoying some of the classic school yard games? Hide-and-Seek, Capture the Flag, and other infinite versions of Tag (You’re It) are easy to play for just about all age groups. Hopscotch requires just some chalk and a sidewalk. Four Square just needs some chalk or tape, a bit of space, and a “bouncy” ball for setup and play. And, of course, Jumping Rope is a timeless activity, game, and exercise! It can be just like recess…at home!
Take a “Hike” through “Nature”
Certainly, if you are lucky enough to safely access and hike more traditional nature locations, do so! But maybe that isn’t convenient…so, why not turn a walk around the block into an expedition through (neighborhood) nature? There are plenty of activities to do with even the smallest observers! Pick out a few choice spots and encourage learners to make observations and/or sketches of plant growth or animal activity throughout Spring and Summer!
Cultivate a Garden
Yes – this has been mentioned before, as well. But, like kite building and flying, gardening checks quite a few of the boxes regarding physical activity, education, and fun! You know…hmm…gardening could be something we spend even more time investigating…
So, stay tuned! In the meantime, let us know about your favorite outdoor activities…especially if you think it’s something people need to know about!


Respected Spanish scientist Juan Ignacio Cirac believes that quantum computing could be a reality in 10 year’s time. A super machine capable of performing calculations at breakneck speeds that will open uncharted territories in matters such as encryption.
In 1994, employees of the U.S. National Security Agency started attending scientific congresses. But not just any congresses: only those in which quantum physics-related matters were discussed. They were eager to know when the first viable quantum computer would be built. What were they so concerned about?
Juan Ignacio Cirac is one of the world’s most authoritative voices in quantum physics. This Catalonian, who moved to Germany 15 years ago – Príncipe de Asturias Laureate in Scientific and Technical Research (2006), and BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Basic Sciences category 2008- visited BBVA’s Innovation Center in Madrid to take part in an event organized by Cátedra I4S-URJC to talk about the history of quantum physics and the long-awaited arrival of the quantum computer.
Both during his keynote presentation and in an interview with BBVA, Cirac made it clear that quantum computers do not exist and will not be here tomorrow, but could be ready in the next decade. And it will change the world.
The explanation of why quantum computing is drawing such level of attention from U.S. intelligence services lies in the essence of quantum physics. In Cirac’s own words, “quantum physics explain what happens in the microscopic world, in the world of the things that our eyes cannot perceive.”
What makes it so special? Why can quantum physics change the world? One of the properties that quantum physics explain is that microscopic particles can do something extraordinary: be in two places at once, what is known as quantum superpositions.
“Atoms,” as Cirac explained, “don’t come out of a hole up or down up, but down and up at the same time, they are in both states at the same time. And this happens not just to atoms. Everything that is in the microscopic world has this extraordinary property.”
The possibilities of the quantum computer
Logically, if it can be in two places at the same time, it will allow to, at the same time, solve problems that couldn’t be solved before. Capabilities become infinite. And this is where the quantum computer, about which the NSA is so concerned, comes into play.
What’s the main advantage of a quantum computer vs. a classic computer? For Cirac, a quantum computer “can solve, very quickly, problems that are impossible to solve for classic computers.” And he added: “a quantum computer is formed with quantum bits and thanks to the superpositions it is capable of performing many calculations at the same time, and that gives them an extraordinary power.”
But apart from that, these computers will also be capable of cracking encrypted messages at uncanny speeds – Shor’s Algorithm-. With quantum computers, it would take us just as long to multiply as to factor, while factoring in classic computers is a very slow process. The fact that factoring is more difficult than multiplying is what makes encryption methods trustable and secure.
Why? Because what our computers do is multiply to encrypt messages, and, to decrypt them, the receiving computer also multiplies. If somebody wants to read the transmission to reveal the content of the message, that person needs to factor the message, something that’s much harder and time consuming than multiplying. Quantum computers, instead, can decrypt messages very quickly.
This is something about which national security services are extremely concerned. Standard encryption methods will be rendered useless by quantum computers. What a classic computer would take 2000 years to decrypt, a quantum would take five hours.
Google, Intel, IBM and many countries are working hard on these systems, but the task is not easy. Why? Because our world destroys the superpositions. In other words: if the microscopic and the macroscopic world interact the extraordinary property of superpositions disappears.
As Cirac emphasized: “To have a quantum computer we need to isolate quantum bits completely from the outside world. The problem is that to factor an interesting number, we would need to isolate about 4,000 bits, something that’s extremely complicated because quantum bits cannot interact with anything.”
For the expert, in two or three years, this problem will be solved and a quantum computer will be built capable to tackle tasks that are impossible for today’s computers. But it will be an absurd task and we will have to wait from 10 to 20 years to see quantum computers performing relevant factoring calculations.
And if the quantum computer is finally built, it will be possible to develop quantum encryption, which will be impossible to break. Quantum encryption will allow to send messages in superpositions. If someone tries to hack it they would be destroyed and the receiver would know that someone has read the information. Quantum physics also facilitates teleportation: a process by which the information appears in one place without travelling through a medium, making it impossible to hack.
And what does quantum physics bring to the world of banking? Cirac highlighted that it will have a tremendous impact on security, “in communication, in the exchange of extremely safe data thanks to quantum encryption,” he specified.
Looking forward, he added, we will have quantum credit cards and money. “We will have credit cards that no one will be able to copy, formed on the inside by quantum bits in superpositions that would be destroyed if anyone were to read them. It is a technique that still in its nascent stage, because it needs for quantum bits to last for, at least, a year, and today, their average life span is of, approximately, a couple of days,” he explained.
The sector that is going to benefit the most from the appearance of the quantum computer is, according to Cirac, “that of material and chemical engineers. Those who, today, use supercomputers to design materials and chemical compounds.”
Cirac thinks we will see the first quantum computer in 10 years. In ten years, he expects Artificial Intelligence and automation will help us all, not just a few, enjoy higher living standards and live longer. Time will say if this will be possible and if the quantum computer will be, at last, real.


National Medal of Science - Biological Sciences 2001
Zoologist. Ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry, acid rain, human impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Linked fossil fuel combustion to acid rain. Founder, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Hubbard Book Experimental Forest. Celebrating 50 years as a Forest Service National Scientific Treasure. Forest Science Review.
'Rivers On Rolaids': How Acid Rain Is Changing Waterways. National Public Radio, September 13, 2013 3:06 AM ET
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Doctor of Science degree, 1985.
Dr. Gene E. Likens. Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies [The science behind environmental solutions].
Name: Gene Elden Likens
Birth: 6 January 1935 Pierceton, Indiana USA
Title: Director and President and G. Evelyn Hutchinson Chair in Ecology
Affiliation: Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Citation: "For his discovery of acid rain in North America and his sustained leadership in developing the fields of ecology and ecosystem science." Presented by President George W. Bush in a White House East Room ceremony on June 12, 2002."
History of Discovery
External Resources Text
Patents: Likens has not patented his discoveries
Discover Your Abilities and Aspirations!
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Tax Exempt 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization


Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death world-wide. Smoking is accepted as the major risk factor, responsible for 70-90% of all cancer cases, although the etiology of lung cancer appears multifactorial with both environmental and genetic factors playing a role. One important reason for the poor outcome of patients with lung cancer is that the disease is commonly diagnosed in advanced stages and therefore often not resectable by surgery. Symptoms of lung cancer are unspecific and dependent on anatomical site and include persistent coughing, hemoptysis, repeated pneumonia and signs of respiratory distress.
Lung cancer can be principally divided into small cell carcinoma and non-small cell carcinoma. Small cell lung carcinoma originates from neuroendocrine cells and accounts for approximately 15% of all primary lung cancers. This extremely rapidly proliferating cancer is generally treated with chemotherapy with initial good tumor response. However, after initial response, small cell lung carcinoma nearly always progresses, with only anecdotal long term survivors.
Non-small cell carcinoma is suggested to originate from bronchogenic or alveolar cells and represents the most common form of primary lung cancer. Patient therapy is based on the tumour extent. In principal, limited stage tumors are treated surgically, sometimes with the addition of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Advanced stages are palliatively treated with a combination of cytotoxic drugs and recently developed targeted drugs. Unfortunately, often the effect of treatment leads to only modest survival prolongation.
The histology-based classification has only minor impact on therapy and is under revision due to the identification of clinically relevant molecular aberrations and their relation to histopathological subtypes. Non-small cell carcinomas are classified as adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or large cell carcinoma and very rare entities like pleomorphic carcinoma and mixed tumors. Necrosis, hemorrhage and abundant mitotic figures are common features in non-small cell lung carcinomas. As in several other forms of cancer, the infiltration of various inflammatory cells can be prominent and occaisional hisiocytic multinucleated giant cells can be present in areas with degradation of normal structures.
Adenocarcinomas can be subdivided into more typical pulmonary adenocarcinomas with papillary, acinar and tubular differentiation, or rare bronchoalveolar carcinoma, also termed adenocarcinoma in situ, characterized by a distinctive growth of tumor cells along the lining of alveolar walls. A subset of adenocarcinomas show extensive mucin production and are termed mucinous or colloid carcinomas. The typical adenocarcinomas of the lung show differences in degree of pleomorphism, cellular atypia, rate of mitotic figures and formation of glandular structures, all which is used as criteria for determining the differentiation grade (well, moderate or poor).
Squamous cell carcinoma is suggested to originate from metaplastic squamous epithelia in the bronchial tree. It is defined by a variable degree of squamous differentiation, such as keratinization or intercellular bridging. The degree of squamous differentiation provides the basis for determining if the carcinoma is well, moderately or poorly differentiated.
Large cell carcinomas of the lung show undifferentiated morphology and are characterized as tumors growing in sheets of relatively large and pleomorphic cells, lacking clear-cut features of differentiation towards either adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
Small cell carcinoma represents the end of the spectrum of poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumors and is a highly aggressive tumor with an extremely poor clinical outcome independent of stage. Signs of neuroendocrine differentiation can be difficult to visualize and the diagnosis is mainly based on morphological appearance. These tumors are characterized by the proliferation of primitive-appearing relatively small tumor cells of about double or triple the size of an ordinary lymphocyte. The tumor grows in haphazardly arranged sheets of a homogeneous population of tumor cells separated by thin fibrous septa. Necrosis is extensive and a common feature of these tumors.
Diagnostics of lung cancer subtypes is principally based on morphology, although immunohistochemistry markers are valuable to confirm the histological subtypes. In adenocarcinoma the expression of cytokeratin 7 and TTF1 is common, whereas squamous cell carcinomas are positive for cytokeratin 5 and 6 as well as p63. Immunohistochemistry also plays an important role to distinguish primary lung carcinomas from lung metastases from other organs.
Normal tissue: Bronchus, Lung


There is no better place than Berlin to bring the significant events of the 20th century to life. Our WW2 educational trips have strong links to KS3, KS4, KS5, and IB History – studying the Nazi period and the causes of the Second World War.
WW2 effectively stopped the world between 1939 and 1945. Our history programme seeks to present as wide a view as possible of this military conflict and its origins. Berlin is an ideal location to find out how and why Hitler rose to power and was able to establish such a powerful dictatorship.
The end of the war resulted in the partition of Berlin and Germany, and this division is still visible at sites like Checkpoint Charlie. Our WW2 itineraries can easily be adapted to include this topic – have a look at our Cold War itinerary for some ideas!
Our Suggested Itinerary
Travelling by air.
Morning flight to Berlin.
"Third Reich Berlin" walking tour. Learn about Hitler's rise and subsequent consolidation of power, and the terrible impact of the Nazi reign of terror. You will see some of the city's most influential sites, including the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag Building, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and much more!
Free evening in Alexanderplatz.
Optional extra: Take in panoramic views of the city from the incredible glass dome of the Reichstag Building, the scene of the notorious 1933 fire which helped to launch Hitler into power.
Half-day excursion to Sachsenhausen Memorial & Museum, a former concentration camp, with a local guide to discover the brutal history of the site where thousands of political opponents and Holocaust victims were held.
In the afternoon, visit the Jewish Museum to see two millennia of German Jewish history through the eyes of the Jewish minority.
Morning visit to the Topography of Terror - a permanent exhibition contained within the former cellars of the Gestapo HQ, illustrating the terrors and crimes of the Nazi era.
Afternoon visit the Deutsches Historisches Museum, with two whole floors dedicated to the end of the First World War, the Weimar Republic, and the Nazi regime. Alternatively, stop for a photo opportunity at Checkpoint Charlie and explore its museum, to learn more about how Berlin was divided after 1945.
Return flight to UK.
Testimonials about this trip:
Hall Mead SchoolCara was incredibly helpful and efficient during the booking process and was also very patient when we were delayed in submitting a few things. She was always on hand to help and was very approachable.
Berlin has so much to see and do that this sample itinerary might not be quite what you want. Click on Request a Quote to let us know what you'd like to include in your trip.
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The name edge computing signifies the corner or edge in a network diagram at which traffic enters or exits the network.
Edge computing pushes computing power to the edges of a network, so instead of devices like drones or smart traffic lights needing to call home for instructions or data analysis, they can perform analytics themselves on streaming data and communicate with other devices to accomplish tasks.
In edge computing, the big data analytics happens very close to the IoTdevices and sensors. Edge computing thus can also speed up the analysis process, allowing decision makers to take action on insights faster than before.
For organizations, this offers significant benefits. They have less data sent over their networks, which can improve performance and save on cloud computing costs. It allows organizations to discard IoT data that is only valuable for a limited amount of time, reducing storage and infrastructure costs. Further edge computing improves time to action and reduces response time down to milliseconds, while also conserving network resources.
In Industrial Internet of Things, applications such as power production, smart traffic lights, or manufacturing, the edge devices capture streaming data that can be used to prevent a part from failing, reroute traffic, optimize production, and prevent product defects.
Coca Cola free style dispensers are using edge computing to quickly understand the consumer behavior and help to be more responsive to needs.
GE locomotives take advantage of edge computing by gathering and processing real-time data about railway conditions, train maintenance, and even crew morale to help railroad companies move trains through crowded railway corridors in as safe and efficient a manner as possible.
With Digital Transformation and emerging technologies that will enable “smart” everything – cities, agriculture, cars, health, etc – in the future require the massive deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors while edge computing will drive the implementations.


In line with October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, last Friday, 200 students of Melwood Elementary School gathered outside the school building in shape of a pink ribbon.
Briana Taylor is one of the pupils who raised awareness for cancer and remembers her grandmother who has been a victim of ovarian cancer. The girl points out that it is a positive development to learn about cancer at school and initiate such collective events. She underlines: "It helped people understand about breast cancer. It means a lot to me that people do this for cancer."
Many of the children who were dressed in pink shirts in order to form a human pink ribbon have family members who dot diagnosed with cancer. Educational experts underline the importance to students to share their painful experiences with each other and their teachers also to foster emotional ties in the school environment.
Some of the students additionally visited a medical institution in order to regard women with a breast cancer diagnosis with cookies and flowers. Their accompanying teacher, Grace Gutridge, praises the trip: "This has opened their eyes. It's an awareness everyone needs to have."
The children profited from the trip by gaining awareness and motivation to maybe find a cure to the cruel disease in the future.


Well, the component doesn’t get mounted like you could count on. React JS applications contain the majority of the components. So when you have multiple components that wants a value then utilize context. You have to break the most important component down further into smaller components in order for your code is clean and simple to keep. A compound component is a means to compose elements inside one another, but the main condition is the inner components doesn’t work without their principal parent.
In our example to date, all our components presumably reside in 1 file. Components can likewise be written using ES6 classes rather than functions. Our component should enable to compose several components very similar to a normal pipe function without needing to keep nesting. Without the serializer every time a component is produced in a test it must have the enzyme-to-jsonmethod. Taking a look at the Greeting component you created earlier, it’s clear that it’s not a really handy component to get. Since a controlled component doesn’t have any state, it has to be controlled by somebody else. It’s also simpler to debug self-contained app components, for example, employing the react-devtools package.
If you don’t build a huge scale mobile app that needs plenty of unique scenes and you’re scared to get lost at some point, I believe that you should stick with Navigator. For instance, a lot of food delivery applications exist as both internet and cellular applications. Designing an app for numerous platforms with the very same set of code can on occasion be a little overwhelming and your code will start soon to appear ugly.
Why one needs to pay attention to React js?
The parent can subsequently be extended by means of a child that includes the platform specific render method, and would inherit all of the functionality of the parent. Or perhaps you want the behavior of a checkbox but want something which appears completely different. Everything is excellent until you play with React by yourself. If React receives the very same function reference, it won’t. It’s important to realize the changes that allow you to develop ergonomic React applications. Fortunately, you’ll probably find alternative solutions out there as a way to accomplish what you will need. There is quite a common use case which you have a whole lot of special, dynamic event listeners within a component, like when mapping an array.
Why the react js is so popular?
React Js took the front end web development world. This is what it makes it so popular. It had been gaining tremendous achievements in the It sector giving everlasting solutions for their users.
React js is renowned as the important framework and less complex than other frameworks. It is a good choice for the users to integrate into their existing project very easily.With the react the execution speed was very much increased. React js was backed up by the facebook.
React Js itself has a very small API with the following in built concepts. One needs to carefully analyze each of them.
The New Angle on React Js and render DOM methods:
React uses an efficient diffing algorithm on the digital DOM which enables it to only alter the pieces of the application which need to be updated. A number of the methods were deprecated, due to their insecurity. Utilizing getState method can receive the state object. Though the function isn’t static, it’s advisable to return the value, not update the component. Passing an update function makes it possible for you to access the present state value within the updater. Utilizing inline arrow functions in function components is a great method to attain some decoupling.
There are many different strategies to create components. In our example up to now, all our components presumably dwell in 1 file. All components should be their very own module in a directory named components within the source directory. In total i think it is a quick component. Since a controlled component doesn’t have any state, it has to be controlled by somebody else. For instance, the presentational TodoList component demands a container like VisibleTodoList that subscribes to the Redux store and knows the way to apply the present visibility filter.
React JS applications contain the majority of the components. The render method is the sole essential method in a course component, which is utilized to render DOM nodes. React is about components. Each component has a lot of lifecycle techniques that you can override to run code at particular times in the approach. You’ve just created your very first React Component.
React isn’t a framework but a library to create the UI, so you should think about the rest of the pieces by yourself. In truth, it can’t even be thought of as a framework. As it’s a complete framework, you can count on a complete team to produce careful decisions. An era in which you won’t pick one particular framework but your favorite sections of every one of the available frameworks. Security in the event the framework is widely used and is among the very best ones, it has solid security arrangements. Everybody has been talking a good deal about JS frameworks during the last few decades.
How to print hello world using the react components
Import React from ‘react’
Import ReactDOM from ‘react-dom’
React Js had gained more popularity in terms of its effectiveness and simple to use.


Shamanism is not a
religion. It is a healing technology:
Shamanic healing is humanity's oldest healing system, going back
perhaps as much as 40 thousand years.
That it has persisted so long, and in essentially the same form across
many cultures, is a testament to its effectiveness.
While indigenous shamanism is always embedded in its culture, the many
elements that are common across the world's cultures can be
practiced in the context of our own culture.
Michael Harner was one of the first to do this; he set up the Foundation for Shamanic
Studies to train and teach practitioners, and to aid
indigenous peoples wishing to regain a lost shamanic heritage.
Shamanic healing is based on the idea that there are spirits.
That is, non-physical
entities that seem to be conscious, and that it's possible for some
people to interact with them.
In Shamanism, the specially skilled person (called the shaman) travels
in trance to the worlds
where the spirits live, with the mission of getting help or
information, for healing his or her clients and
the whole community.
In particular, there are compassionate spirits that
have an interest in helping
humans reduce the load of suffering in this world.
The shaman learns where in the spirit worlds to find these
compassionate spirits, and develops
a partnership with them for this work.
While it's easy to dismiss the idea of spirits as "unscientific", the
work is practical and effective.
All the world's cultures have a rich folklore around the idea of
spirits -- with many
parables of both the trouble you can get yourself into, and the good
that you can do, by
exploring the spirit worlds.
Whether there are "really" spirits or not is perhaps unimportant -- the
idea is a powerful
and effective metaphor.
Shamanic healing work is a highly disciplined approach to the spirit
The shaman is focused on a mission during the trance -- learning to
hold this focus in the
trance state is the essence of shamanic training.
Once the shaman returns from trance, he or she is completely back.
In almost all of the world's cultures that have a shamanic tradition,
the shaman will go into trance with the aid of monotonous drumming, or
other similar percussion.
In this trance, he or she will travel to the
spirits in their realm -- hence the term
A few traditions use psychoactive plant extracts, but drumming has been
found to be
equally effective, and it's much easier to end the trance when needed!
Interestingly, the layout of the spirit worlds,
as seem by shamans in all the world's cultures,
is remarkably similar.
(We take this as evidence that there is "actually" a spiritual reality,
independent of culture, that they are independently visiting.)
Shamanic healing is almost always done in close partnership with the
shaman's helping spirits.
The shaman relies on these spirits for information, guidance, power,
The spirits rely on the shaman as a physical intermediary and
There are roughly four main kinds of shamanic healing:
- Power Retrieval
- In the process of going through life, a person may
lose some of his or her personal spiritual power.
This will cause symptoms like chronic fatigue, a run of bad luck,
The shaman will attempt to restore the client's power, usually by
reconnecting the client to
a former source of power, often in the form of a power animal
- Soul Retrieval
- When traumatic events happen, a portion of our vital
can become separated and lost.
This can happen in both physical trauma (accidents, anesthesia,
physical abuse) and emotional trauma (separation, loss of love,
Sometimes we even (unconsciously) "give away" our vital essence, or
in someone else taking it.
The shaman attempts to locate these lost fragments of vital essence and
determine if it's safe for them
to be brought back at this time.
If so, the shaman will bring back the client's lost essence, or "soul
This work is often combined with power animal retrieval.
This is incredibly beautiful work.
Sandra Ingerman (see her
web site for books and seminars) developed this technique
on her own, then
discovered that it was essentially identical to what indigenous shamans
been doing for eons.
She is now widely regarded as the foremost authority on soul retrieval.
She has refined the technique over the years, in thousands of sessions,
to the gentle and effective practice it is today.
- If someone is low on personal power, or has suffered
some soul loss,
they are "open" for opportunistic spiritual intrusions to enter.
Localized physical (or emotional) pain, with no particular physical
reason, is a common symptom.
This is sort-of like the raccoons moving into an unoccupied wing of a
large house --
though they create quite a mess,
they are not "evil" or malicious -- just in the wrong place.
The shaman will, with the help of his or her helpers, find and
They are usually returned to nature, where they should be.
This work is often very theatrical and dramatic.
- Similar to a spiritual intrusion, the spirit of a
deceased person that didn't
"go on to the light" can attach to someone.
Usually these spirits are not malicious -- just confused.
They are looking for a nice warm body to live in, like they used to.
To the host, the symptoms will be things like a sudden change in
a change in desires, or addictive behavior.
What is sometimes thought of as "demonic possession" is often just the
fear carried by the possession being -- perhaps a frightened child --
being experienced by the host.
The shaman will contact the possessing entity and bring it enough light
that it will understand its situation.
Then the shaman will help it to heal and go to the light.
We have experience with several different masters in
this field -- Michael Harner of the
for Shamanic Studies, Brazilian Spiritists Carlos and Maria
Lucia Sauer (incidentally, we do not know their current contact
In traditional cultures, shamans perform other (related) work as well:
- this is where the shaman will attempt to get
a client from the spirits -- by reading cards, tossing stones, or
directly in a journey.
We are familiar in our culture with the idea of going to a psychic for
- Weather Work:
- in many traditions the shamans work to control the
weather -- usually
either stopping or starting the rain -- but sometimes wind and other
aspects of the weather, such as "turning a hurricane".
(While we have had some training and initiation in this, we do not do
this kind of work.)
- Healing the Dead:
- one of the most important jobs of the shaman is to
people through the dying process, then help them afterwards to be sure
they "cross over",
or "go on to the light".
In addition to the shaman's clients and their families, this sort of
work is also
done to clear "haunted" houses and land. Sometimes this work is called
"psychopomp", which means to conduct the soul.