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Celebrating all the inspirational women saints associated with the Norfolk Saints Way. In date order: St. Bathilde (died 658 CE) – An East Anglian Slave who became a queen , the first person to introduce anti-slavery laws. Her seal matrix was found across the River Yare at Postwick. Mother Julian of Norwich (Died 1416) – Anchorite, Theologian, the first woman to write a book in English. Edith Cavell – ( Died 1915). Pioneer Nurse Educator
- What are the 4 steps to preparing a sales forecast? - What do you mean by sales forecasting? - What are the three kinds of sales forecasting techniques? - What are the different types of forecasting? - How do you calculate sales forecast? - What is sales forecasting and its methods? - Why do we need to do sales forecasting properly? - What is the best forecasting method for sales? - What is a sales forecast example? - How is forecasting done? What are the 4 steps to preparing a sales forecast? Four Proven Steps to Accurate Sales ForecastingSales Forecasting Step 1: Determine realistic close dates. Sales Forecasting Step 2: Utilize fixed percentage scoring. Sales Forecasting Step 3: Set the proposed dollar size. Sales Forecasting Step 4: Put It All Together.. What do you mean by sales forecasting? Sales forecasting is the process of estimating future revenue by predicting the amount of product or services a sales unit (which can be an individual salesperson, a sales team, or a company) will sell in the next week, month, quarter, or year. What are the three kinds of sales forecasting techniques? Three General Types. Once the manager and the forecaster have formulated their problem, the forecaster will be in a position to choose a method. There are three basic types—qualitative techniques, time series analysis and projection, and causal models. What are the different types of forecasting? Top Four Types of Forecasting MethodsTechniqueUse1. Straight lineConstant growth rate2. Moving averageRepeated forecasts3. Simple linear regressionCompare one independent with one dependent variable4. Multiple linear regressionCompare more than one independent variable with one dependent variable How do you calculate sales forecast? To forecast sales, multiply the number of units by the price you sell them for. Create projections for each month. Your sales forecast will show a projection of $12,000 in car wash sales for April. As the projected month passes, look at the difference between expected outcomes and actual results. What is sales forecasting and its methods? Forecasting methods can be qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative methods are subjective in nature where the opinion of the experts is given importance while estimating the future sales. Quantitative methods imply objective or mathematical analysis of factors predicting sales. Why do we need to do sales forecasting properly? Why Accurate Sales Forecasting Matters A sales forecast helps every business make better business decisions. It helps in overall business planning, budgeting, and risk management. Sales forecasting allows companies to efficiently allocate resources for future growth and manage its cash flow. What is the best forecasting method for sales? Sales Forecasting MethodsLength of Sales Cycle Forecasting.Lead-driven Forecasting.Opportunity Stage Forecasting.Intuitive Forecasting.Test-Market Analysis Forecasting.Historical Forecasting.Multivariable Analysis Forecasting. What is a sales forecast example? Example 1: Forecasting Based on Historical Sales Data Let’s say that last month, you had $150,000 of monthly recurring revenue and that for the last 12 months, sales revenue has grown 12% each month. … Your forecasted revenue for next month would be $166,500. How is forecasting done? Forecasting is the process of making predictions of the future based on past and present data and most commonly by analysis of trends. A commonplace example might be estimation of some variable of interest at some specified future date. … In some cases the data used to predict the variable of interest is itself forecast.
Pshavi (historically Pkhovi) is a small historical region of north-eastern Georgia, located in the gorge of the river Pshavi Aragvi, on the southern slopes and foothills of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, modern-day Mtskheta-Mtianeti Mkhare (administrative region), Dusheti Municipality. Pshavi can be broken down into two main parts divided at the confluence of the rivers Pshavi and Khevsureti Aragvi. The area along the Pshavi Aragvi gorge between Zhinvali Reservoir and the confluence of Khevsureti and Pshavi Aragvi, is considered as “Lower” Pshavi. This area includes the community of Magharoskari village, and its constituent villages: Chargali, Gometsari, SharaKhevi etc. “Upper” Pshavi is comprised of the village communities of Ukanapshavi and Shuapkho, located in the very upper reaches of Pshavi Aragvi. Pshavi region is bordered by the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and Khevsureti region from the north and northwest, Kartli and Kakheti lowlands from the south and southeast. Pshavi, and especially its lower parts, is not very mountainous and elevated compared to other regions and areas of the East Georgian mountains (e.g. Khevsureti or Tusheti), ranging from 1000 to 3000 meters above the sea level. Therefore, because of such geographic conditions, Pshavi nature and climate is different to its more mountainous and alpine highland counterparts, characterized by richer flora and fauna, with deciduous and mixed forests. Moreover, Pshavi has unique ethno-cultural characteristics, particularly its local dialect, which has been influenced through centuries by both highland and lowland cultures of east Georgia. Similarly to other highland regions of the South Caucasus, Pshavi local communities have kept their ancient customs and traditions well. Aragvi Adventure Center is a notable highlight located near village SharaKhevi, in the lower reaches of the river Pshavi Aragvi. Center offers rafting, kayaking, biking, hiking and other various outdoor sports activities, as well as camping sites and wooden huts in the gorge of Pshavi Aragvi. Khevsureti is a historical-ethnographic province, located in the northe-astern Georgia, on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. Nowadays, Khevsureti is part of Dusheti Municipality, Mtskheta-Mtianeti region. Khevsureti is divided into two parts by the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range – Pirikita and Piraketa Khevsureti. The largest villages of Khevsureti are Barisakho and Shatili. Khevsureti is one of the most isolated and remote mountainous provinces in Georgia. Like other people living in the similar remote areas, local Khevsurs have kept their traditions. Despite the fact Georgian highlander communities were converted to Christianity long time ago, Khevsurs still maintain their pre-Christian cults, following sort of a unique mixture of Christian and pagan beliefs. Shatili is a historic highland village located at an elevation of 1400 meters above sea level, near the border with Chechnya. It is situated in Pirikita Khevsureti, on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. A unique complex of medieval fortresses and fortified dwellings have been part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2007. The towers are made of stone and were used for protection and living. During the winter, Shatili cannot be accessed by the car road because of the heavy Snow. Another historical village in Khevsureti is Mutso, situated at 1880 meters above sea level. It is a fortified settlement, which used to control the northern roads and border for a long time. The place was inhabited from the 10th century, but it has been abandoned since the middle of the 20th century because of the harsh climate and the lack of arable land. There are 30 medieval fortified dwellings and four combat towers standing on the vertical terraces above the Mutso-Ardoti gorge. Pshav-Khevsureti areas are protected under the administration of Pshav-Khevsureti National Park. One of the routes going to Abudelauri Lakes starts from village Roshka, which is located in Khevsureti. To book private tours, please follow the links below or contact travel expert here Rafting Tour & Adventure Park Hike to Abudelauri Lakes 8 Day Omalo - Shatili Trekking
This is an Athenian coin from 89/88 BC in the crisis of Mithridatic Wars. Notice that one of the moneyers is KOINTOS, i.e. someone named Quintus. At this time and in the years just before the Athenians were adding and erasing and replacing various symbols in this position on their coinage to indicate their loyalties (Callatay 2011: 65 [Again, I just love this article of his AND how he puts his work in the public domain!]). The dating makes the identification of the iconography pretty rock solid. I wish I could see what she’s seated on. It almost looks like she’s enthroned. Is there something she’s holding across her lap? (maybe a sword?) While looking for a clear image of this or a related type, I also came across the beautiful specimen with a very clear representation of Cybele. Even on a very small scale key iconographic details can be made visible if they are critical to the meaning of the symbol: Look at how exaggerated the headdress and lotus are of this little tiny Isis: If the figure above being crowned by Nike is Roma and no particularly distinctive attributes are visible we have to assume the scene as a whole would be unmistakable to a contemporary viewer.
Transactional Analysis or TA as it is commonly known as, is a tool used in many areas of business and education, and it’s a concept that once explained, makes complete sense and you’ll wonder why you haven’t used it before! There have been many books and articles written on Transactional Analysis such as ‘Games People Play‘ and ‘I’m OK – You’re OK‘ . Their premise is to help us become more effective in the way we respond to and communicate with others. Read on, and in laymen’s terms I’ll explain the terminology and how to begin to understand why we communicate in certain ways, both in the work place and in our personal relationships. However, there are complexities to this concept, and so this series of articles will only look at transactional analysis on the simplest level. However, you can contact us if you want to explore various concepts further. Transactional Analysis – What is a transaction? Dr Eric Berne was a psychoanalyst and psychiatrist, whose work on human behaviour was influenced by Dr Sigmund Freud and neurosurgeon Dr Wilder Penfield. At it’s simplest level: “Transactional Analysis is the method for studying interactions between individuals” This includes any form of verbal or non-verbal communication between two people. This communication is the ‘transaction‘, whilst the ‘analysis‘ is what you understand or take from the message you are receiving. Someone smiling at me is a ‘transaction’ and my ‘analysis’ is that the person is happy to see me. Berne’s work asks us to reflect on these interactions and try to understand our own behaviour as well, i.e. why am I smiling back and crossing the road to meet them, if I really want to avoid them? Transactional Analysis – What are ego states? To help us understand the nature of our transactions with each other, Eric grouped our ways of thinking and behaving into three areas, that he called ego states: Parent -when we are thinking or behaving from this ego state, we are drawing on our experience of the parental figures in our lives which have been absorbed into our way of relating to others. These parental figures could be warm, loving, indulgent, distant, controlling, or ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ types. These characteristics could be attributed to our real parents, or people who we saw as parental figures in our lives. In a recent situation, someone hit my car from behind whilst I was stopped at a red light. The woman driving was so apologetic and shaken up by it, I forgot she had hit me and gave her a hug and told her it would be OK. It was my natural response to nurture her, once I realised everyone was OK. Adult – when we are involved in transactions from this ego state, we are rational and able to think and make choices. In this state, we are able to recognise our potential child and parental responses but keep them in check and maintain control and deal with the facts of the situation. Again, in the car situation above, my initial response on getting out of the car was to ask what had happened, was anyone hurt, then later on to check my car and hers over and then take her details for insurance purposes. In between these clearly adult ego state behaviours, I was shocked and shaking, but comforted her when I realised that she was worse than me emotionally. Child – from this ego state, we are remembering how we used to respond to events outside of ourselves when we were small. We may use extremes of behaviour and language and have strong feelings about a situation or statement, and exaggerate our responses, i.e. in the car shunt situation mentioned above, I could have slammed the car door and screamed at the woman “You stupid idiot, are you blind?” and then burst into tears. This name calling and crying is a way of showing that a situation has overwhelmed us and so we can revert back to name calling and extreme displays of emotion, if this is how we remember dealing with situations when we were small. We can move between the ego states depending on the situation, the people involved and the communication itself. As you can see in the above example, my thoughts were in the adult ego state and ruled my emotions initially, as I was very rational and dealt with the damaged car, before moving into my parental ego state. Not everyone is able to do this, and certainly not all of the time. We tend to have an ego state we naturally adopt when under stress and times of pressure. Question: Do you know what your natural ego state is? Do you handle situations from different ego states depending if it’s home or personally related, as opposed to a work problem? Most of us do, because we’ve learnt the types of behaviours expected of us at work and conform to them. However, at home and with our partners we can let rip and behave in an emotional way (child or parent), which would be unacceptable in another situation or in front of a different audience. What type of language do you use? Parent – “never”, “should”, “always”, “do this”, “don’t do that” Child – “I feel”, “I hate”, “Always”, “I don’t want to”, “I like” Adult – “probably”, “I think”, “I realise”, “perhaps”, “I believe” In the next blog, I’m going to explore complimentary and crossed transactions, as well as ‘game playing’ examples, and begin to look at how you can change the course of a conversation or interaction that is going wrong. In the meantime, please tweet me @therealme_PDP and give me examples of how you know when you are in a particular ego state. Like us on Facebook
Competency-based Medical Education Medical education as a driver for improved quality of care The medical education system is an upstream contributor to health care: it is responsible for preparing physicians and surgeons to participate in the health care system. In order to remain accountable to the society and governing bodies that it works to support, the medical education system must work to ensure that every graduate is competent and prepared for practice. A shift to CBME is supported by educational theory Increasingly, the international medical education community is looking to evidence that suggests that the traditional, time-dependent models of training and lifelong learning can, and should, be improved. An amalgamation of key developments in educational theory, competency-based medical education (CBME) has been brought forward amongst health professions as one solution to addressing criticisms of current approaches to training. In fact, CBME has been suggested as an approach to educating physicians for over 50 years! (McGaghie et al., 1978 as cited in Frank et al., 2010). CBME is a method of assuring the production of competent physicians by utilizing explicit abilities (or competencies) of physicians and using these competencies as a way to organize medical education.In contrast to traditional models of medical education where the educational objectives of a program are developed based on a predetermined curriculum, CBME begins with defining competencies that integrate knowledge, skills, values and attitudes essential for practice (Frank et al., 2010). Competencies for practice act as the “organizing units” for designing the corresponding education programs and assessment strategies (Albanese et al., 2008 as cited in Frank et al., 2010). In this approach, competencies frame the development of corresponding teaching and assessment methods, amassing together to achieve competence and to facilitate progressive development (Frank et al., 2010). CBME is about fulfilling patient needs Ultimately, the rationale for implementing CBME is that it is centered on addressing the health and health systems needs of the population being served. The incorporation of CBME into training of health professionals reinforces the social accountability of the medical education system to meet the health needs of the population. Driven by patient need and supported by educational theory, international stakeholders are adopting CBME in place of traditional models, each employing context-driven adaptations of CBME systems framed around the five core components of CBME
We studied the zooplankton community structure in a set of 33 interconnected shallow ponds that are restricted to a relatively small area (‘De Maten’, Genk, Belgium, 200 ha). As the ponds share the same water source, geology and history, and as the ponds are interconnected (reducing chance effects of dispersal with colonisation), differences in zooplankton community structure can be attributed to local biotic and abiotic interactions. We studied zooplankton community, biotic (phytoplankton, macrophyte cover, fish densities, macroinvertebrate densities), abiotic (turbidity, nutrient concentrations, pH, conductivity, iron concentration) and morphometric (depth, area, perimeter) characteristics of the different ponds. Our results indicate that the ponds differ substantially in their zooplankton community structure, and that these differences are strongly related to differences in trophic structure and biotic interactions, in concordance with the theory of alternative equilibria. Ponds in the clear-water state are characterised by large Daphnia species and species associated with the littoral zone, low chlorophyll-a concentrations, low fish densities and high macroinvertebrate densities. Ponds in the turbid-water state are characterised by high abundances of rotifers, cyclopoid copepods and the opposite environmental conditions. Some ponds show an intermediate pattern, with a dominance of small Daphnia species. Our results show that interconnected ponds may differ strongly in zooplankton community composition, and that these differences are related to differences in predation intensity (top-down) and habitat diversity (macrophyte cover). This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution. Buy single article Instant access to the full article PDF. Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout. Subscribe to journal Immediate online access to all issues from 2019. Subscription will auto renew annually. 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"The important thing is not to stay alive but to stay human. The joint evolution of the human factor and technology has been called technogenesis by several authors. Not many years ago, science fiction predicted that, in the future, the human being would be a collection of biological material, cables and hardware. That future is already here. It is more and more common to use technological means for the treatment of multiple diseases or syndromes. Articulated and movable mechanical arms are available, and even brain implants with which vision or motor skills are recovered. This technology takes the human being far beyond his biological capabilities, entering the field of what has been called post-humanism. In 1998, the British scientist Kevin Warwick experimented with the installation of chips on humans (his prototype can be seen at the Science Museum in London). Warwick's best known research is the so-called ProjectCyborg (origin of his nickname "Captain Cyborg"), a series of trials among which he implanted a chip in his arm to become a cyborg. Through him, his nervous system was connected to the Internet at Columbia University and, from there, he was able to control a robot arm at the University of Reading. Later, he attached ultrasonic sensors to a baseball cap in order to experiment with new forms of perception. There are already people who have been recognized by the authorities as cyborgs. For example, Neil Harbisson, who suffered from acromatopsia, could not perceive colors, his world was a gray scale. Today, Harbisson uses "a sensory enhancement device in the form of an antenna mounted on his head, attached to a chip located in the back of his skull". . This system converts colors into sounds, so that he can "hear" the electromagnetic energy of each color. Officially recognized as the first cyborg, it considers the system it is attached to as an integral part of him. These so-called enhancement technologies replace parts of the human being, and for that they have to simulate being biological organisms when, in fact, they are computer technologies. Brain-computer interfaces allow people with neurological disabilities to regain functions through technology that they had biologically lost. This very rapid evolution of technologies not only allows the creation of technology that emulates being biological and can be assembled with biological organisms. It also obtains information from the human being's own organs. Scientists from Yale University have managed, through brain scans, to recreate the images of the faces that the participants were looking at. This assumes that the sensory information received by the eyes is passed on to the brain, and that this information can be extracted with a scanner and recreated. Within the spectrum of robotics, the mind can be assembled into technological mechanisms. Since the perceptions and representations made by the mind are simulations of the information of the real environment, neurocognition has a continuous and direct relationship with the information from the outside. In robots, this relationship between external information and neurocognition is artificial in both senses, since robotic neurocognition is an artificial creation and the external information it processes is previously coded. Although the creation of automata systems can be traced back to ancient Greece, with the mechanical inventions of Heron of Alexandria, the American William Grey Walter is considered the father of robotics, at least of modern ones. This neurologist, who specializes in robotics and neurophysics, discovered a way to detect brain tumors using the alpha waves of the electroencephalogram and realized the possibility of imitating neuronal behavior in an artificial system. His robot Machina Speculatrix was the starting point for the next generations of robots. Robotics has undergone substantial changes in recent years, coming to create androids (robots in human form) capable of developing complex activities and learning from experience. This degree of development has made it possible to reduce costs to the point that, for almost a decade, it has been possible to build a robot at home, controlled by mental signals collected by an affordable electroencephalographic band, which reproduces sounds and flashes lights . Robots have a well-studied relationship with the neuronal and cognitive system. It is not in vain that neurorobotics has been investigating for years the ways to develop artificial networks, computer models and hybrid systems of artificial life. Inspired by biological models, neurorobotics tries to reproduce the neuronal knowledge of human beings, and mainly of neurocognition, in mechanical or virtual ways. In the construction of robots, all the specialties of neurosciences have been applied. For example, the knowledge about the visual neural system has served to improve their visual capacity. And studies about neuromodulators, such as dopamine, have made it easier for them to make decisions. With these two applications, robots can associate visual information with a code that helps them choose the next behavior . Even so, the cognitive process and the human nervous system, both tremendously complex, are still in the study phase, making it impossible to reproduce them in their entirety. Neurobotics provides great help in that aspect because it allows the artificial recreation of theoretical models of the functioning of the mind, and that later they can be verified to redefine the theories . The skin is the organic tissue that receives most of the sensations of the environment (temperature, pressure, humidity, pain) and transmits them to the brain. Getting to transmit tactile sensation is a milestone in the technological revolution of the mind, and like other technologies in this area, it will not take long to be applied even to people with their natural faculties. The objective is to achieve that through the skin we can practice other senses, such as, for example, that the brain perceives smells from the skin and not from the olfactory system. Drug and Drug-Enhanced Transhumanism The empowerment of mental faculties through the use of drugs and medication is widely studied from different perspectives. Increasing attention, memory, creative capacity, even problem-solving ability has been and is a relatively common practice for many people with very different needs, eager for enlightening, playful or soul-releasing experiences. Throughout history, and especially in recent centuries, many artists and intellectuals have been tempted to take various drugs to enhance their creativity. And many students have used amphetamines or similar to improve their performance on exams. The consumption of psychochemical or psychoactive drugs is an inexpensive and accessible way to hack biology while the effect lasts, although prolonged use leaves obvious and noticeable consequences on physical and mental health. It is common for it to degenerate into an addiction, since the feeling of personal improvement provided by these substances calls for greater consumption and increasingly high doses, ending up generating an absolute dependence from which few users escape. As early as the 1950s, millions of American housewives were addicted to "Mother's Little Helpers," as the Rolling Stones denounced in their album Aftermath. These helpers were household amphetamines that gave housewives energy to get through their chores. In this same line, the world's quintessential soft drink, Coca Cola, has its origin in an energy drink made from cocaine (in the French coca wine). Today we see how it is most common that the shelves of supermarkets are full of energy drinks to which they have added high doses of caffeine, ginseng, theine, guarana or any other active ingredient that enhances the physical and mental capabilities of the consumer. All these promises of improvement that are freely sold as harmless, have more negative effects than proven qualities. Although they are sold with the message of increasing physical endurance, allowing, for example, endless hours of dancing in the disco or keeping attention on driving for longer, they act on the brain chemistry, making you not perceive a tiredness that is actually happening and that, once the effects are over, the body will notice it increased. It just fools the mind about what is happening to the body. The continued abuse of these harmful substances, as well as other illegal psychostimulants, to increase mental abilities is known as "brain doping," and it is widely demonstrated and documented that this practice often causes more brain and heart damage than it provides benefits. These two negative consequences are what research into new drugs is trying to solve. At this rate, it will not be long before a pill is found that will improve mental skills for weeks and whose prolonged use is harmless. Improvement through cerebral electro-stimulation Technology is playing a decisive role both in medicine and in disciplines focused on going beyond biology, to the detriment of drugs and artificial chemicals. Most of the current research is focused on getting the body to regenerate and improve itself, through neuronal or nerve stimulation that causes the body to create a certain type of neurotransmitters or chemicals. As studies show, the advantages of the direct application of electrical impulses are that their immediate results lack the adverse effects of psychochemical drugs, and the increase in mental capacity is greater. The digital bioelectric man is already a palpable reality, and it will not take long to assume as a daily reality the different procedures to improve the results of the work tasks in the civil area. It has been demonstrated that with brain electrostimulation the quality of tasks can be doubled up to twenty-four hours after application. This makes it necessary to legislate on the quantity and load of electrostimulation applicable in the work environment. Otherwise, surely someone has the brilliant idea of electro-stimulating workers almost constantly, to increase their performance and their own profitability. In fact, it has been frequently applied with drone pilots in the course of operations, who have to spend long hours controlling the flight of multiple devices. Having shown that electrostimulation can increase all aspects of mental and psychomotor abilities, we cannot ignore its effects on the psyche of the person when these purposes are pursued. By means of electrical stimulation of the brain, behaviors and decisions rooted in the deepest part of the human psyche can be altered and controlled. For example, inducing electrical discharges in the prefrontal cortex can increase or decrease the tendency to lie. Neuroscientific studies have associated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with behaviors that attempt to deceive, concluding that stimulation of the right hemisphere decreases the tendency to deceive, while stimulating the left hemisphere increases the tendency to deceive. Neither torture nor the chemicals used unblock the mind and have never been able to discern whether what a detainee told was true or false. Now a way may have been found to prevent a lie from coming out of a person's depth or, on the contrary, to force him or her to lie. The evolution of the body-internet connection continues unstoppable. At present, the mechanism by which these pre-programmed devices can control the chemistry of the brain, blood or any other biological organ, and even dose drugs to its carrier, is being studied. It is a very near future, these devices, intimately linked to our bodies, will be part of the Internet of Things, that already so close world in which most of the objects that surround us - appliances, vehicles, work tools, home automation... - will be controlled from and by the Net. In addition, these devices will control the functioning of bionic prostheses. The mass production of this state-of-the-art technology is already being studied for widespread application to the populations of the poorest countries, justifying it as humanitarian aid. Without a doubt, this initiative will help control the health of millions of people living in areas where the state lacks the means to store and control medical records, but its capacities are still limited . Social repercussions of mental transhumanism The ethical debate about providing drugs or inserting prostheses to a healthy person shows the concern for the undoubted dangers associated - cognitive independence or the loss of real and perceived new identity -, which has all the logic thinking about its social repercussions Altering the nature of the human being through genetic manipulation or high technology can create an insurmountable division between those who can access that knowledge and those who cannot. However, we cannot be naive because this division has always existed. The possessors of the most modern and advanced weapons had an advantage over obsolete armies. In civil society, those with more resources had access to technology that made their lives easier. And the rich and powerful have always had access to medical advances unattainable for the common man, which continues to happen today even in the most developed countries, since there are treatments that are only carried out in a handful of private clinics, with costs that can only be assumed by a few. But the truth is that now access to biotechnology is going to mean a quantitative leap in the biological capacities of the human being, with all the potential to modify the social order. For the first time, technological evolution will not be external, but integrated; it will not be a prescriptive treatment, but a free and personal decision. Cognitive information processing functions, such as perception, attention, memory, learning, planning, concept formation, reasoning and problem solving, will be biotechnologized in the near future. By the time this happens, unaltered biological minds will be at a clear disadvantage, and may be relegated almost to a category of subpersons, the new technological slaves, who will only be able to perform the less complex tasks. Except for a few gifted people who, at least for a time, still have mental faculties superior to those of people with implants. What will happen is that soon we will see mental implants as the current dental implants, which, if they had been told about them to our close ancestors, they would never have believed it, or they would think it was a matter of witchcraft, that it could not be good. When that day comes, unaltered minds will be forced to compete with minds that have been empowered by the consumption of cheaper augmentatives, such as second generation psychopharmaceuticals, or the practice of mind training techniques, such as meditation or yoga. In fact, this competition between artificially modified minds and those that are not is already taking place in our society, albeit in silence. Many people manage to pass tests and exams thanks to the illicit use of this kind of drugs, which leaves those who present themselves without artificial help at a clear disadvantage, some because of personal ethical principles, others because they do not know them and some because their economy does not allow them to acquire them. The use of these types of substances is justified by the cognitive freedom of each person, but this concept does not take into account that their consumption is simply unfair competition. This dichotomy confronts two philosophical groups: the transhumanists and the bio-conservatives. The defenders of transhumanism argue that limiting the possibility of improving human biological capabilities is a neoliberal imposition, in line with the argument of French philosopher and psychologist Michel Foucault about biopower, who believed from another angle that these technologies could be used to control the population. But this progressive vision implies the existence of a liberal competition for access to the most advanced methods of artificially improving biological capabilities. The paladin of transhumanism accept that access to technology will bring greater social inequalities, and assume that it will be a minority elite who will complete the new post-human. As a curiosity, the greatest defender of transhumanism was the British Julian Huxley , when his brother Aldous Huxley already recognized, in his well-known book "Brave New World", this social difference motivated by the disparate access to knowledge and technology. Meanwhile, on the bio-conservative side, an amalgam of religious groups and social activists, demand, on the one hand, that the biology granted at birth shall not be altered and, on the other, that if it is altered, it shall be for the benefit of society as a whole, and not limited to a few, an elite . In this sense, the claims of the bio-conservatives are closer to the psycho-civilized vision of society proposed by the Spanish scientist José Delgado. Doubts about transhumanism Transhumanism and post-humanism bring to the table both interesting and controversial debates about the meaning of the human being and his social nature, among which, as Bernard Shaw suggested in "Man and Superman", no superhuman transformed by biotechnology will want to be treated as a normal being. The ethical issues raised by genetic engineering are forcing legislation on its use, and regulations will have to be more specific to accommodate advances. Progress has not only failed to end classic social inequalities, but has brought new ones, as well as a strict control of all aspects of our lives, as never before; from taking a walk to spending a small amount of money, everything is subject to the watchful and omnipresent eye of "progress". Humanist individualism, considered by many as the culmination of humanity's progress, has ended up devouring the person, whom it theoretically extols and enthrones, almost placing him in a divine category, but leaving him, in reality, in the category of the modern digital slave, Subjected not only by the chains of his own physical nature and his emotions, passions, feelings and weaknesses, but also by those of some elites who have digitally lobomized him until he is convinced that he is the possessor of a freedom as fictitious as it is fragile, always subject to the dictates and ups and downs of power. To overcome these circumstances, some rely on technology that elevates the person to the status of post-human and transhuman. But it is not clear that this is not another trap into which those of us who have not been mere puppets for a long time fall, only that we are no longer made of rags, string and wood, but are equipped with the most advanced technology. Among other things because the design of that human being of the immediate future is going to result from today's beliefs. Pedro Baños is author of "El Dominio Mental", published by Ariel Editorial Barfield (2015) Karvinen and Karvinen (2011) Giannopulu (2019) Artemiadis (2016), p. 208 Sandvik (2020) Hildt (2013) Biologist and first director of UNESCO. Reiner (2013) Artemiadis, Panagiotis. Neuro-Robotics: From Brain Machine Interfaces to Rehabilitation Robotics. Springer. 2016. Barfield, Woodrow. Cyber-humans: Our future with machines. Copernicus. 2015. Giannopulu, Irini. Neuroscience, Robotics and Virtual Reality: Internalised Vs Externalised Mind/Brain. Springer. 2019. Hildt, Elisabeth. "Cognitive enhancement-A critical look at the recent debate." Cognitive enhancement. Springer:1-14. 2013. Karvinen, Tero, and Karvinen, Kimmo Make a Mind-Controlled Arduino Robot: Use Your Brain as a Remote. Maker Media. 2011. Reiner, Peter B. "The biopolitics of cognitive enhancement." Cognitive Enhancement. Springer:189-200. 2013. Sandvik, Kristin Bergtora. "Humanitarian Wearables: Digital Bodies, Experimentation and Ethics." Ethics of Medical Innovation, Experimentation, and Enhancement in Military and Humanitarian Contexts. Springer: 87-104. 2020.
Napping may be one of the most controversial topics in the world of sleep. Take a look online and you’ll find sleep specialists who extol the benefits of naps, and others who proclaim that naps can disrupt nighttime sleep. So, what’s the truth about naps? Are they bad for our sleep patterns, or good? Does it all depend on our individual sleep needs, or are there rules we should follow when it comes to daytime dozing? Note: The content on Sleepopolis is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldn’t take the place of medical advice and supervision from a trained professional. If you feel you may be suffering from any sleep disorder or medical condition, please see your healthcare provider immediately. What Is a Nap? A nap is a brief period of sleep that takes place at a time other than the usual sleep period. Most people tend to take naps during the day, particularly in the afternoon during the natural dip in circadian rhythm. (1) A nap is considered a type of biphasic sleep, which means sleep that occurs in more than one time period. Given this broad description, a nap is not necessarily defined by duration or time of day. Napping has been practiced across cultures for thousands of years. 85% of mammalian species sleep in two or more phases rather than a single period. For a significant portion of recorded history, human beings slept in two four-hour stages, one that began shortly after dusk and another that began later at night. Sleep maintenance insomnia — repeated waking during the night — may be related to the biological tendency to sleep in phases. (2) Napping became popular hundreds of years ago in warm climates such as Spain, where the “siesta” has long been tradition. The word siesta comes from the Latin term sexta hora, meaning sixth hour. The sixth hour refers to the period approximately six hours after dawn, when temperatures are warmest and outdoor work is most difficult. While the siesta has never been a cultural tradition in the United States, napping is becoming increasingly popular as Americans learn more about the importance of sleep. MonophasicSleep that takes place once per day, generally for seven to nine hours. How Long is a Nap? A nap can last for nearly any length of time, from a few minutes to several hours. Depending on duration, naps have different effects on the body and brain. The Power Nap A power nap is usually defined as a short period of rest with the objective of improving alertness or physical endurance. These types of naps range from between ten and thirty minutes long. Also called Stage 2 naps, power naps are typically long enough to cycle through the first two stages of sleep, known as N1 and N2. N1 and N2 are considered the lighter stages of sleep, and take about twenty minutes to complete. (3) Due to their brief length, power naps do not reach the stage of deep, slow-wave sleep, referred to as N3. Waking from a power nap is usually quick, with little disorientation or residual grogginess. What’s the difference between N1 and N2 sleep? N1 is the transitional stage between wakefulness and sleep. N2 is deeper, more difficult to wake from, and characterized by unique brain waves called sleep spindles and K-complexes. (4) The Slow-Wave Nap Naps longer than twenty to thirty minutes allow the body to enter slow wave sleep, or N3. N3 is the deepest and most restorative stage of sleep, and is characterized by the following changes to the body and brain: - Enhanced immune activity - Healing of tissues and wounds - Clearing of toxic proteins from the brain - Processing of procedural and emotional memories (5) Slow wave sleep dominates the sleep cycle during the earlier part of the night, while REM sleep becomes more dominant toward morning. When a nap is long enough to cycle through the first two sleep stages to N3 sleep, the sleeper becomes more difficult to wake. (6) Because blood is needed by the muscles to fuel healing and other immune activity during N3 sleep, less blood becomes available to the brain. If waking occurs during N3 sleep, this lack of blood to the brain can lead to what’s known as sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is characterized by difficulty waking, impaired cognitive ability and physical dexterity, and persistent grogginess. Though sleep inertia usually dissipates quickly after waking in the morning, it can persist for thirty minutes or even longer after waking from the N3 stage of sleep. Naps that allow the body to cycle through all four stages of sleep including REM do not typically cause the same sleep inertia common with naps that end during N3 sleep. FAQQ: What is memory consolidation? A: The cognitive process of stabilizing and storing memories during sleep. The Benefits of Napping Recent research on the physical and cognitive effects of napping have shown significant benefits for those who have the time to sleep during the day. Naps increase alertness, significantly reduce daytime sleepiness, boost energy and mood, and improve cognitive functioning. (7) One study showed that a nap that includes all four stages of sleep, including REM, had the same benefit on certain types of learning as a full night of sleep. Logical reasoning is also enhanced by longer naps, as are problem-solving skills. Naps that include REM sleep are typically about ninety minutes long. (8) The Power Nap Though brief, a twenty to thirty minute power nap can be sufficient to restore cognitive function and dispel the sleep drive, the desire to sleep that builds gradually over the course of the day. The sleep drive typically peaks in the early to mid-afternoon, and again later at night. Because the process of memory consolidation begins during N2 sleep, a power nap can also boost memory and help facilitate learning. (9) Just twenty minutes of sleep can reverse the impact of poor sleep on metaboilsm and hormonal function, allowing fat storage and other essential processes to return to normal. The Slow Wave Sleep Nap A slow wave sleep nap has unique cognitive and physical benefits, particularly for those suffering from sleep deprivation. (10) In addition to improving alertness and dispelling the sleep drive, longer naps can help restore the cognitive skills used for decision-making and recalling certain types of memories, such as names and faces. A recent study revealed that naps of approximately fifty minutes can reduce blood pressure as effectively as medications, with benefits accruing as nap duration increases.(11) The Downside of Napping The health benefits of naps are clear. Even a brief period of sleep during the day can restore energy and alertness, improve mood, and reduce the risk of accidents. But there is a downside to napping. For those who have persistent trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, one of the benefits of napping may also be a drawback. Taking a nap, even one of short duration, can significantly lower the sleep drive. Lowering the sleep drive in the afternoon may lead to difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and falling back to sleep at night. Though chronic insomnia sufferers may feel sleepy during the day, taking a nap can be counterproductive for those diagnosed with the disorder. FAQQ: What's the difference between insomnia symptoms and insomnia disorder? A: Insomnia symptoms such as trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and falling back to sleep are common and usually resolve on their own within days or weeks. Insomnia disorder refers to persistent insomnia that lasts for at least three months, three days each week. The cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia protocol expressly forbids napping for people suffering from insomnia for three months or longer. In fact, less time in bed is suggested for people with insomnia to improve sleep efficiency and help break the association between the bed and difficulty sleeping. This limitation of time in bed is called sleep restriction, and is considered one of the most effective components of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. What is a Caffeine Nap? Both caffeine and a nap can increase alertness, improve mood, and decrease daytime sleepiness. Caffeine and a nap may be even more effective together. (12) Caffeine helps to reduce sleepiness and increase alertness and reaction time through its effect on adenosine receptors. Adenosine acts as a neuromodulator, and is a byproduct of energy use by the brain and body. (13) Adenosine accumulates over the course of a day, gradually increasing the drive to sleep. Caffeine blocks the receptors for adenosine, reducing sleepiness and increasing alertness. Caffeine takes approximately twenty minutes to become effective, which can leave sufficient time for a power nap. Drinking coffee is recommended for a caffeine nap so that only caffeine and not sugar is consumed. Because caffeine takes approximately six hours to leave the body, it may be best to complete a caffeine nap by around 3 pm. NeuromodulatorA neuron that uses chemicals in the body to regulate other neurons. Naps Vs. Microsleeps A nap is an intentional period of rest with numerous benefits to mood and well-being. A nap typically lasts between ten and thirty minutes, while a microsleep is an unintentional lapse into sleep that often lasts only seconds. A microsleep can occur in public, at work, or while driving, significantly increasing the risk of accidents and danger to others. Microsleep episodes are frequently caused by sleep deprivation, working non-traditional hours, or medication side effects. A microsleep occurs when the brain shifts unexpectedly between the wake and sleep states, and parts of the brain shut down. Symptoms of a microsleep range from closing eyelids to head jerks, which can indicate a dangerous level of sleepiness. Other signs of microsleep include loss of attention, a feeling of unusual sleepiness, and reduced muscle tone. A blank stare and eye-rolling are other common indicators. A person who experiences the feeling of “jerking awake” without intending to fall asleep may have just slipped in and out of microsleep. Microsleep episodes can be avoided by taking a nap, getting sufficient sleep at night, or changing to a medication that causes less drowsiness. How to Nap If you aren’t accustomed to napping but would like to reap the benefits of biphasic sleep, here’s how: - Make sure you aren’t suffering from insomnia. Naps generally aren’t recommended for people who have consistent difficulty sleeping at night. If you have chronic trouble sleeping or anxiety when attempting to sleep, see a sleep professional for a diagnosis and treatment plan. For tips on how to improve sleep when you suffer from insomnia, talk to your doctor or learn more about the cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia protocol - Determine what kind of nap you need. If you want a quick boost of energy and alertness, a brief power nap may be sufficient. If you’re sleep deprived, you may need a longer nap to restore your memory, mood, and sensorimotor abilities - Block out twenty to thirty minutes for a power nap, or forty to fifty for a slow wave nap. A nap that cycles through all of four sleep stages takes approximately ninety minutes to complete, and appears to offer the most physiological benefit - Try to find a napping environment that is dark, quiet, and cool, or use a sleep mask and earplugs - Set a clock for the duration of time you’d like to sleep - If taking a caffeine nap, drink a cup of coffee just before napping Naps may be tracked by various sleep-tracking devices worn on the body. This data can reveal the exact length of each nap and its effects on the body to help determine which type of nap is best for you. Last Word From Sleepopolis Napping is generally healthy for the brain and body, and can restore cognitive function as well as alertness. Power naps of twenty to thirty minutes in length are most effective for reducing daytime sleepiness and boosting energy, while longer naps that incorporate slow-wave sleep or REM sleep can have a significant positive impact on the capacity to learn and remember. Naps are not recommended for those who have chronic insomnia and conditioned sleep-related anxiety. Sleep specialists generally recommend that people with insomnia restrict their time in bed to help regulate the circadian rhythm and create positive associations between the bed and sleep. Once frowned upon, napping is enjoying a resurgence as a healthy activity that improves well-being. Due to the effect of napping on productivity and morale, some employers are even making napping part of a sleep-positive workplace culture. As more people understand the importance of sleep, napping may take its place alongside sufficient nighttime sleep as a cornerstone of good health. - Goel N, Basner M, Rao H, Dinges DF., Circadian Rhythms, Sleep Deprivation, and Human Performance, Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science, 2013 - Wehr TA., In Short Photoperiods, Human Sleep is Biphasic, Journal of Sleep Research, June 1992 - Douglas Kirsch, MD, FAASM, Stages and Architecture of Normal Sleep, UpToDate, Apr. 15, 2019 - Aakash K. Patel; John F. Araujo, Physiology, Sleep Stages, StatPearls Publishing, Jan. 2019 - Ackermann S, Rasch B., Differential effects of non-REM and REM sleep on memory consolidation? Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, Feb 14, 2014 - Pierre Maquet, , , , , and Functional Neuroanatomy of Human Slow Wave Sleep, The Journal of Neuroscience, Apr. 15, 1997 - Takahashi M, Arito H., Maintenance of alertness and performance by a brief nap after lunch under prior sleep deficit, Sleep, Sep. 15. 2000 - Mednick S, Nakayama K, Stickgold R., Sleep-dependent learning: a nap is as good as a night, Nature Neuroscience, Aug. 2003 - Squire LR, Genzel L, Wixted JT, Morris RG., Memory Consolidation, Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, Aug. 7, 2015 - Yuval Nir, Selective neuronal lapses precede human cognitive lapses following sleep deprivation, Nature Medicine, Nov. 6, 2017 - , , , , , , , , and - Luise A. Reyner , James A. Horne, Suppression of sleepiness in drivers: Combination of caffeine with a short nap, Psychophysiology, Jan. 30, 2007 - Ribeiro JA, Sebastião AM., Caffeine and adenosine, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2010
The minimum level of CO2 that exists in the Earth’s atmosphere is slightly above 400ppm. This is the observed outside value of CO2. (Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-s-co2-passes-the-400-ppm-threshold-maybe-permanently/). Our CO2 sensor assumes 400ppm to be the lowest background level as that's the outdoor CO2 baseline level. Humans inside building tends to be the major source of CO2. When a building is unoccupied for 4 to 8 hours, CO2 levels tends to drop to outside background levels.
Khan Academy allows you to learn almost anything for free. Our iPad app is the best way to view Khan Academy’s complete library of over 2,600 videos. We cover a massive number of topics, including K-12 math, science topics such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and even the humanities with playlists on finance and history. Spend an afternoon brushing up on Statistics. Discover how the Krebs cycle works. Learn about the fundamentals of Computer Science. Prepare for that upcoming SAT. Or, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, learn how fire stick farming changed the landscape of Australia. Included in our iPad app: - Downloadable videos: take individual videos or entire playlists to watch offline at your own pace - Subtitles: follow along, skip ahead, or go back by navigating through subtitles - Track your progress: Log in with your Khan Academy user account to get credit for watching videos, and see your achievements - Exercises coming soon! It doesn’t matter if you are a student, teacher, home-schooler, principal, adult returning to the classroom after 20 years, or a friendly alien just trying to get a leg up in earthly biology. The Khan Academy’s materials and resources are available to you completely free of charge. Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand. Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there. Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer! Maker Business — To make it through a tough business cycle, layoffs should be a last resort Wearables — Frame it with PVC Electronics — Tristates! Python for Microcontrollers — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: The Adafruit Learn System Project Bundle, and more! #Python #Adafruit #CircuitPython @micropython @ThePSF Adafruit IoT Monthly — ESP Earrings, RP2040 WiFi, and more! Microsoft MakeCode — Mechanical Coin Bank EYE on NPI — Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey New Products – Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! — New Products 4/14/2021 featuring Adafruit ItsyBitsy RP2040! No comments yet. Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
There are a number of types of cell membrane phospholipids. Most of them are made out of modified glycerol lipids and phosphate, though there are some that are constructed from sphingo molecules. Cell membrane phospholipids are an important component of cell biology. The most common cell membrane phospholipids are lecithin and cephalin. To form a lecithin molecule, an ammonium salt of choline is joined to a phosphate and its two lipid tails. These molecules can be extracted from soybeans to be used as an emulsifier, aiding in the mixing of various oils with water. Cephalin cell membrane phospholipids are found in nerve cells and blood platelets. They are important in the formation of blood clots. Phosphatiadates are common cell membrane phospholipids that have three roles. These molecules attract cytosolic proteins, which deliver instructions to cells. Another of its roles is to shape the cell membrane. Phosphatiadates also help in the synthesis of various lipids, and it is possible for one of these molecules to perform more than one of these roles at once. Sphingomyelin is the most abundant type of sphinosine-based phospholipid found in animal cells. About 10% of cell membrane phospholipids in the brain are made from this molecule. In addition to its role in building cell membranes, sphingomyelin acts as a messenger because it is easily able to attract and distribute cholesterol. Sphingomyelin is also central to the sphingomyelin cycle, which creates a number of different molecules involved in cellular construction and communication, including sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate. Sphingosine is a molecule that can be attached to a phospholipid. When combined, the resulting molecule is known as sphingosine-1-phosphate which is a cellular messenger. One of the primary roles of this messenger molecule is to instruct a cell to divide into two sister cells. This molecule, though essential to normal cellular function, has been linked to cancer because it instructs all cells to divide, including cancer cells. Most cell membrane phospholipids are comprised of a hydrophilic head and two hydrophobic tails made of fatty acids. Lipids, which are normally comprised of three strings of fatty acids, are modified into phospholipids when one of these fatty acids is replaced with a phosphate group. The phosphate group forms the head and the two remaining fatty acids, the tails. Cell membrane phospholipids are arranged in two rows with the heads facing outward and the tails towards each other.
It’s no secret that most of us including our children eat sugar on a daily basis, but too much can be dangerous leading to serious health issues. Here at Tutor Doctor we want to help educate you and your kids all about sugar and the effects it can have on the body. What is sugar? Sugar is a sweet substance that comes from plants, mostly sugar cane or sugar beets. These plants are harvested, processed and refined to resemble the white sugar we all know. It’s made up of two carbohydrates called fructose and glucose. It’s important to know that sugar has absolutely no nutritional value – no protein, vitamins, minerals or fibers. Why do we like sugar so much? Studies have shown that sugar has addictive effects, as it triggers you to want and need it more, making it hard to give up. Eating too much sugar can change your taste buds so that you start craving sweeter foods, making natural sweetness from fruits and wholefoods less flavorful. What happens to our body when we eat sugar? When you eat sugar, it enters your bloodstream extremely quickly as there aren’t any nutrients or fibers to slow it down. This then causes the glucose levels in your blood to rise. Your body then needs to process the sugar. Your pancreas does this by releasing a hormone called insulin. Insulin allows the glucose to leave your blood and help it enter your cells, often releasing a rush of energy. If you eat lots of sugar, the insulin in your body has to work overtime to force the glucose out of your blood, to enable your blood sugar to lower. This can often make you feel grumpy, anxious, agitated, tired and wanting more sugar. What short-term health effects does sugar have? - Sugar will often provide a short burst of energy that can make you feel hyper but unable to focus properly. - After your insulin has lowered your blood sugar levels you might be left feeling irritable and moody. You may also find it hard to concentrate and unwilling to learn. - Too much sugar can also make you feel sick and give you a headache. - Studies have shown that sugar can suppress our immune systems by making our white blood cells less able to engulf bacteria. This means you are more likely to catch colds and feel run down. What long-term problems can be caused by too much sugar? Eating lots of sugary foods can mean that you miss out on healthy foods that provide your body with the nutrients it needs like protein, vitamins and minerals. Refined sugar has also been linked to these health complications: - Type 2 diabetes - High blood pressure - Heart Disease How can I actively reduce my child’s sugar intake? - Look out for hidden sugars in foods that appear to be healthy - Combat sugar cravings with foods with protein and good fats - Try sugar substitutes such as sweeteners or stevia - Swap sugary drinks for fizzy water - Always have healthy snacks on hand or in their lunch box. Tasty alternatives include nuts and seeds. These are high in fat and protein, which will keep your kids tummies fuller for longer. - As sugar cravings are mostly connected to the pleasure we get when we eat it, a distraction such as reading, listening to music or playing a game will move your child’s thoughts away from eating bad foods. So remember, even though your kids think sugar tastes yummy, eating it in moderation will reap in the benefits. Not only will it make them feel as though they have a lot more energy but they will also be able to concentrate better and learn more.
Among women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, chest X-rays appear to increase the risk of developing breast cancer, particularly among women who receive chest X-rays at a young age. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Inherited mutations in two genes-BRCA1 and BRCA2-have been found to greatly increase the lifetime risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Alterations in these genes can be passed down through either the mother’s or the father’s side of the family. X-rays involve exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation, which may cause damage to DNA. Because the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes play a role in repairing DNA damage, women with mutations in these genes may be more susceptible to the damaging effects of radiation. To explore the relationship between chest X-rays (not including mammograms) and breast cancer among women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, researchers in Europe and Canada conducted a study among 1,601 women. Three-quarters of the study participants had a BRCA1 mutation and one-quarter had a BRCA2 mutation. - Women who had ever had a chest X-ray had a 54% increased risk of breast cancer. - The age at which a woman received a chest X-ray, as well as the number of chest X-rays she received, influenced the degree to which her risk of breast cancer was increased: risk was increased to a greater extent if a woman had received a chest X-ray before the age of 20 years, or if she had received more than four chest X-rays either before or after the age of 20. The researchers conclude that exposure to ionizing radiation from chest X-rays may increase the risk of breast cancer among women who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. Receipt of a chest X-ray before the age of 20 and receipt of a greater number of chest X-rays were linked with the greatest increase in risk. The researchers note that confirmation of these results in other studies will be necessary before definitive recommendations can be made about the use of X-ray imaging in young women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. Reference: Andreu N, Easton DF, Chang-Claude J et al. Effect of Chest X-rays on the Risk of Breast Cancer Among BRCA1/2 Mutation Carriers in the International BRCA1/2 Carrier Cohort Study. Journal of Clinical Oncology. Early Online Publication June 26, 2006. Related News:Mammography Does Not Increase Risk of Breast Cancer in Women with BRCA Mutations(3/22/2006) Copyright © 2018 CancerConnect. All Rights Reserved.
Asuncion lies in Paraguay, a land-locked South American country bordered by Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay. The Spanish founded Asuncion as a trading post on August 15, 1537. This is the day of the "Feast of the Assumption," a religious holiday in many countries. Asuncion soon became the headquarters of Spain’s affairs in eastern South America. The country won its independence in 1811, and Asuncion became Paraguay’s capital. Old Spanish homes, churches, plazas, memorials and museums honor the city’s history. Nine historic houses sit in the Manzana de la Riviera, or Riviera Block. The well-preserved block features some of the city’s oldest homes, including Casa Viola, built in the mid-18th century. The colonial-style complex now houses historic documents, paintings and photographs. Gardens surround the Casa Castelvi, another colonial home. Nearby, Asuncion’s oldest building is Independence House, built in the mid-1770s. Thick adobe walls support a thatched roof. Revolutionaries plotted against the Spanish at this site, entering the building through an alley in the middle of the night. Inside visitors may view colonial furniture, old coins and memorabilia from the 1811 revolution that resulted in Paraguay's independence. National Pantheon of Heroes Paraguayans have endured two major wars since independence, and have battled all of their neighbors. The National Pantheon of Heroes (Panteon Nacional de los Heroes) remembers the disastrous consequences of war. One of these -- the War of the Triple Alliance -- left the country occupied by Brazil and was responsible for the deaths of most able-bodied males. Originally built as a chapel, The building became known as a pantheon after leaders, war heroes and unknown soldiers were interred there. Paraguayans pay homage to their fallen heroes silently in the domed, white building modeled after the much larger Les Invalides in Paris. Visitors might also witness the changing of the guard. The Plaza of Heroes sits adjacent to the pantheon, one of Asuncion’s main gathering points. The Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes) invites visitors to experience the city’s past via paintings and sculpture. The collection includes artists from other South American countries in addition to Paraguay. Before the Spanish arrived in the area, Guarani Indians occupied the area exclusively. The Museum of Clay (Museo del Barro) features ceramics from this era, as well as colonial art. In 1870, Paraguay’s first constitution was proclaimed at the Legislative Palace, now the Cabildo Museum (Museo del Cabildo). Museum exhibits trace the course of Paraguay's history. Other Historic Sights Lights illuminate Government Palace (Palacio del Gobierno) at night, the neo-classical capitol building that overlooks Asuncion Bay. Completed in 1892, the building is open for tours on holidays. Tours are sometimes arranged in advance. The elegant building features grand verandas and wide staircases. The Cathedral of our Lady of the Assumption (Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion) features a gilded altar and 18th- and 19th-century art. Parts of the cathedral date from 1687. Tropical gardens complement the Grand Hotel of Paraguay (Gran Hotel del Paraguay), the oldest hotel in Asuncion. Period furniture graces its interior, along with 19th century art. Jeff Fulton is a writer specializing in business, travel and culture. He has worked in international sales, customer relations and public relations for major airlines, and has written for Demand Studios since May 2009. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration in marketing from the University of Chicago.
A key way to avoid dementia may be learning another language. Neurologists are reporting in the largest study to date on the link between language skills and the brain-destroying disease that people who spoke two languages staved off dementia years longer than people who only spoke one language. Previous studies suggest having more education or engaging in intellectual activities may reduce likelihood of the disease. This study found even those who couldn't read but spoke two languages fared better than people who only spoke one. "Our study is the first to report an advantage of speaking two languages in people who are unable to read, suggesting that a person's level of education is not a sufficient explanation for this difference," study author Dr. Suvarna Alladi, a researcher at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad, India, said in a journal news release. "Speaking more than one language is thought to lead to better development of the areas of the brain that handle executive functions and attention tasks, which may help protect from the onset of dementia." An estimatedAlzheimer's is the most common form of the disease. For the study, researchers recruited almost 650 people from India who were an average age of 66 and had already been diagnosed with dementia. About 390 of them spoke two or more languages, and 14 percent of them couldn't read. Languages in India where the study took place include Telugu, Hindi, Dakkhini and English. Most of the patients -- 240 -- had Alzheimer's disease, 189 had vascular dementia, 116 had frontotemporal dementia, and 103 had dementia with Lewy bodies and mixed dementia. Regardless of type, dementia is caused by damage to brain cells, which then interferes with their ability to communicate with each other. That in turn affects thinking, behavior and feelings, according to the Alzheimer's Association. The researchers found people who spoke two or more languages had a later onset of Alzheimer's, frontotemporal dementia and vascular dementia by an average of about 4.5 years compared to people who spoke only one language. When comparing only those who were illiterate, researchers found speaking multiple languages staved off dementia by an average of 6 years compared to their monolingual counterparts. "From this point of view, we can say it's clearly not the case that bilingual correlates with better education," study co-author Dr. Thomas Bak, a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh in the U.K., said to CBSNews.com. There was no added benefit, however, from speaking more than two languages despite previous research showing this effect. Other studies, including Bak however said that those studies were in Canada and involved people from very different genetic backgrounds or lifestyles who may have grown up with different diets -- all factors that can influence dementia risk. His study, however, is the first to only look at people in the same region, which eliminated the effect of immigration that's seen in the previous papers. "Taken together, our results offer strong evidence for the protective effect of bilingualism against dementia in a population radically different from populations studied so far regarding their ethnicity, culture, and patterns of language use," the researchers concluded. The authors speculate their study adds more evidence to the idea that "language switching" boosts brain health. That theory suggests bilingual people constantly need to selectively activate one language and suppress the other, Bak explained. This might lead to improvements in executive function, attention and other cognitive processes. This might explain why the findings held for multiple types of dementia, according to the researchers, since most manifest as problems with attention and executive function in early stages. Bak plans to further research whether learning a new language at an older age could also lead to protective benefits. He also will continue to track these study participants to see whether speaking multiple languages could slow dementia progression. But for now, his study found no downside of speaking multiple languages, so it could be recommended way to stave off the disease, just like completing puzzles or eating healthily. While the participants still ended up getting dementia, that's no reason to discount the importance of having five more quality years of life, he pointed out. For example, if you had a family history of cancer, wouldn't you want to avoid it as long as possible? "If I could take a tablet or pill that has no side effects and is free and I would know I would get it five years, I would not even think for a second whether to do it or not," he said. Dr. Stephen Rao, director of the Schey Center for Cognitive Neuroimaging at the Cleveland Clinic who was not involved in the reserach, said to HealthDay, "This is another thing we can add to the list of mental abilities that seem to preserve brain function despite the fact that the brain may be ravaged by a disease like Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia." The study was published Nov. 6 in Neurology.
Subject: RE Area of Study: The Bible Lesson: 2 Year Group: Year 4 Learning Objective To investigate books in the Old Testament. Lesson Introduction Slide 1-cover slide Slide 2-Talk about the lesson objective. Slides 3-Discuss the different sections that the New Testament is split into. Slide 4Read together the names of the Old Testament books. Slide 6-9 Give each child a Bible. As book names appear on the screen children race to find the books using the contents page to help them. Slide 9-Discuss the task Lesson Activities Children find Bible names in a crossword (see Worksheet to go with lesson).
Definition: The External Commercial Borrowings or ECBs is the financial instrument used to borrow money from the foreign sources of financing to invest in the commercial activities of the domestic country. Simply, borrowing money from the non-resident lenders and investing it in the commercial activities of India is called as external commercial borrowings. The external commercial borrowings are considered as a source of finance to expand the existing capacity of the Indian corporates and finance new investment ventures, with an objective to have a sound economic growth. The government of India seeks investment in the infrastructure and core sectors such as power, coal, railways, roads, telecom, etc. which are directly related to economic development of the country. External commercial borrowings cannot be used for the investments in a stock market or any speculation business. And to keep a check on it, department of economic affairs, finance ministry, government of India and RBI monitor and regulates the policies of external commercial borrowings. The ECBs is known as the money borrowed from the foreign sources or the non-resident lenders and include Commercial bank loans, Floating rate notes and fixed rate bonds (securitized instruments), Buyer’s and supplier’s credit, credit notes, mortgage-backed securities, etc. Here, one thing should be made clear that such borrowing is a type of funding other than equity. This means, if the money is used to finance the core capital (equity shares, preference shares, convertible preference shares, convertible debentures, etc.) of any company, then it will be termed as a foreign direct investment and is not included under external commercial borrowings.
The first accident - In 1771 the first accident involving a motor vehicle took place in Paris when a steam tractor hit a low wall in the grounds of the Paris arsenal. The first Act - The Locomotives and Highway Act was the first piece of British motoring legislation. This was also known as the Red Flag Act of 1865. The act required three persons in attendance one to steer, one to stoke and one to walk 60 yards ahead with a read flag to warn the oncoming traffic. The first number in the world - The world's first car number plates were issued by the French Police in 1893. First road traffic death - The first road traffic death occurred on a terrace in the grounds of Crystal Palace in London on 17th August'1896. The victim was Bridget Driscoll, a 44 year old mother with two children who had come to London with her teenage daughter and a friend to watch advancing display. First fatal car accident - The first motor - car accident in Britain resulting in the death of the driver occurred in Grove Hill, Harrow - on-the Hill, London, on 25th February 1900. Dusty road to tar surface - In 1902, tar was first used on a macadam surface to prevent dust in Monte Carlo. It was the idea of Dr. Guglielminetti, a Swiss. At first the tar was brushed in cold, but soon it was applied hot. The Motor Car Act - The Motor Car Act of Britain came into force on 1st January 1904. It required that all cars be registered and carry a number plate, and all motorists to have a driving licence. But there was no driving test to pass and the licence was obtained by filing up a form and paying the fee at a post office. The act made dangerous driving an indictable offence. The first petrol pump - The first petrol pump was installed in USA in 1906. The first traffic light in the world - The world's first traffic lights were installed in Detroit, USA in 1919. The first traffic lights in Britain were installed in Wolverhampton during 1928. However, they did not come to London till 1932. Pedestrian crossing - The Pedestrian crossings were instituted in Britain in 1934. The roads were marked by dotted lines. On the pavement there were striped Belisha beacon light poles named after Britain's Minister of Transport L. Hore- Belisha. The Zebra crossing with black and white stripes was developed after the Second World War. First box junction - Box junctions, marked with yellow cross - hatching, were introduced in London during 1964. The aim was to prevent traffic blocking junctions when it could not proceed. First traffic police woman - Police women were used for traffic control duties for the first time in Paris in 1964. Sixteen per cent of the world's population in the United States of America, Europe, Japan and Australia produces 88 per cent and owns 81 per cent of all cars. Eighteen per cent of all global carbon dioxide emissions are from cars. The global average efficiency of vehicles is 5 km to a litre. Japan and Western Europe manage an average of up to 11 km. The world's most durable car is a diesel engine, a 1957 Mercedes 180D, which travelled 1.90 million km in 21 years. That is the equivalent of five times the distance to the moon.
One in five youth experience a severe mental illness each year, and just over half receive mental health services. Research shows 50 percent of mental illness begins by age 14, and 75 percent by age 24. Mental illness can have a serious impact on youth, their families, and communities, with 50 percent of students age 14 and older with mental illness dropping out of high school, and 70 percent of youth with mental illness in state and local juvenile justice systems. Can this public health issue be improved through more effective use of data and data-driven innovation? Data-driven innovation for mental illness can lead to improvements in prevention and treatment. Research from the CDC shows the collection and monitoring of information about mental illness over time can increase understanding of mental illness in youth, inform research on prevention, evaluate the effectiveness of mental health programs, and monitor whether treatment and prevention efforts are achieved. Creative innovations in technology for mental health has increasingly been a priority for federal agencies, tech start-ups, and research conglomerates, and these different sectors are coming together to address creatively how to best use data-driven innovations to impact mental health. One example of this is an MIT start-up called Ginger.io which uses smartphone technology to gather valuable insights into the mental well-being of people with mental illnesses. Lantern, another innovative internet-based program for mental health, uses an individually tailored treatment plan through social support, education, and one-on-one coaching. With the prevalence of mobile use among youths, text-based or internet-based innovations for mental illness can be an effective channel to collect data and monitor whether treatment and prevention programs are achieved. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth ages 15-24, and 90 percent of those who died of suicide had an underlying mental illness. In December 2015, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) collaborated with technology nonprofits and local agencies to host #MentalHealthHackathon with the mission of “using data to strengthen mental health awareness and suicide prevention.” This effort by the administration proved that the power of using data effectively and innovative data-driven technology can increase awareness of mental illness and suicide prevention. Different sectors are working together to promote mental health through creative technology and are changing lives. Bringing data to life in ways that matter in health and health care has become a priority of the federal government, and Health Datapalooza, produced by the non-profit, AcademyHealth, embodies that commitment. This year’s meeting includes remarks by Vice President Joe Biden, HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, and Acting Assistant Secretary for Health Karen DeSalvo. They’ll be joined by a mix of patient advocates and industry leaders, as well as hackers, coders and researchers who spend their days digging through open data for ways to improve health and engage patients. As someone who gets excited about data and research, I am very much looking forward to attending this year’s Health Datapalooza event on May 9 and 10.
The Learn Math Fast System is a unique approach for teaching math that condenses the process while still stressing conceptual understanding. Presented in only seven volumes, the content covers the essential math content for grades 1 through 10 plus some content of a second year algebra course. Books are printed in black-and-white with a limited number of illustrations, yet they are easy on the eyes with a large casual-style font. The sixth bookI adds some color, especially for like terms so that students can easily identify them. There are frequent work sheets and occasional timed tests. Each chapter concludes with a test, and there is a final test. Answers with solutions for worksheets and tests are at the back of the book. They were purposely included so that students could check their own answers and discover where they might have gone wrong. Since they include solutions, the answer keys have a substantial number of pages. You might need to remove those pages if your child might be tempted to take shortcuts by looking at answers and solutions too soon. Worksheets and tests often have lesson material on the reverse side so you cannot remove those pages. The publisher is aware of this issue and has made printable worksheets and tests for each volume available for free on their website. (The publisher generously authorizes you to reuse books over and over if you wish. If you choose to photocopy worksheets or tests, that is allowed.) If you have an older student who is serious about learning, they might work through the book independently, writing directly in the book and self-checking as they go. Volume I begins by using pennies that you supply to teach math fact families, covering both addition and subtraction. By page 79, it has covered up through four-digit addends, minuends, and subtrahends along with the skills of carrying and borrowing. It continues through multiplication and division, also teaching these together since they are so closely related. It teaches up through long division with two-digit divisors. Decimals are taught in this section, and they are sometimes included in the divisor or dividend of a problem. Basic computation skills are covered in the first three of four chapters. Interestingly, students need to memorize only eleven math facts since the rest are covered by “tricks” taught through this system. The smaller fourth chapter has four lessons on standard measurements. A student completing the first volume will have covered the most important math skills taught through third grade. There are no diversions to cover geometry, graphs, the calendar, telling time or other topics typically thrown into the mix for the primary grades. With only 199 pages of text, worksheets, and tests this is an efficient way to cover basic computation skills. Because of its design, I think Volume I will probably be great for gifted learners who are ready to plow ahead with math and for older students who have not done well with other math programs and need an efficient way to get up to speed. Volume II uses money to explain fractions, quickly moving through decimals which were already introduced in the first volume, and continuing through percentages. It concludes with a final chapter on positive and negative numbers. With 116 pages of text, worksheets, and tests, students can complete this book rather quickly if they grasp the concepts, yet it covers key concepts taught in both grades 4 and 5. Volume III teaches pre-algebra concluding with a final chapter that offers in-depth instruction on slopes and intercepts. Again, this is accomplished in only 119 pages of text, worksheets, and tests. Content of this book is similar to some of what you find in other texts for grades six, seven, and eight, and it goes farther than most in its instruction on slopes and intercept. Volume IV teaches basic geometry, reversing the typical coverage of pre-algebra to before rather than after introductory geometry. This enables the text to apply algebraic skills in geometry, although they are not required very often in the relatively brief 105 pages of text in this volume. A small kit of manipulatives comes with this text to help provide a more concrete learning experience. The final chapter of this book addresses the metric system. The content of this book reflects geometry instruction that shows up in grades 3 through 7 in other texts. Volumes V and VI: Algebra Volumes V and VI together cover first year high school algebra and some concepts from Algebra 2 but at a less challenging level than most other resources. Students using the first four volumes in this series are likely to be tackling algebra at least by eighth grade if not sooner, so a less challenging approach makes sense. Volume V covers foundational concepts that are sometimes now taught in pre-algebra courses: integers, rational and irrational numbers, variables, coefficients, factors, absolute value, multiplication and division of exponents, square and cube roots, and the commutative and associative laws of addition. Some of this was introduced in Volume III, but Volume V reviews and takes these concepts to a higher level. Students also work with the distributive law of multiplication, factoring, prime factors, working with polynomials and solving quadratic equations. There's even an introduction to functions. This book has 243 pages. Volume VI teaches much of algebra through applications. Time/distance/rate problems and solution and mixture problems are used extensively as platforms for learning algebraic applications. In 232 pages, this volume also covers congruent and similar triangles, probability, functions, solving and graphing equations with two variables, and solving and graphing quadratic equations. Some of this would be equivalent to what is taught in second year algebra, but it does not cover the same material at the same level as in second year algebra courses such as those from Saxon, BJU Press, and Math-U-See. Students are ready for geometry after completing this course, but they could also transition from this book into an Algebra 2 course. There are fewer practice problems per worksheet at this level, so you might want to supplement with additional practice worksheets such as those from Kuta Software or math.com. Volume VII: High School Geometry Volume VII can be considered a high school level geometry course, but it should not take as long to complete as most other courses. The content of the course is presented under five chapter headings: Angles, Triangles, Quadrilaterals, Polygons, and Circles. The author points out that students should already know some basic geometry including the Pythagorean Theorem and how to solve for areas, circumference, and volume. Students also need to have covered enough algebra to know how to solve algebraic equations. As with the other Learn Math Fast courses, it doesn’t follow the same sequence of topics as do most other courses. The most unusual feature is that trigonometry is taught (introductory level only) within the geometry lessons. Formal proofs are taught in the sixth lesson (out of thirty lessons in all), then used from that point on. The course covers the most important topics for geometry but misses some minor topics such as translations. Students need a scientific calculator, but not a graphing calculator. The calculator (and how to use it) is introduced in Lesson 12 along with the first introduction of trigonometry—the calculator is used to compute the sine of 30 degrees. While the early introduction of trigonometry is unusual, it makes sense the way Mergens teaches it as a mathematical tool rather than some new and mysterious type of math. While the calculator is used from time to time, especially for trigonometry, Mergens doesn’t shortcut teaching math concepts by reliance on the calculator in other areas. For each chapter there is a Smart Card that lists the key postulates and theorems on a two-sided page printed on card stock. A pocket at the back of the book has four small reference cards with additional triangle postulates. All of these are to be used for quick reference as needed. While the text includes worksheets, chapter tests, and a final exam, students might need more practice and reinforcement, or you might also need to supplement to ensure that your student satisfies any requirement for a certain number of hours spent on the course. They might use free worksheets at websites like Kuta Software or supplemental books such as Scratch Your Brain Geometry. Concepts in this series are not taught in the same order as in most other math courses which makes it tricky to move in or out of the series. However, I appreciate the author's logical reorganization of topics in a way that builds understanding. The series is more efficient than most other programs partly because concepts taught in a previous level are not retaught and reviewed over and over as in most other math series. While there is some review, it is minimal. Students are expected (and sometimes directed) to refer back to another book if they haven’t got a solid foundation in a particular topic. There are also fewer practice problems in the upper level books than in most other programs. If the series is used for remediation, the unusual scope and sequence should be no problem. Even though the last three books can be used as the mainstays for high school algebra and geometry with some supplementation, they too follow an unusual progression. Still, they too might be used for remediation. The thorough and clear explanations might make the Learn Math Fast System an appealing option for parents with a poor math background who need to learn right along with their children as well as for students working independently. In addition, the fact that the books are self-contained and reusable coupled with the publisher's provision of free printable worksheets and tests makes them affordable. There are free placement tests on the publisher's website, and free phone or email support is available to those who have purchased the series.
Measuring and Modeling Basic Properties of the Human Middle Ear and Ear Canal. Part II: Ear Canal, Middle Ear Cavities, Eardrum, and Ossicles In this the second part of our paper on the acoustical and mechanical properties of the middle ear and the ear canal (the other two parts are provided in [1, 2]) most of the measurements are presented. This part provides all the measurements referring to subsystems of the outer and middle ear. Such subsystems are: the ear canal and its radiation impedance, the middle ear cavities, the "kernel" consisting of the eardrum, the malleus, and the incus including the suspension by ligaments and the tensor tympani, the stapes including the suspension by the annular ligament and the tensor stapedii, the cochlea input impedance, and the two joints between the malleus and incus, and between the incus and stapes. All the measurements are compared to the corresponding predictions of our model and, as far as possible, to Shaw's model from 1981 . If the properties of all these subsystems are known, various over-all characteristics (transfer functions and impedances) can be calculated, assuming that the one-dimensional model gives correct predictions. In fact, such transfer functions that combine the effect of several subsystems were measured in addition and will be presented in part III. It is important to know that the model predictions given in this paper are not optimally fitted to the corresponding measurements in the subsystems. Instead a single set of model parameters is derived which was chosen to fit all the measurements simultaneously. This fixed set of parameters is used throughout all three parts of this paper to show that the measurements are consistent within useful tolerances. No Reference information available - sign in for access. No Citation information available - sign in for access. No Supplementary Data. No Article Media Document Type: Research Article Publication date: September 1, 1998 More about this publication? - Acta Acustica united with Acustica, published together with the European Acoustics Association (EAA), is an international, peer-reviewed journal on acoustics. It publishes original articles on all subjects in the field of acoustics, such as general linear acoustics, nonlinear acoustics, macrosonics, flow acoustics, atmospheric sound, underwater sound, ultrasonics, physical acoustics, structural acoustics, noise control, active control, environmental noise, building acoustics, room acoustics, acoustic materials, acoustic signal processing, computational and numerical acoustics, hearing, audiology and psychoacoustics, speech, musical acoustics, electroacoustics, auditory quality of systems. It reports on original scientific research in acoustics and on engineering applications. The journal considers scientific papers, technical and applied papers, book reviews, short communications, doctoral thesis abstracts, etc. In irregular intervals also special issues and review articles are published. - Editorial Board - Information for Authors - Submit a Paper - Subscribe to this Title - Information for Advertisers - Online User License - Ingenta Connect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites
The Baltic languages belong to the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. A basket is a container which is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers, which can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. Georg Heinrich Ferdinand Nesselmann (February 14, 1811 in Fürstenau, near Tiegenhof, West Prussia (now Kmiecin, within Nowy Dwór Gdański) – January 7, 1881 in Königsberg) was a German orientalist, a philologist with interests in Baltic languages, and a mathematics historian. Lituanus is an English language quarterly journal dedicated to Lithuanian and Baltic languages, linguistics, political science, arts, history, literature, and related topics. A nest is a structure built by certain animals to hold eggs, offspring, and, occasionally, the animal itself. Old Prussian is an extinct Baltic language once spoken by the Old Prussians, the Baltic peoples of Prussia (not to be confused with the later and much larger German state of the same name)—after 1945 northeastern Poland, the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia and southernmost part of Lithuania. Old Prussians or Baltic Prussians (Old Prussian: Prūsai; Pruzzen or Prußen; Pruteni; Prūši; Prūsai; Prusowie; Prësowié) refers to the indigenous peoples from a cluster of Baltic tribes that inhabited the region of Prussia. A posad (посад) was a settlement in the Russian Empire, often surrounded by ramparts and a moat, adjoining a town or a kremlin, but outside of it, or adjoining a monastery in the 10th to 15th centuries. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem (official names: Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Hierosolymitanorum, Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus der Heiligen Maria in Jerusalem), commonly the Teutonic Order (Deutscher Orden, Deutschherrenorden or Deutschritterorden), is a Catholic religious order founded as a military order c. 1190 in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Winter has arrived. It’s dark and cold. It will be dark and cold again tomorrow. The good news is that we have made it past the winter solstice. The days are getting longer. However, January tends to be a long and challenging month for many, especially those living with seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that affects 5 to 14 percent of the United States population, depending on the study. Seasonal affective disorder typically occurs in the fall and winter months and is often referred to as SAD or “the winter blues.” SAD is more common in women than in men and tends to run in families. If you have family members who have experienced seasonal affective disorder, depression, or bipolar disorder, you may be at higher risk of experiencing SAD. The further you live from the equator, the higher your chances of developing seasonal affective disorder due to the decreased sunshine in the winter months. The good news is that seasonal affective disorder is manageable with a variety of treatment options. If you are experiencing seasonal affective disorder symptoms, talk to your therapist or primary care doctor for more information. What To Watch For Symptoms may include: Changes in your mood including increased sadness and irritability; and may include feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness. Physical symptoms may include low energy, feeling tired or fatigued even while sleeping more than usual. Social symptoms include withdrawing from others, avoiding social situations, and losing interest in things you may ordinarily enjoy. While the definitive cause is unknown, several things are known to contribute to seasonal affective disorder. These include changes to our body’s clock due to changes in the amount of sunlight available and, in North America, the shift to daylight savings time can wreak havoc with our circadian rhythms. Less sunlight is thought to be a contributing factor in both diminished Melatonin and Seratonin levels. Seratonin is a hormone that helps to stabilize mood, while Melatonin is a hormone that induces sleep. There are six primary modes of treatment for seasonal affective disorder. Many people choose one or two modalities depending on the severity of their symptoms. Light therapy, also called phototherapy, helps the body adjust to the decreased daylight in the winter. Special lights with 10,000-lux are generally recommended. Lightboxes are used for 20-30 minutes per day as directed by your physician. The light is approximately ten times stronger than typical indoor lighting. Note that overuse of lightboxes can cause eyestrain, headaches, and difficulty sleeping. Easy to use and relatively inexpensive, lightboxes can be placed on a desk or table, and you can continue to read, work, or eat while engaging in the treatment. Light therapy must occur at a similar time each day to be most effective. Because it takes time for lightboxes to produce results, it is recommended that those with a history of seasonal affective disorder begin using their lightboxes in the fall when the days become shorter and continue into early spring. In Scandinavian countries, including Norway and Sweden, clinics have created light rooms to provide treatments to the nearly 15% of the population which experiences SAD. Brief therapy interventions using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for 6-12 weeks has been shown to be as effective as light therapy. Also known as CBT, this therapy can be in individual or group settings and works to address the thoughts and emotions affected by seasonal affective disorder and interfere with daily functioning. The cost of therapy varies by region. However, many therapists in clinics and private practice offer sliding scale fees to make treatment more cost-effective. Additionally, with the increase in telehealth use, many clinicians offer counseling sessions via confidential video conferencing, increasing accessibility for those who live rurally or who have challenging work schedules. The human body synthesizes Vitamin D from the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB)rays through the skin. Vitamin D helps the body regulate calcium in the body and supports the production of Seratonin and Dopamine to regulate mood. Low levels of Vitamin D have been shown to increase SAD symptoms. Research has shown that relatively high doses of Vitamin D taken orally are necessary to improve seasonal affective disorder symptoms. Your doctor can monitor your Vitamin D levels with a simple blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D in your blood. If your symptoms are severe, consider discussing the benefits of anti-depressant medications with your doctor. Many well-tested drugs can provide relief from symptoms. You may only need to take medication for a few months to provide support from fall through spring. One of the best preventative measures for depression related disorders is good self-care. - Nutrition – Eat a balanced diet, limiting sugar and starches to prevent mood swings. - Movement – Get some physical activity each day. Take a walk, do some yoga, or stretching. - Connect – Engage with friends and family – Avoid the urge to withdraw and spend some time with others: Watch a movie, play a game, or go for a hike. - Get Outside – Go for a walk, clean up the garden, or play with the dog. A few minutes of fresh air and sun each day can help to boost mood. - Destress – Reduce stress by engaging in relaxation activities such as yoga or tai chi, listen to music, create art, or meditate. Create a Plan While seasonal affective disorder affects millions of people worldwide, it is a manageable condition. Any one of these treatments can help reduce symptoms; however, most people find that a combination of 2-3 of the treatments produces compound benefits. Consider layering self-care, light therapy, and counseling, or a combination of Vitamin D, anti-depressant, and counseling. Whichever combination you choose, take action now to avoid the “winter blues.” . . . . . Seeking Health and Happiness One Day at a Time. Marcy Berg is a writer and therapist living in the Pacific Northwest and exploring thoughts on mental health, wellness, and happiness. She can be found at Growing Through Life and Seeking Greener Pastures.
Why the apple doesn’t fall far : understanding intergenerational transmission of human capital MetadataShow full item record - Discussion papers (SAM) Parents with higher education levels have children with higher education levels. However, is this because parental education actually changes the outcomes of children, suggesting an important spillover of education policies, or is it merely that more able individuals who have higher education also have more able children? This paper proposes to answer this question by using a unique dataset from Norway. Using the reform of the education system that was implemented in different municipalities at different times in the 1960s as an instrument for parental education, we find little evidence of a causal relationship between parents’ education and children’s education, despite significant OLS relationships. We find 2SLS estimates that are consistently lower than the OLS estimates with the only statistically significant effect being a positive relationship between mother's education and son's education. These findings suggest that the high correlations between parents’ and children’s education are due primarily to selection and not causation. PublisherNorwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. Department of Economics
Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages. I: ~ ~ ~ -~.'~7~ *-\ ~~ N~ \ \ NN~..~-~.f~' \.$ 1; '..~' ~ ^~ ~ ~` · it' . · at. ' ., at-: ! A ', =_ :~ . ~ Dig! ~ ,~ ~~.~ ~~ ~ ;.~^ ·M A. .~' ·t ;d _~ ,~ ~\ ·"''3 it' '\ Chelimoya Universally regarded as a premium fruit, the cherimoya (Annona cherimola) has been called the "pearl of the Andes," and the "queen of subtropical fruits." Mark Twain declared it to be "deliciousness itself!" In the past, cherimoya (usually pronounced chair-i-moy-a in English) could only be eaten in South America or Spain. The easily bruised, soft fruits could not be transported any distance. But a combination of new selections, advanced horticulture, and modern transportation methods has removed the limitations. Cushioned by foam plastic, chilled to precise temperatures, and protected by special cartons, cherimoyas are now being shipped thousands of kilometers. They are even entering international trade. Already, they can be found in supermarkets in many parts of the United States, Japan, and Europe (mainly France, England, Portugal, and Spain). Native to the Ecuadorian Andes, the cherimoya is an important backyard crop throughout much of Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Peru. Chileans consider the cherimoya to be their "national fruit" and produce it (notably in the Aconcagua Basin) on a considerable commercial scale. In some cooler regions of Central America and Mexico, the plant is naturalized and the fruit is common in several locales. In the United States, the plant produces well along small sections of the Southern California coast where commercial production has begun. Outside the New World, a scattering of cherimoya trees can be found in South Africa, South Asia, Australasia, and around the Mediterranean. However, only in Spain and Portugal is there sizable production. In fruit markets there, cherimoyas are sometimes piled as high as apples and oranges. A good cherimoya certainly has few equals. Cutting this large, green, heart-shaped fruit in half reveals white flesh with black seeds. The flesh has a soft, creamy texture. Chilled, it is like a tropical sherbet- indeed, cherimoya has often been described as "ice-cream fruit." In Chile, it is a favorite filling for ice-cream wafers and cookies. In Peru, it is popular in ice cream and yogurt. 229 230 LOST CROPS OF THE INCAS World demand is strong. In North America and Japan, people pay more for cherimoya than for almost any other fruit on the market. At present, premium cherimoyas (which can weigh up to 1 kg each) are selling for up to $20 per kg in the United States and more than $40 per kg in Japan. Despite such enormous prices, sales are expanding. In four years, the main U.S. supplier's weekly sales have increased from less than 50 kg a week to more than 5,000 kg a week. Today, the crop is far from reaching its potential peak. Modern research is only now being applied and in only a few places, principally Chile, Argentina, Spain, the Canary Islands, and California. Nonethe- less, even limited research has produced a handful of improved cultivars that produce fruit of good market size (300-600 g), smooth skin, round shape, good Havor, juiciness, low seed ratio, resistance to bruising, and good storage qualities. With these attributes, larger future pro- duction and expanded trade seem inevitable. But growing cherimoyas for commercial consumption is a daunting horticultural challenge. In order to produce large, uniform fruit with an unbroken skin and a large proportion of pulp, the grower must attend his trees constantly from planting to harvest; each tree must be pruned, propped, andat least in some countries each Dower must be pollinated by hand. Nevertheless, the expanding markets made possible by new cultivars and greater world interest in exotic produce now justify the work necessary to produce quality cherimoya fruits on a large scale. Eventually, production could become a fair-sized industry in several dozen countries. PROSPECTS The Andes. Although cherimoyas are found in markets throughout the Andean region, there has been little organized evaluation of the different types, the horticultural methods used, or the problems growers encounter. Given such attention, as well as improved quality control, the cherimoya could become a much bigger cash crop for rural villages. With suitable packaging increasingly available, a large and lucrative trade with even distant cities seems likely. Moreover, increased production will allow processed products such as cherimoya concen- trate for Havoring ice cream- to be produced both for local consumption and for export. Other Developing Areas. Everywhere these fruits are grown, they are immediately accepted as delicacies. Thus, the cherimoya promises to become a major commercial crop for many subtropical CHERIMOYA 231 Cherimoya has been grown for centuries in the highlands of Peru and Ecuador, where it was highly prized by the Incas. Today, this subtropical delight is gaining an excellent reputation in premium markets in the United States, Europe, Japan, and elsewhere. (T. Brown) areas. For example, it is likely to become valuable to Brazil and its neighbors in South America's "southern cone," to the highlands of Central America and Mexico, as well as to North Africa, southern and eastern Africa, and subtropical areas of Asia. Industrialized Regions. The climatic conditions required by the cherimoya are found in pockets of southern Europe (for example, Spain and Italy), the eastern Mediterranean (Israel), the western United States, coastal Australia, and northern New Zealand. In these areas, 232 LOST CROPS OF THE INCAS the fruit could become a valuable crop. In Australia and South Africa, the cherimoya hybrid known as atemoya is already commonly culti- vated (see sidebar). The cherimoya could have an impact on international fruit markets. The United Kingdom is already a substantial importer, and, as superior cultivars and improved packing become commonplace, cherimoyas could become as familiar as bananas. USES The cherimoya is essentially a dessert fruit. It is most often broken or cut open, held in the hand, and the flesh scooped out with a spoon. It can also be pureed and used in sauces to be poured over ice creams, mousses, and custards. In Chile, cherimoya ice cream is said to be the most profitable use. It is also processed into nectars and fruit salad mixes, and the juice makes a delicious wine. NUTRITION Cherimoya is basically a sweet fruit: sugar content is high; acids, low. It has moderate amounts of calcium and phosphorus (34 and 35 mg per 100 g). Its vitamin A content is modest, but it is a good source of thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.) HORTICULTURE Because seedling trees usually bear fruits of varying quality, most commercial cherimoyas are propagated by budding or grafting clonal stock onto vigorous rootstock. However, a few forms come true from seed, and in some areas seed propagation is used exclusively. The trees are usually pruned during their brief deciduous period (in the spring) to keep them low and easy to manage. The branches are also pruned selectively after the fruit has set for example, to prevent them rubbing against the fruits or to encourage them to shade the fruits. (Too much direct sunlight overheats the fruits, cracking them open.) Under favorable conditions, the trees begin bearing 3-4 years after planting. However, certain cultivars bear in 2-3 years, others in 5-6 years. Many growers prop or support the branches, which can get so heavily laden they break off. ~ Information from S. Dawes. CHERIMOYA 233 Pollination can be irregular and unreliable. The flowers have such a narrow opening to the stigmas and ovaries that it effectively bars most pollen-carrying insects. Honeybees, for instance, are ineffective.2 In South America, tiny beetles provide pollination,3 but in some other places (California, for instance) no reliable pollinators have been found. There, hand pollination is needed to ensure a high proportion of commercial-quality fruit.4 HARVESTING AND HANDLING The fruits are harvested by hand when the skin becomes shiny and turns a lighter shade of green (about a week before full maturity). A heavy crop can produce over 11,000 kg of quality fruits per hectare. LIMITATIONS A cherimoya plantation is far from simple to manage. The trees are vulnerable to climatic adversity: heat and frost injure them, low humidity prevents pollination, and winds break off fruit-laden branches. They are also subject to some serious pests and diseases. Several types of scale insects, leaf miners, and mealy bugs can infect the trees, and wasps and fruit flies attack the fruits. Pollination is perhaps the cherimoya's biggest technical difficulty. Not only are reliable pollinators missing in some locations, but low humidity, especially when combined with high temperatures, causes pollination failure; these conditions dry out the sticky stigmas, and the heavy pollen falls off before it can germinate. Hand pollination is costly and time consuming. However, it improves fruit set of all cultivars under nearly all conditions. It enhances fruit size and shape. It allows the grower to extend or shorten the season (by holding off on pollination) as well as to simplify the harvesting (by pollinating only flowers that are easy to reach).5 2 The male and female organs of a flower are fertile at different times. Honeybees visit male-phase flowers but not female-phase flowers, which offer no nectar or pollen. 3 Reviewer G.E. Schatz writes: "Pollination is undoubtedly effected by small beetles, most likely Nitidulidae. They are attracted to the flowers by the odor emitted during the female stage, a fruity odor that mimics their normal mating and ovipositing substrate, rotting fruit. There is no other "reward" per se, and hence it is a case of deception. The beetles often will stay in a flower 24 hours the flower offers a sheltered mating site, safe from predators during daylight hours. Studies on odor could lead to improved pollination." 4 California growers use artists' paint brushes with cut-down bristles to collect pollen in late afternoon. The next morning they apply it to receptive female flowers. 5 Schroeder, 1988. 234 LOST CROPS OF THE INCAS The fruits are particularly vulnerable to climatic adversity: if caught by cold weather before maturity, they ripen imperfectly; if rains are heavy or sun excessive, the large ones crack open; and if humidity is high, they rot before they can be picked. The fruits must be picked by hand, and, because they mature at different times, each tree may have to be harvested as many as 10 times. In addition, the picked fruits are difficult to handle. Even when undamaged, they have short storage lives (for example, 3 weeks at 10°C) unless handled with extreme care. The fruit has a culinary drawback: the large black seeds annoy many consumers. However, fruits with a low number of seeds exist,6 and there are unconfirmed reports of seedless types. So far, however, neither type has been produced on a large scale. RESEARCH NEEDS The following are six important areas for research and development. Germplasm The danger of losing unique and potentially valuable types is high. A fundamental step, therefore, is to make an inventory of cherimoya germplasm and to collect genetic material from the natural populations as well as from gardens and orchards, especially throughout the Andes. Selection Future commercialization will depend on the selection of cultivars that dependably produce large numbers of well-shaped fruit with few seeds and good flavor. Selection criteria could include: resistance to diseases and pests, regular heavy yields of uniform fruit with smooth green skin, juicy flesh of pleasant flavor, few or no seeds, resistance to bruising, and good keeping qualities. Pollination The whole process of pollination should be studied and its impediments clarified. Currently few, if any, specific insects have been definitely associated with cherimoya pollination.7 The insects that now pollinate it in South America should be identified. Spain, where good natural fruit set is common in most orchards, might also teach much.8 Selecting genotypes that naturally produce symmetrical, full-sized fruits may reduce or eliminate the need to hand pollinate, bringing the cherimo.ya a giant step forward in several countries. Cultural Practices Horticulturists have not learned enough to clearly understand the plant's behavior and requirements. Knowledge of the effects of pruning, soils, fertilization, and other cultural details is as 6 Flesh: seed weight ratios from 8:1 to 30:1 have been reported. 7 Schroeder, 1988. ~ Information from J. Farre. CHERIMOYA 235 yet insufficient. The current complexity of management should be simplified. Evaluation of the plants in the Andes, and the ways in which farmers handle them, could provide guidance for mastering the species' horticulture. Also, there is a need for practical trials to identify more precisely the limits of the tree's environmental and management requirements. Intensive cultural methods, such as trellising and espaliering,9 may help achieve maximum production of high-quality fruits. These growing systems facilitate operations such as hand pollination; they also provide support for heavy crops. Breeding Ongoing testing of superior cultivars is needed. Low seed count, good keeping quality, and good flavor have yet to coincide in a cultivar that also has superior horticultural qualities. In addition, it is advisable to grow populations of seedling cherimoyas in all areas where this crop is adapted. From these variable seedling plants, selections based on local environmental conditions can be made. Elite seedling selections can be multiplied by budding or grafting. Mass propagation of superior genotypes by tissue culture could also provide large numbers of quality plants. Improved cherimoyas might be developed by controlled crosses and, perhaps, by making sterile, seedless triploids. Breeding for large flowers that can be more easily pollinated might even be possible. Hybridization Members of the genus Annona hybridize readily with each other (see sidebar), so there is considerable potential for producing new cherimoyalike fruits (perhaps seedless or pink-fleshed types) that have valuable commercial and agronomic traits. Handling Improved techniques for handling, shipping, and storing delicate fruits would go a long way to helping the cherimoya fulfill its potential. Ways to reduce the effects of ethylene should be explored. Cherimoyas produce this gas prodigiously, and in closed containers it causes them to ripen extremely fast. SPECIES INFORMATION Botanical Name Annona cherimola Miller Family Annonaceae (annona family) Common Names Quechua: chirimuya Aymara: yuructira 9 It has been reported that on Madeira, trees were espaliered so successfully that in some locations they have replaced grapes, the main crop of the island. The branches were trained so that fruit ripened in shade. 236 LOST CROPS OF THE INCAS ATEMOYA Like the cherimoya, the atemoya has promise for widespread cultivation. This hybrid of the cherimoya and the sugar apple was developed in 1907 by P.J. Wester, a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee in Florida. (Similar crosses also appeared naturally in Australia in 1850 and in Palestine in 1930.) The best atemoya varieties combine the qualities of both cherimoya and sugar apple. However, the fruits are smaller and the plant is more sensitive to cold. The atemoya has been introduced into many places and is commercially grown in Australia, Central America, Florida, India, Israel, the Philippines, South Africa, and South America. In eastern Australia, for at least half a century, the fruit has been widely sold under the name "custard apple." The atemoya grows on short treesseldom more than 4 m high. The yellowish green fruit has pulp that is white, juicy, smooth, and subacid. It usually weighs about 0.5 kg, grows easily at sea level, and apparently has no pollination difficulties. The fruit may be harvested when mature but still firm, after which it will ripen to excellent' eating quality. It finds a ready market because most people like the Havor at first trial. It is superb for fresh consumption, but the pulp can also be used in sherbets, ice creams, and yogurt. Seedling progeny are extremely variable, and possibilities for further variety improvement are very good. So far, however, little work has been done to select and propagate superior varieties. cam . ct o so Q ~ Ct Cam CHERIMOYA 237 Spanish: chirimoya, cherimoya, cherimalla, cherimoyales, anona del Peru, chirimoyo del Peru, cachiman de la China, catuche, momona, . . glrlmoya, mesa Portuguese: cherimolia, anona do Chile, fruta do condo, cabega de negro English: cherimoya, cherimoyer, annona French: cherimolier, anone Italian: cerimolia Dutch: cherimolia German: Chirimoyabaum, Cherimoyer, Cherimolia, peruanischer Flaschenbaum, Flachsbaum Or~gin. The cherimoya is apparently an ancient domesticate. Seeds have been found in Peruvian archeological sites hundreds of kilometers from its native habitat, and the fruit is depicted on pottery of pre-Inca peoples. The wild trees occur particularly in the Loja area of south- western Ecuador, where extensive groves are present in sparsely inhabited areas. Descr~ption. A small, erect, or sometimes spreading tree, the cherimoya rarely reaches more than 8 m in height. It often divides at the ground into several main stems. The light-green, three-petaled, perfect flowers are about 2.5 cm long. The fruit is an aggregate, composed of many fused carpers. Depending on degree of pollination, the fruits are heart-shaped, conical, oval, or irregular in shape. They normally weigh about 0.5 kg, with some weighing up to 3 kg. Moss green in color, they have either a thin or thick skin; the surface can be nearly smooth, but usually bears scalelike impressions or prominent protuberances. Horticultural Var~eties. A number of cultivars have been devel- oped. Nearly every valley in Ecuador has a local favorite, as do most areas where the fruit has been introduced. Named commercial varieties include Booth, White, Pierce, Knight, Bonito, Chaffey, Ott, Whaley, and Oxhart. These exhibit great variation in climatic and soil require- ments. In Spain, 200 cultivars from 10 countries are under observation.'° Env~ronmental Requirements Daylength. Apparently neutral. In its flower-bud formation, this plant does not respond to changes in photoperiod as most fruit species do. '° Information from J. Farre. 238 LOST CROPS OF THE INCAS Rainfall. The plant does not tolerate drought well. For good production, it needs a fairly constant source of water. In Latin America, the tree thrives under more than 1,200 mm rainfall during the growing season. As noted, high humidity assists pollen set, and a dry period during harvesting prevents water-induced damage to fruit. Also, water stress just before flowering may increase flower (and hence fruit) production. Altitude. The cherimoya does best in relatively cool (but not cold) regions, and is unsuited to the lowland tropics. (In equatorial regions it produces well only at altitudes above 1,500 m.) Low Temperature. The plant is frost sensitive and is even less hardy than avocados or oranges. Young specimens are hurt by temperatures of-2°C. High Temperature. The upper limits of its heat tolerance are uncertain, but is is said that the tree will not set fruit when temperatures exceed 30°C. Soil Type. Cherimoya can be grown on soils of many types. The optimum acidity is said to be pH 6.5-7.5. On the other hand, the tree seems particularly adapted to high-calcium soils, on which it bears abundant fruits of superior flavor. Because of sensitivity to root rot, the tree does not tolerate poorly drained sites. Related Species. The genus Annona, composed of perhaps 100 species mostly native to tropical America, includes some of the most delectable fruits in the tropics. Most are similar to the cherimoya in their structure. Examples are: 0 Sugar apple, or sweetsop (Annona squamosa). Subtropical and tropical. The fruit is 0.5-1 kg, and yellowish green or bluish. It splits when ripe. The white, custardlike pulp has a sweet, delicious flavor. · Soursop, or guanabana (A. muricata). This evergreen tree is the most tropical of the annonas. The yellow-green fruit one of the best in the world is the largest of the annonas, sometimes weighing up to 7 kg. The flesh resembles that of the cherimoya, but it is pure white, more fibrous, and the flavor, with its acidic tang, is "crisper." · Custard apple, or annona (A. reticulata). This beige to brownish red fruit often weighs more than 1 kg. Its creamy white flesh is sweet but is sometimes granular and is generally considered inferior to the other commonly cultivated annonas. However, this plant is the most vigorous of all, and types that produce seedless fruits are known. ~° Information from J. Farre. CHERIMOYA 239 · Ilama (A. diversifolia). This fruit has a thick rind; its white or pinkish flesh has a subacid to sweet Havor and many seeds. It is inferior to the cherimoya in quality and flavor, but it is adapted to tropical lowlands where cherimoya cannot grow. · A. Iongipes. This species is closely related to cherimoya and is known from only three localities in Veracruz, Mexico, where it occurs at near sea level. Its traits would probably complement cherimoya's if the two species were hybridized to create a new, man-made fruit. i' Information from G.E. Schatz.
I would argue, therefore, that the focus of concern properly belongs on the interplay of discontinuity and continuity. The careful investigation of the history of Israel’s religion impresses one with both realities, as I have tried to indicate in the preceding section. And although various interpreters may come down more strongly on one side or the other, no true analysis of that religion can ignore either element or set it aside. While Israel’s understanding of its God is distinctive, the tendency to regard it as utterly unique and sui generis is misleading in that it fails to take account of the way in which that conception is similar to or shaped by the religious environment. It is not simply a matter of a few metaphors or epithets which are paralleled elsewhere, but of basic language, thought forms, and relationships between deity and nature, history, tribe, state, and individual. The claim of Yahweh to the exclusive worship of Israel is represented with such flexibility and creativity that it may at one time involve explicit rejection of language or forms associated with another deity while at another time appropriating them openly. Association with one deity (Baal) may be rejected at an early stage, while association with another deity (El) may be implicitly accepted for a long period of time. To seek to discard all this as form and not content, to disregard all the complex associations of Yahweh and the gods is to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Commonality, therefore, or continuity, both synchronically and diachronically, is just as strong and significant a history of religion conclusion as is discontinuity.—Patrick D. Miller in Divine Doppelgängers: YHWH’s Ancient Look-Alikes, p. 29 (emphasis original) Wednesday, March 18, 2020 So what is it? Alike or Different? The answer is: Here is a touchstone of that religion, and perhaps it is as close as we can come to marking the particularity, or uniqueness, of Israel’s religion. One can say that for two reasons: (1) the intention of the first commandment is spelled out in various ways throughout the documents which are our basic source for understanding that religion, and in a way that indicates they are basic for understanding Israel’s religion throughout its course; and (2) we know no genuine analogies in the ancient Near East to this exclusive, imageless worship of one deity. Thus in the first commandment we encounter a basic principle that reflects both the radical integration or centralization of the divine realm in Yahweh and also his exclusive claim over against all other gods.
Also found in: Medical. particles present in animal cells and consisting of macromolecular (nonribosomal) ribonucleic acid (RNA) and a special protein. Informosomes were first discovered by the Soviet biochemist A. S. Spirin and his co-workers (1964) in the cytoplasm of fish embryos, where they are represented by a mixture of particles of various sizes (molecular weights, 500,000 to 50 million and more). The ratio of the weight of the RNA to the weight of the protein in informosomes is constant (approximately 1:4) and identical in all particles, regardless of size. Analogous particles are found in the cells of mammals (including those infected with viruses), echinoderms, and insects. Informosomes apparently contain messenger RNA (m-RNA). The protein of informosomes probably serves to transfer m-RNA from nucleus to cytoplasm, to protect m-RNA from destruction, and to regulate the rate of protein synthesis.
The parents will ideally teach “whatever they’re good at, or know about or care about,” Phillips said, and in doing so expose the kids to lots of different subjects. Dresser says to ask teachers how they work with kids of different learning styles: “You’re going to find that, even if you have four kids, each kid will learn a little bit differently. A stupid person; it refers to the lack of surface area on an individual's brain. “The idea that if I pull out my child, it’ll be better for the district, is quite the opposite,” he said. One pod tutor interview by Meckler and Natanson, Christy Kian from Broward County, Florida, formerly a private-school teacher, said she will earn … ©2020 Reviewed, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network LLC. “The truth of the matter is, we’re staring down the barrel at something that is going to divide and widen the gaps between kids.”. A month ago, education policymakers and public health officials used the … ; What does POD mean? A lot of interest, Schachtel says, seems to be stemming from New Jersey, Los Angeles and San Francisco. She said that if she didn’t step up and create an equitable solution, the school’s families would self-segregate according to privilege, and the most well-off families would have access to more educational resources. Ideally, families in learning pods shouldn’t be socializing with people outside the pod unless they wear masks and remain socially distant, Dr. Popescu said. “Kids do need to socialize and they do need to have structured learning, but it’s important to know that, while you are minimizing your risk, you’re not completely eliminating it.”. If you do decide to go this route, know that younger kids who may not be able to sit in front of Zoom meetings or have the skills to pay attention to virtual learning will require patience and constant supervision. ?. Desperate for a better solution, parents around the country have started organizing “pandemic pods,” or home schooling pods, for the fall, in which groups of three to 10 students learn together in homes under the tutelage of the children’s parents or a hired teacher. The meaning of "learning pod" in the Age of COVID is hardly static. “I don’t believe that the Zoom experience for that age group is appropriate,” she said. Another concern about pods is that families may not know how to minimize Covid risks. For instance, Portfolio School in New … Services have even popped up to match families with teachers and to organize pods on behalf of families. “That child and that family don’t have equal share in what happens there.”. If you don’t happen to be able to fit a one-room school house in your living room (where your home office also happens to be), you may have another option available for your pod… So students in grades 1-4 could all be studying weather systems simultaneously, but at their own pace and levels. "I certainly wouldn’t go above 10 children, but you shouldn’t feel pressure to have more kids than feels right. Bui decided to create these school-wide pods after she received emails from parents asking if the school’s teachers were interested in private tutoring. You are, in effect, family—and with family comes responsibilities and obligations. Otherwise known as microschools, each "pod" is composed of roughly between three-to-six children of ideally similar ages and abilities who will gather at one family… The school-pods development may put educational inequality in people’s faces in a way that is simply harder to ignore than it might be otherwise. Pods should have clear rules on wearing masks and washing hands. pod meaning: 1. a long, narrow, flat part of some plants, such as beans and peas, that contains the seeds and…. That’s “the antithesis of what Rooftop is all about, which is inclusion and diversity,” she said. It’s also important for families to work through various contingencies, such as what should happen if someone ends up in a high-risk situation, like going to a hospital, or gets sick. is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992 and based in San Diego, California.The band's line-up consists of drummer and rhythm guitarist Wuv Bernardo, vocalist Sonny Sandoval, bassist Traa Daniels, and lead guitarist Marcos Curiel. When you’re in a pod with someone, you become responsible for both their physical and mental health. The San Francisco-based Facebook group Pandemic Pods and Microschools, for instance, now has more than 9,500 members. So she wrote in a post to the group last week, “We should all think about how pods might further the gap between our students. Parents starting pods should ask their school administrators how their departure will affect both short-term and long-term school funding, Dr. Calarco said, and ideally donate any lost funds to the school through the P.T.A. “Ideally, from our perspective, it would be complementary, rather than a replacement,” said Adam Davis, a pediatrician in San Francisco who is hoping to create a learning pod with a teacher or college-aged helper for his second grader and kindergartener in the fall. Pods are herds of marine mammals including whales, dolphins, walruses and seals. driving districts toward a financial “death spiral.”, The low rate of completing the financial aid form, Wi-Fi buses that bring school to students. “No one likes state testing, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore state standards entirely,” she says, as they can be a way to evaluate student progress. “Just because you are seeing the same people every day doesn’t mean you’ve completely removed yourself from risk, so you do need to try to keep protective rules in place,” he says. Learning pods and elementary school child care may support or replace remote learning, but experts say access inequity will widen the education gap. A school is a group of the same fish species swimming together in synchrony; turning, twisting and forming sweeping, glinting shapes in the water. States and school systems are still talking out the details and no one knows what the fall is going to look like right now,” says Dresser. Parents might want to run a background check on candidates and “ask about how the home-school learning day will be structured, additional costs beyond the teacher’s rate, and teaching philosophy.” Consider also hiring a teacher who is Black, Indigenous or a person of color (B.I.P.O.C. What does POD stand for in Preschool? Given the financial and time costs of podding, they will likely be more popular among privileged families. How to use pod in a sentence. Please look for them carefully. The latest on how the pandemic is reshaping education. “We are starting to see the impacts of social isolation, including increased anxiety," Lerner says. Pandemic pods are small groups of students that learn together while schools are closed. Ideally, pods shouldn’t have more than five kids, said Saskia Popescu, Ph.D., an infection prevention epidemiologist at George Mason University. Lerner advises families to establish a high level of communication about social distancing protocols and expectations, including PPE- and mask-wearing—both during the school day and outside of school. Make sure the kids in your pod are socially compatible. -pod a combining form meaning “one having a foot” of the kind or number specified by the initial element; often corresponding to New Latin class names ending in -poda, with -pod used in English to name a single member of such a class: cephalopod. Some families are pulling their kids out of school for these learning pods, while others are using pods as a supplement to their schools’ online curricula. Top POD acronym definition related to defence: People & Organisational Development Even better, though: Petition your local public school to create its own learning pods. Schoolhouse provides a similar service. She noticed that most families introducing themselves were white and well-off. In early July, the website Selected For Families launched to connect families with a professional teachers and tutors.
The average age of all “in use” passenger vehicles on US roadways increased to 10.5 years in 2017, compared to 9.3 years in 2009 – just after the 2007-’08 financial crisis – and it’s reasonable to suspect that rising prices might have played a role. The average new vehicle loan ballooned to a record $31,455 during Q1 of 2018, according to Experian’s State of the Automotive Finance Market Report, and used vehicle loans also hit a new record high. The Energy Information Administration, citing data from the US Department of Transportation, recently revealed the growth in average “in use” vehicle age in the United States. Average ages increased across all vehicle segments, although the biggest increase was within the pickup truck category, as the average age swelled from 11.2 years in 2009 to 13.6 years today. The van segment experienced a similarly big increase, from 8.8 to 10.9 years. Of all vehicle segments, sport utility vehicles tend to be the youngest in the US passenger vehicle fleet, with an average age of 8.5 years. In 2009, the average SUV was just 7.1 years old in the US. It’s worth noting that, although rising vehicle prices likely had an effect on the average age of “in use” vehicles in the US, higher vehicle ages were found across all levels of personal income. Those with reported income below $25k per year today hold onto their vehicles until they reach an average age of 13 years, and each incrementally higher income bracket results in a younger average vehicle age, up to an 8.9-year-old average for those making $100k or more. All of this could potentially result in lower future investment in new vehicle programs at General Motors and other global automobile manufacturers, or at the very least, run counter to efforts to reduce CO2 emissions through fuel-saving efforts. In order for cars like the Chevrolet Volt to make a positive impact on tailpipe emissions, a sizable group of buyers must be willing to purchase them.
Building green is definitely important. But equally important is to know how green is a green building. Take the glitzy, glass-enveloped buildings popping up across the country. It does not matter if you are in the mild but wet and windy climate of Bengaluru or in the extreme hot and dry climate of Gurgaon, glass is the in-thing. I have always wondered how buildings extensively using glass could work in such varied climatic zones, where one needs ventilation. Then, I started reading that glass was green. Buildings liberally using glass were being certified green. How come? Here the story becomes interesting. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) has specified prescriptive parameters for constructing an energy-efficient building envelope—the exterior façade of a building. The façade, based on the insulation abilities of the material used for roof and wall construction, will reduce heat loss. It will also reduce energy use if it allows daylight in. It is, therefore, important for any green building to have the right material for its exterior. But this is not all that ECBC specifies. It goes on to set a wallwindow ratio and fixes the area of the building envelope that can be covered with glass at 60 per cent. This implies that a building can be green and energy-efficient if it is covered by glass. The code then goes on to define the insulation and energy-efficiency specifications of glass that should be used. In this way, double-glazed or triple-glazed glass, which is solar reflective, is preferred as it provides superior thermal erformance. In other words, glass built on certain superior and high specifications can reduce the heat gain of a building. ECBC, thus, endorses the extensive use of glass and promotes high-performance and expensive glass, which is manufactured by a few high-end companies. Small wonder glass manufacturers are making hay in this sunshine. Saint-Gobain Glass incidentally (or not) is also the founding member of the Indian Green Building Council, promoted by industry association CII. The green code is built for their business to thrive. This would still have been acceptable had this prescription worked. But first, builders cut corners in the use of expensive reflective material. Glass traps heat, therefore, buildings require more air-conditioning. Energy requirement goes up. Secondly, even when double- or triple-glazed glass is used there is evidence that in India’s extremely hot climate it does not work so well. A recent study by IIT-Delhi in Jodhpur, Delhi and Chennai found that energy use increased with increase in glazed area, irrespective of the glass type used in the building. The conclusion was that the glass curtain wall made of expensive reflective glass did nothing to cut energy costs as compared to ordinary glass. We also forget that natural light in India is a glare, unlike in parts of the western world where glass is used to reduce energy use for lighting. So, even if theoretically the use of glass optimises daylight use, it remains a function of how much is used, where and how. For instance, the use of glass—of whatever glazing—in the south and west facades of a building will be bad in terms of thermal transfer. Then, even if you use glazed or tinted glass, where 50 per cent of solar heat gets reflected off the surface, 65 per cent of the visible light is transmitted into the building. Heat transfer may be reduced but the harsh light filters through. Buildings then need blinds to cut glare, again adding to the use of artificial light and consequently raising energy cost. What would work better is building protection against direct glare. Go back to the old fashioned methods of providing shades on windows. And do not build tight and sealed buildings, which do not optimise use of natural ventilation and breeze to reduce air-conditioning needs in certain periods of the year. In fact, glass necessitates air-conditioning, and buildings become energy guzzlers. The irony is that these buildings still qualify for a green tag when the air-conditioning system used in glass-cased constructions is more efficient. Build badly and then sugarcoat it, is the principle. Clearly, we need more appropriate and inventive architecture. What is worse, these codes are being pushed through government and municipal schemes without any evidence that green-certified buildings are actually working. Noida awards a 5 per cent extra floor area for green-certified buildings; MoEF provides fast-track clearance to such buildings. But the two main certificates—LEED and GRIHA, by IGBC and TERI respectively—do not disclose data on the performance of the green buildings after they have been commissioned. So, even though rating agencies say that green-certified buildings save between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of the energy and reduce water consumption by 20-30 per cent, they do not have corroborating data to verify the claim. In this way we make sure that green is not so green. But it is definitely good for business, if not for the planet.
What is a Ear Reshaping Surgery? The shape, size or positioning of the ears can make a huge difference to whether a person has confidence in their appearance or not, and for many years people have been choosing to have ear reshaping surgery to increase their self-confidence. Ear Reshaping Surgery is also known as Otoplasty and is a surgical procedure that is carried out to reduce the size of the ears, reshape the ears, or reset protruding ears so that they sit closer to the head. This very straightforward procedure can be carried out on both adults and children who feel their lives are being negatively affected by the appearance of their ears. How is it done? An Otoplasty can be done under local anaesthetic by either Mr Khan or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon. It generally involves: making one small cut (incision) behind the ear to expose the ear cartilage removing small pieces of cartilage if necessary scoring and stitching the remaining structure into the desired shape and position An Otoplasty usually takes one to two hours. If local anaesthetic is used, you are able to go home the same day. After the Surgery: During the first few days after surgery, your ears may be sore and tender or numb. You may have a slight tingling sensation for a few weeks. You may need to wear a bandage around your head for the first few days to protect your ears from infection. You won't be able to wash your hair during this time. Some surgeons recommend wearing a head band at night for several weeks to protect the ears while you sleep. There may be some slight bruising, which can last about two weeks. You may want to delay returning to work until the bruising has disappeared. Sometimes the stitches may come to the surface of the skin or cause the ear to feel tender. Pain and discomfort can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. You need to avoid swimming and activities that put your ears at risk of injury – such as judo or rugby – for several weeks.
The threat of biological weapons has never attracted as much public attention as in the past five years. Current concerns largely relate to the threat of weapons acquisition and use by rogue states or by terrorists. But the threat has deeper roots—it has been evident for fifty years that biological agents could be used to cause mass casualties and large-scale economic damage. Yet there has been little historical analysis of such weapons over the past half-century. Deadly Cultures sets out to fill this gap by analyzing the historical developments since 1945 and addressing three central issues: Why have states continued or begun programs for acquiring biological weapons? Why have states terminated biological weapons programs? How have states demonstrated that they have truly terminated their biological weapons programs? We now live in a world in which the basic knowledge needed to develop biological weapons is more widely available than ever before. Deadly Cultures provides the lessons from history that we urgently need in order to strengthen the long-standing prohibition of biological weapons.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open medical journal has shown that taking vitamin D supplements may cut the risk of contracting advanced cancer by more than a third. The research found that taking Vitamin D pills is overall linked to a 17 percent risk reduction whereas for those that took the vitamin plus maintained a healthy body weight the risk of succumbing to advanced cancer plummeted by 38 percent. ‘These findings suggest that vitamin D may reduce the risk of developing advanced cancers,’ said corresponding author of the study, Paulette Chandler, an epidemiologist and a primary care physician in the Brighams Division of Preventative Medicine. Significantly it was also found that no reduction in risk was noted for those participants who were overweight or obese conveying that body mass crucially influences the capabilities of vitamin D in lowering a persons likelihood of developing advanced cancer. Other studies have also confirmed that a good level of Vitamin D is beneficial both in cancer prevention and in the prognosis of several cancers. The article jointly written by Professor Alberto Munoz, from the University of Madrid and Professor Carsten Carlberg from the University of Eastern Finland state that the effect of Vitamin D is especially profound in protecting against colorectal cancer and blood cancers. Additionally high Vitamin D responsiveness is overall beneficial in lowering all cancer risks. The review reiterates that a good vitamin D status is beneficial in lowering the risk of cancer and is a beneficial preventative. How much Vitamin D do we need? It is not easy to attain all the Vitamin D that is necessary to reap the health benefits it brings. Limited sun exposure, lifestyle and age can also contribute to low vitamin D levels. Recommended foods which are naturally rich in Vitamin D include fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, fish liver oils, cheese, eggs, butter, milk plus Vitamin D fortified food products including orange juice and cereal. The average amount of Vitamin D that a person gets from food and drink is generally well below the recommended average. As too much sun, which also provides the body with Vitamin D has its own risks and the fact that in some countries sun exposure due to colder climates is limited it is generally advisable to take a daily vitamin D supplement to ensure that the Vitamin D status in the body is kept to an optimal level to fend of cancer and to provide the additional health benefits that Vitamin D provides. The Endocrine Society recommends that adults take 1,500 to 2,000 IU per day and 1000IU for infants to reduce the rate of Vitamin D deficiency 6 further benefits of Vitamin D 1. Vitamin D helps to combat depression Researchers have determined that a person’s vitamin D level if deficient could influence their risk of developing depression. Studies have found that people with lower levels of vitamin D in their bodies are at a much greater risk of mental health issues. Vitamin D receptors have been identified as being in the same areas of the brain that is associated with depression. 2. Vitamin D protects against Respiratory Infections Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to respiratory infections including pneumonia, tuberculosis and bronchiolitis. Population based studies have shown an association between circulating Vitamin D levels and lung function capability. One review of 25 randomized controller’s trials involving 11,300 people suggests that participants who were vitamin D deficient saw a 12 percent reduced risk for respiratory infections after taking regular Vitamin D supplements. 3. Vitamin D reduces the risk for Type 2 Diabetes An observational study from the Nurses Health Study that included 83, 779 women over the age of 20 years found an increased risk in the development of type 2 diabetes in those with low Vitamin D status. It was found that a combined daily intake of greater than 800IU of Vitamin D combined with 100mg of calcium had the effect in reducing the risk of type 2 Diabetes by 33%. 4. Vitamin D protects against Heart Disease and Stroke An increasing number of studies point to Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and strokes. And a study conducted at Ohio University shows that Vitamin D3 can also significantly restore the damage to the cardiovascular system ‘Generally Vitamin D3 is associated with the bones,’ says Dr. Tadeusz Malinski. ‘However in recent years in clinical settings people recognize that many patients who have a heart attack will have a deficiency of D3. It doesn’t mean that the deficiency caused the heart attack, but it increased the risk of heart attack.’ Malinski’s team discovered from their studies that vitamin D3 is a powerful stimulator of nitric oxide (NO) which is a major signaling molecule in the regulation of blood flow and in the prevention of the formation of clots in the cardiovasculature. Also found was that Vitamin D significantly reduced the level of oxidative stress in the cardiovascular system. 5. Vitamin D helps prevent Dementia and Cognitive Decline Research suggests that people with very low levels of Vitamin D in their blood are more likely to develop Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. A large study published in Neurology found that people with extremely low levels of Vitamin D were actually twice as likely as those with normal Vitamin D levels to develop diseases related to cognitive decline. 6. Vitamin D controls symptoms of Autoimmune Conditions Deficiencies in Vitamin D have been widely recognized as contributing to autoimmune disease. Dr Steven Gundry a Californian based cardiologist believes that far more than the standard recommended amount of Vitamin D3 could be one of the keys to treating auto immune disease. He has found that his autoimmune patients were almost always Vitamin D deficient. Gundry believes that high levels of vitamin D3 help heal the gut issues that he says are the root cause of autoimmune diseases. According to the National Institutes of Health up to 23.5 million Americans (which is more than seven percent of the population) suffer from an autoimmune disease and the prevalence is rising. Since the advent of the Coronavirus Pandemic there are questions on whether or not Vitamin D supplementation could help to combat the virus and its effects Experts confirm that as Vitamin D has been shown to have overall positive health benefits that during the Pandemic a Vitamin D supplement could be beneficial in helping to keep people as nutritionally fit as possible. The Vitamins effects on mood could also help to dampen the negative mental effects that the Pandemic has unleashed with its side effects of isolation, anxiety and depression. If not an all in one cure or preventative, Vitamin D in the right proportions could play an important role in keeping not only our bodies but our minds and spirits as positive as possible in an uncertain time.
Before we start looking into what impact immersive technologies have on the industries mentioned above, let’s define exactly what they are first. The simplest way to explain it is to think of it as technology that creates a digital world that engages your senses in the same way the real world does, so you become immersed in it. An example most people would know is virtual reality (VR), where you wear goggles or a headset, to experience the virtual world. Of course, this form of technology has been around since the 50s, but what’s new and exciting is that it’s now becoming something businesses can use to improve processes, makes things more efficient, and create better customer experiences. So now you understand what immersive technology is, let’s explore what its effect on manufacturing and supply chains is. To help us do this, we’ve asked The Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC), which is part of the University of Liverpool (one of our Gold partners), and located here at Sci-Tech Daresbury, for their expert take on the subject. ‘There are lots of ways immersive technologies can give you an advantage within manufacturing and your supply chain. They can make research and design more efficient through digital prototyping and virtual product testing. Training, risk management and data handling can also all be improved through the application of immersive technologies. ‘Real-life examples include warehouse workers being able to do their jobs more efficiently, as smart glasses and watch apps automatically scan barcodes on products, so the user can pick and fulfil orders more efficiently. The same technology can also enable hands-free, virtual maintenance of machinery and equipment. ‘Immersive technologies can also play a part in communication via immersive visualisation of products to customers and stakeholders. Instead of relying on traditional brochures or catalogues, we helped a container conversion and modular unit manufacturer bring their products to life and really show customers exactly how they’d look once completed. ‘We did this using existing computer aided design (CAD) combined with VR scenario tools, so their customers could become immersed in their bespoke product and explore the possibilities of what could be offered, and potentially customising the final order. ‘And for an enhanced immersive experience, we can even help people “touch” their surroundings with our Haptic technology. It uses vibrations from tracked gloves which signal when two or more virtual entities come into virtual contact. These vibrations raise immersion levels above what’s normally experienced when only visual feedback is delivered to the user. ‘The automotive industry can also use immersive technologies to benefit its supply chain by using simulation tools to speed up innovation in vehicle engineering. One major car manufacturer we helped, developed new digital processes and procedures using VR and haptic simulation, reducing their product development time, and improving the perceived quality of their vehicles. They were also able to develop and recruit new staff, while helping one of their partners secure a large supply-chain and innovation project. ‘Another great immersive technology example is mixed reality, which blends physical and digital worlds by blending what we see in the real world with models which only exist in the virtual world. MR or XR is a particularly good technology for training, as you can build life-size replicas of equipment and view them at 1:1 in situ, so workers and operatives can gain spatial awareness and familiarise themselves with how things work before they use it in the real world. The cost savings can be considerable when this technology is applied in the correct way.’ Immersive technology is growing in demand across all industries and sectors. To date, the VEC has already helped support over 900 companies in the adoption and development of immersive digital tools for business impact in nuclear, aerospace, energy, health, and the manufacturing sectors, and the adoption of advanced digital technologies is estimated to grow exponentially over the next five to ten years. The VEC is home to an advanced visualisation laboratory and has a dedicated industrial digitalisation team, who work closely in collaboration with businesses to explore how best to support their digital journey through innovative and emerging technologies, improving business efficiencies, support training, advance communication tools, and reduce design and production times, while providing enhanced data to support better informed business decisions.
Publication Date: April 5, 2017 (Print Publication Date: June 15, 1994) The authors skillfully combine a philosophical and pragmatic approach, exploring the cognitive processes behind children’s painting. To deepen children’s understanding, the book suggests meaningful tasks for each phase of imagery and offers methods for encouraging children to discuss the concepts involved in their work. Focusing on children from 1-1/2 to 11, the authors include in this second edition: a more detailed discussion about painting in the preschool; an expanded description of techniques effective in motivating five- and six-year-olds; and a stronger emphasis on painting as a more central, rather than occasional, activity in all classrooms. “Experience and Art is a lean, wise, and useful book . . . that speaks to those who teach children.” —From the Foreword by Elliot W. Eisner
- What is data and process modeling? - What are data Modelling tools? - What is a data model diagram? - What is the ideal model body? - What is a simple model? - What are 3 types of models? - What is a good data model? - What are the 4 types of models? - What are the three components of a data model? - What should be involved in data Modelling? - What are examples of models? - Can you be a 5’2 model? - What is data modeling with example? - What is a data Modelling? - What are the five steps of data modeling? What is data and process modeling? Data and Process Modeling is a way of developing a graphical model that shows how a system converts data into valuable information. The result of such modeling is a logical model that provides support for business operations and ensures that user’s needs are fulfilled.. What are data Modelling tools? Top 6 Data Modeling ToolsER/Studio. ER/Studio is an intuitive data modelling tool that supports single and multi-platform environments, with native integration for big data platforms such as – MongoDB and Hadoop Hive. … Sparx Enterprise Architect. … Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler. … CA ERwin. … IBM – InfoSphere Data Architect. … About us. What is a data model diagram? The Data Modeling diagram is used to create or view graphical models of relational database system schemas including a range of database objects. The diagrams can be drawn at a logical or a physical level. What is the ideal model body? Runway models must have precise measurements so they’re able to fit the clothes that designers are going to be showing to their clients. Their measurements are usually no greater than 34 inches around the bust, 23 inches around the waist, and 34 inches around the hips. What is a simple model? A Simple Model exists to make the skill set required to build financial models more accessible. The intention is to create simple material and facilitate the learning process with instructional video. … But with practice you will learn how to build financial models. What are 3 types of models? Contemporary scientific practice employs at least three major categories of models: concrete models, mathematical models, and computational models. What is a good data model? The writer goes on to define the four criteria of a good data model: “ (1) Data in a good model can be easily consumed. (2) Large data changes in a good model are scalable. (3) A good model provides predictable performance. … The data model must be flexible in some way; it must remain agile.” What are the 4 types of models? This can be simple like a diagram, physical model, or picture, or complex like a set of calculus equations, or computer program. The main types of scientific model are visual, mathematical, and computer models. What are the three components of a data model? The most comprehensive definition of a data model comes from Edgar Codd (1980): A data model is composed of three components: 1) data structures, 2) operations on data structures, and 3) integrity constraints for operations and structures. What should be involved in data Modelling? Key Steps Involved in the Data Modeling Process Identify the entity or business objects that are represented in the data set being modeled. Identify the key property for each entity so you can differentiate between them in the data model. What are examples of models? Examples include a model of the solar system, a globe of the Earth, or a model of the human torso. Can you be a 5’2 model? Petite models can work in commercial, catalogue, glamour and body-part modelling just like “normal” sized models (who are around 5’8 plus). A petite model generally measures between 5’2” and 5’6” tall. Their hip, waist and bust sizes also tend to mirror their height (slightly smaller than the average male or female). What is data modeling with example? A data structure is a way of storing data in a computer so that it can be used efficiently. … Robust data models often identify abstractions of such entities. For example, a data model might include an entity class called “Person”, representing all the people who interact with an organization. What is a data Modelling? Data modeling (data modelling) is the process of creating a data model for the data to be stored in a database. This data model is a conceptual representation of Data objects, the associations between different data objects, and the rules. What are the five steps of data modeling? We’ve broken it down into five steps:Step 1: Understand your application workflow.Step 2: Model the queries required by the application.Step 3: Design the tables.Step 4: Determine primary keys.Step 5: Use the right data types effectively.
Previous Post in Series: Kittsee, 1831 The Joachim family is said to have been happy. Joseph’s mother, Fanny (Franziska) Figdor Joachim, was the daughter of a prominent Kittsee wool wholesaler, then residing in Vienna. Joseph’s father, Julius Friedrich Joachim, born 20 miles to the south in the town of Frauenkirchen (Boldogasszony), on the eastern edge of the shallow, sprawling Lake Neusiedl, was also a wool merchant. Julius was a hard-working, serious and somewhat reserved father. His few surviving letters show him to be thoughtful and literate, a practical man concerned with his business and his family’s welfare. Fanny, we are told on Joachim’s own authority, was a “loving and tender mother, whose simplicity of character was an important factor in the harmony of the family circle.” [i] The fair-haired, blue-eyed Joseph — after the local fashion called “Pepi” — was the Joachims’ seventh child. Nineteen years separated him from his eldest sibling, Friedrich As an infant, he survived troubled times. Beginning in July of 1831, the region was struck by the European cholera pandemic. Pressburg was placed under quarantine, and most travel in the region was halted until November. By year’s end, more than a thousand fell ill in Pressburg and its surrounds. Nearly 400 died. [ii] Joseph was a delicate, anxious child, who held himself aloof from his brothers’ wild games. [iii] Nevertheless, the Joachim children were an amicable company; despite the distances that would come to separate them, they would remain on intimate terms for life. In later years, Joseph grew particularly close to his older brother Heinrich, who entered the family wool trade, and, as “Henry” Joachim, settled in London. There, in 1863, Henry married the “kind and amiable” Ellen Margaret Smart, a member of one of Britain’s most prominent musical families. Another of Joseph’s siblings, Johanna, married Lajos György Arányi (1812-1877), a prominent physician and university professor in Pest who, in 1844, founded one of the world’s first institutes of pathology. Their son, Taksony Arányi de Hunyadvar (1858-1930), was Budapest’s Superintendant of Police, and the father of the distinguished violinists Adila (Arányi) Fachiri (1886-1962) and Jelly d’Arányi (1893-1966). Both were violin students Joachim’s protégé, of the eminent Jenö Hubay. Adila could also claim to be a student of her great-uncle “Jo,” having taken some lessons with him shortly before his death. The Joachims’ home was one of the largest, most attractive houses in Kittsee. By local standards, the Joachims were evidently well to do. In the 1830’s the Hungarian wool business was flourishing. Since the late 18th-century, England had imported wool from Spain to feed the insatiable maw of her ever-expanding mills. Austrian and Hungarian merchants were quick to set up an effective competition with their Spanish rivals, however, and by the second quarter of the 19th-century they were providing fully two thirds of England’s wool imports. Since there were no banks in Hungary at the time, prominent merchants like the Figdors also served as bankers, lending money and extending credit to producers. In pre-capitalist, agrarian Hungary, this practice was greeted with widespread misapprehension and resentment. “In Hungary,” wrote John Paget in 1835, “the greater part of the trade is carried on by means of Jews, who, from their command of ready money in a country where that commodity is scarce, enjoy peculiar facilities. The Jew early in spring makes his tour round the country, and bargains beforehand with the gentry for their wool, their wine, their corn, or whatever other produce they may have to dispose of. The temptation of a part, or sometimes the whole, of the cash down, to men who are ever ready to anticipate their incomes, generally assures the Jew an advantageous bargain.” [iv] “We cannot feel astonished,” Paget continued, in a statement characteristic of the time, “at the sentiment of hatred and contempt with which the Hungarian, whether noble or peasant regards the Jew who fawns on him, submits to his insults, and panders to his vices, that he may the more securely make him his prey; but we cannot help feeling how richly the Christian has deserved this at the Hebrew’s hands; for, by depriving him of the right of citizenship, of the power of enjoying landed property, and even of the feeling of personal security, he has prevented his taking an interest in the welfare of the state he lives in, has obliged him to retain the fruits of his industry in a portable and easily convertible form, has forced, him, in short, to be a money-lender whose greatest profit springs from the misery of his neighbours, a merciless oppression, and indeed a merciless retribution.” [v] The literature of the time is rife with anti-Semitic remarks concerning “Jewish nature.” So, for example, this 1832 reference to the Jews of Pressburg, Kittsee and neighboring communities: “Impatient with every heavy labor and every hard task, the Jew would rather go hungry and roam about in the dubious hope of momentary gain than to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. Erratic of mind and ambition, rambling, wily, cunning, villainous and servile, he would sooner tolerate all insults and all misery than steady and hard work.” [vi] Contrary to such commonly voiced stereotypes, an account by the prominent and respected Baron Frigyes Podmaniczky (1824-1907) places a certain Figdor, likely Joseph’s grandfather, in a very different light: “While my father was still alive, Figdor was the wholesaler who regularly bought wool from us, and took upon himself the role of the house banker. In later times, I had the opportunity to come to know him better, and I can say this: he was the most honorable and decent man that I have ever known.” [vii] Baron Frigyes Podmaniczky © Robert W. Eshbach, 2013. Next Post in Series: The Kittsee Kehilla The siblings were: Friedrich (1812 — †1882, m. Regine Just 1825 — †1883), Josephine (1816 — †1883, m. Thali Ronay), Julie (1821 — †1901, m. Joseph Singer, ca. 1818 — †1870), Heinrich (1825 — †1897, m. Ellen Margaret Smart ca. 1844 — †1925), Regina (ca. 1827 — †1862, m. William Östereicher, ca. 1817, and later Wilhelm Joachim, ca. 1812 — †1858), Johanna (1829 — †1883, m. Lajos György Arányi, 1812 — †1877 and later Johann Rechnitz, ca. 1812), and Joseph (1831 — †1907, m. Amalie Marie Schneeweiss 1839 — †1899). An 1898 interview with Joachim [Musical Times, April 1, 1898, p. 225] claims that Joachim was “the youngest of seven children.” In his authorized biography, however, Moser claims that Joseph was “the seventh of Julius and Fanny Joachim’s eight children.” The name and fate of the eighth and last sibling is unknown. On their wedding certificate, Henry listed his father’s profession as “gentleman.” Henry and Ellen’ son, Harold Henry Joachim (1868-1938), Wykeham Professor of Logic at Oxford University until his retirement in 1935, eventually married Joseph’s youngest daughter Elizabeth (1881-1968). A leading Spinoza scholar, Harold Henry Joachim is remembered today for his A Study of the Ethics of Spinoza (1901), The Nature of Truth (1906), and for his translations of Aristotle’s De lineis insecabilibus and De generatione et corruptione. Harold Joachim was a talented amateur violinist and an eminent intellectual, educated at Harrow School and Balliol College, Oxford. In his distinguished academic career, he lectured on moral philosophy and logic at St. Andrews University and later Oxford. Shortly after his death, his student, T. S. Eliot, wrote: ‘to his criticism of my papers I owe an appreciation of the fact that good writing is impossible without clear and distinct ideas’ [letter in The Times, August 4, 1938]. Henry and Ellen Joachim’s daughter Gertrude married Francis Albert Rollo Russell, the son of British Prime Minister John Russell, and uncle of the philosopher Bertrand Russell. According to the Hungarian census of 1821 (Köptseny, page 201), the Joachim household (household 40) employed a servant. Hungarian census records for 1830/31 (Köpcseny, page 249, record 73) list Julius Joachim (household 73) as having a wife, 3 sons (18 yrs. or younger) and 4 daughters (18 yrs. or younger). In the 1848 census, household 73, presumably the house currently at #7 Joseph Joachim Platz, was occupied by Henrik Figdor, 54, and his wife Juli, 50 (film # 719825) [JewishGen Hungary Database, http:// www.jewishgen.org/databases/Hungary/, accessed November 4, 2010.]. The Esterházy family maintained substantial flocks in Kittsee. Adam Liszt, the pianist’s father, was local to the area, and had lived as a child in Kittsee (several of Adam Liszt’s siblings were born there, including a brother named Franz). At the time of Franz Liszt’s birth, Adam was employed as intendant of the Esterházy sheepfolds (Ovium Rationista Principis Esterházy) in nearby Raiding. [Ludwig Ritter von Heufler, Österreich und Seine Kronländer, Vienna: Leopold Grund, 1854, p. 53; Walker/LISZT I, p. 55; Zaluski/LISZT, p. 15.] In these and numerous similar expressions, we hear a precursor of Wagner’s slanderous, anti-capitalist rants against Jewish musicians, as being both controlling of the professional network, and at the same time being themselves incapable of authentic production — a viewpoint concisely summed up by his disciple Hans von Bülow in an 1854 letter to Liszt, in which he referred to the powers-that-be at the Leipzig Gewandhaus as “bâtards de mercantilisme et de judaisme musical.” [Letter of Hans von Bülow to Franz Liszt, Hanover, 9 January 1854; original in Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv, Klassik Stiftung Weimar.] Wagner’s screed, Judaism in Music (1850), had a particularly noxious consequence, in that it applied such widely-voiced and apparently non-controversial bromides to the realm of creative endeavor. The Jew, it seems, was incapable of heavy-lifting, even when it came to the hard work of musical composition. “From that turning-point in our social evolution where Money, with less and less disguise, was raised to the virtual patent of nobility,” wrote Wagner, “the Jews — to whom money-making without actual labor, i.e. Usury, had been left as their only trade — the Jews not merely could no longer be denied the diploma of a new society that needed nothing but gold, but they brought it with them in their pockets.” In his article, Wagner portrayed Jews as facile imitators, incapable of authentic, productive creativity. For him, Jews were mere dealers in musical wares, trading in goods that others had created. In the end, he claimed, even Mendelssohn “lost all formal productive-facility,” and “was obliged quite openly to snatch at every formal detail that had served as characteristic token of the individuality of this or that forerunner whom he chose for his model.” [Richard Wagner, Das Judenthum in der Musik, 1850] Joachim was clearly pained by Wagner’s attack, and by its implication that Jews qua Jews could not function as authentic creators. We have Wagner’s own word for it that Joachim, then a young composer in his twenties, “in presenting Bülow with one of his compositions for perusal… asked him whether I might possibly find anything “Jewish” in it.” Whether Joachim asked this sincerely or sarcastically cannot be known. Wagner took it as a sincere question. [Wagner/LIFE, pp. 500-502.] Baron Frigyes Podmaniczky (1824 — †1907) was a leading Hungarian magnate. In 1884, he was the first intendant of the newly-built Budapest Opera House — a building of such stunning beauty that it made the Austrian Emperor envious. Podmaniczky’s Budapest palace is currently the Azerbaijani embassy. [i] Moser/JOACHIM 1901, p. 2. [ii] Presburg und Seine Umgebung, Presburg: Wigand, 1865, pp. 65 ff. [iii] Moser/NEUJAHRSBLATT, p. 5. [iv] Paget/HUNGARY I p. 132. [v] Paget/HUNGARY I, p. 135. [vi] Pál Magda, Neueste statistisch-geographische Beschreibung des Königreichs Ungarn, Croatien, Slavonien und der ungarischen Militär-Grenze, Leipzig: Weygand’sche Buchhandlung, 1832, pp. 51-52n. [vii] Frigyes Podmaniczky, Memoiren Eines Alten Kavaliers: Eine Auswahl aus den Tagebuchfragmente 1824-1844, Ferenc Tibor Tóth (ed.), unpub. p. 133. [viii] Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons.
1.0. Nature and scope of HRM In a simple sense, human resources management means employing people, developing their resources, utilizing, maintaining and compensating their services in tune with the job and organizational requirements with a view to contributing to the goals of the organization, individual and the society People in any organization manifest themselves, not only through individual sections but also through group interactions. When individuals come to their workplace, they come with not only technical skills, knowledge etc. but also with their personal feelings, motives, attitude, talent-job fit, values etc. Therefore, employee management in an organization does mean management of not only technical skills but also other factors of the human resources: The scope of human resources management in the modern days is vast. In fact, the scope of HRM was limited to employment and maintenance of and payment of wage and salary. The scope gradually enlarged to providing welfare facilities, motivation, performance appraisal, human resources management, maintenance of human relations, strategic human resources and the like. The scope has been continuously enlarging. The scope of Human Resources Management includes: o Objectives of HRM o Organization of HRM o Strategic HRM o Employment o Development o Wage and salary administration/compensation o Maintenance o Motivation o Industrial relations o Participative management and o Recent developments in HRM. 1.1. The function of HRM in contributing to organizational performance: The functions of HRM can be broadly classified into two categories, a. Managerial functions and b. Operative functions. Managerial Functions Managerial functions of personnel management involve; o Planning o Organizing o Directing o Controlling Operative Functions The operative functions of human resources management are related to specific activities of personnel management, such as; A. Employment Employment is concerned with securing and employing the people possessing the required kind and level of human resources necessary to achieve the organizational objectives It covers functions such as o Job analysis o Human resources planning o Recruitment, o Selection, o Placement o Induction and o Internal mobility. B. Human Resources Development: It is the process of improving, molding and changing the skills, knowledge, creative ability, aptitude, attitude, values, commitment etc., based on present and future job and organizational requirements. This function includes: o Performance Appraisal o Training o Management Development o Career Planning and Development o Internal Mobility o Transfer o Promotion o Demotion o Retention and Retrenchment Management o Change and Organization Development C. Compensation It is the process of providing adequate, equitable and fair remuneration to the employees. It includes: o Job evaluation o Wage and salary administration o Incentives o Bonus o Fringe benefits o Social security measures etc. D. Human Relations It is the process of interaction among human beings. Human relations is an area of management in integrating people into work situations in a way that motivates them to work together productively, cooperatively. E. Industrial Relations: The terms ‘industrial relations’ refer to the study of relations among employees, employers, government and trade unions. F. Recent Trends in HRM: Human Resources Management has been advancing at a fast rate. The recent trends in HRM include: o Quality of work life o Total quality in human resources o HR accounting, audit and research and o Recent techniques of HRM 1.2. Distinguish between human resource management and personnel management: Human resource is considered as the backbone of any organization. Personnel Management is different from Human Resources Management. Personnel means persons employed. Hence, personnel management views the man as economic man who works for money or salary. Human resources management treats the people as human beings having economic, social and psychological needs. Thus, HRM is broader in scope compared to personnel management. We can distinguish between human resource management and personnel management as follows: Personnel management is a traditional approach to managing people in the organization. Human resource management is a modern approach to managing peoples and their strengths in the organization. Personnel management focuses on personnel administration, employee welfare, and labor relation. Human resource management focuses on acquisition, development, motivation, and maintenance of human resources in the organization. Personnel management assumes people as an input for achieving the desired output. Human resource management assumes people as an important and valuable resource for achieving the desired output. Under personnel management, personnel function is undertaken for employee’s satisfaction on the other hand under human resource management, administrative function is undertaken for goal achievement. Under personnel management, job design is done on the basis of the division of labor but under human resource management, job design function is done on the basis of group work/teamwork. In personnel management, employees are provided with less training and development opportunities but in HRM employees are provided with more training and development opportunities. In personnel management, decisions are made by the top management as per the rules and regulation of the organization. In human resource management, decisions are made collectively after considering employee’s participation, authority, decentralization, competitive environment etc. Personnel management focuses on increased production and satisfied employees, on the other hand, human resource management focuses on effectiveness, culture, productivity and employee’s participation. Personnel management is concerned with the personnel manager but human resource management is concerned with all level of managers from top to bottom. Personnel management is a routine function but Human resource management is a strategic function 1.3. Evaluate the roles and responsibilities of line managers in human resource management: The roles and responsibilities of line managers of any organization are very important to achieve the ultimate goals of any organization. Since the key functions are supervised by the line managers so line managers should be very sincere, dutiful, knowledgeable and honest. Based on the culture of the line managers in human resource management, there is a strong relationship between the line managers and subordinates. This relationship helps the employees take line managers as their own organization. Some important roles of a line manager are; Planning and Organizing: The line manager is responsible for planning the aims, objectives, and priorities of their work area in an organization according to the level of responsibility and the grade of the people within the organization. Managing Resources: A line manager is responsible for deploying the resources within their control (people’s time; money; etc) to achieve organization plans. The Conscience Role: The conscience role is that of a humanitarian who reminds the management of its morals and obligations to its employees. The counselor: Employees who are dissatisfied with the present job approach the HR manager for counseling. In addition, employees facing various problems like marital, health, children education/marriage, mental, physical and career also approach the HR managers. The HR Manager counsels and consults the employees and offers suggestions to solve/overcome the problems. The Mediator: As a mediator, the HR manager plays the role of a peace-maker. He settles the disputes between employees and the management. He acts as a liaison and communication link between both of them. The Spokesman: He is a frequent spokesman for or representative of the company. The Problem-solver: He acts as a problem solver with respect to the issues that involve human resources management and overall long-range organizational planning. The Change Agent: He acts as a change agent and introduces changes in various existing programs. 2.0. The pivotal area of HRM in a range of organizational contexts: Human resource management plays the most crucial role in the management of an organization. HRM plays a crucial role in the conversion process of inputs into outputs. Product design, quality maintenance, rendering services etc., depend upon the efficiency of human resources. The human resource also plays a significant role in managing finances and managing information systems. The main objectives of HRM may be as follows: o To create and utilize an able and motivated workforce to accomplish the basic organizational goals. o To establish and maintain sound organizational structure and desirable working relationships among o All the members of the organization. o To secure the integration of individual and groups within the organization by coordination of the individual and group: o To create facilities and opportunities for individual or group development so as to match it with the growth of the organization. o To attain an effective utilization of human resources in the achievement of organizational goals. o To identify and satisfy individual and group needs by providing adequate and equitable wages, incentives, employee benefits and social security and measures for challenging work, prestige, recognition, security, status etc. 2.1. Evaluate the importance for HR planning in the organization: Human resource planning can be defined in various ways. For example, it has been explained thus: ”estimating the future supply of and demand for human capital and then figuring out how to close the gaps. Such planning allows companies to think through their workforce alternatives to the high fixed costs of full-time employees”. More broadly, it is a continuing process of analyzing an organization’s human resources needs under changing conditions to ensure that the right numbers of people with the right skills, and at the right costs are available at the right time for the organization. More narrowly, it may simply be described as the complex science (or art) of matching labor demand with labor supply. These definitions suggest that staffing plans should derive from, and be consistent with, both short-term and long-term goals and objectives of the organization, and should, in turn, inform human resource management functions, such as job design, recruitment and selection, human resource development and performance management. Ideally, human resource planning focuses on both the strategic (and long-term) and operational (short-term) perspectives. Long-term covers up to five years and short-term less than one year, depending on the nature of the organization. The complexity of human resource planning techniques will vary with organizational size and the dynamic nature of the organization or its industrial environment, and the perception and status of the human resource function. 2.2. The stages involved in planning HR requirements: The most important stages those are involved in HR planning can be described as flowing: Determined goals of the organization: This is the first step of HRP because HR planning must be derived from organizational goals or objective. Assessment of Present Human Resources: This step begins with developing a profile of current employees in an organization. The main motive of this stage generates an effective and details about the current number of employees, their capacity, performance, and potentiality etc. Forecasting Human Resource (demand and supply): The human resources required at different positions according to their job profile are to be estimated from internal and external sources to fulfill those requirements. There should be a proper matching of the job description and job specification of one particular work, and the profile of the person should be suitable for it. Implementing the Action Plan: In these steps, the HR plan should be converted into action. Implementation of her plan means the recruitment, selection, placement, performance appraisal, career development, promotion, transfer, layoff, retirement, training and development, motivation and compensation etc Evaluation, Control, and Feedback: In this stage, we need to measure progress in order to control and evaluate to identify if the changes in the HR plans are made necessary because of changed conditions or because some of the original planning assumptions have gone wrong.
Beating Plant Pests for grown vegetable crops such as tomatoes, pepper and cucumbers involves implementing a variety of strategies in order to alleviate problems with insect and mite pests, including the use of insecticides or miticides. However the first line of defense in dealing with insect and mite pests (e.g aphids, mites, thrips, and white-flies) in vegetable production systems in non-chemical plant protection strategies that include: scouting, sanitation, trapping, and cultural and biological methods. Beating Plant Pests: 1. SCOUTING Scouting is an important component of any plant protection program. The primary goals of scouting vegetable crops are; a). Correctly identify insect or mite pest feeding on crops b). Asses population dynamics and trends through out the growing season. Pest identification is critical in determining the extent of the problem and what non-chemical means will help to alleviate future infestations. Determining population dynamics or the number of insects and or mite pests will help track fluctuations (up and down) in pest populations during the growing season. This assists producers on when to take appropriate action. For vegetable crops e.g; cucumber, peppers and tomatoes. the beat method is effective in detecting the presence of aphids, mites and thrips. The beat method involves shaking plant leaves over a white sheet of paper. Beating Plant Pests: 2. SANITATION Sanitation involves removing weeds and cleaning-up plant debris or residues, from within and outside the greenhouse facility. Weeds located outside the greenhouse provide refuge for many insect and mite pests, including: aphids, leaf-miners, thrips, spider mites and white flies. Consequently weeds allow insect and mite pests to survive, and potentially disperse onto vegetable crops. Many weeds may serve as refuge for insect pests. Furthermore, weeds may serve as reservoirs for pathogens (fungi and viruses) that can be acquired by insects while feeding, and then transmitted when feeding on vegetable crops including tomatoes and cucumbers. Beating Plant Pests: 3. TRAPPING Yellow sticky tape can be placed among a vegetable crop in order to mass-trap or capture large numbers of insect est including: adult aphids, thrips and white-flies. Yellow sticky tape is positioned in rows hung vertically within the greenhouse. In addition, yellow sticky tape can be placed near openings e.g side walls which may capture adult insects as they enter the greenhouse from outdoors. Beating Plant Pests: 4. CULTURAL METHODS Vegetable crops that are over fertilized, especially with nitrogen-based fertilizers, tend to be more susceptible to aphids and spider mites. Over fertilization may change plant quality thus making plants a better food source for insect and mite pests, which will enhance development, growth, and reproduction. Over- fertilizing vegetable crops results in higher levels of amino acids, thus leading to an increase in feeding by suckin insect and mite pests(those with piercing-sucking mouth-parts). Therefore only provide enough fertility for plant growth.
A printed circuit board or a PCB is a board that connects electronic parts for better functionality of an electrical device. A PCB is the primary building block of any electronic design and, over recent years, developed to become very sophisticated components. However, PCBs differ in some ways. There are conventional PCBs and advanced or high-level PCBs. Unfortunately, though, plenty of distributors and wholesalers in need of advanced PCB have little to no knowledge regarding their application areas, production, and ordering channels, to mention but a few. Below, we have this informative guide touching on ten essential things to know regarding advanced PCB. (A designer holding in hand an advanced circuit PCB) - 1. Industries Covered by Advanced Circuits - 2.Selection of Advanced Circuits Materials - 3. Advanced Circuits Special Size - 4.Type of Advanced PCB - 5. Demanding Operation Steps of Advanced PCB - 6.Advanced PCB Production Equipment - 7. Complete Advanced Circuits Test Standards - 8.Life of Advanced Circuit Boards - 9.Future Development Trends of Advanced PCB Circuits - 10.The Choice of Advanced PCB Manufacturing Firm 1. Industries Covered by Advanced Circuits When comparing the industry coverage between ordinary printed circuit boards and advanced printed circuit boards, you’ll discover that advanced or high-level PCBs find much use in plenty of industries. Unlike regularly printed circuit boards, advanced PCBs find a lot of use, especially in high-end electronic components where speed and precision are paramount. Ordinary printed circuit boards find application in: - Carbonless copy paper On the other hand, high-level or advanced printed circuit boards find a lot of use in areas such as: - Industrial equipment – to allow for greater precision, the safety of workers, and faster operation of an equipment - Automotive Electronics – to hold the entire exquisite sensors and components needed for steady operation of a vehicle - Communication equipment – for purposes of routing signals and power - Medical facilities – used to assist medical equipment to monitor body temperature or heart-related application devices. - Military field- they are fundamental towards the operation of guidance, military navigation, and control of warfare equipment. (Uses of advanced PCB in the production of medical-grade electronics) 2.Selection of Advanced Circuits Materials Again, when making a comparison between ordinary printed circuit boards and high-level or advanced printed circuit boards, you will notice that the type of material used between the two of them differ a lot. Advanced printed circuit boards work in environments where power and heat are incredibly high. Additionally, they find much use in the background or equipment that tends to vibrate a lot. For this reason, the choice of material to use in high-level or advanced printed circuit boards differ when compared to content that ordinary printed circuit boards use. Advanced PCBs require materials that can handle power and heat effectively. When it comes to advanced printed circuit boards, the choice of material to use is meticulous. Some of the best articles that meet international standards and suitable for advanced printed circuit boards are the 3M, Rogers materials. Others are RO4360G2 and RT/droid 6035HTC circuit materials. (A technician working on the production of advanced circuit boards) 3. Advanced Circuits Special Size Unlike conventional printed circuit boards that may come with many errors and faults, such shouldn’t be the case when working with high-level printed circuit boards. As mentioned earlier, high-level PCBs find a lot of use in plenty of applications where precision, high-performance, or accuracy is paramount. Therefore, when it comes to designing senior printed circuit boards, you need to pay attention to whether your choice manufacturer can effectively meet the specific size requirements that you may want your board to have. Is the thickness correct? What about the number of layers? When designing high-level PCBs, the errors should be minimal to none, if possible. The reason behind this is that these are not ordinary boards work in light equipment. (an engineer working on the specifications of an advanced PCB) 4.Type of Advanced PCB When looking at printed circuit boards, you’ll notice that there are different types of them in the field. Each one of them has its manufacturing specifications, usages, and the variety of materials used. When it comes to designing advanced printed circuit boards, the number of layers matters the most. Why? It is all about performance. For instance, double-layer high-level PCBs will perform better than single-layer advanced PCBs. The following are the types of superior PCB products: - Multilayer boards –Consists of up to three or more double panels stacked on top of each other. Theoretically, these can contain as many plates as needed. - Rigid and flexible boards – rigid boards that cannot twist or ben and typical for applications where bending is unnecessary. Flexible boards can bend easily and are used in applications where bending is a must for electronic devices. - High-speed signal transmission is circuits whose length of the rising and falling signals is higher than the transmission line length. - High-frequency boards – these PCBs carry high-frequency signals that are mainly above 1GHZ. They are somewhat expensive and usually cost around $0.6 per square centimeter. (application of advanced PCB in a real-life scenario) 5. Demanding Operation Steps of Advanced PCB Advanced printed circuit board fabrication is one of the most tasking exercises that designers undergo. Transforming a printed circuit board design from its layout to a physical structure is not easy. When it comes to high-level printed circuit boards, there are several demanding operation steps that designers need to pay attention to them. Some of the most demanding steps that require timing and precision include: - Micro-holes drilled by holmium laser- advanced PCBs have plenty of micro-holes within them. Drilling these holes is a demanding step that calls for highly mechanized equipment such as a holmium laser. - Cavity board – attempting to reduce the space covered by the motherboard is quite tasking. PCB designers face a lot of challenges when it comes to lowering board thickness, another demanding operation in the manufacture of advanced PCBs - Heavy copper – heavy copper PCBs are used to power supply systems and electronic devices. It is a demanding step that requires precision and copper weight of more than 4oz - Implantation of a thin wire circuit is the placement of a small wire circuit with a higher resistance, making it hard for electric current to move through it. - IPC 3 etching – this is a method of preparing test specimens to determine bare dielectric material properties and quality by using cupric chloride as the etching solution to remove copper cladding (Advanced PCBs that have undergone various production steps) 6.Advanced PCB Production Equipment The manufacture of advanced printed circuit boards is an exercise that calls for specialized equipment suited for the job. If you go ahead and use substandard or equipment not fit for use, rest assured of producing a printed circuit board that lacks the name advanced in front of it. From film sticking machine to etching machine to exposure machine, you must ensure that you use the best of the best devices in the field as a designer. The manufacture of high-level printed circuit boards requires the use of advanced equipment instead of using standard production machines that may see you producing substandard products during the final run. (advanced equipment used in the manufacture of advanced PCB) 7. Complete Advanced Circuits Test Standards After completing the design of high-level printed circuit boards, you need to conduct some tests first as a designer. Without having to test your PCBs, there are higher chances that you will release products full of errors and other manufacturing faults. Tests enable you to identify such mistakes early and rectify them before publishing your products. There are specific standards that you have to adhere to strictly. They are known as the IPC standards. These standards are industry-adopted across the electronics field for PCB design, manufacturing, customer standards, and PCB assembly. (Advanced PCB undergoing various tests after completion of its manufacture) 8.Life of Advanced Circuit Boards There is a significant difference between printed circuit boards that find their use in high-tech industries such as the aerospace or the medical field and ordinary printed circuit board. High-level printed circuit boards are sturdy and designed to last. When compared in terms of shelf life, you will notice that advanced PCBs last longer than ordinary ones. Materials and also the surface treatment of high-level PCB are different compared to ordinary ones. Also, high-quality equipment is used to produce high-level PCBs, a reason why they last a little bit longer than conventional ones. (a sample of a durable and robust PCB) 9.Future Development Trends of Advanced PCB Circuits The world of advanced printed circuit boards seems to be changing thanks to the new and emerging technological trends and rising demand for them across several industries rapidly. Again, it is necessary to be ready for the future of PCBs. It is essential to be aware of what the future has ahead of us. According to industry experts, though, the future of advanced PCBs will witness the production of high-speed advanced PCBs because we live in an era that calls for high- speed functionality in almost everything. Additionally, we are most likely to witness PCB board cameras in the future. These are boards that get fitted directly on the board to take pictures and make videos. Furthermore, the future also seems bright for advanced PCBs with 3D printing technology is long-awaited. 3D printing is expected to change the electronic system's path and design high-level PCBs in the future. 3D printing can create PCBs by effectively printing substrate items layer by layer by adding several liquid inks and SMT technology to come up with a final board that can assume any shape. (futuristic PCB 3D printer working on an advanced PCB) 10.The Choice of Advanced PCB Manufacturing Firm When you are about to purchase your high-level PCBs, the manufacturer you choose to work with is something you need to keep at the back of your mind. You do not want to work with a broker or a firm that lacks experience producing high-level PCBs. After all, you are spending your hard-earned cash, and for this reason, you should expect high-quality boards. If you are in the market for an experienced manufacturer to produce high-level PCBs for you, look no further than OurPCB. We have been in the industry for decades serving hundreds of thousands of clients. Our standards are certified, and our customer service is top-notch. We at OurPCB are familiar with everything about high-level PCB design in addition to being able to undertake fab and assembly in just one day. Contact us today for your senior PCB needs. Advanced printed circuit boards are lately attracting massive demand across the industry when compared to conventional PCBs. The reason for this is because they find use in high-intensity fields where accuracy and precision are required. While plenty of distributors and wholesalers in need of high-intensity PCBs know little to nothing about them, we hope that this article has educated you on essential things to know regarding high-level PCBs. Are you in need of advanced PCBs for your next project? We at OurPCB are prepared to assist you. Call us now, and let us help you.
by Kamala D. Harris The results of the presidential election are now acknowledged by most Americans, and for the first time a woman of color was on the winning ticket! Kamala Harris, the daughter of an economist from Jamaica and a cancer researcher from India who met as civil rights activists at Berkeley, was California’s first African-American senator, and is now smashing through several glass ceilings to become Vice President. Her book conveys the welcome vision of shared struggle, shared purpose, and shared values for Americans. It traces the author’s life and political views and accomplishments. See the Jones Library Antiracism Book List for recommended titles for all ages
Food color plays an historically important role in replacing color lost through processing, thus ensuring the visual appeal and palatability of processed, prepared foods and beverages. While prepared foods and beverages made from all-natural ingredients, and with only minimal processing, more readily suffer loss of characteristic coloration, even products using more stable colorants are subject to rigorous processing demands, distribution assaults, and long shelf-life requirements. Although synthetic food colors (FD&C colors) have historically been favored by the industry due to predictable performance and lower cost, in recent years consumers have increasingly demanded the use of natural colorants. But these consumer mandates place new burdens on the natural colorant palette. Today’s food manufacturers must meet performance and shelf-life requirements that have been strongly influenced by past use of synthetic colorants. In most applications, synthetic colorants are easy to apply, predictable in their behavior, and relatively inexpensive. They support longer product shelf life because of their relative stability under typical packaging and storage conditions. Color producers are working closely with formulators to assist in transitioning from artificial to natural color sources without compromising appearance, flavor, or stability. PHOTO COURTESY: GNT USA, Inc. (www.exberry.com) Natural colorants are much less predictable in their behavior. Due to substantial differences in physical properties such as solubility, pH stability, and compatibility with other food system components, they require formulation approaches that vary with the food system. They also can cost as much as four to 10 times more than synthetic colorants, on a cost-in-use basis. Moreover, in many cases, natural colorants can support only a six- to 12-month shelf life, and they often require changes in packaging, due to light stability issues. On top of the challenge of getting natural colorants to function in all the required applications while delivering acceptable shelf life and characterizing coloration, other issues follow. Specifically, those challenges include obtaining organic certification, avoiding the pitfalls of legislation (such as California’s Proposition 65), and functionalizing the colorants for various food systems. All the while, the processor must avoid carriers, diluents, and processing aids that run afoul of consumer demand for clean labels. Decades ago, the EU implemented a system of classifying food ingredients and additives for simplified communication on product labels. The system assigned numbers to the various permitted food additives, and these came to be called “E numbers.” European consumers came to associate E numbers with undesirable “chemicals” in their food, and the move to eliminate E numbers was born, with consumers aggressively driving away acceptance of food ingredients and additives that are viewed as unnatural. A recent development in the EU is the creation of a category of food colorant called “coloring food” for the highly colored foods (such as red beets or carrots) used to impart color in prepared food products. It can circumvent the need to use an E number on the ingredient statement. To qualify as a coloring food, a food must adhere to a numerical limit imposed on the selective concentration of the coloring material and must be minimally processed. This supports a claim that the colorant thus produced is not really a colorant but is, instead, a “food that colors.” Recently developed regulatory guidance permits these ingredients to be used without an accompanying E number designation that would be required for a more traditionally prepared natural colorant, such as red beet juice concentrate. Traditional red beet juice concentrate colorant (E162) does not fit into the coloring foods category because the color in the juice is concentrated beyond the defined limit. Perhaps the strongest driver of consumer demand for the elimination of synthetic food colorants is concern about perceived health-related effects. Reports of a link between the use of synthetic food colorants and health effects like cancer and hyperactivity in children have resulted in concerted efforts to eliminate the use of these additives. This trend has been especially strong in Europe, where there has always been a greater level of suspicion toward prepared foods and unfamiliar or synthetic food ingredients. The technical reports that have been used to amplify concern about the safety of synthetic food colorants appear to have been magnified by the media and consumer activists beyond any significant scientific support for such notions. Attempts to reproduce the findings and conclusions of, for example, the 1977 Feingold study that first raised the specter of a link between synthetic colorants and behavioral issues in children, have been unsuccessful. The 2007 Southampton study, which purported a connection between artificial food colorants and sodium benzoate and children’s negative behavior was widely criticized for weaknesses in methodology and over-interpretation of results. Both the FDA in the US and the JECFA in the EU have deemed synthetic food colorants safe for continued use based on consideration of the available, relevant scientific information. While the coloring food system plays well in the EU, it is not as effective a strategy in the US because food colorant regulations require the identification of the color additive according to permitted colorant definitions. There is no definition for “coloring food” in FDA regulations. Any substance added to food for the (sole) purpose of imparting color must fit the description of a permitted colorant listed in 21 CFR 73, and it must be declared and identified as a colorant (21 CFR 101.22(k)). On the other hand, most of these “coloring foods” would fit into the regulatory categories of “fruit juice color” or “vegetable juice color.” As such, they would enjoy no distinction over other, more traditionally prepared fruit or vegetable juice colorants. All these factors have set the bar high for color makers for meeting color stability and functionalization parameters, including fixing to matrix and shelf life. But color makers also are taking the challenge a step further. With advanced technology and intense study and application of color chemistry, they are increasingly able to match the ability of natural colorants to that of artificial colors when it comes to creating subtle nuances of shade. Synthetic colorants generally deliver consistent performance over a comprehensive range of applications. They produce bright colors and are resistant to many matrix conditions, such as heat, light, and pH. Naturally derived colorants are not so easy to work with. A particular natural colorant might work very well in one application, but will end up working poorly in another unless it is reformulated for compatibility with the new application. Some natural colorants are stable under varying conditions of heat, light, and pH, while others will be dramatically affected by any or all of these influences. For example, red cabbage juice concentrate provides a bright, stable red color in acidic beverage applications, but in higher pH beverages, the color shifts to blue and fades rapidly. The differences between synthetic and natural colorants typically have required that compromises be made. If the performance and cost expectations are based on prior experience with synthetic colorants, then there could be a trade-off between the drive for cleaner labels and what can be achieved with natural colorant replacements. Such compromises can take the form of reductions in shelf life, changes in processing and packaging, adjustments in formulations, and — almost certainly — higher cost-in-use. NATURAL VS. ARTIFICIAL Where shelf life is concerned, confectionary products are a good example of the performance of synthetic colorants. Many confectionary items are marketed to younger consumers who favor brighter, more vivid colors. Synthetic colorants, for the most part, deliver on this expectation in products like hard-boiled sweets, gummycandies, and similar products. Shelf-life expectations for these products run to two years or more, and synthetic colorants perform well for that duration. Natural colorants, by contrast, traditionally have given more muted or pastel colors. Some are sensitive to heat and light, and in general will fade more rapidly over time, especially with exposure to light. Turmeric oleoresin, for example, gives a bright yellow color, making it an excellent replacement in hue for FD&C Yellow #5. Unfortunately, it is highly sensitive to light exposure and fades rapidly under direct sunlight or typical store lighting. Therefore, its use requires opaque packaging for protection from light— yet this hides the vivid color from the consumer. Advanced technology is allowing a full spectrum of super-stable natural red, orange, and yellow shades that start bright and stay bright in confectionery and other formulations. PHOTO COURTESY: Lycored, Ltd. (www.lycored.com) Panned confections, such as hard candy-covered chocolate “lentils,” are another application where shelf life and performance expectations are strongly influenced by an historical use of synthetic colorants. However, natural colorants have been used successfully in panning applications. Generally, the colors obtained for hard candy coatings are more pastel and less brilliant in appearance, and, in general, they are subject to natural fading, which reduces the product’s viable shelf life with respect to appearance. Advances in natural colorant making, however, have narrowed the gap for these and similar applications. Carotenoids are a well-known group of chemicals that are produced abundantly in nature and contribute bright yellow, orange, and red colors to fruits and vegetables. Beta-carotene is perhaps the most familiar of these, although more health-conscious consumers might recognize annatto, saffron, paprika, marigold (lutein), zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin. As a class, these carotenoid colorants tend to be oil soluble rather than water soluble, although there are exceptions. Saffron, for instance, gets its golden yellow-orange color from a-crocin, the di-gentiobiose ester of the carotenoid crocetin. The a-crocin is water soluble, while the crocetin, like beta-carotene, is oil soluble. The solubility characteristics of these compounds have a dramatic effect on their utility. To be used in beverages, oil-soluble colorants must be emulsified to make them water-dispersible. Water-dispersible colorants in formulations have, in the past, been crafted using high HLB (hydrophyllic-lipophyllic balance) food-grade emulsifiers, such as polysorbate-80. Since polysorbate-80 is a synthetic emulsifier, its use is restricted today by consumer demand for clean labels and natural products. Therefore, naturally sourced emulsifying agents must be used. While there are such emulsifying agents from natural sources they are often not as effective, especially in challenging applications like beverage emulsions. In Living coral A recent article in the online foodie ‘zine FoodDive.com noted that “Living Coral” was designated the Color of the Year for 2019 by the internationally renowned color and design firm Pantone, which described the color as an “animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.” Pantone further characterized the color as a “nurturing” one that “appears in our natural surroundings.” As Food Dive notes, “Colors have a major role to play when it comes to food, and they’re considered just as important as flavor to today’s consumers.” The article pointed out how “different shades can tease anticipated flavors” and cited research revealing that “90% of shoppers make up their minds about buying a product from its color and perceived taste; if the color is appealing, they’re more likely to buy it.” Turmeric is an example of a natural, oil-soluble colorant which must be emulsified to be used in water-based food formulations. Creating water-dispersible turmeric oleoresin formulations traditionally has relied on the same types of synthetic emulsifiers used with natural lipid-soluble ones. As it becomes increasingly necessary to use natural emulsifiers for the purposes of clean label requirements, colorant technologists have created smart work-arounds. For example, purified turmeric oleoresin can also be rendered water-dispersible using milling technology. The purified pigment, a powerful nutraceutical antioxidant known as curcumin, can be milled into microparticles using wet-milling techniques. It is processed in water in the presence of a surface-active, food-grade ingredient such as gum arabic. The surface-active compound attaches to the surface of the particles as they are milled, preventing re-agglomeration and allowing the particles to remain stably dispersed in an appropriate liquid medium. It also is possible to disperse curcumin into a suitable food-grade matrix, extrude it, and then mill the extruded product into fine particles that mimic the functionality of FD&C lakes. Turmeric in these forms is still sensitive to light exposure, but the rate of fading is diminished. Annatto, high in the super-antioxidant tocotrienol form of vitamin E, is a lipid-soluble natural colorant commonly used in orange cheeses like cheddar, Colby, red Leicester, and others. The addition of this color dates back decades and is said to result from changes in the classical methods of making and selling cheese. Cheddar cheese would normally be an off-white color due to naturally occurring carotenoid colorants that enter the cow’s milk via its diet. When milk is skimmed to collect fat for production of cream, butter, or cream cheese, the resulting milk contains less color and can appear paler. Cows that are fed hay in the winter also produce whiter milk than cows fed on grass, because hay contains lower levels of carotenoids. Cheese made from milk will thus naturally vary from light yellow to almost white. Since consumers prefer predictable and consistent color in the foods they eat, it became common practice to add annatto food color to milk during the cheese-making process to standardize the appearance of the cheese across seasons and processing conditions. While both annatto and beta-carotene can both be used to color dairy products, annatto has a particular advantage. Water-soluble annatto is produced by alkaline extraction of the seeds of the Bixa orellana plant. This process converts the lipid-soluble compound bixin into water-soluble norbixin, which binds more effectively with milk proteins than does beta-carotene. Therefore, in the cheesemaking process, as the cheese curd forms, the annatto colorant is more efficiently trapped in the protein matrix, thus more effectively coloring the curd. Caramel is typically described as a warm and comforting flavor, and caramel color — a nearly $3B market — is one of the most rapidly growing colors called for in confections, pastries, and other formulations. The color typically serves to represent cooking methods —such as grilled, fried, slow-baked, roasted, or long-simmered — and signals a range of flavors from sweet, milky pale caramel to golden butterscotch to deep, umami-rich roasted flavor. Caramel is a global favorite associated most closely with the comfort cooking found at home. This is true whether the caramel-colored item is a soft English toffee, an Argentinian slow-roasted meat dish, a classic grilled American burger, or a Mexican dulce de leche dessert. Other top regions in demand for more caramel flavor options include North America, Africa, and the Middle East, each with their own distinct taste and flavor profile. When it was revealed that the manufacturing of caramel colors caused secondary production of the compounds 4-methyl imidazole (4-MeI) and furfuryl alcohol, consumers reacted quickly to decry their use, as the compounds were suspected of increasing risk of certain cancers. Caramel colors containing these compounds were placed on the Proposition 65 list of suspect chemicals. Caramel color makers rapidly modified their manufacturing methods to lower 4-MeI in their ingredients. Moreover, some caramel colors are created using catalysts and co-reactants, such as sulfites or ammonia. This knocked them out of the running for a clean label. In addition, new FCC monograph requirements that recently went into effect upgraded the specifications and analytical methodologies allowed for describing and verifying a food ingredient’s quality, purity, and identity. Getting ahead of the game, caramel color scientists developed multiple new lines of caramel colors to meet the requirements of the new rules as well as consumer demand. They’ve created new liquid and powder Class IV, Non-GMO Project-verified offerings. Meanwhile, Class I — a.k.a. “plain” caramel colors that are used for paler brown colors — are able to meet consumer demands for cleaner labels on foods and beverages. IN THE PINK… AND GOLD Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring carotenoid found in certain varieties of yeast, algae, fish (salmon, red trout), and shellfish (krill, shrimp, and lobster). It also is produced synthetically. Astaxanthin is what gives flamingos their pink coloration, and it is known to be a powerful antioxidant. While astaxanthin generally is not permitted as a food color additive in the US, it does find its way into the human diet through the consumption of nutritional supplements containing astaxanthin or from farmed salmon. Successful application of naturally derived food colorants requires a broad base of understanding about the colorants and their interactions with the food or beverage matrix. PHOTO COURTESY: Healthy Food Ingredients, LLC/Suntava Inc. (www.suntavapurplecorn.com) Farmed salmon do not have access to their natural diet, which is the source of astaxanthin that gives their flesh its characteristic hue. Instead, they are fed a diet that contains added astaxanthin, frequently from Phaffia yeast. Otherwise, their flesh would be pale in color and not acceptable as salmon to consumers. In fact, as close cousins of trout, uncolored farmed salmon would be essentially indistinguishable from trout. Lutein, another lipid-soluble carotenoid that doubles as a good antioxidant, is naturally a yellow to yellow-orange color. It is naturally found in marigold flowers, orange-yellow fruits, and leafy green vegetables, such as spinach or kale. Lutein is not permitted as a food colorant in the US, but it is permitted as a dietary supplement and as an additive in animal feed. It can be found in eye health supplements, along with zeaxanthin, in products targeting the prevention or slowing of macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in adults over age 65. Lutein also makes its way into the human diet via eggs. Egg yolk obtains its color from naturally occurring colorants like lutein and zeaxanthin in the chicken’s normal diet. As is the case with farmed salmon, factory-raised chickens would have very pale egg yolks. Instead, their feed is fortified with lutein, which makes its way into the yolks of their eggs, giving them their rich gold color. The landscape for prepared foods has been changing rapidly over the past decade, due largely to changes in consumer perception about the healthfulness, nutritional value, safety, and sustainability of prepared foods. Suspicion of food ingredients and additives has growth, leading consumers to question the quality and safety of prepared foods. As a result, the food industry has been driven toward compliance with more stringent food safety regulations and consumer preferences. This manifests itself in preferences for prepared foods with label declarations like “all natural,” “free from,” and certifications like organic, GMO-free, Non-GMO Project Verified, free range, grass-fed, hormone-free, etc. Ingredients and additives with “chemical sounding” or hard-to-pronounce names (like carrageenan, xanthan, and titanium dioxide) are avoided with little concern for the actual safety and efficacy of their use. In fact, the first two are completely natural ingredients, the first being a seaweed extract and the second being naturally secreted by bacteria found on certain vegetables. Legislative efforts like California Proposition 65 create concern among consumers by flagging well-known consumer goods, such as coffee and colas, as containing “known carcinogens.” Against this changing and unstable landscape, the food and beverage industry must constantly adjust and adapt to deliver prepared foods that consumers will accept. Most natural colorants derived from fruits and vegetables can be certified as non-GMO. However, the carriers and processing aids that may be used in natural colorant formulations, such as modified starches used to improve solubility/dispersibility and maltodextrin as a carrier for powdered colorant formulations, could run afoul of the requirements some certifying agencies have for their programs. The use of food-grade acidulants, alkalis, and buffering salts to control pH might also cause issues in the case of organic certification. Natural colorants such as beta-carotene are available from several sources, but nature-identical beta-carotene can also be produced synthetically. Other carotenoids, such as lutein, apo-carotenal, and canthaxanthin are also available as nature-identical food additives. While current labeling regulations do not make a distinction between the natural and the nature-identical versions, organic certification would not be possible for the nature-identical products. Fortunately, during the past several years, color technologists have leapt forward with strong, vivid, and lasting natural colorants suitable for clean-label foods and beverages.
California is an exciting place to ride. There are curving roadways, straightaways and open roads where you can get up to speed and enjoy the feeling of freedom. There are also many problem areas, though, throughout California. Riding a motorcycle has always been, and likely always will be, more dangerous than using a passenger vehicle. Motorcycle deaths are a growing concern in the United States Motorcycle deaths declined in California between 2014 and 2015, dropping by 7 percent to 489 fatalities. Across the country, 4,976 people were killed in 2016. Overall, the number of motorcycle crashes leading to fatalities has increased, which is partially a result of more motorcyclists being on the road and a result of people riding without helmets. In California, all riders are required to wear helmets, but that doesn’t mean all people do. Why are helmets so important to rider safety? Helmets reduce the risk of dying from fatal injuries by around 37 percent. Those who do not wear helmets are approximately three times more likely to suffer from traumatic brain injuries as a result of a collision. Traumatic brain injuries are a main cause of death after serious collisions. Since helmets reduce the severity of these injuries in most cases, people who are in collisions are less likely to pass away. Motorcycles aren’t one size fit all It’s also important to understand that motorcycles aren’t one-size-fits-all. Certain motorcycles may be too heavy or large for certain riders. Supersport motorcycles, for example, have driver death rates that are much higher than cruisers. In fact, supersport motorcycles have a death rate around four times higher than standard or cruiser motorcycles. Why is there such a discrepancy? This comes down to the high-horsepower engines and light weight of the frame. The motorcycles can reach upwards of 160 mph, which means that any crash has a significant possibility of becoming a fatal one. If you plan to ride, make sure you understand the importance of wearing appropriate safety attire. Road conditions, weather conditions, traffic and other factors play a role in crashes. If you do your best to be prepared for a fall, there’s a better chance that you’ll walk away unharmed or with less-serious injuries. Motorcyclists have less protection than drivers, so it’s always in your best interests to do everything you can to protect yourself and avoid a crash.
Learning outcomes of the course unit Define the main indications of tue Cochlear Implant in the treatment of severe or total bilateral deafness. Course contents summary The Cochlear Implant. Signal coding strategies. The selection protocol for children, adolescents and adults. Overview of surgical techniques. The activation and adjustment of the Cochlear Implant. Logopedic rehabilitation.Auditory Brainstem Implants. General indications and characteristics.
The program is aimed at the solution under static loading of two classes of problems encountered in structural engineering: a soil-supported mat or a soil-supported structural slab. The mat or structural slab is modeled with linear finite elements. The shape may be rectangular, round, or irregular and the thickness may vary. For the soil-supported mat, the soil is assumed to have a linear response which is defined with the subgrade modulus and is characterized by a set of springs which can vary in stiffness at points under the mat. The springs can reflect horizontal as well as vertical resistances. The solution follows the classical Winkler model. This method of modeling soil has been widely used in the analysis of flexible beams and mats on elastic materials. When a structural slab is analyzed, supports can be assumed to exist at the edges or along the interior of the slab, as for beams. The edges of the slab are assumed to be simply supported or subjected to a moment. The supports for the slab may be assumed to be unyielding or specified with a set of deflections. Iteration may be performed externally to get agreement between deflection of the slab and that of the supporting beams. Geo-Mat allows the user to specify loadings on the surface of the mat or slab as uniform, distributed, or concentrated (from columns). Horizontal as well as vertical loads may be applied. * GeoMat download link provides demo version of the software. DynaMat uses a three dimensional hybrid method to estimate the equivalent dynamic stiffness and damping of machine foundations. GRDSLAB is a spreadsheet program written in MS-Excel for the purpose of analysis of concrete slabs on grade. Solve plate bending problems for any geometry of flat plate, with various supports or holes. Slab on metal deck analysis and design (both composite and form deck) per SDI and ACI 318-99. PILEGRP is a spreadsheet program written in MS-Excel for the purpose of analysis of pile groups with rigid caps using the elastic method. Analysis and design of complex mat foundations and combined footings. No comments yet. Be the first to comment. Submit a review using your Facebook ID
What is ‘Understanding the Global Economy’? For JC students taking H2 History, it is one of the featured topics under Paper 1 Theme II. In this topic, we will look at how the world economy grew in the post-WWII period until 2000. Also, we will examine the phenomenal growth of Taiwan and South Korea, which were known as ‘Asian Tigers’. There are two major areas of study for the topic: - Growth and Problems in the Global Economy - Rise of Asian Tiger economies (South Korea and Taiwan) from 1970s to 1990 Browse the featured articles below to find out more.
LED (light emitting diode) technology is highly energy efficient and can trim energy use by an average of 80 percent. LED light bulbs and lamps last up to 10 times as long as compact fluorescents and 25 times longer than traditional incandescent lighting. Replacing a 60 Watt incandescent bulb with an LED equivalent will save on average $130.00 in energy cost over the new bulb’s lifetime. Today's LED bulbs come in a variety of color temperatures, from cool blue tones to daylight and whiter tones, allowing you to easily replace existing bulbs. Replacement A15, A19 and A21 LED lamps replicate the form, fit and function of traditional E26 base incandescent A lamps while lasting up to 25 times longer and consume 80% less energy than a standard 60 Watt incandescent bulb. LED plug-in lamps allow you to replace inefficient CFL 4-pin bulbs without tools or costly upgrades. These LED replacement plug-in lamps use 50% less energy than the common CFL lamps. Energy efficiency and long life means fewer lamp replacements versus traditional CFL light sources, reducing maintenance costs. LED tubes are replacing existing T-sized fluorescent tubes, offering energy savings, up to three times longer life and less environmental impact at disposal time. Current LED tubes offer versions that do not require a ballast and versions that work with the existing ballast. It is now quicker, cheaper, and easier than ever to update fluorescent tubes to LEDs! LED candle and globe lamps are available in many shapes, with the choice of an E12 candelabra base or E26 medium base. An energy saving solution that greatly reduces the need to change bulbs in hard to reach fixtures. LED downlight retrofit kits fit most 4-inch, 5-inch, and 6-inch downlight cans. This allows for an easy upgrade of your old incandescent recessed lighting into energy-efficient LED lighting in a few simple steps. With the form and function of traditional halogen MR16 lamps, MR16 LED replacement bulbs are a lightweight option, providing up to 85% savings on energy costs. Energy efficient and long life mean fewer lamp replacements versus halogen MR16 lamps. LED MR16 lamps can provide the same lumens and create far less heat than an incandescent or 50 Watt halogen lamp. LED PAR lamps are designed to replicate the shape and light output of traditional halogen PAR lamps, but offer up to 80% in energy savings. Energy efficiency and long life mean fewer lamp replacements versus standard incandescent and halogen bulbs. A lumen is a unit of measure for the brightness of light. For example, a candle provides around 12 lumens. A 60 Watt incandescent lamp provides about 800 lumens. An incandescent bulb can draw up to five times as many watts for the same number of lumens in an LED replacement. Color appearance, also known as Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), is a measure of how warm or cool a light source appears. It is measured in degrees Kelvin. Most light sources have a Kelvin temperature within the range of 2700K to 6500K. Incandescent bulbs typically range from 2700-3000K. Compact Fluorescents and LEDs can range from 2700-6500K. As a point of reference, a burning candle has a 1800K color temperature while daylight at noon has a Kelvin temperature of 5000K. A color rendering index (CRI) is a measure of the ability of a light source to reveal the colors of objects in comparison with a natural light source. CRI is represented by a number on a scale from 0 to 100 with 0 being poor and 100 being excellent. Lamps with a high CRI are desirable in color-critical applications.
The genetic algorithm is a method for solving both constrained and unconstrained optimization problems that is based on natural selection, the process that drives biological evolution. The genetic algorithm repeatedly modifies a population of individual solutions. At each step, the genetic algorithm selects individuals at random from the current population to be parents and uses them to produce the children for the next generation. Over successive generations, the population "evolves" toward an optimal solution. You can apply the genetic algorithm to solve a variety of optimization problems that are not well suited for standard optimization algorithms, including problems in which the objective function is discontinuous, nondifferentiable, stochastic, or highly nonlinear. The genetic algorithm can address problems of mixed integer programming, where some components are restricted to be integer-valued. Selection rules select the individuals, called parents, that contribute to the population at the next generation. Crossover rules combine two parents to form children for the next generation. Mutation rules apply random changes to individual parents to form children. - Outline the use of genetic algorithms. Use an idea, equation, principle, theory or law in relation to a given problem or issue. A natural number, a negative of a natural number, or zero. Give a brief account.
Approved by the Energy, Environment, and Water Policy Committee on March 15, 2018 Approved by Public Policy Committee on May 6, 2018 Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 13, 2018 The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports efforts to reduce through: - Continued federal support for the Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) and Hypoxia Research and Control Acts and their amendments, including support for the Interagency Working Group created for the acts, the Northern Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force, the Great Lakes Hypoxic and HAB programs, and the Clean Water Act; - Continued funding for research, development, education, and monitoring of HABs and hypoxic events, including the development of a comprehensive database by which to more accurately monitor and assess HABs and hypoxia occurrences and to improve data access by governmental agencies and the public; - Public outreach and education regarding effluent guidelines for industrial and municipal discharges that may contain nutrient-related limits; - Continued funding for state-implemented operational nonpoint source management programs and other efforts to reduce, control, and prevent HABs and hypoxic events; - Timely development of action plans to reduce, mitigate, monitor and control the hypoxia and HABs; and - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishing human health advisories for microcystins, and standard analytical procedures for measuring toxin concentrations in drinking water and recommending feasible drinking water treatment techniques to remove microcystin toxins from drinking water supplies. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are episodes of excessive growth of poisonous algae that upon ingestion can cause illness or death in humans, pets, wildlife, or food sources such as fish and shellfish. HABs occur in fresh and marine waters and upon death result in the depletion of oxygen (hypoxia) in the water. HABs and hypoxic events are known to affect all regions of the country. The frequency and geographic distribution of HABs and hypoxia occurrences have increased. The number of waterbodies in the United States with documented hypoxia increased from 12 prior to 1960 to over 300 in 2008. HABs generate toxins that pose human health risks. Blooms can cause taste and odor problems and are associated with the death of wildlife and livestock. HABs have been responsible for contamination of drinking water supplies. In August 2014 the City of Toledo, Ohio issued a "Do not drink" order for almost a half million people when a drinking water treatment plant measured high levels of cyanoHAB. Hypoxic areas, also called "dead zones," frequently occur in coastal and estuarine areas where rivers introduce nutrient-rich freshwater. There are over 405 hypoxic zones around the world (Science, 2008). In recent decades, large areas of hypoxia have occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, along the Oregon coast, and in the Chesapeake Bay. The most notable dead zone in U.S. waters is located in the Gulf of Mexico. This dead zone has been detected annually since the 1970s, and is reported by EPA to be the second largest in the world. Since 2000, a concerted federal/state multi-interagency Hypoxia Task Force effort has been underway to reduce this hypoxic zone. HABs and hypoxia can be caused by natural processes; however, the predominant reason for growth is associated with human activities that have increased nutrient and organic loadings to marine and fresh waters. Sources of nutrients include discharges from point and non-point sources. Other causes can be attributed to man-made alterations to waterways and land development. Congress recognized the severity of the impacts caused by HABs and hypoxia in 1998 through the passage of the HAB and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (P.L. 108-456) and its amendments in 2004 (P.L. 108-456) and 2014 (P.L. 113-124). Congress has also appropriated over $250 million dollars (1999 through 2018) to support the work required through the Acts. The 2014 amendment established a national program and Federal interagency task force, the Interagency Working Group on Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (IWG-HABHRCA) to advance the understanding of HABs and hypoxia events and to develop assessments, mitigation plans, and action plans for controlling hypoxic events. Continued research is needed in addressing the causes of HABs and hypoxia. Moreover, US EPA has the primary responsibility for the establishment of health advisories for HABs, establishment of appropriate analytical measures to detect HABs, and recommendations of feasible drinking water treatment processes to reduce or remove harmful toxins. ASCE Policy Statement 482 First Approved in 2000
US-China Cold War Tensions between China and the US have reached the most acute levels since the countries normalised diplomatic relations more than four decades ago, with the US government’s ordering that China close its Houston consulate being just the latest example. The US administration is even weighing a blanket ban on travel to the United States by the 92 million members of China’s ruling Communist Party and the possible expulsion of any members currently in the country, an action that would likely invite retaliation against American travel and residency in China. What are the trigger events? - Coronavirus and anti-Chinese racism – US President Donald Trump and his subordinates have blamed China for spreading the coronavirus, which first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. They have repeatedly described the virus in racist and stigmatizing terms, calling it the Wuhan Virus, China virus, and Kung Flu. The administration also has defunded and ordered a severing of ties with the World Health Organization, accusing it of having abetted shortcomings in China’s initial response to the outbreak. - Trade relationship – Trump won office in 2016 partly on his accusations that China was exploiting the country’s trade relationship with the United States by selling the country far more than it purchased. In-office, he decreed a series of punitive tariffs on Chinese goods, and China retaliated, in a trade war that has now lasted more than two years. - The South China Sea – The Trump Administration has increasingly challenged China’s assertions of sovereignty and control over much of the South China Sea, including vital maritime shipping lanes. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo decreed that most of China’s claims in the South China Sea are “completely unlawful,” setting up potential military confrontations between Chinese and US naval forces in the Pacific. - The battle over technology – China has long been accused by successive US administrations of stealing American technology. The Trump White House has escalated the accusations by seeking an international blacklisting of Huawei, China’s largest technology company, calling it a front for China’s efforts to infiltrate the telecommunications infrastructure of other nations for strategic advantage. - Expulsion of journalists – Accusing China’s state-run media outlets of fomenting propaganda, the Trump administration sharply limited the number of Chinese citizens who could work for Chinese news organizations in the United States. China retaliated by ordering the expulsions of journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, and took other steps that suggested further impediments to American press access in China were looming. - Expulsion of students – The Trump administration has taken steps to cancel the visas of thousands of Chinese graduate students and researchers in the United States who have direct ties to universities affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army, according to US officials knowledgeable about the planning. - Hong Kong – In November 2019, President Trump, with bipartisan support, signed legislation that could penalize Chinese and Hong Kong officials who suppress dissent by democracy advocates in Hong Kong that were guaranteed some measure of autonomy by China. Recently, President Trump has taken steps to end Hong Kong’s preferential trading status with the United States after China passed a sweeping security law that could be used to stifle any form of expression deemed seditious by China. - Xinjiang’s Uighur Muslims – The US Administration has recently imposed sanctions on a number of Chinese officials, including a senior member of the Communist Party, over human rights abuses by China in the Xinjiang region against the country’s largely Muslim Uighur minority. - Taiwan and Tibet – Recently, the Trump administration has approved a $180 million arms sale to Taiwan, part of a far bigger arms deal that has angered Chinese authorities, who regard the self-governing island as part of China. Another long-standing source of Chinese anger is the U.S. deference to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader-in-exile of Tibet, the former Himalayan kingdom in China’s far west. In 2018 Trump signed a bill that penalizes Chinese officials who restrict U.S. officials, journalists, and other citizens from going freely to Tibetan areas.
How do authors exhibit style and craft? DAY 3 - SEED 1 DAY 5 - PLAN 1 DAY 6–7 - PLAN 2 DAY 8–9 - SEED 2 DAY 11 - PLAN 3 DAY 14 - SEED 3 CCSS Standards for this Unit Download Seeds, Plans, and Resources (zip) Send Feedback to MSDE’s Reading Team 3 Weeks - "Unit at a Glance" Organizer Download all unit files (zip) In this unit, designed around standards RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4, and RL.9-10.5, students encounter a range of sufficiently complex short stories that challenge them to apply sophisticated analysis through writing skills. The unit begins with an examination of excerpts from two authors who describe their approach to craft. Students conduct close analytic readings of short fiction comparing and synthesizing ideas across texts. Students gather evidence about style, structure, tone, theme, and other elements specific to each work. Students also analyze how complex characters (e.g. those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. Students will determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text including figurative and connotative meaning; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g. how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). Students will then analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g. pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, and surprise. Through narrative, argument, and explanatory essays, students will demonstrate synthesis and evaluation skills. The culminating activity requires students to select a setting, conflict, rising action, falling action, resolution, main characters, and theme. They will then write a narrative using dialogue and multiple plot lines to develop characters and events that culminate in a central theme. Students must use a variety of techniques, to illustrate what is experienced, observed, or resolved, and sequence the events to create a coherent whole that culminates in a reflection of what is experience, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. The anchor texts for the unit: The short stories and poem are readily available in standard high school anthologies. A simple Google search will yield links to de Maupassant's "A Piece of String," which is not typically anthologized, as well as multiple links to the paintings.
Books on brain science may not top your reading list this year but for those who are psychology junkies, this one’s for you. Eric Kandel’s new non-fiction book, Reductionism in Art and Brain Science, explores the method of Reductionism as an approach to understanding abstract art. Simply put, Reductionism is a psychological theory of over-simplifying human behavior. In his book, Kandel applies the theory to both the creation and the interpretation of abstract art. Kandel underlines the Reductionist approach with two binary methods of brain processing. In order for the brain to process a visual image it uses either bottom-up processing or top-down processing. While bottom-up is the detection of an image that the brain has evolved to inherently understand, top-down processing is a function that uses the individual’s past experiences to construct context and meaning. Abstract art dismantles perspective through the absence of familiar surroundings and scenery inherent in reality, thus forming a gap the viewer must fill internally to gather meaning from the artwork. Abstraction requires a combination of the processes beginning with bottom-up. As an example, a circle with two dots as eyes and a line for the mouth does not need further detail or thought to know the circle is a face. This is bottom-up processing where the brain has become hard-wired to perceive this as a face. However, abstract art departs from common forms, objects, lines and colors that we can easily pair meaning to. The scarcity of the familiar produces a gap in interpretation that must be completed using what one has previously experienced. Kandel illustrates this as top-down processing, functioning on the bridge of the break in continuity. This is done by using an imaginative context aspect in the brain known as the hippocampus, a structure explicitly used for memory of people, places and objects. The infinite experiences one can recall generates the unique and differing responses to art as the memories crystallize together with what the viewer knows is true and what they think is happening in the artwork. Abstract Expressionism was born out of the New York School of Painters in the 1960’s by a desire to leave behind the known and create a truly new experience inspired by Surrealist notions of art from the unconscious mind. With modest beginnings of extreme exaggeration in figuration, Abstraction graduated further into Reduction. Seminal Abstract Expressionist and color field painter, Mark Rothko abandons all human forms from his later work using rich hues of color palettes to create movement and light on the canvas. It is this absence of form and figuration that challenges his viewers through stacked rectangles and planes of alluring pigments to also abandon previous conceptions and perceive with an open mind. The ambiguity and depth of the canvas create a pleasant harmony that Kandel describes as invoking “mystical, psychic [and] religious references” in the viewers. The visual signals stemming from the eye, paired with images from memory, become the formula to ‘perceptual completion’ in the visual cortex. In turn, the memories derived from the hippocampus during top-down processing allow the viewer to identify elements from Rothko’s obscurity, resolving the ambiguity into that which relays the resolution into a tangible feeling or thought. What Abstract Expressionism does so well is, rather than ask a viewer to look blankly at a pictorial representation of a scenario, it requires viewers and artists such as Rothko to actively complete the work, creating a sense of satisfaction by stimulating our creative selves — ultimately leading to sensation. While diving into the intricacies of memory architecture, visual information pathways and circuitry, as well as detailed experiments of specific cell purposes, Kandel delineates the brain using a unique order of perception imperative to the interpretation of art, and in turn, constructs meaning from absence. He ties together these two processing methods with deep analysis and remarkably researched examples of Mark Rothko’s emotive and ethereal work and that of gestural painters, Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock. Kandel explains a primary reason for this present line of inquiry is due to the vision that art is “quintessentially human.” What remains is the unanswered question of how this approach is realized in minds that operate from different scopes of thinking in terms of those who operate predominantly from either the left side of the brain or the right. How then, does a logical and analytical ‘left-brainer’ use bottom-up and top-down processes to discern a work of art compared against an intuitive and more creative ‘right-brainer?’ This line of questioning may never be solved, as the memory stored in the hippocampus will never be the same in two people. Overall, Kandel’s well-researched book achieves the task of taking complex brain functions with artistic ideological contexts and molds them into an accessible hypothesis on Reductionism. The viable approach helps us understand not only abstract art where forms and shapes are unfamiliar, but also, creates a foundation towards understanding how the brain perceives visual material beyond the prospects of an artwork.
Victims of mesothelioma are entitled to compensation. Here’s where we unpack compensation sources for asbestos injury victims and families. Mesotheliomas are a type of cancer usually caused by exposure to asbestos. About 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States. ¹ More men are diagnosed with mesothelioma than women and are typically over the age of 70 when diagnosed. Mesotheliomas are often advanced at diagnosis, with a poor survival rate. Most people diagnosed with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the workplace. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Who’s At Risk for Mesothelioma? Mesotheliomas are a specific kind of cancer that affects tissues lining the lungs, chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and internal organs. Mesothelioma cancers are linked to asbestos exposure. Asbestos in Building Materials Asbestos is a group of fibrous mineral-like materials that are naturally resistant to heat, electricity, and corrosion. Because of its heat resistance and fibrous properties, asbestos makes a terrific form of insulation. Asbestos was also mixed into cement, cloth, paper, and other materials to make it stronger. Asbestos was an ingredient in all kinds of construction materials because it worked so well. Unfortunately, asbestos turned out to be very toxic to workers, giving off tiny microscopic fibers that enter the body, most often as inhaled dust. Workers Exposed to Asbestos Workers who touched or breathed asbestos fibers are at risk. The longer the exposure, the more danger of developing mesothelioma cancer. Sometimes a worker’s family members were exposed as well, by fibers and dust carried home on the worker’s clothing and shoes. Mesothelioma cancers may not show up for many years, sometimes after a worker has already retired. Workers with the highest exposure to asbestos and the highest risk of developing mesothelioma are those who worked in: - Asbestos product manufacturing - Building construction - Military service - Industries that manufactured insulation, roof shingles, car brakes, and other products with heat-resistant qualities Three out of four mesothelioma victims have the type affecting the tissue surrounding the lungs, essentially a lung cancer. Less often, mesothelioma affects tissue around the abdomens, heart, or testicles. Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma depend on where in the body the disease develops. Mesothelioma Claims and Lawsuits Individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma can file claims and lawsuits to seek compensation for their: - Medical bills - Out-of-pocket medical expenses - Lost wages - Pain and suffering Surviving family members of a person who died from mesothelioma can pursue compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. Family members may ask for: - Medical expenses accrued before death - Funeral costs - Loss of mentoring and companionship suffered by family members - Other types of emotional distress suffered by family members Mesothelioma Compensation Sources Depending on how the mesothelioma victim was exposed to asbestos, there are four general avenues for personal injury and wrongful death claims: 1. Workers’ Compensation: Mesothelioma victims who were exposed to asbestos at work have a right to expect their employer’s workers compensation insurance to cover their medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, and a portion of their lost wages. Pain and suffering compensation is not available under workers’ comp benefits. Workers’ compensation claims can be made even after the worker has retired, if coverage is still available. Death benefits should also be available to the worker’s immediate family. 2. Asbestos Trust Funds: Many companies involved in making asbestos products have gone out of business or filed bankruptcy. Worker’s comp may no longer be available. However, some companies have set aside money in special funds specifically to compensate asbestos victims and their families. There are numerous asbestos funds with an estimated total of $30 billion in available compensation. 3. Veteran’s Benefits: The U.S. military recognizes that members who served between the 1930s and mid-1970s are at high risk of developing mesothelioma cancers. Military service members with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases are eligible for Veteran Asbestos Exposure benefits when the service member meets two criteria: - Was exposed to asbestos while serving in the military - Was not dishonorably discharged 4. Filing a Lawsuit: Personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death actions may be filed by or on behalf of an individual victim. The victim or their family might blame more than one entity or company the victim’s illness and suffering. For example, if a loved one died of mesothelioma, the family may sue a company that failed to protect its worker from asbestos. The family may also file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor who misdiagnosed the disease, allowing the cancer to spread before it was correctly diagnosed. Class Actions: A class action lawsuit is when a group of people, through one or more attorneys, file a lawsuit on behalf of a group of “similarly situated” victims. State and federal courts have their own procedural rules governing mesothelioma class action lawsuits. The court will review the petition, and if the legal requirements are met, they will certify the lawsuit as a legitimate class action. You may have the right to “opt in” to a class action suit against the manufacturer, construction company, or other company responsible. If you opt-in, you won’t have to pay any legal fees. All costs are paid in advance by the attorneys representing you and the other members of the class. When your class action is settled or won at trial, the attorneys will be paid a percentage of the total amount, and the balance will be distributed to you and the other victims. Winning Asbestos Injury Claims If you decide to opt-in to an existing class action lawsuit, you will automatically be represented by the attorneys for the class. To have any chance of individual success in a mesothelioma claim or lawsuit, you will need the counsel of an experienced personal injury attorney to guide you through the process. Don’t wait to talk to an attorney. There are specified deadlines, called statutes of limitations, during which a mesothelioma claim must be settled or a lawsuit filed. Each state has its own limitations period. If you miss it, you will forfeit the opportunity to seek compensation for yourself or your family. Evidence needed to win an asbestos injury claim includes: - Proof of injury: Gather copies of all related medical records and bills for the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma or any other potentially asbestos-related illness. - Other damages: Your attorney will also want to see receipts for out-of-pocket medical expenses, lost wages and receipts for funeral costs. - Proof of exposure to asbestos: Collect any proof you have about your exposure to asbestos. You’ll also need to show how long you were exposed, for example, how many years you or your deceased loved one worked for the company. An attorney will help you figure out if you should file a lawsuit, apply for worker’s compensation, file for veteran’s benefits, or seek compensation through an asbestos trust fund. Just as important, your attorney will protect you from asbestos litigation scams that prey on suffering victims and families. Most attorneys don’t charge for an initial consultation. You can talk to more than one attorney to find the one who has the most experience with asbestos litigation. For lawsuits against big companies, the attorney may have to advance significant funds to pay for experts to prove the company was negligent, and to prove the direct link to the asbestos injuries. Your personal injury attorney will usually handle mesothelioma cancer cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning the attorney’s fees won’t be paid unless they win your case. Time is running out. Don’t wait to find out what a skilled attorney can do for you and your family. How Much is Your Injury Claim Worth? Find out now with a FREE case review from an attorney…
Both sites include tombs built for prominent figures of the Moche civilisation, which is characterised by complex construction techniques and works of art. The team’s findings include a body wearing gold-coloured copper funeral masks and wrapped in reed, as well as gold-coloured copper crowns, earrings, nose rings, necklaces of silver, seashells and technologically sophisticated objects made from copper. The researchers also found remains of a young man nearby and animals thought to be alpacas or llamas. The remains most likely belonged to nobility, Walter Alva, famed Peruvian archaeologist who discovered the Sipan site, said. “Some elements like scepters and crowns of gold are those that identify people of the highest hierarchical level,” he said. Alva said part of the excavation is going to conclude in July, but the team hopes to resume work in December.
Mathematics is the universal language of business, government planning, engineering, and the applied sciences. In Ghana, a strong motion towards the advance of their mathematic curriculum has been recently launched. Most non-specialist dictionaries define mathematics by summarizing the main mathematics matters and methods. Potential engineering careers with a mathematics diploma include roles in mechanical and electrical engineering, within sectors together with manufacturing, energy, construction, transport, healthcare, computing and expertise. Maxwell publishes On Faraday’s traces of drive exhibiting that just a few relatively easy mathematical equations may specific the behaviour of electrical and magnetic fields and their interrelation. In accordance To Brissenden (1980:7) the Iesson of mathematics at student is adopted by arrangement of activity by trainer and every study activity comprises two basic traits. Fashionable notation makes mathematics a lot easier for the professional, however learners usually discover it daunting. The Entry Academy , a yr-long pre-collegiate bridge program that gives a essential basis in English language studies, mathematics and quantitative reasoning, and laptop skills. Most undergraduate mathematics levels take three or 4 years to complete with full-time study, with each China and Australia offering the fourth year as an honors” year. The outcomes confirmed that four of the highest 10 best jobs of 2017 are built on mathematics – those being statistician, knowledge scientist, operations analysis analyst and mathematician. It rates UT Austin globally Rank 1 in Interdisciplinary Applications of Mathematics, and Rank 5 in Applied Mathematics. But in the appeal and mental motion produced by Music, mathematic has certainly not the slightest share. This can be a significantly precious resource for people who find themselves not necessarily mathematical specialists, however who want to perceive the Worldwide Mathematical Olympiad.
Anti-slavery and the Midlands The West Midlands region was home to a remarkable collection of individuals during the closing decades of the eighteenth century. Several men of various backgrounds and persuasions formed the Lunar Society, so called because it met at the time of the full-moon. They created new philosophies, scientific and medical approaches and industrial innovations which transformed the ways we understand the world, manipulate the environment and create wealth and labour. The Lunar men were also progressive politically and socially, but one area of their interest which has not been fully explored is their approach to slavery and anti-slavery. The most extensive discussion of their approach to anti-slavery is contained in Jenny Uglow’s book, The Lunar Men. Biographies of Erasmus Darwin by Desmond King-Hele, Josiah Wedgwood by Robin Reilly and Thomas Day by Peter Rowland also draw attention to the commitments of these individuals. The Boulton and Watt Archives in Birmingham City Archives provide an insight into the ambiguous approaches of these two leading industrialists. The diverse responses of other Lunar figures, Joseph Priestley and Samuel Galton junior require exploration. The Lunar men had aspirations, some were motivated by humanitarian outrage or religious commitment. In other cases, profit outweighed or compromised principles. - Slavery and anti-slavery Slavery was central to the Britain’s Atlantic commercial empire in the 18th century. Black slaves from Africa were transported from Africa to the Caribbean and America to work on plantations producing sugar in the West Indies and cotton, rice and tobacco on the mainland. They supplied these products in increasing quantities to Britain. The slave system depended on two things: an adequate supply of labour and a buoyant market for the crops that slaves produced and processed. Britain was the most significant slave-trading nation by the late 18th century and the market for sugar sustained Atlantic slavery. British consumption of sugar increased ten-fold between 1700 and 1800 and the country consumed more sugar than the rest of Europe combined. Most slave economies in the West Indies failed to reproduce themselves, so plantation owners argued that the slave trade was essential to enable demand for produce to be satisfied and maintain their profits. Ports such as Liverpool and Bristol depended on the trade for their prosperity and further inland Birmingham’s manufacturers profited from the guns that were exchanged for slaves and the shackles and chains that restrained them. The anti-slavery movement had its origins in the efforts of individuals who were shocked by the cruelty of the slave trade and the inhuman treatment of slaves. They included Quakers and other Christians such as Granville Sharp, Thomas Clarkson, John Newton and William Wilberforce. In 1787 a committee was formed in London to demand an end to the trade. It formed the nucleus of a sophisticated campaign which attracted supporters from all social classes. By 1791 the campaign had secured the signatures of 400,000 people on more than 500 petitions against the trade. The Midlands was an important location for the attack on slavery and much of the credit for its depth and sophistication rests with individuals linked with the Lunar Society. - • The local context J. A. Langford in “A Century of Birmingham Life” (1868) traces the origins of anti-slavery in the town to a visit by Thomas Clarkson, the campaigner against slavery in 1787. Clarkson’s visit did seem to act as a catalyst and he singled out local Quakers as especially supportive, but this was not the only factor. In 1773, Thomas Day, who periodically resided in Lichfield and frequently visited his Lunar friends in Birmingham wrote “The Dying Negro”, a poem denouncing slavery which was a best-selling attack on slavery. The Unitarian philosopher, Dr Joseph Priestley was a leading abolitionist. In 1788 he delivered a sermon attacking slavery which was subsequently published. His attack coincided with a meeting in Birmingham to produce a petition calling for the abolition of slavery. Other people added their weight to the local campaign. Aris’s Birmingham Gazette of June 28, 1790 notes that Matthew Boulton, Samuel Galton (presumably the elder) and Joseph Priestley, alongside other prominent local people, were subscribers to Olaudah Equiano’s, Interesting Narrative. This book was a best-selling attack on the slave trade and slavery which also provides a vivid account of his experiences as a West African who was forced into slavery and eventually achieved his freedom. Equiano is thought to have visited Birmingham in 1790 and later wrote thanking his supporters in Birmingham for their “Acts of Kindness and Hospitality”. Other parts of the Midlands provided centres of activity. In 1787, the Unitarian Josiah Wedgwood produced his famous cameo which provided a public symbol for the abolitionist campaign and provided a nucleus for petitioning activity in Staffordshire. In Shropshire, where they were strong nonconformist and evangelical communities, Clarkson stayed at the home of Archdeacon Plymley and his sister Catherine who recorded local participation in anti-slavery activity in her diaries. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and another convinced abolitionist visited the county frequently, staying at the Madeley home of the Rev. John Fletcher.« Previous in this sectionNext in this section »
Residential Heating & Cooling 101 Making a smart decision when choosing a home comfort system isn’t always that easy. That’s why we help you factor in your home size, home age, number of rooms, insulation, windows, climate, degree days, local and regional utility costs, allergies or other medical conditions, plus your budget, into your choices. And, hopefully, that will make selecting an energy-efficient and highly effective heating and cooling system as easy as one, two, three. Step One: Get Comfortable with the Language You may hear us use the following terms: - AFUE = Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency – The standard measurement of efficiency for gas and oil-fired furnaces. Given in percentages, this number tells you how much fuel is used to heat your home and how much is simply wasted. The higher the AFUE rating, the greater the efficiency. - SEER = Cooling Efficiency – “SEER” is a measure of cooling efficiency for air conditioning products. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The higher the SEER rating number, the more energy efficient the unit. On January 1, 2010 the government’s established minimum rating for air conditioning increased to 13 SEER. - EER = Energy Efficiency – "EER” is generally used as a measure of efficiency for geo-thermal products. EER stands for Energy Efficiency Ratio. The higher the EER rating number, the more energy efficient the unit. - HSPF = Heat Pump Heating Efficiency – It stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. The higher the HSPF rating, the more efficient a heat pump is at heating your home. Other Terms You’ll Hear Include: - Air Handler – The portion of a central air conditioning or heat pump system that moves heated or cooled air throughout a home’s ductwork. In some instances, a furnace handles this function. - Indoor Coil – The portion of a heat pump or central air conditioning system that is located in the house and function as the heat transfer point for warming or cooling the indoor air. - Outdoor Coil/Condensing Unit – The portion of a heat pump or central air conditioning system that is located outside the home and functions as the heat transfer point for collecting heat from or dispelling heat to the outside air. - Split System – A heat pump or air conditioning system with components located both inside and outside the home. - Packaged Unit – A heat pump or air conditioning system with all components located outside the home. - Supplementary Heat – The auxiliary or emergency heat provided at temperatures below a heat pump’s balance point. It is usually electric resistance heat, but it could also be gas or hot water heat. Step Two: Get Comfortable with How the Equipment Works. You don’t need to be an expert, but understanding the basic operation of your home comfort system helps you make better decisions. - Central Air Conditioning – A residential “split-system” central air conditioning system includes a compressor, a fan, condenser coil, evaporator coil, and refrigerant. It extracts heat from indoor air and transfers it outside leaving the cooled indoor air to be re-circulated. The efficiency of central air conditioning systems is rated using SEER ratios. - Heat Pumps – A home’s “split-system” heat pump is a year-round comfort system. In the summer it acts as an air conditioner (described above), and in the winter it draws heat from outside air into your home to keep it warm. Most heat pump installations have an electrical resistance heater that automatically supplements heat brought in from outside. Outdoor air always has heat in it – even at very low outdoor temperatures. Like air conditioners, heat pumps are rated by using SEER ratios. Heating performance, however, is rated by HSPF. - Geo-Thermal Heat Pumps – A geo-thermal heat pump is very similar to a standard heat pump in that it provides both heating and cooling for your home. The primary difference is that it uses the consistent temperature of the Earth as its heat transfer medium. Instead of having an outdoor coil and fan to transfer heat to and from the air, a geo-thermal unit uses a water pump and ground wells to either absorb or dissipate heat. The Earth's fairly consistent ground temperature provides ideal conditions for both heating and cooling regardless of the outdoor air temperature. A geo-thermal unit's efficiency is rated in EER. A geo-thermal unit can also be used to provide heating for your domestic hot water. - Variable Speed Furnaces – Variable speed furnaces circulate more air throughout the home for longer periods of time, reducing air stratification room-to-room, and floor-to-floor. These longer run cycles can improve air quality by increasing air filtration. Variable speed furnaces offer significant operating cost savings and whisper-quiet operation. Variable speed furnaces feature a blower motor that uses less electricity than a 100 watt light bulb. Standard furnace motors use nearly 500 watts. - Two Stage Furnaces – These furnaces feature two-stage operation with electric hot surface ignition and an induced combustion system for quiet, efficient operation. Two-stage furnaces operate at low capacity during most of the operating cycle to maintain your desired level of comfort. On bitter cold days, the second stage is there to maintain comfortable temperatures. - Single Stage Furnaces – Single stage furnaces offer many new features not found on older furnaces. One feature is an inducer that draws the correct quantity of combustion air into the furnace for the most efficient operation possible. Another is an electronic ignition system that replaces the old wasteful pilot light. A third is a powerful, direct-drive blower that sends warmth to all the rooms in your home. These features will help make your home more comfortable, while reducing your heating fuel bills. - Indoor-Air-Quality - Optional “air-quality” accessories can include heat-recovery ventilators, humidifiers, UV lights, zoning systems, and air filtering systems. These devices play a major role in keeping your home clean and comfortable. Step Three: Get Comfortable with your Equipment Choices. General Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. has always chosen to carry, and offer to its customers, quality equipment from quality manufacturers. We know that the only way to have long-term satisfaction from our customers is by offering them equipment that gives them long-term, reliable operation.
How can people professionals build inclusive workplaces? While there has been recognisable progress in diversity in recent decades, a focus on increasing diversity alone falls short of tackling the systemic challenges around workplace equality, personal bias or exclusionary culture. Hiring a diverse workforce doesn’t guarantee that every employee has the same experience or opportunities in the workplace. Inclusion is what’s needed to give diversity real impact, and drive towards a world of work where all employees are empowered to thrive. And, whilst diversity and inclusion often go hand in hand, inclusion is fundamentally about individual experience and allowing everyone at work to contribute and feel a part of an organisation. Often, inclusion is thought to help diverse workforces in particular, but diversity could easily be substituted for 'difference' and doesn’t need to refer to demographic characteristics. Given that all employees are unique, inclusion is relevant for everyone in a business. Without clarity on what inclusion means, however, taking targeted action in organisations is challenging. There’s also the risk that inclusion initiatives are rebranded diversity initiatives that don’t fully address barriers to inclusion. Our research report, Building inclusive workplaces, assesses the evidence on inclusion - what does inclusion look like in practice, and how can people professionals and the wider business be more inclusive? Download the report below How inclusive is your organisation? The summary below explores what inclusion means in practice, how organisations can assess inclusion, and some of the key actions people professionals can take to enhance workplace inclusion. Inclusion in practice Psychological theories suggest people assess their social environment to understand how they 'fit'. Workplace inclusion is when people feel valued and accepted in their team and in the wider organisation, without having to conform. Inclusive organisations support employees, regardless of their background or circumstance, to thrive at work. To do this, they need to have practices and processes in place to break down barriers to inclusion, and, importantly, they need to value difference. To become more inclusive, organisations need to understand the state of play in their business, celebrate positive practices, and take action where issues are raised. Whilst diversity and inclusion often go hand in hand, inclusion is different to diversity, so it requires separate measurement. To get an accurate picture of workplace inclusion, organisations need to think about employee perceptions of inclusion, as well as evaluating people management practices and line management capability. To get started, reflect on inclusion practice in your organisation using our Inclusion health checker tool. Here are some approaches we suggest organisations take to comprehensively measure inclusion: - Create a bespoke survey to collect inclusion data, measuring individual-level perceptions of inclusion at multiple levels. Find out more about how to measure inclusion in our report, Building inclusive workplaces. - Add inclusion questions to existing organisational surveys on key areas of inclusion. - Make use of existing data, such as culture and engagement surveys, which may already touch on practices related to inclusion. - Run focus groups or employee feedback sessions to get an employee view on practices, policies and organisational norms. - Analyse existing workforce data to uncover barriers to inclusion. For example, compare promotion rates between demographic groups or 360-degree feedback data to understand employee and line manager behaviours related to inclusion. Whichever approach you take, make sure you: - clearly communicate why the data is being collected, and what action will be taken off the back of it - ensure there are multiple ways to provide feedback (online or through another mechanism if employees don’t have access to work devices) - use the data to guide action, identifying the barriers to inclusion in your organisation, and how they can be tackled. Taking action to build inclusive workplaces Research links inclusion with employee satisfaction, creativity and reduced absenteeism, meaning that employees and employers stand to gain by being more inclusive. To do this, organisations need to take targeted action as part of their D&I strategies, recognising that inclusion is relevant to everyone in the business. Indeed, research suggests that there are five areas where action needs to be taken: - employee behaviour - line manager capability - senior leadership - policies and wider people management practices - organisational culture, climate and values. And, organisations must consider the broader picture; inclusion is more than simply 'including' diversity – it is about individual experience and work, and creating a positive environment in which everyone can influence, share knowledge and have their perspectives valued. Tapping into all employees' knowledge and perspectives can only help business make better decisions and understand their customers – both of which are vital for businesses to continue to thrive and innovate into the future. Explore our related content Use our inclusion health checker tool to reflect on where your organisation is and get recommendations to improve inclusion in these areas We outline five areas in which people professionals can take action to build inclusion in the workplace Working inclusively is a core behaviour in the new Profession Map. See how you can collaborate across boundaries to achieve positive outcomes Diversity and Inclusion Calendar 2020 This online calendar, produced in partnership with Diversiton for CIPD members only, highlights important themes around inclusion with a special focus for each month
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution says ‘nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.’ This is a tacit recognition of a preexisting power to take private property for public use, rather than a grant of new power.1 Eminent domain appertains to every independent government. It requires no constitutional recognition; it is an attribute of sovereignty.2 In the early years of the nation the federal power of eminent domain lay dormant as to property outside the District of Columbia,3 and it was not until 1876 that its existence was recognized by the Supreme Court. In Kohl v. United States4 any doubts were laid to rest, as the Court affirmed that the power was as necessary to the existence of the National Government as it was to the existence of any state. The federal power of eminent domain is, of course, limited by the grants of power in the Constitution, so that property may only be taken for the effectuation of a granted power,5 but once this is conceded the ambit of national powers is so wide-ranging that vast numbers of objects may be effected.6 This prerogative of the National Government can neither be enlarged nor diminished by a state.7 Whenever lands in a state are needed for a public purpose, Congress may authorize that they be taken, either by proceedings in the courts of the state, with its consent, or by proceedings in the courts of the United States, with or without any consent or concurrent act of the state.8 Prior to the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment, the power of eminent domain of state governments was unrestrained by any federal authority.9 The Just Compensation Clause of the Fifth Amendment did not apply to the states,10 and at first the contention that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment afforded property owners the same measure of protection against the states as the Fifth Amendment did against the Federal Government was rejected.11 However, within a decade the Court rejected the opposing argument that the amount of compensation to be awarded in a state eminent domain case is solely a matter of local law. On the contrary, the Court ruled, although a state legislature may prescribe a form of procedure to be observed in the taking of private property for public use, . . . it is not due process of law if provision be not made for compensation. . . . The mere form of the proceeding instituted against the owner . . . cannot convert the process used into due process of law, if the necessary result be to deprive him of his property without compensation.12 Although the guarantees of just compensation flow from two different sources, the standards used by the Court in dealing with the issues appear to be identical, and both federal and state cases will be dealt with herein without expressly continuing to recognize the two different bases for the rulings. The power of eminent domain is inherent in government and may be exercised only through legislation or legislative delegation. Although such delegation is usually to another governmental body, it may also be to private corporations, such as public utilities, railroad companies, or bridge companies, when they are promoting a valid public purpose.13
By Teri Davis, Jessica Baipho, Lori Deese, Kristel Gooding and Hope Robinson, Kershaw County School District, and Julia López-Robertson, University of South Carolina A teacher must work to fill the gaps in their own knowledge in order to more effectively teach their students. These gaps extend to language similarities and differences between the student’s first language and English; cultural nuances that may be missing for a lesson; and religious considerations that may come up as part of teaching the whole child. Reading The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano helped identify the gaps we have as teachers in knowledge pertaining to the social activism of Puerto Ricans living in New York during the Civil Rights and spurred more research. ‘Filling’ that gap by doing research will help teach the Civil Rights era more completely. Benefiting all the students, not just the Latino students. We tend to think that teaching about different languages and cultures is only for the children with those backgrounds. That way of thinking is so wrong. Opening the discussion of Civil Rights to include the Puerto Ricans in New York will provide another view of those who brought about change in this period. Reading and discussing The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, was eye opening to see how culture can affect children. In the book, Evelyn is almost ashamed that she is Puerto Rican. That has us thinking about how the Spanish speaking children in our class might feel. As white women who have rarely been in situations where we felt like our culture was not accepted, it is absolutely necessary to read about and try to understand the insecurities the students may feel. Knowing your students and using the student’s first language to support their learning of a new language is so important for their language and academic development. Thinking back to working with our first ELLs we thought a lot about the mistakes we definitely made. It was a lack of information and training on our part but it makes our hearts hurt for those who have passed through our doors. However, rather than focus on the unintended harm we may have caused then, we have learned about several ideas to implement that will help us in establishing relationships with our ELL students and families; the most interesting being home visits. When reading about visiting an ELL’s home and through the discussions and books from our class, we learned how other cultures perceive visits from teachers in their homes. These visits are one of honor and pride on the part of the families. We filled our gap in this area too as we just thought that families would find the visits intrusive. Honestly, we were not aware of the esteem and respect our families have for us as their children’s teachers! Another new area of thinking has been the role of the first language for our ELLs. While always maintaining respect, we were not aware of cultural differences and needs or how to meet them. Teri connected to one of her young ELLs who has been in the United States since birth. His family speaks only Spanish and Teri wondered how she would communicate with the family since she only speaks English. Teri made up a reading strategy as she explains: As we read books, we write words on an index card. One side is written in English and the other side in Spanish. This strategy allows his family to help him learn unfamiliar words. In turn, it has increased his ability to communicate in Spanish. By allowing responses in English and Spanish I have been able to ignite a fire and motivation for his learning. He excitedly chooses bilingual books for us to read in our one-on-one or small group time. His excitement to learn to read in Spanish has caused him to read more in English as well because he is becoming more comfortable with the language and literacy aspects. Without a teacher who motivates, propels, scaffolds and protects the learning process, students cannot exceed expectations. A child can learn on their own out of a natural curiosity, but they cannot work to the depths and required levels without the help of a teacher. Teachers can make or break a learning experience for a child. If you have a teacher who is willing to embrace all aspects of the learners cultural and linguistic background, the child becomes a valued part of the classroom. Relationship building is key to education. Students must know you love and advocate for them, especially when difficult situations arise. Teachers must know this aspect of their roles in the classroom. They must embrace it to the full extent to create successful learners and build bonds with the community. That is something that all educators need to work on. [Editor’s Note: We encourage you to read last week’s post on this topic. Also, check out our previous discussion on how The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, which encourages readers to think about how familial capital helps challenge inequitable situations. Additionally, we talk about how this book can inspire students to start internal revolutions, revolutions of the heart.] Journey through Worlds of Words during our open reading hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To view our complete offerings of WOW Currents, please visit archival stream.
In this class students are taught how to make soy milk from raw ingredients, and then use the fresh soy milk to create traditional Thai desserts. Similar to our tofu making course, students begin by learning how to make soy milk from raw ingredients beginning with soaking soy beans through the entire process to produce the liquid milk. Then students are taught how to make traditional Thai desserts from the freshly made soy milk.Taught in Bangkok Students are introduced to each other and allowed a few minutes to get acquainted. Instructor provides a brief overview of the entire process for making soy milk from raw soy beans. Students remove pre-soaked beans (placed in water the evening before class by the instructor). Beans are rinsed and the soy milk making process begins. After initial preparation of the soy beans, students cook the beans creating the base liquid for soy milk. Students learn how to separate the soy milk from the thick paste that occure during the cooking process.
Granted there were other composers who suffered various disabilities such as Robert Schumann, Frederic Chopin, Gustave Holst and Maurice Ravel, but it was Beethoven's struggle with increasing deafness to the point of being near-total, that speaks to me. (In fact, if you look at the blog photo above you will see a bust of Beethoven on my fireplace mantle.) It illustrates for me the successful human struggle to overcome adversity. Beethoven's muscular mind was so creative and inspired that not even deafness could shut out the voices of angels. His immense contributions to the vast human musical treasury are celebrated and still loved, even 190 years after his death. Who can not be moved by Beethoven's 5th symphony or his timeless 9th symphony --written in silence -- or his much loved Moonlight Sonata? German jurist and writer, Wilhelm Heinrich Wackenroder (1773-1798) wrote this about Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata: "Many passages were so vivid and engaging that the notes seemed to speak to him. At other times the notes would evoke a mysterious blend of joy and sorry in his heart, so that he could have either laughed or cried. This is a feeling that we experience so often on our path through life and that no art can express more skillfully than music."* Yes, Herr Wackenroder, music can express the human heart where words fail. Music has been an important companion throughout my own 33 year disability contracted at age thirty. Here then, is the 1st movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, performed by Wilhem Kempff. * Jan Swafford, Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014), p. 290.
In the aftermath of the February snowstorm that swept across much of Texas and Oklahoma, causing devastating disruption to the electrical grid, it’s evident that the United State’s energy sector as a whole is vulnerable to future volatile events. Green Development LLC, a renewable energy developer based in Rhode Island, believes innovation and grid infrastructure upgrades are the answer, in conjunction with green energy growth. This two-part educational series with Green Development LLC’s Director of Project Management Matt Ursillo discusses the challenges and barriers facing the energy industry, how grid operators and energy developers are responding, as well as technological advancements and partnerships that are driving the grid towards the future. 1) How have grid operators addressed challenges that have emerged with the rapid growth of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind farms? To address the power quality, grid operators have instituted advanced control schemes that measure the quality of the power being produced by renewable sources. If the power falls outside of very narrow guidelines, the plant will be disconnected from the grid until the problem can be resolved. To address the power quantity produced by renewable sources, grid operators have operated under the general assumption that these systems always generate power at full capacity. This has resulted in the grid operators proposing equipment upgrades that can handle the maximum power under a worst-case scenario. As such, the equipment upgrades tend to be very expensive. Quite often, renewable projects cannot absorb the costs of such upgrades and do not make it past the planning stage. 2) In an ideal world, what will the energy grid in the United States look like 20 years from now? In an ideal world, 20 years from now, communities will be centered around where they get their food, power, and water. The availability and control of these resources as a whole will drive where communities grow and strengthen. Smaller renewable generation sources will be placed throughout the communities they serve, along with the energy storage components and distribution grid equipment necessary to serve customers locally and interconnect with neighboring grids. This is often called the “grid of grids,” where power is generated within and used locally. In times of excess power, it can be stored, and in times of deficit power, it can be imported from neighboring grids. A system such as this would create more redundancy for power availability and reduce the risks that the long-distance one-way system inherently introduces. Recently we have begun to experience the vulnerability of this system, such as fire hazards in the western US (2018 Camp Fire), rolling brownouts/blackouts (Northeast blackout of 2003), and resilience to localized storms (2012 Hurricane Sandy). 3) What are the barriers to getting there? As with all such things, the problem is much more complicated than the brief overview presented above, but the barriers to change are technical, financial, and cultural/political. The technical hurdle is that we need to ensure that power is available when and where it is needed. This could be a local system where communities produce their own power through a nearby renewable energy source and distribute it internally to users on a smaller scale grid. If more power is produced than can be used, it can either be stored for later use or exported to a neighboring grid of the same type. In this “grid of grids” solution, storage needs to be a major component. Contrary to popular belief, energy storage does not always need to be a chemical battery such as lithium-ion. Storage can also be a mechanical solution, and many applications are currently in development, each having different technical capabilities that can help stabilize the availability of energy. The second barrier is financial. We have all this existing infrastructure that has been built out over a period of more than 100 years that is not designed for a system with many smaller distributed power plants. Aside from the costs to integrate the system as a “grid of grids,” there is an inherent resistance from existing grid operators to disrupt the prevailing business model. As participation from existing grid operators is necessary to move forward, an attractive financial incentive will play a critical role in prompting them to release centralized control of power distribution. The third barrier is likely the most complicated and is cultural. Society has a long-held perception that power plants are dirty, industrial structures that do not belong in suburban, rural, and upscale locations. Society should embrace clean, local power production as a sign of independence and pride. Like the local food movement of the early 2000s, these smaller renewable power stations should be appreciated for contributing to a strong and healthy community. 4) Are there short-term solutions that can help? Short-term solutions are already being implemented. Standalone renewable power generation facilities are being sited and constructed along with the existing grid infrastructure. Storage solutions are just recently being incorporated into the infrastructure to balance the load and manage voltage and frequency. However, these power facilities are still being sited in remote locations, far from where the power is being used. The high cost of upgrading the existing distribution infrastructure to transport the power often kills the projects. We have a long way to go in integrating these power facilities at the local level so that long-distance transmission and distribution are no longer necessary. 5) How can renewable energy developers, grid operators, and regulatory bodies work together to achieve these goals? The solution needs to be collaborative. The old business model cannot carry us into the new century. Energy developers need to be flexible with the siting of these facilities, the technology they utilize, and sizing them to meet the local need. Grid operators need to develop technologies to mitigate the risk of these smaller power plants negatively affecting the system. Operators must also develop ways to control the flow of power in many directions as they import and export to meet time-dependent needs. Regulatory bodies need to fully understand the permitting of these systems and find ways to build renewable energy facilities in areas with the highest usage. Regulators will also need to develop legislation that creates a market in which the value of these assets can be realized, ensuring that the power is available where and when it is needed. This may include time-of-day (TOD) power pricing, provision of interstate energy commerce, and implementation of stringent system maintenance requirements for plant and grid operators. Another thing regulators can do is to promote the further electrification of society. Over the past several years, new energy-efficient technologies and the rise of remote work options have contributed to power usage decreases in many areas. Now is the time to transition other uses of fossil fuels to make the most of cheap and abundant electricity. Incentives for purchasing electric vehicles and electric heating systems could help accelerate the transition to an economy that takes full advantage of renewable power sources. 6) What technological and renewable industry advancements are you most excited about? I am particularly excited about storage. Energy is perishable. If energy is not used or stored, it is wasted. The development of systems that can store excess energy generated by renewable sources and distribute it when needed will be critical to this new world. Without storage mechanisms, we will never realize a grid of grids and localized renewable generation. We will always be beholden to long-distance distribution and dispatchable fossil fuel power plants. About Green Development LLC Green Development LLC is the leading developer of utility-scale renewable energy projects in Rhode Island, specializing in wind, solar, and battery storage. The company delivers significant energy savings to qualified organizations through the virtual net metering program. Founded in 2009, the company has built a portfolio of over 70 MW of solar and wind projects, with plans to add 111 MW more in 2021. Green Development has played an important role in transforming and diversifying Rhode Island’s energy portfolio. By providing a sustainable and reliable energy supply, the company helps generate in-state investment, increase energy security, and boost economic activity. Its renewable energy projects create local job opportunities, including construction, component manufacturing, service, and maintenance.
A traditional public school classroom in the United States looks very different from a traditional classroom in Japan and a traditional classroom in Brazil. This is because culture, national standards and measurements of educational success dictate what is done in the classroom. This means that individuals across the globe are educated very differently. Last month we shared how Dr. Maria Montessori developed the Montessori Method as she studied the way that children naturally learn and develop. Once she founded the Casa dei Bambini, she traveled the world as a distinguished lecturer and women’s rights advocate. During her travels, two World Wars erupted, causing her to seek exile in various countries. During her time in exile, Dr. Montessori trained educators around the world on the Montessori Method. Educators realized that the Montessori Method could be applied in any country and any culture and show similar results because it is based upon the natural development patterns of children, patterns that are constant no matter where a child lives. As educators saw the positive impact of the Montessori Method, it quickly caught on and has since spread to every continent other than Antarctica. If you tour a Montessori classroom in Europe or Asia, you will see many of the same materials that you see at Maria Montessori School in Memphis. This is because the Montessori Method, including the materials and classroom arrangement, does not vary because of culture or location. Not only are the materials and principles the same, students at Montessori Schools are taught about the importance of being a global citizen and understanding cultures different from their own. In today’s global economy, this is a huge benefit to students who are educated using the Montessori Method. Dr. Montessori developed an educational method that has withstood the test of time and culture, has survived through world wars and global crises, because it is rooted in our biology! What an amazing educational discovery! Curious to see what a Montessori school looks like? Schedule your tour to visit Maria Montessori School in Harbor Town today!
There are plenty of things you should be considering specifically when it comes to your dental health. The most typical reminder is about bad oral habits. How can it affect your oral health and your overall wellness, and why it is better to prevent them? At present, bad oral habits are rising. One common bad habit is skipping proper oral hygiene. We are all aware that brushing and flossing on a daily basis are significant. These can remove dental plaques and lower the potential likelihood of dental issues. Aside from skipping right oral hygiene, eating sugary foods and drinks, excessive smoking and alcohol drinking also are among the most hazardous bad oral habits.Women and men who love to disregard their oral health are advised to read the several unhealthy effects of bad oral habits below. Dental problems are among the most outcomes of bad oral habits. From stinky breath, staining problems, swollen gums down to cavities, periodontal disease and tooth loss. The named diseases are caused bad dental hygiene. So if you plan to skip your daily flossing and brushing, think about these first. Speech and eating problems also are induced by bad oral habits. This is basically affiliated with tooth loss or missing teeth problems caused by eating too much sugary foods. Tooth loss affects your capability to chew and your capacity to speak properly.Reduced Self-confidence is around the corner when you’re exposed to bad oral habits. Think about the several dental illnesses showcased above and how can it hugely affect your confidence or poise especially when socializing. Overall health problems are the most undesirable effect of bad oral habits. As expressed earlier, bad oral habits trigger gum disease. The condition is proven to have long connection with general health issues, including pneumonia, heart problem and stroke.Bad oral habits are hard to fight. But dentists assured all these are avertable. Luckily, we now have oral care and good oral hygiene. Avoid skipping your daily brushing and flossing regimens. Remember that this basic method can help you maximize your dental health. Of course, do it with regular dental appointments. Don’t forget that attending your regular dental consultations twice yearly helps you maintain a good oral health and overall health.
PINK OR PALE CORYDALIS (Capnoides sempervirens; Corydalis glauca of Gray) Poppy Flowers - Pink, with yellow tip, about 1/2 in. long, a few borne in a loose, terminal raceme. Calyx of 2 small sepals; corolla irregular, of 4 erect, closed, and flattened petals joined, 1 of pair with short rounded spur at base, the interior ones narrow and keeled on back. Stamens 6, in 2 sets, Opposite outer petals; 1 pistil. Stem: Smooth, curved, branched, 1 to 2 feet high. Leaves: Pale grayish green, delicate, divided into variously and finely cut leaflets. Fruit: Very narrow, erect pod, 1 to 2 in. long. Preferred Habitat - Rocky, rich, cool woods. Flowering Season - April-September. Distribution - Nova Scotia westward to Alaska, south to Minnesota and North Carolina. Dainty little pink sacs, yellow at the mouth, hang upside down along a graceful stem, and instantly suggest the Dutchman's breeches, squirrel corn, bleeding heart, and climbing fumitory, to which the plant is next of kin. Because the lark (Korydalos) has a spur, the flower, which boasts a small one also, borrows its Greek name. Hildebrand proved by patient experiments that some flowers of this genus have not only lost the power of self-fertilization, but that they produce fertile seed only when pollen from another plant is carried to them. Yet how difficult they make dining for their benefactors! The bumblebee, which can reach the nectar, but not lap it conveniently, often "gets square" with the secretive blossom by nipping holes through its spur, to which the hive bees and others hasten for refreshment. We frequently find these punctured flowers. But hive and other bees visiting the blossom for pollen, some rubs off against their breast when they depress the two middle petals, a sort of sheath that contains pistil and Previous: DEPTFORD PINK Next: HARDHACK STEEPLE BUSH \|ADD TO EBOOK
Many people tend to classify platypuses as either reptiles or birds. Interestingly, despite laying eggs, platypuses are mammals. They are classified as monotreme mammals. Monotreme mammals lay eggs, and later hatch them as their means of reproduction. Some people mistakenly classify them as reptiles because they lay egg using their sides, just like reptiles such as snakes and lizards. They do not lay eggs using their underside like birds. The legs of the platypuses come out from the body from the sides, just like reptiles such as crocodiles. The legs of most mammals come from underneath their body structure. Others think of the animal as a bird species because its mouth closely resembles the beak of a duck. Its feet are also webbed, just like a duck. Some of its features, having a close resemblance to a duck, brings a bit of confusion. Reproduction in Platypuses The burrows of female platypuses are usually larger compared to the burrows of the male platypuses because that is where the female rear their young ones. The eggs develop in the female body for about 28 days before they are laid in a burrow. In most cases, the females lay between one and three eggs. The female then curls around the eggs to ensure that a warm temperature necessary for hatching is retained. After around ten days the eggs are hatched. The hatched platypuses are usually very small. They require close supervision from their mother to survive. The female platypuses take tender care of the young platypuses up to when they around four months old, when they become capable of surviving on their own. At this age, they come out of the burrow and get into the water, where they learn how to swim. It should be noted that the mammary glands of the platypuses do not have nipples like many other mammals. The milk is usually extracted from the pores of their skin, and then later collected on the grooves of their stomachs. The baby platypuses, therefore, do not suck the milk, they lap it from their mother’s body. How Are Platypuses Mammals If They Lay Eggs? When an animal feeds their young ones with milk from their mammary glands, they are automatically classified as a mammal. Besides, platypuses possess other mammalia characteristics such as being warm-blooded. They do not depend on the temperature fluctuations to determine their body temperatures. They have body mechanisms that help them keep their temperatures constant in case the temperatures rise or fall. The platypuses use their lungs for breathing, just like as it is expected of all mammals. Furthermore, platypuses have fur covering their bodies. They do not have scales like many reptiles As discussed above, it is clear that laying eggs does not disqualify an organism from being a mammal. In fact, it should be noted that platypuses are not the only existing egg-laying mammals. As long as an animal feeds its young ones with milk from their mammary glands, it is out rightly considered a mammal. Platypuses can be confusing mammals but with the features discussed above, it is clear that they are mammals.
Hamlet and David In Hamlet and The Mountain and the Valley, both literary pieces present us with two melancholic characters who live in conflict due to the dichotomy of their natures . Both Hamlet and David are similar because they are conflicted by foils and similar in the nature of this tragedy. Each has deep inner problems of conflict. Hamlet is first tormented by the death of his father, the king of Denmark. Then he is showed first 75 words of 1464 total showed last 75 words of 1464 total for it to clear. And then the blackness turned to gray and then to white; an absolute white,made of all the other colours but of no colour itself at all. And then the snow began to fall. ( 294) As shown, Hamlet and David both live in conflict due to their dichotomous natures and their foils are directly linked to their inner problems. Both Buckler and Shakespeare have both presented us with two effective tragic characters.
Each household must adopt smart meters that will empower the end-consumer to control consumption and costs. By Eric Torres There is an ambition that, by 2022, 70% of all homes in Asia will be connected via smart meters. World Bank estimates India’s energy efficiency potential alone at $11 billion. According to National Ujala Dashboard, nearly 316.2 million LED bulbs were distributed as of November 2018, which resulted in an annual cost savings of `16,435 crore and 3.32 million tonnes of CO2 reduction; a testimony to India’s immense potential in energy efficiency. The power sector, as per a Deloitte report, is set to adopt and leverage such new age technologies to optimise overall efficiencies. Inclusion of smart metering investments in IPDS, UDAY, other schemes and mandates of Government of India are means to accelerate the pace of this adoption. The many advantages associated with the use of smart meters—both from consumers and utility companies’ perspective—are drivers of their strong growth. Energy companies can use smart meters to reduce their operational costs considerably, as fewer call-outs are needed, and the accuracy of billing is improved. The latter benefits consumers too—smart meters eliminate the hassle of monthly or quarterly meter readings. In the past, to make it easy for utilities’ personnel to take readings, meters were placed outside of buildings. Smart meters can however be placed anywhere within the house. Thanks to smart, often near-real-time dashboards, homeowners and renters can keep a closer eye on their energy usage. Last, but certainly not least, the insights provided by the smart meter infrastructure can be used for the creation of an even more customer-centric tariff structure. For example, smart water meters allow the gradation of water consumption, depending on household usage in rented properties, or weather conditions—such as water scarcity in summertime—through their remote-controlled valves. This enables the optimal usage of water resources. It is imperative that each household adopts technologies like smart meters that will empower the end-consumer to control consumption and costs. Today, smart meters exist for all essential services, from gas and electricity to water and temperature. To use this data effectively, the devices are connected securely to an IoT platform. Via a number of dashboards, users and energy suppliers can access this data and generate usage models, statistics and bills. Smart meters are just the tip of an IoT infrastructure iceberg. For them to truly live up to their potential, the infrastructure of the individual measuring devices needs to work perfectly with the network, the IoT platform and the applications on top to enable businesses and consumers access the data they collect seamlessly. Especially in Asian EMEs, the smart meter infrastructure can be held back by the lack of widespread, high quality electric and telecom connectivity. For example, it is difficult to leverage power line communications technology on the smart electric network, which is widely used in developed economies such as Europe. Similarly, using wired telephone lines to transfer smart meter data can be difficult as well. To connect the meters to the IoT platform that they depend on for functioning, they need a robust connection that is not always available. Yet, in many cases, measurement stations are located in cellars or behind thick walls which can cause trouble for conventional mobile networks. A Long Range Wide Area Network, or LoRaWAN, can be the solution to these problems. This technology has been specifically designed for IoT devices such as smart meters. It uses a number of different frequencies in the ISM-band and SRD products, depending on the region. The network technology only supports a particular data bandwidth per device, but is significantly more energy efficient and reliable. That makes it ideal for an IoT infrastructure that cannot endure outages, such as smart meters. Thanks to the low energy consumption of LoRaWAN, smart meters for gas usage can be installed independent from the main power source—with a battery life of up to 15 years. LoRaWAN’s range is another significant advantage in building the infrastructure for smart meters. With a range of 4-20 km, depending on building density, this technology can cover incredible distances with comparatively little infrastructure investment. Just like conventional mobile networks, LoRaWAN is not a single-use infrastructure, specifically built for smart meters. In many cases, such a network is the first step in the creation of a flexible and powerful IoT infrastructure that can be used by many applications like home automation, smart streets lights, and so on. A key building block for a meaningful smart meter infrastructure is the IoT platform. In a way, this platform forms the core of the system. The data received by the individual measuring devices has to be consolidated, stored and analysed. Here, the system really shows what it can do. Such a platform needs to be accessible, robust, have good analytical capabilities and, above all, ensure the security of any sensitive customer data. Entry into such an extensive infrastructure market puts many smaller players like regional energy providers and start-ups at a disadvantage. To overcome this barrier and accelerate the adoption of smart metering, open platforms that are accessible for all players to build their own smart metering services on top are being set up. Ready-to-use applications are also provided to leverage data collected from the meters. For now, smart metering is mainly gathering pace in the energy market, boosting efficiencies and enhancing the customer experience. Once smart meters are underpinned by the right IoT platform, and connected with other solutions in a smart city, they will not only pave way for additional value-added services for the benefit of consumers and businesses but for society as a whole. The author is Vice-president (IoT), Tata Communications
Long ago, a clan of hardy microbes called cyanobacteria helped terraform the lifeless Earth into a vibrant biosphere. Today, the very same critters could be the key to colonizing Mars. Plants are going to have a tough time on the Red Planet’s hostile surface, but cyanobacteria have coped with extreme environments for eons. A paper led by astrobiologist Cyprien Verseux of NASA’s Ames Research Institute argues that we can harness these tiny photosynthesis machines to produce many of the resources we’ll need to survive, from food and oxygen to metals and medicine. Here are all the ways cyanobacteria can help us build a Martian colony. In science fiction, we find humans harvesting fields of wheat under terraformed Martian skies and growing rows of potatoes inside climate-controlled Habs. But in reality, growing any plants on Mars is going to be a challenge, because the Martian soil lacks some key ingredients. This is Mars. Image Credit: Wikimedia First and foremost, there isn’t much nitrogen. Plants require lots of the stuff, and they need it in one of two chemical forms: ammonia, NH3, or nitrate, NO3. Most of the nitrogen on Mars is locked up as N2 gas in the atmosphere, but as far as we can tell the soil is pretty nitrogen poor. (The Curiosity rover got its first whiff of biologically-useful nitrogen on Mars this past March). This also happens to be the situation on Earth, but we have a solution: Microbes. Cyanobacteria are among a diverse group of nitrogen-fixers, bugs that deploy specialised enzymes to pull N2 out of the air and convert it into ammonia. On Earth, nitrogen fixers live symbiotically within plant roots, feeding their hosts nutrients in exchange for sugar. Verseux and colleagues argue that we could likewise harness cyanobacteria to extract all the fertiliser we’ll need from the Martian atmosphere. Beyond nitrogen, there’s a laundry list of other nutrients plants and humans need to stay healthy — phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, iron and so forth. Most of these elements can be found in the basaltic rocks that cover the Martian surface, and cyanobacteria can help us extract them. Certain species secrete enzymes that literally digest minerals, liberating the nutrients within. In fact, it was this metabolic capacity that probably helped ancient cyanobacteria colonize the barren surface of the Earth. Cyanobacteria are proven nutrient miners, but it’s possible we can push them further than evolution already has. With a little genetic tinkering, we may be able to engineer cyanobacteria capable of extracting all sorts of useful metals from rocks. We already use microbes in copper and gold mining operations on Earth, and the asteroid mining company Deep Space Industries is busy engineering bugs that can chow through space rocks and poop out platinum. The Great Martian Gold Rush won’t be led pioneers with pickaxes, but by scientists with genetically modified bacteria. Filling Our Bellies If Martian settlers have to bring all of their food from Earth, it will add a tremendous amount of weight, rocket fuel, and money to the cost of the trip. For a Martian colony to be sustainable, we’re going to need food that was grown on Mars. But it won’t necessarily be plants. Mmm, bacteria. Image Credit: Shutterstock Sure, space lettuce is all the rage on the ISS this year, but on Mars, it makes a lot more sense for colonists to eat green microbes. Mars only receives about 44% of the sunlight that Earth does, so we’ll need our crops to be as energy-efficient as possible. Study after study has shown that cyanobacteria are better solar collectors than plants, converting a larger percentage of incoming photons into calories. What’s more, by culturing bacteria in environmentally-controlled bioreactors, we can optimise their growth to a degree simply not possible with leafy greens. If eating microbes for lunch sounds slightly weird, keep in mind that cyanobacteria are already a popular food supplement on Earth. Ever heard of Spirulina? The blue-green powder that’s all the rage at health food stores and hipster juice bars is a cyanobacteria belonging to the genus Arthrospira. Arthrospira has a high protein content and is a nearly complete nutritional source, lacking only in vitamin C and certain essential oils. Again, with a little genetic modification, we might be able to perfect Arthrospira‘s nutrient profile — and its flavour. Pumpkin spice Spirulina bars might be just what our brave Martian colonists need to feel at home. Giving Us Air to Breathe The thin Martian atmosphere is virtually oxygen-free: 0.13% O2, compared with 21% on Earth. Obviously, this is less than ideal. Artist’s rendering of a cyanobacteria-based biological life support system on Mars. Image Credit: Verseux et al. 2015 Photosynthesis — that amazing biochemical pathway that turns sunlight into sugar — also generates O2 as a waste product. And, guess what? By capturing and converting solar energy more efficiently than plants, cyanobacteria also end up producing more oxygen waste. “Cyanobacteria are very efficient O2 producers,” Verseux and his colleagues write. “Whereas trees release about 2.5 — 11 tons of O2 per hectare per year, industrial cultivation in open ponds of Arthrospira species in Southeastern California release about 16.8 tons of O2 per hectare per year.” The researchers note that in a bioreactor system optimised for temperature, nutrient flow rates, cell densities and illumination, O2 production could be dramatically increased. Verseux and his colleagues envision collecting this O2 and channeling it into our life support systems, all the while scrubbing out the CO2 we exhale and feeding back to the bioreactor. On Mars, the circle of life will be driven by flow valves. Fuelling Our Rovers Even if you personally don’t want to eat bacteria bars for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can feed ’em to your rover. Remember those handy nitrogen fixing enzymes cyanboacteria use to turn atmosphere into fertiliser? When there isn’t enough nitrogen kicking around, the enzymes get confused and grab hydrogen instead, converting it into H2 — otherwise known as rocket fuel. It’s unclear whether cyanobacteria could be coaxed into producing useful amounts of the stuff, but it’s certainly a question ripe for exploration. The Curiosity Rover. Image Credit: NASA Rocket fuel aside, cyanobacteria produce a wide range of oils that can be collected and refined into biofuels. Indeed, algae-based biofuels are so efficient that the Department of Energy reckons algae could be running any machine that guzzles diesel today. Even if we don’t want to burn cyanobacteria directly, we can use them as feedstock for yeast, which produce another popular biofuel — ethanol. One way or another, it seems likely that the first expeditions into Valles Marineres and up Olympic Mons will run on bacteria. Oh, and the best part about burning fuel on Mars? It’s so damn cold we don’t need to worry about greenhouse gases at all. Bring ’em on. If we want to make it on Mars long-term, we’re going to need to think beyond basic life support. Eventually, human settlers will need all sorts of synthetic materials, supplements, and medicines. Could microbes be the answer? A quick glance at the biotech industry on Earth suggests they might be. We already pack E.coli full of the genes needed to produce everything from cosmetic ingredients to antibiotics and cancer-fighting drugs. Likewise, some researchers think we can use cyanobacteria to generate all sorts useful products on Mars, including drugs, bioplastics and building materials. “The ability of cyanobacteria to produce organic material from Martian resources, coupled to our increasing abilities in metabolic engineering, make it possible to consider many other applications ranging from performing basic life support functions to generating comfort products,” Verseux and colleagues write. There researchers acknowledge that there’s still a lot of basic science to do on this front. But if one thing’s clear, it’s that our blue-green microbial friends have the potential to be much, much more than a smoothie supplement. We’ll Still Bring Plants! I know what you’re thinking at this point. Algae bars? For the rest of my life? Weren’t those poor suckers on the Battlestar Galactica miserable? Screenshot of the space garden in the movie Sunshine. Yes, but remember, those humans were also being chased across the Galaxy by bloodthirsty Cylons. More to the point: Getting the bulk of our nutrition and life support from cyanobacteria doesn’t mean we’re going to leave plants behind. Time and again, science has proclaimed the psychological benefits of growing leafy greens, and for that reason alone, it’s important we bring plants to Mars. Plants will probably make a small caloric contribution to life on Mars, but if they keep our brave settlers from going batshit, they’re worth it. Putting the first humans on Mars will be a major milestone, but keeping them alive could be one of the greatest technological challenges we’ve ever faced. Throughout their billions of years on Earth, cyanobacteria have proven themselves expert resource extractors, terraformers, and most importantly, survivors. Perhaps it’s time we offer them a challenge worthy of their skill. Verseux, C., Baqué, M., Lehto, K., de Vera, J.P., Rothschild, L.J., and Billi, D. (2015). Sustainable life support on Mars — the potential roles of cyanobacteria. International Journal of Astrobiology, pp.1-28. Brown, I.I. & Sarkisova, S. (2008). Bio-weathering of lunar and Martian rocks by cyanobacteria: a resource for Moon and Mars exploration. In Lunar and Planetary Sciences XXXIX, pp. 1 — 2. Cockell, C.S. (2010). Geomicrobiology beyond Earth: microbe — mineral interactions in space exploration and settlement. Trends Microbiol. 18, 308 — 314. Dahlgren, R., Shoji, S.& Nanzyo, M. (1993). Mineralogical characteristics of volcanic ash soils. In Volcanic Ash Soils — Genesis, Properties and Utilization, ed. Shoji, S. & Nanzyo, M., pp. 101 — 143. Elsevier Science Ltd, Amsterdam. Dismukes, G.C., Carrieri, D., Bennette, N., Ananyev, G.M. & Posewitz, M.C. (2008). Aquatic phototrophs: efficient alternatives to land-based crops for biofuels. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 19, 235 — 240.
Beam Behaviour: Moment Capacity of a Beam Before discussing the moment capacity calculation, let us review the behavior of a reinforced concrete simple beam as the load on the beam increases from zero to the magnitude that would cause failure. The beam will be subjected to downward loading, which will cause a positive moment in the beam. The steel reinforcing is located near the bottom of the beam, which is the tension side. Here we may select three major behavior modes of beam: 1. Flexural behavior at very small load Assuming that the concrete is not cracked and steel will resist the tension. Also concrete at the top will resist the compression. The stress distribution will be linear: 2. Flexural behavior at moderate load In this case, tensile strength of the concrete will be exceeded, and the concrete will crack in the tension zone. Because the concrete cannot transmit any tension across a crack, the steel bars will then resist the entire tension The concrete compressive stress distribution is still assumed to be linear. 3. Flexural behavior at ultimate load Here the compressive strains and stresses are increased, with some nonlinear stress curve on the compression side of the beam. This stress curve above the neutral axis will be essentially the same shape as the typical concrete stress–strain curve. Tension steel stress fs is equal to yield stress of steel fy. Eventually, the ultimate capacity of the beam will be reached and the beam will fail. - Strain in concrete is the same as in reinforcing bars at the same level, provided that the bond between the steel and concrete is adequate; - Strain in concrete is linearly proportional to the distance from the neutral axis - Plane cross-sections continue to be plane after bending - The tensile strength of concrete is neglected - At failure, the maximum strain at the extreme compression fibers is assumed to equal to limited by the design code provision (0.003) - For design strength, the shape of the compressive concrete stress distribution may be simplified. The determination of the moment strength is not simple because of the shape of the nonlinear compressive stress diagram above the neutral axis. For purposes of simplification and practical application, a fictitious but equivalent rectangular concrete stress distribution was proposed by Whitney and subsequently adopted by the different design codes, like ACI 318, EN 2, AS 3600, and others. With respect to this equivalent stress distribution as shown below, the average stress intensity is taken as fc(at ultimate load) and is assumed to act over the upper area of the beam cross-section defined by the width b and a depth of a. In different design code parameters, a is determined by reducing c with factor. Concrete strength fc is reduced as well. For example, according to the ACI 318 code fc is reduced by 0.85 and a by β1 factor that is between 0.65 and 0.85. Calculate the Neutral Axis Depth To calculate the moment resistance capacity of the reinforced concrete section it’s necessary to calculate the neutral axis depth c correctly. SkyCiv uses an iterative process to calculate the neutral axis based on the following: Calculate the Moment Capacity Finally the calculated concrete and steel forces Fc, Fs, Fcs and their position from the section neutral axis ac, as, acs allow to calculate the design moment resistance from the following equation: All this procedure is totally automated in SkyCiv Reinforced Design Software, where an engineer can easily define reinforced concrete beam with acting loads and determine the capacity of the section. This and all other design check calculations can be seen in the detailed design report that is generated by SkyCiv after analysis. SkyCiv Reinforced Concrete Design SkyCiv offers a fully featured Reinforced Concrete Design software that allows you to check concrete beam and concrete column designs as per ACI 318, AS 3600, and EN2 Design Standards. The software is easy-to-use and fully cloud-based; requiring no installation or downloading to get started!
Even the Poorest Handheld Umbrellas Can Block UV Rays Worst performers blocked 77 percent of UVR; most black units blocked more than 95 percent MONDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- Handheld umbrellas are effective at blocking ultraviolet radiation (UVR), according to a study published online March 20 in JAMA Dermatology. Josette R. McMichael, M.D., from Emory University in Atlanta, and colleagues used a meter at 11 a.m. on a sunny April day (UV index 8) to measure UVR (both UV-A and UV-B) in microwatts per square centimeter. Measurements were taken without an umbrella three times and twice for each of 23 handheld unbrellas. Measurements were taken holding the meter aimed toward the sun both holding the meter 1 cm beneath the umbrella fabric and holding the meter approximately 1 cm from the researcher's nose. The researchers found that the majority of umbrella canopies had a diameter between 81 and 99 cm, and 14 of the 23 were black. Without an umbrella, the UVR measurements were 6,563, 6,783, and 6,913 µW/cm². For UVR readings taken from 1 cm under the umbrella fabric, measurements ranged from 26 to 1,714 µW/cm². For measurements taken 1 cm from the researcher's nose while holding the umbrella overhead, UVR ranged from 67 to 1,256 µW/cm². The umbrellas blocked between 77 percent (white Totes) and 99 percent (silver Coolibar) of UVR. "The poorest performing umbrella still blocked an average of 77 percent of UVR," the authors write. One author disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies and collects royalty payments for evaluating products.
Killer Whales are Carrying Out Orchestrated Attacks on Boats and Scientists Don’t Know Why Orcas, or killer whales, have been ramming into sailing boats in the Straits of Gibraltar since July, leaving sailors and scientists befuddled. The inexplicable aggression is a departure from how orcas usually treat humans in their midst — with friendliness and playfulness — researchers say, adding this new behavior is “highly unusual” and “concerning.” Sailors off of the coast of Spain and Portugal have been sending distress signals following encounters with orcas, which they report have led to serious damage to their boats and physical injuries to the people in them, The Guardian reports. They are currently at a loss to explain just why this is happening. One theory scientists have for this behavior is that the Gibraltar orcas are responding to a threat of endangerment, The Guardian reports. Currently, there are approximately 50 orcas left in the region, deprived of food and existing in polluted waters, while almost completely unable to raise their calves. This is a result of profit-making orca watch tours that increase marine traffic in the region, even as their food — bluefin tuna — is depleted due to overfishing, often injuring the orcas in the process. During the Covid19 pandemic, these activities subsided for a while, which scientists muse probably gave the orcas a few short months of respite. As activities resume, they think the orcas are responding to the sudden invasion of their habitat after a period of quiet “most of them probably never experienced before,” marine biologist Jörn Selling told The Guardian. Related on The Swaddle: The “attacks” include repeated ramming and spinning of boats and biting off the boats’ fiberglass rudders. The orcas also reportedly communicated with each other through loud whistling in a manner that felt “totally orchestrated,” biology graduate Victoria Morris told The Guardian. “The noise was really scary. They were ramming the keel, there was this horrible echo, I thought they could capsize the boat. And this deafening noise as they communicated, whistling to each other. It was so loud that we had to shout.” We already know killer whales are one of the most intelligent beings in the world, with the second-biggest brains amongst all ocean mammals. They can effectively communicate with their pods, teach each other hunting, and engage in “pranks, tests of trust, limited use of tactical deception, emotional self-control, and empathetic behaviors.” They also harbor the cognitive capacity to take revenge and change their minds about being friendly or aggressive with humans. Now, as their reality drastically shifts again, it is possible the orcas are, what researchers are calling, “pissed off” — about the calves they lost, the injuries they sustained, the lack of food they’re currently grappling with, and the threat humans pose to their lives. These behaviors shed light upon not only how humans have changed the habitats of millions of species but also how these species could react in response to new, ongoing stresses. Now, it turns out, the killer whale — one of the strongest, smartest mammals out there — is fighting back.
Natively found in the Andes Mountain range! Llama Scientific Classification - Scientific Name - Lama Glama Llama Conservation Status - Main Prey - Leaves, Grass, Shoots - Mountainous deserts and grasslands - Human, Puma, Coyote - Average Litter Size - Favorite Food - Natively found in the Andes Mountain range! Llama Physical Characteristics - Skin Type - Top Speed - 28 mph - 15-20 years - 130-204kg (280-450lbs) Click through all of our Llama images in the gallery. One of the Few Animals that Humans Can Safely Hug Dependable, lovable, and calm, llamas are domesticated pack animals traditionally used by Andean cultures in the mountains of South America. Additionally, over the past four decades, they have been imported by farmers, breeders, and exotic pet lovers the world over. Learn about the friendliest animals in the world here. Members of the camel family, llamas are cousins with alpacas. Researchers also believe that they’re the domesticated descendants of guanacos, a closely related wild species. Unlike other cameloids, llamas don’t have dorsal humps, but they do have smiling faces. In fact, they’re so gentle and empathetic that scientists categorize llamas as “charismatic megafaunas,” meaning they’re one of the few species that humans can safely hug. Incredible Llama Facts - Because of their calming and sweet natures, hospitals and nursing homes use llamas as therapy animals. - William Randolf Hearst once had the largest herd of North America llamas on his San Simeon estate in California. - Urcuchillay, an ancient Incan god, was a multicolored llama. - Llamas are considered sacred animals among Andean peoples who call them “silent brothers.” - Llamas are animals that first came to the United States as zoo exhibits in the 1800s. - Dried llama dung can be used to fuel trains and boats. - Dogs aren’t the only pets that get to strut their stuff for competitions. Llama shows are becoming increasingly popular in parts of the United States! Llama Scientific Name The scientific name for llamas is Lama glama. Unlike some other scientific species names, Lama gama isn’t a Latin construction. Instead, it comes from the Incan word Quechua. Carl Linnaeus, the “father of taxonomy” who formalized the system for classifying organisms, created the scientific name for llamas. Female llamas are called either “dams” or “hembras.” Males are called “studs” or “machos.” Castrated males are known as “geldings.” Llamas are animals that come in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Standard-sized adults range in height from 1.7 to 1.8 meters (5 feet 7 inches to 6 feet) tall and weigh between 130 to 200 kilograms (290 to 440 pounds). From the tops of their heads, llamas are about the same height as tall humans but weigh a bit more. The largest llamas weigh about the same as gorillas, lions, and tigers. Llama tails and tongues are short. Additionally, llamas don’t have upper teeth, rendering their exceptionally rare bites relatively harmless. Llamas can be brown, white, black, grey, and piebald, or spotted. Their soft, lanolin-free fur is highly prized for clothes, knitting, and handicrafts. Llama outer hair is coarser and used for ropes, rugs, and wall art. Llamas sport long banana-shaped ears that serve as mood rings. Pinned back ears indicate that an animal is feeling agitated or threatened. Perked up ears mean they’re happy or curious. Llamas only have two toes. Additionally, their feet are narrow and padded on the bottom, which allows the animal to walk on rough mountain landscapes comfortably. Due to their very long large intestines, like camels, llamas can go long periods without water. Llamas are very social animals that prefer to live in herds. Like humans, they care for the other animals in their packs, which operate like families. Animals with high herd status can be bossy, but they’re also protective. Interestingly, herd status is continuously in flux. One week an individual may be the top llama, only to find themselves at the bottom of the rung the following week. To climb the social ladder, males regularly challenge other males. Dominance scuffles are like schoolyard fights that involve spitting and trying to knock each other off balance. Owners and handlers must be careful not to over socialize llamas, though, because it can lead to berserk llama syndrome. A psychological condition that affects males of the species, berserk llama syndrome happens when animals become so comfortable with humans that they start to see them as fellow llamas, resulting in kicking and spitting tantrums. Bottle-fed llamas are especially at risk of developing the condition. In recent years, llamas have been increasingly used as therapy animals for nursing homes, veterans’ homes, hospitals, and special education facilities. To be considered for the job, llamas must pass a series of tests demonstrating their ability to be touched by strangers and staying calm when an argument erupts near them. Some llama shows even have a public relations category where the animals must show compassion by lowering their head to a stranger sitting in a wheelchair. Incredibly efficient pack animals, llamas can carry 25 to 30 percent of their weight, which translates to about 50 to 75 pounds, for up to 20 miles at a time. Andean people have long used them to carry things through arduous mountain regions. However, when llamas are freighted with too much weight, they will sit down and refuse to move until their load is reduced. Llamas primarily communicate via humming and can recognize individual vocalizations. When danger descends, llamas will let out a loud and shrill “mwa” sound to alert nearby herd members. Llamas are also good jumpers. In 2017, a Lama glama named Caspa earned the title of highest jumping llama when he cleared a 1.13 meter (3 feet 8.5 inches) hurdle without touching the bar! According to the fossil record, llamas primarily lived in North America 40 million years ago. About 3 million years ago, they migrated to South America. At the end of the last ice age, about 10 to 12 thousand years ago, llamas went extinct in North America. In the modern era, the majority of llamas live in South America, primarily in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. During the 1970s and 1980s, South American exporters started sending llamas to farmers and breeders around the world, including North America, Australia, and Europe. By the early 2000s, the llama business was booming, and 145,000 of the animals called the United States and Canada home. At that time, a single llama could sell for as much as $220,000. But then the Great Recession hit and llama investment money dried up. Unfortunately, the older llamas died off. As a result, only about 40,000 llamas live in North America today. However, that number is increasing. Llamas are often used as livestock guards for lamb and sheep flocks. Male geldings are typically trained for the position and are introduced into their flocks at two years old. Farmers report that llamas are great at the job and regularly scare off coyotes and feral dogs. However, using two llamas for one flock doesn’t work well because the geldings bond with each other instead of their charges. Generally speaking, llamas can live happily in both mountainous regions and open plains. Llamas are herbivores, meaning they eat plant-based diets and no meat. Due to their complex stomachs, llamas can process lower-quality, high-cellulose foods. A typical llama meal consists of bromegrass hay, alfalfa hay, corn silage, or grass. For their health, adding corn silage and minerals is also a good move. Llamas eat about 10 to 12 pounds daily, or about 2 to 4 percent of their body weight. The cost of feeding a llama is about the same as feeding a big dog. Llama Predators & Threats Since llamas live as domesticated animals, they’re protected by their owners and handlers. As a result, they don’t have to worry too much about predators. However, cougars, mountain lions, and snow leopards are natural enemies that will attack llamas if they get close enough. Technically, humans are also llama predators because, at times, people have hunted them for their meat, hides, and fur. Llamas are vulnerable to a variety of bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases. Some also suffer from cancer and various heart conditions. In the early 20th century, a foot-and-mouth disease pandemic spread throughout the llama population. Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan Mating and Gestation Female llamas are induced ovulators, meaning they don’t release eggs on a cycle. Instead, an outside stimulus initiates egg release. As such, llamas often become pregnant on the first mating attempt. Breeders and farmers have three different mating options for their herds. The first is harem mating, which involves one male living with a bunch of females. When a male and female feel like mating, they do. The second method is called field mating. Handlers who use this method set a male and female out into a field for a period and hope they mate. Hand mating is the third type. Owners put a male and female in the same pen and monitor their interaction. If they don’t mate on the first day, the animals are separated for a day and then brought back together for a second attempt. Males and females of the species must be kept separate or, like rabbits, they’ll never stop breeding! Llamas mate in the kush position, lying down, which is unusual for large farm animals. Their mating sessions usually last between 20 to 45 minutes, and females have an 11.5-month-long, or 350-day, gestation period. During mating sessions, males make a continuous sound known as an “orgle,” which sounds a lot like gurgling. When it’s time for a mama llama to give birth, the other females in the herd instinctively gather around her for protection. They give birth standing up, and the whole process is usually done within 30 minutes. Mothers almost always give birth between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on warmer, sunnier days. Scientists believe this is an instinctual phenomenon that llamas developed to avoid hypothermic conditions present during cold mountain nights. Baby llamas are called “crias,” which is the Spanish word for babies. At birth, they weigh between 9 to 14 kilograms (20 to 31 pounds), and they’re usually walking and suckling within an hour of being born. Mothers can’t lick their newborns like other mammals because their tongues only extend half an inch outside of their mouths. Instead, they nuzzle and hum to their children for comfort. Crias feed on their mother’s milk for five to six months. Females reach puberty at about 12 months old, and boys don’t start mating until about 3 years old. Llamas live between 15 and 25 years. The current oldest living llama is a gent named Julio Gallo that lives in Olympia, Washington. In 2017, he was 28 years old. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature does not list llamas as a threatened species. Though no formal count currently exists, scientists believe that about 8 million llamas now roam the Earth, the majority of which are in South America. The International Lama Registry, which is headquartered in Montana, keeps genealogical records of North American llamas for breeders. Llama FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) Are llamas carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores? Llamas are herbivores, meaning they don’t eat meat. Are llamas friendly? Yes, llamas are sweet, compassionate, friendly animals. They have such lovely personalities that nursing homes, hospitals, and special needs facilities invite them in as therapy animals. Are llamas dangerous? Generally speaking, llamas are not dangerous. However, llamas that develop berserk llama syndrome may grow very aggressive and try to fight with humans by kicking and spitting. Llamas vs Alpacas: What's the Difference? At first glance, llamas and alpacas look very similar, but there are several key differences. For starters, llamas have long ears; alpaca ears are short. Similarly, llamas have long faces and alpaca short ones. Additionally, alpacas are smaller than llamas. Personality wise, llamas are more like dogs — social and friendly — while alpacas are more like cats — reserved and independent. Despite their differences, llamas and alpacas can interbreed. What Kingdom do Llamas belong to? Llamas belong to the Kingdom Animalia. What phylum do Llamas belong to? Llamas belong to the phylum Chordata. What class do Llamas belong to? Llamas belong to the class Mammalia. What family do Llamas belong to? Llamas belong to the family Camelidae. What order do Llamas belong to? Llamas belong to the order Artiodactyla. What genus do Llamas belong to? Llamas belong to the genus Lama. What type of covering do Llamas have? Llamas are covered in Fur. In what type of habitat do Llamas live? Llamas live in mountainous deserts and grasslands. What do Llamas eat? Llamas eat leaves, grass, and shoots. What are some predators of Llamas? Predators of Llamas include humans, pumas, and coyotes. What is the average litter size for a Llama? The average litter size for a Llama is 1. What is an interesting fact about Llamas? Llamas are natively found in the Andes Mountain range! What is the scientific name for the Llama? The scientific name for the Llama is Lama Glama. What is the lifespan of a Llama? Llamas can live for 15 to 20 years. What is the lifespan of a Llama? Llamas can live for 15 to 20 years. How fast is a Llama? A Llama can travel at speeds of up to 28 miles per hour. - David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife - Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals - David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia - Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species - David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals - Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals - David W. Macdonald, Oxford University Press (2010) The Encyclopedia Of Mammals
The Influence of Economy-Based Agri-Food Policies on Diet and Weight: Synthesis Report Obesity's increasing prevalence is of concern because of its impacts on the population health and its associated costs. To promote healthy public policies, this scientific advisory documents the influence of economy-based agri-food policies that can affect the population's diet and weight. To this end, the following economic measures are reviewed: agricultural subsidies, trade policies, agricultural research and development programs, agricultural promotion programs, agricultural initiatives to supply institutions such as agricultural surplus and Farm-to-School programs and, lastly, price interventions. In light of the information compiled, this scientific advisory identifies three promising avenues for interventions to guide agri-food policies: - Increase the number of farmer's market offering fruits and vegetables, especially in disadvantaged areas - Develop processing policies that correspond to public health objectives - Develop school programs that offer fruits or vegetables and milk Le document intégral est également disponible : L'influence des politiques agroalimentaires à caractère économique sur l'alimentation et le poids.
Making Music Visual: Interact with music history, taxonomy and anatomy. Music doesn’t have to be invisible. The intangible nature of music drives people to add visual and now interactive layers on top of it. We’ll examine how three projects visualize different aspects of musical data. Simple interactions turn static timelines into informative media experiences, maps into a means of dissecting the time and place of musical diversification and graphs into representations of the music itself. Produced by the Adobe Experience Design team, 100 Years with the San Francisco Symphony is a detailed visualization of the institution’s history all wrapped up in an attractive spiral-shaped timeline. Each colored block represents an important event and has a piece of media associated with it. This simple exploratory tool adds a lot of visual interest to an otherwise dry history of the San Francisco Symphony. The key on the left also acts as a filter for the spiral visualization. Filtering down to one category reveals an abbreviated timeline of that subject. Although very simple, this feature is powerful because it puts related historical events in the same context and creates a sub-narrative within the larger history that’s easy to follow. Hovering on blocks reveals a preview in the center of the spiral which when clicked opens up to a modal window with that piece of media. These interactions define how you interact with most of the actual content but to me they feel a little clunky. The media preview in the center of the visualization often looks like it has a title of “Henry Hadley” when really that text is a label on the timeline. The styling of both the preview box and the modal window don’t seem to match the smooth and minimal style of the main screen. Their darker color and hard outline look a bit out of place. More importantly than that, the modal window covers up most of the main visualization and the key, leaving you only with “back” and “next” buttons for navigation. These strangely titled buttons mean you have to close the window to navigate to an event a few years down the line. The modal window also breaks the convention of color coding events, making it unclear what category the piece of content you’re viewing is in. Though unsurprising since it was built by Adobe, it’s slightly disappointing that this visualization was built with Flash. It’s completely functional and good-looking but it seems like an ideological choice rather than a practical one. Web languages have a much better chance of lasting another 100 years than Flash does. How Music Travels is another recently published music visualization which combines history and taxonomy in one complex and compact interactive piece. The data is presented as a flow-chart, on a map, animated over time. Latching on to increased popularity in music tourism, the British travel service Thomson created this graphic to draw in and educate visitors on the evolution of western dance music around the world. This little graphic, completely built with HTML5 and CSS3, packs a tremendous amount in and, of course, leaves even more detail out. It’s no easy feat attempting to sequence the complex evolution and taxonomy of musical genres, much less plot them on a map. The map used is actually genius in how vague it is. By avoiding any actual geography, points on the map can be as general or specific as the data allows. The simple hierarchy used is a quick read and also encodes information about that regions importance based on its relative scale. The animation itself plays through a little quickly on the first pass but the big scrubber makes it easy to go back and slowly replay pieces of the history. Especially interesting are the 70s and 80s. In the 70s we see Disco go global, making the jump to Europe and later in the 80s we can see the explosion in diversity caused by the digital music revolution. For all the complexity and subjectivity involved in talking about music genres I think Thomson did a great job of distilling down the data and presenting it to their audience. Commenters can gripe about missing influences and skipped genres but I applaud the visualizers to minimizing their scope and sticking to their guns. In their post about the graphic they admit: This is a fairly complex subject and much debate exists not only around how you define various genres of music, but also where they initially came from. The end-state piece is quite visually complex but that complexity is representative of the subject involved. I don’t know if it makes me want to travel to another country for the music but the simple tools help me extract some interesting information about how the travel of music itself. Finally we have Definitive Daft Punk which actually visualizes the musical anatomy of a mashup. Designed and developed by Cameron Adams, or The Man in Blue, this visualization breaks down the individual tracks that make up his mashup and presents them in a combined gantt chart and functional music scrubber along the bottom. The audio waveforms of each track are also visualized in concentric circles and are color coded to the tracks along the bottom. When a new track is added the title appears briefly on its ring. The ring itself disappears when that track is no longer playing. Amazingly this visualization is built entirely in HTLM5 and CSS3 using canvas and some other pretty complex parts and pieces. The stunning visuals make it a little CPU heavy but embedded in the bright colors is interesting information about how mash-ups are created. The layering of tracks becomes apparent in the gantt chart and you also get a sense for the pace of the whole song; where it’s more compressed or more relaxed. My one criticism is that tracks used more than once in the mashup are hard to see. Instead of cascading vertically and changing color, tracks that have already been used should appear on the same line in the same color but placed further down the timeline. Cameron really went the extra mile with this piece to communicate the nuances of creating mashups to a wider audience. In his post about the visualization he says: Hopefully it gives you a new insight into the artform of the mashup, otherwise you can just stare at the pretty shapes. Some will come to these visualizations only for the pretty shapes but as with most visualizations of merit, you get out of it what you put into it. You need to look closely to gain understanding. The trick is for designers to build interactive pieces that can instantly draw in a user, keep them there and communicate a message or impart knowledge. People instantly connect with music and providing an interface that helps them see it in a new way can be powerful. By re-framing familiar concepts in new visual displays and interfaces we can guide people to change their perspective and learn something new.
Not that I was a master of data and things but the following theory is quite fascinating. 01000101 01110010 01101001 01100011 00100000 01010010 01101111 01110100 01101000 The binary code was invented back in 1679 by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and the binary system has become the backbone of every digital system. Computers communicate with each other using the binary digits 0 and 1. Every letter of the text and numbers we type as well as every type of media we share are transmitted at the core level as bits and streams of 0s and 1s only. Dare Bridge The Gap But what if human has not invented anything new with such a duality and the whole universe was built upon similar binary relations only? The answer to the enduring question of the smallest thing in the universe has evolved along with humanity. Closer to truth: The greatest thinkers exploring the deepest questions. People once thought grains of sand were the building blocks of what we see around us. Then the atom was discovered, and it was thought indivisible, until it was split into subatomic particles to reveal protons, neutrons and electrons inside. These too, seemed like fundamental particles, before scientists identified hadrons which are categorized into two families: - baryons which always consist of either 3 quarks or 3 anti-quarks and - mesons which are made of one quark and one anti quark (or the antiparticle, the particle of antimatter). Protons and neutrons are examples of baryons whereas pions or pi mesons are an example of a meson (each pion consists of a quark and an anti quark and is therefore a meson). “Imprisoned” mankind in a virtual reality system – The Matrix – to be farmed as a power source But who could really proof our very existence hasn’t yet been simulated and who knows what’s next as we keep playing with our Large Hadron Colider? How many kilometres of cables are there on the LHC? How low is the pressure in the beam pipe? Discover facts & figures about the Large Hadron Collider in the LHC guide. My cares, concerns and hobbies certainly consist of traveling, discovering and global politics next to notably all the 58 Projects, you'll find in My Interests. Discover some matters of substance! Besides my digital bookshelf, you'll also find my fav movies, music playlists & tracks from all over this site in Multimedia.
Pilch Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside L14 0JG 0151 477 8815 Loving, learning, growing together with Jesus At St Margaret Mary's Infants, Music is embedded into all aspects of school life and our aim is to inspire children to adopt a lifelong love of music. Music is taught in weekly lessons following the Charanga Musical School scheme of work. This is an engaging and exciting scheme which supports National Curriculum requirements. The scheme provides children with practical, exploratory and child-led approaches to musical learning. Each year group follow a series of topics, linked closely to complement other curriculum areas in a fun and exciting way. The Charanga scheme of work allows us to encourage the development of musical skills through listening and appraising, comparing of genre, creating and exploring and performing. During assemblies and school services, music plays an important role in encouraging the children to celebrate, share success and gather together as a school family. Our aim is for children to be given the opportunity to gain an appreciation and understanding of the many benefits that music can offer. We aspire to give children the confidence to perform, create and explore, using music to express their feelings and create a positive and fun learning environment.
How To Cut Chipboard Without Chips With A Circular Saw In order to make an even cut without damaging the laminated layer, you will need to take a jigsaw file, in which the size of the teeth will be the smallest. It is advisable to use a jigsaw for cutting small-sized sections of chipboard. Jerks and excessive pressure during work should be avoided. The feed speed of the cutting blade at the tool should be selected as minimum. Laminated chipboard is made from waste from sawn hardwood and coniferous species, while the plate is lightweight and is used for the manufacture of furniture structures. Most home furniture makers prefer laminated particle board when choosing raw materials for furniture making. This material is relatively inexpensive, and in outlets there is always a wide variety of colors and textures to choose from. The difficulty in working with chipboard is that it is very difficult to saw off a part of the sheet of the required size due to the fact that the fragile laminated layer creates cracks and chips at the sawing site. Knowledge of some of the techniques used in work helps to cope with this task. To cut laminated chipboard, you need to arm yourself with a saw with fine teeth. For an accurate and high-quality performance of sawing work, you must act in a certain sequence. - On the chipboard sheet, you need to outline the cutting line, where to glue the paper adhesive strip tightly. The tape will prevent the saw teeth from crushing the lamination layer during the sawing process. - With the help of an awl or a knife blade, a groove with a depression is made along the mowing line. Thus, we cut through a thin layer of lamination in advance, simplifying our task during sawing. Moving along this groove, the saw blade will move along a tangential plane, while cutting deep layers of wood-shaving material. - When cutting, it is recommended to keep the saw blade at an acute angle relative to the working plane of the plate. - If the sawing work will be carried out using an electric tool, the feed speed of the cutting blade should be kept to a minimum so that the saw cannot vibrate or bend. - After sawing off, the cut of the workpiece must be processed first with a file, and then with sandpaper. The cut must be processed with movements from the center to the edge of the workpiece. To protect the cut point on the workpiece from further chips or cracks, it is closed by applying melamine adhesive tape, or end edges are fixed, which can have a T-shaped or C-shaped appearance. How and what to cut the chipboard without chips? - Cutting rules - Materials and tools - Electric jigsaw - Hand saw - Circular saw - Electric milling cutter - How to cut correctly? The abbreviation laminated chipboard should be understood as a laminated chipboard, which consists of natural wood waste mixed with a polymer adhesive, and has a lamination in the form of a monolithic film consisting of several layers of paper impregnated with resin. The lamination process is carried out under production conditions under a pressure of 28 MPa and at a high temperature regime, reaching 220C. As a result of such processing, a very durable glossy coating is obtained, which can have various color shades and is highly resistant to mechanical damage and moisture. This hand tool is used in combination with a metal blade, as it has the smallest teeth. Before work, a paper sticky tape must be glued to the cut site, which protects the lamination layer from damage. The hand saw blade must be held at an angle of 3035, this position reduces the likelihood of chipping on the material. The movements of the hacksaw blade should be smooth, without pressure on the blade. This power tool consists of a small work table and a rotating toothed disc. A circular saw cuts a chipboard much faster and better than an electric jigsaw. During the sawing process, the saw is turned on at low speed. In this case, chips may appear on the opposite side of the saw teeth. Electric milling cutter It is a hand-held type of power tool that is used to saw and drill wood-based panels. Before starting work in laminated chipboard, using a hand jigsaw, make a small cut, retreating from the marking contour by 34 mm. The sawing process uses several cutter blades and its bearing device, which regulates the cutting depth. It is not so easy to use a cutter, so you need to have some skill with this tool to cut the slab. The movement of the cutter is quite fast, and there is a possibility of making an uneven cut. The use of hand tools is advisable in the manufacture of single products from laminated chipboard. For mass production, it is advisable to purchase format-cutting equipment. Using a hacksaw Sawing with a hacksaw at home is quite difficult. First, you need to cut the measuring line with a knife and glue tape on it. This will protect the top layer from damage. Aim the tool at an angle of 30 degrees. Gently, without strong pressure, move the hacksaw back and forth. To cut chipboard without chipping with a hacksaw at home, choose devices with the finest teeth. In case of damage, the place of cutting must be passed with a file, guiding it from the edge to the center. Finally, rub with sandpaper (fine-grained) and hide the defects under a flexible profile. Using a router Milling cutter power tool, for manual woodworking. Suitable for grooving, curving, edging and drilling. Before using it, a sheet of wood is sawn with a jigsaw, stepping back 3 mm from the marking. It is necessary to cut with a milling cutter together with a bearing, which forms the depth of cut to the required level. This is a laborious process that only experienced specialists can do. There is a high probability of crookedly cutting the board. How to cut chipboard without chips at home Chipboard chipboard. It is used in the manufacture of furniture and decoration. Affordable price is the main feature. In modern wood production, laminated boards are used. They are made from coniferous and deciduous-wood materials. They are distinguished by their strength and ease of processing. Incorrect cutting process can lead to breakage and cracks. To avoid this, you should know what to do to cut chipboard without chips at home. Sawing with a panel saw The workpiece is placed on the table and fixed in a stationary state. The necessary markings are made on the sheet and include the saw unit. When the disc reaches a sufficient speed, the table moves forward along with the wooden plates and hits the disc. - Tile position; - Cut depth; - Cutting angle. Chipboard cutting machines are divided into 3 types: - Lightweight for 5 hours of continuous work; - Average up to 10 hours; - Heavy up to 20 hours. What the cutting machine consists of: - The base is the mount on which the entire mechanism rests. A heavy bed will add stability to the instrument and eliminate vibration. This is important for a quality cut. - The saw unit consists of 2 flat metal discs. The first one pre-saws the slab, and the second one finally cuts through it. - Work tables. Three take part in the process at once. The first is for positioning the unit, the second is for feeding the sawn-off plates (movable), the third is for supporting the sawn-off parts. - The carriage allows the movable table to move. In this case, the workpiece is fixed with a stop and rulers in the required position. The process requires a guide rail. It is fixed on the board with clamps. Trimming is carried out according to the markings. The tire is installed along the mowing line, and the cut is made 10 mm deep. The second cut is made through. With this method, there will be no chips on both sides, since the laminate has already been cut on the underside. Some elements used in design ideas are not cut straight, but curved. In this case, a mixed type of chipboard cutting is used. The tool is a table with a toothed disk for chipboard. Among the craftsmen, it is called a circular saw. Cuts through wood better than a jigsaw. A good chipping-free result is possible by sketching the guide lines and securing the circular saw to the board. Chips should not appear at the point where the saw cuts into the plate. But the opposite side can be cut with fragments. What else do you need to know? When it is planned to saw off everything without chips on one side, it is permissible to use saws with both upper and lower teeth. Most craftsmen prefer small, straight-toothed files. Such devices chip less material, but at the same time they work pretty well. After the saw cut, it is best to process the ends with emery stretched over even bars. If there is no ready-made crayon of a suitable color, you can mix different crayons, like paints in the artist’s palette, and get a new color. To cut without errors and, moreover, quickly, you must always take into account the brand markings. There is no generally binding designation standard yet, but almost all firms strictly follow the classification developed by Bosch specialists. Or at least indicate it along with their own abbreviations and terms. For cutting wood and wood-based products, CV files (sometimes referred to as HCS) are well suited. Some inscriptions indicate in which mode the tool works optimally: Basic a simple blade for high quality clean cuts; Speed device, the teeth of which are set apart (this allows you to cut faster); Clean linen that has not been cut (usually gives the cleanest cut). If the workpiece is relatively thick, preferably a saw blade with large incisors that have not been set, then there will be minimal vertical drift. The longitudinal (in relation to the fibers) cut is most often made with helical saws. For transverse, a straight blade is better. When you plan to make a blank for furniture, it is advisable to choose a less productive, but more accurate tool. Since most of the saws now produced cut the material when retracted, the workpiece will need to be processed from the inside out. How to cut a chipboard with a jigsaw without chips? Laminated chipboard is one of the most common materials used in the independent manufacture of furniture. You can talk about its advantages and disadvantages for a long time. But it is much more important to learn how to saw chipboard with a jigsaw without chips. Features and recommendations Experts and connoisseurs advise doing this kind of work with electric jigsaws, just because an ordinary hand hacksaw is too rough. It doesn’t cut the material straight enough. The correct sequence of steps is as follows: Preparation of tools (ruler, jigsaw, measuring tape, awl or other sharp device for drawing on chipboard); Addition of these tools (if necessary) with a square for laying right angles; Measuring the desired part (with a margin of 0.2 cm so that you can fit); Drawing a line along the ruler; Actually, the cut along the laid mowing line; Finalization of the saw cut with sandpaper; With very poor quality of the end face, rubbing it with fine, similar in tonality to chipboard. Completing of the work When the file is selected, you still need to properly saw the laminated board at home. Experts recommend cutting along a guide (a rail clamped in clamps will do). If you use a new, unworn blade, you can cut the chipboard as cleanly as with a circular saw. It is advisable to turn on the jigsaw at the lowest speed possible. This will significantly increase the resource of each file used. The canvases themselves are placed at right angles to the sole of the jigsaw. The easiest way to adjust the angle is with a square or protractor. Important: the straight line passing through the cutting edge of the tool must be parallel to the rigidly fixed part of the jigsaw. It is recommended to use special inserts to reduce the chance of splitting. But in order for them to work more efficiently, they usually cut the laminate layer on the side where the blade will come out. For how to saw chipboard with a jigsaw without chips, see the following. How to cut plywood without chipping with a hacksaw? For this, the material must be securely attached to the workbench. It is also recommended to process the place of the future cut along the entire length: - With PVA glue, using a brush 12 cm wide (sawing can be started after it is completely dry); - With a sharp knife, making two parallel grooves. To speed up the process, PVA can be replaced with a sticker of electrical tape or masking tape. When choosing the option, two grooves are applied with a sharp knife, under a metal ruler, in three steps. The cut is made between parallel lines to prevent chipping. The load of the hacksaw blade must fall on the plane of the plywood sheet. How to cut plywood without chipping with a jigsaw? There are several factors to consider when working with such a layered material. Including this: - Selection of tools with fine teeth and the minimum size of their setting; - Feeding the cutting blade at a low speed and at right angles to the plane of the processed sheet; - Sawing across the veneer grain. The problem of how to cut plywood without chipping with a jigsaw was partially solved by the tool manufacturer Bosch. They have a range of special cleaning blades CleanWood. Feature of such products: - Small size of teeth; - Lack of their pronounced focus; - Their minimal wiring. If it is problematic to purchase CleanWood, then you need to use a blade for cutting metal. When cutting material with an electric jigsaw, it is not recommended to work by weight, but only on a special workbench table. Otherwise, skew is inevitable and the cutting blade may break. How to cut plywood without chips? Plywood is several layers of wood veneer, bonded to one another with an adhesive. If you do not follow the technology of cutting such a material, then the teeth of the cutting blade will tear off pieces of the upper layer. Flaws are obtained, called chips. You can cut plywood with any of the following tools: - A manual or electric jigsaw; - Circular saw; Each of these tools is recommended for use under certain conditions. How to cut plywood without chipping with a circular saw? It is recommended to cut on a flat floor. The plywood sheet is laid on wooden blocks of equal thickness, placed perpendicular to the cutting line of the cut. Full support from the bottom ensures that the corner of the sheet will not break off at the end of the cut. A metal or wooden guide is installed on top, which is fixedly fixed with clamps. In order to cut the laminated plywood accurately and without chips, you need: - Setting the minimum cutting depth. On the opposite side of the sheet, the teeth should protrude 23 mm. With this setting of the cutting depth, the blade does not cut, but neatly cuts the wood. - Choosing the right circular saw. For a gentle cut, a blade with a minimum size and a large number of teeth is selected (for example, No. 140). - Low feed speed of the cutting blade when moving without stopping. In this case, the teeth do not chop, but gently cut the wood without chipping. In order to properly cut the film faced plywood, it is also recommended to set the blade speed to maximum. Disadvantage of the method: the carpenter runs the risk of overheating the canvas. - Placement of adhesive tape in place of the cut. For this, it is recommended to use masking tape that does not leave marks on the surface of the sheet. At the end of the work, the tape is removed at an angle of 90 about the movement towards the cut. If laminated plywood is to be processed, it is recommended to tape the sole of the circular saw with tape as well. This avoids scratches on the face of the sheet. The better to cut plywood with a thickness of 9 mm? Both an electric jigsaw and a circular saw are suitable for cutting such material. The first option is indispensable in the case of a curly cut path. To cut thick plywood without chipping with an electric jigsaw, it is recommended to use any of two types of blades: - Clean series CleanWood (Bosch); - For metal. A conventional circular saw is also suitable for smooth cutting of plywood. It is enough to install a blade with a fine tooth (for example, No. 140), adjust the depth of cut within 1213 mm and lay the sheet on even wooden blocks. Cutting is recommended to be done along the guide, with a low feed rate of the tool and without interruption. If the front surface of the sheet is laminated, then the place of the cut is pre-pasted with masking tape. Anyone who doubts which saw is better to cut plywood, we recommend contacting a specialized company with laser cutting and professional equipment for cutting. Reception 1. Cut along the guide We install a guide (tire) on the workpiece, set the cutting depth and perform the cut. As you can see for yourself, even on the outside of our chipboard blank there are no chips, no explosions. The cut itself is even without signs of scoring or side waves. Why such difference? What affects the quality of sawing chipboard? In this case, we will cut chipboard, this is the most capricious material for sawing, because it has longitudinal and transverse layers, a rather delicate and thin veneer. But on the other hand, it has a hard glue base, which will also interfere with us. What to do if you don’t have a hand-held circular saw and guide? You need to make the guide yourself. We find an ordinary profile, you can take the rule, any even rail, the main thing is that its geometry is even. We measure the distance from the saw blade to the edge of your chipboard workpiece. We attach the guide to the workpiece with any clamp and start cutting. The main thing in the process is to constantly press the saw against the guide. That is, your hand should always guide the saw towards the homemade tire. After cutting, you will get an almost perfect cut, the cutting line is barely visible. We made a very high quality cut, the cut itself is clean, no side marks are visible on it. Except for a small amount of lint on the back of the workpiece. Where did this pile come from, because we worked with a guide (tire)? There is a special plastic protective tape on the purchased cutting bar. This tape prevents the pile from rising and the saw cuts it. In this case, we did not have this tape, so we got this pile on the surface. What to do with the pile in this case? There are two options: 1. Take ordinary masking tape. It is glued to the place where it was cut, marking is made on it and sawn together with masking tape. The scotch tape keeps the root in place and when we cut it, we get everything clean. 2. Just drive the saw blade more slowly. That is, if you do the same with a slower feed, then there will be much less chips. What is the merit of the guide? When we saw with a disc, we inevitably move the saw, the so-called movement of the iron is obtained. That is, when we move our hand, we all the time move the saw to the right, to the left. A guide that has a rigid edging avoids this. Accordingly, when we guide the saw along the guide, it does not move and the saw blade itself works smoothly, without changing its position. It turns out a perfect line parallel to the guide. How to smoothly saw off chipboard without chips and lint? Today we will tell you what affects the quality of sawing, how to cut the chipboard smoothly and cleanly, as well as how you can cut with a rail and without a guide with a conventional circular saw. We will show using the example of a hand-held circular saw, but this does not affect the sawing techniques, the difference is only in minor details. You can get a similar quality cut on a cheaper tool if you follow our advice. Saw blade. How to choose it? When cutting chipboard, the saw blade must simultaneously cut cleanly and be resistant, because the glue in its properties is very close to glass and quickly blunts the tool itself. Therefore, in the process of cutting chipboard, you need to choose sufficiently good discs to cut them without losing quality for a long time. What is the difficulty of sawing with a circular saw with discs? If we look at the cut of the workpiece, we will see that it is full of seizures, because it is practically impossible to keep the saw straight on the hand. On the saw blade there is a difference in height between the body of the saw itself and the sawing part of the tooth. Due to this distance, the disc is able to guide its position in the cut. Accordingly, as soon as it changes its geometry, the rear teeth begin to press on the chipboard workpiece and leave traces on it. The disc rotates from the bottom up, it cuts the pile of the workpiece up to the base. Thus, below, on the front side, we always have a clean surface. Problems begin to form at the top, where the teeth come out of the workpiece. This is how explosions, chips, pile are obtained. How can they be minimized, or avoided altogether? There are several simple tricks and we will tell you about them now. How to cut chipboard without chips? Before starting to cut chipboard, especially laminated one, cut the line with a sharp tool, along which we will cut and glue paper tape with a sticky layer along it. This will help minimize damage to the decorative chipboard layer. If chips still could not be avoided, we process the cut first with a file, working from the edges to the center, and then with a fine-grained sandpaper. It is also possible to mask all defects using a flexible profile where possible. Tools and materials If possible, it is best to cut the chipboard with a hand milling cutter using homemade guides. This method is not very convenient when cutting large sheets, because when working with this tool, a table is required. In addition, this method often requires changing the cutters. But as a result, you will get cleanly finished, beveled edges. The electric jigsaw is the most popular tool for sawing chipboard Some craftsmen use a jigsaw in their work, however, in the absence of skill, it is difficult to cut smoothly, and chips can form. If such methods do not suit you, then for cutting chipboard at home, we will prepare for work: - A hacksaw with fine teeth (one that is best suited for metal work). In this case, the teeth must be divorced by 1/2 of the blade thickness and be hardened; - Paper adhesive tape; - File for rough processing of the cut mowing line; - Sandpaper for finishing the cut line. Sawing chipboard methods and methods of processing [contents] If you have tried to cut chipboard at home at least once, then you know for sure that this work is by no means simple and requires not only skill, but also a good tool. It is especially difficult to process laminated chipboard, when sawing it, a lot of chips are often formed. That is why, many craftsmen, faced with such a problem, come to the conclusion that it is better to cut the chipboard when buying, especially since many trading organizations provide such services and the price for them is quite acceptable. Sawing of chipboard is carried out using precise panel saws, which will help to obtain workpieces of a given size and shape. In addition to cutting sheets, they will help you calculate and provide in the form of a visual file several options for competent and economical cutting of sheet material (using special computer programs) and, if necessary, perform edging. However, if for some reason you prefer to do this work yourself, before sawing the chipboard you will have to do some preparatory work. - Tools and materials - How to cut chipboard without chips? - Figured cutting - What you can’t cut chipboard It is even more difficult to obtain curved surfaces of a given configuration at home, while you will have to additionally spend money on purchasing a router, which will help you get rid of chips and notches formed when you cut chipboard. To cut chipboard, you need to follow these steps: - Having marked out the contours of the necessary part on the chipboard sheet, we cut it out with an electric jigsaw, trying to cut back only a couple of millimeters from the intended mowing line of the cut; - We make templates of the design radius from fiberboard or plywood and carefully grind the ends with sandpaper; - Attaching the template to the part to be trimmed, clamp it with clamps and process it with a manual copying cutter with a bearing, removing excess material exactly to the intended mowing line. It does not matter which cutter (with two or four knives used). The only condition is that the knives must grasp the cut thickness being processed along the entire height. After processing, it remains only to stick the edge on the part. How this is done look at: What you can’t cut chipboard If the amount of work is large enough, and the quality requirements are small, some craftsmen advise to saw the chipboard at home using a grinder (angle grinder, commonly called “Angle Grinder”). In doing so, they use a disc designed for working with wood. To make cutting easier, a guide bar is fixed along the mowing line of the cut with the help of clamps. Cutting a chipboard using an angle grinder can sometimes be seen on.
The Statue of Liberty is an American icon, but New York Harbor’s green lady is actually a native of France! The statue was built as a symbol of friendship between France and the United States, and to celebrate the 100th birthday of America. On June 19, 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrived in 315 pieces to its new home, and took over a year to be constructed. Officially called Liberty Enlightening the World, the statue was so massive that it couldn’t be fully built in time for its official celebration. So Lady Liberty’s designer, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, sent over the completed arm and torch so people would know what the statue would look like. At the time it was finally done and dedicated in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was the largest statue ever built, and the largest structure in the world. It’s no surprise that Liberty is embodied by a woman. French and American people have portrayed the concept as an elegant, regal lady for centuries. In France this woman is called La Marianne, and has had many forms. Every four years, French mayors elect a Frenchwoman to represent Marianne. She will have her likeness captured in statues, stamps, and even money! New York’s own version of Marianne has a smaller copy standing in Paris, surrounded by generations of other visions of French womanhood and liberty. A centuries-old woman who crossed an ocean to stand so tall and represent so much? Extremely cool.
I previously reported on studies establishing a connection between traumatic brain injury as a risk factor for dementia. A new study published in The Lancet entitled, “Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care: 2020 Report of The Lancet Commission” further establishes that traumatic brain injury is a risk factor for dementia. Back in 2017, The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care identified nine potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia, including less education, hypertension, hearing impairment, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, and low social contact. In 2020, the Alzheimer’s Disease International partnered with The Lancet Commission to once again review factors based on evidence that could potentially prevent or postpone 40%of all dementias. The 2020 Lancet Commission completed a thorough review and meta-analyses and incorporated the information into an updated 12 risk factor life-course model of dementia prevention. In addition to the nine previously mentioned risk factors, the Commission added three more with newer and convincing evidence. These factors are traumatic brain injury, excessive alcohol consumption, and air pollution. According to the study’s findings, “together the 12 modifiable risk factors account for around 40% of the worldwide dementias, which consequently could theoretically be prevented or delayed”. You may find additional information on this study here.
TEACHING BRITISH VALUES Promoting British Values at North Wheatley C of E Primary The DfE consistently identify the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.” The Government set out its definition of British values in the 2011 Prevent Strategy, and these values were reiterated by the Prime Minister in 2014. These values are taught explicitly through Personal, Social, Health and Emotional (PSHE) and Religious Education (RE). We also teach British Values through our deep and rich, concept curriculum underpinned by our Christian Values. At North Wheatley C of E Primary British values are reinforced regularly and in the following ways: Democracy is firmly embedded within the life of the school. Pupils have the opportunity to have their voices heard through Pupil Leadership Team (PLT) and the Wellbeing Committee. Children have the opportunity to see democracy in practice, voting for their committee representatives on an annual basis. The PLT, then vote for the Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary. We openly encourage pupils to share their views respectfully about different matters, whether this is during a discussion in curriculum time, debates or more informally, for example when holding pupil dialogue discussions or through the annual pupil questionnaires. The PLT also contribute to the appointment of new members of staff. The PLT also decide the charities which will be supported throughout the academic year, their achievements and the impact of these, are displayed and celebrated. The Rule of Law: The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country, are consistently reinforced, both in the classroom and during whole school worship. Pupils are taught the value and reasons behind laws: that they govern and protect us; the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Pupils abide by rules on a daily basis, for example following our Code of Conduct, which was written by the children, or playing by the rules when representing the school at a sporting event. Our positive reward system ensures that praise is used effectively to motivate all. ‘Good Choice’ rewards inspire pupils to maintain high standards. Our weekly Celebration worship positively highlights those who are adhering to the school’s rules and values, whilst regular reminders are given in the classroom, during worship or at any point during the school, should there be any issues that need to be brought to pupils’ attention. The pupils, themselves, are constantly reminding each other about making ‘good choices’ and behaving in an appropriate manner. Consequences, in line with the school’s Behaviour Policy, remind the children that breaking the rules may impact on themselves and others. However, we also are keen for pupils to know that at North Wheatley C of E Primary, mistakes are an essential part of our learning and enable us to make progress both personally and academically. We want pupils to know that it is safe to make mistakes in school as we will learn from them. Within school, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school, we educate and provide boundaries for young pupils to make choices safely, through the provision of a safe environment and empowering education. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to exercise these safely, for example through E-Safety and PSHE sessions. Through the choice of challenge, of how they record and of participation in our numerous extra-curricular clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. The Christian Value of respect underpins all that we do. It is threaded through our curriculum, ethos and values. Respect is consistently and frequently discussed with pupils through whole school worship, circle time and Committee meetings. Our positive behaviour philosophy is based around ensuring that all members of our community care for and respect one another and that they value everyone as individuals. In 2020, the school started work on its journey to become a ‘Rights Respecting School’ with a vision of ensuring that every member of our school community is empowered to talk about and promote rights with adults and children. Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs: This is achieved through enhancing pupils understanding of their place in a culturally diverse society and by giving them opportunities to experience such diversity. As a voluntary controlled Church of England school, we welcome children of all faiths. During whole school worship and our curriculum, we explore Christian values, for example, respect, hope and service. These apply equally to all faiths and beliefs. Different faiths, beliefs and festivals are explored in R.E lessons - all major faiths are studied over the different key stages. Visits by external organisations increases pupils’ understanding and respect for other beliefs and religious customs to develop and to hear speakers discuss what their faith means to them. Parents are also encouraged to participate in sharing aspects of their culture. A number of charities are supported by the school, both locally and globally, and these are chosen by the PLT, regardless of faith or belief. A longstanding partnership with Suryapal School in Nepal enables pupils to gain a firsthand understanding of others. Any incident of prejudice – which could be based on faith or belief – would be treated with utmost urgency in accordance with the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy.
Tips & Advice from Professional Rochester Electricians According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, there are more than 451,000 residential fires every year. Over one-third of them--that's more than 150,000 fires--result from electrical system problems. The United States Fire Administration (USFA) says home electrical problems cause over 400 deaths and $610 million in property losses in a typical year. Unlimited Electric shares some important safety tips and information on how you can avoid dangerous electrical situations, protect your property, and keep your family safe. Facts about Electrical Fires Electrical fires are commonly caused by faulty and old wiring. In urban areas, faulty wiring accounts for 33% of residential electrical fires. Misusing extension cords, such as running the cords under rugs or through traffic areas, overloading circuits, and poor maintenance are other common causes of electrical fires. Home electrical wiring problems cause twice as many fires as faulty electrical appliances. Most electrical fires start in the bedroom. It is important to regularly check your wiring and outlets for any problems. December is the worst month for home electrical fires; holiday lights and decorations are a huge risk factor. So, what can you do to keep your family safe? - Have an older home? Hire a licensed and competent Rochester electrician to update the wiring in your house. - Don't misuse extension cords—never run the cords under rugs or where they can be stepped on, crushed, or pulled. - Don't overload outlets. If you don't have sufficient outlets where you need them, hire an electrician to add more. - Circuits and poor maintenance are common causes of electrical fires. Have your home's wiring checked out to make sure you're not overloading circuits. - Unplug electric appliances, such as toasters and coffee makers, when you're not using them. - Take care with holiday decorations to avoid causing dangerous situations like overloaded circuits.
Food Security around the World From Italy to the US, stories of mass hoarding of food have led to fears around shortages in food supply. At the same time, analysis of food stocks around the world compared to consumption reveals that the aggregate global stock of food, particularly for key staples such as rice and wheat, are more than adequate to meet current needs, and are at the highest levels in the past decade (Exhibit 1). The World Bank also notes that global production level for the three most widely consumed staples (rice, wheat, and corn, which account for 97% of grain consumption in the world) are at or near all-time highs. The pertinent issue facing the world’s food systems today is that the flow of food has been restricted. Whether intentionally through export bans or unintentionally through preventative measures that limit workers’ ability to process and move food, new policies have upended the global network of food trade, creating shortages and inflating prices for basic commodities. These restrictions to food access and increase in prices are likely to impact the poor the hardest, given many of these individuals are already food insecure in the first place and would be hardest hit by the lost income from lockdowns, restrictions and loss of employment. Even in the US, the nation’s food banks are facing severe pressures as they try to feed a surge of Americans newly facing food insecurity due to the pandemic, at the same time as they are facing steep drop-offs in food donations from supermarkets and farms. The increasing numbers of workers falling ill in the US as a result of the pandemic in meat processing plants, warehouses and grocery stores is also starting to put a strain on the nation’s food supply chain. For the world’s almost 212 million chronically food-insecure and 95 million acutely food-insecure individuals, a large majority of whom reside in sub-Saharan Africa, the consequences of further food shortages will be all the more severe. While we recognize that issues facing the global food supply chain go beyond any one product, in this research brief we focus on rice as an example to highlight some of the effects of different policies and measures on the movement of food. It is important to note that rice trade is particularly concentrated, with the top three exporters, India, Thailand, and Vietnam, collectively accounting for ~60% of rice exports. Enhanced trade restrictions In the wake of COVID-19, a number of food-exporting countries have explored policies and restrictions that limit the trade of food, in efforts to insulate citizens from initial food price increases. As of April 15, at least sixteen countries have announced exports bans, restricting the movement of food around the world. For rice and wheat in particular, restrictions from top exporting countries could limit the trade of these commodities by ~10-30% (Exhibit 2). We note that, while it may still be too early to tell the full effects of COVID-19 on food trade, current levels of food restrictions have not yet reached the level of restrictions announced during the 2007-8 food crisis (when countries around the world witnessed serious price surges). In the case of rice, Vietnam, the world’s third largest exporter, has announced it would not sign any new rice export contracts to ensure sufficient domestic supplies to cope with the pandemic. This action alone could impact 9% of global rice trade. Disruptions to domestic production and logistics Aside from intentional policies that restrict the flow of food, a combination of labor and capital disruptions are contributing to shocks in food supply and access. Processing plants, where workers often have to work elbow to elbow, could pose significant health risks. For example, Smithfield recently closed its plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after 350 employees (10% of all workers) tested positive for COVID-19. Three other major meat plants in Iowa and Pennsylvania had to shut down earlier in the month as a result of the outbreak. Severe outbreaks of COVID-19 in major cereal-exporting countries could lead to significant disruptions in the normal functioning of crucial ports; in Brazil, workers had been considering a strike over safety concerns at Latin America’s biggest port for exports of corn and soybeans. In the case of rice, India, the world’s largest exporter, has experienced significant labor shortages and domestic disruptions that have hampered producers’ ability to fulfill existing contracts, let alone sign new ones. The government’s strict mobility restrictions have also affected market operations, as trucks and laborers are unable to reach sellers of food. And whilst there is currently a robust level of rice storage and production, there is some concern that the timing of the lockdown could lead to the planting season being missed, which could impact rice production in the near future. Putting it all together: countries that are impacted by disruptions in food supply chains As a result of disruptions to the flow of food, some food-importing nations are threatened by shortages and price spikes for key staples, adding to financial burdens at a time when the pandemic has heavily eroded their economies and purchasing power. In the case of rice, the contracted trade of some of the world’s largest producers have led to global price increases of close to 50% in the past month. Other food commodities, like eggs, have also recorded price tripling since the beginning of March. Countries that rely on trade for these staples are particularly at risk of significant shortages, while exporters are benefiting temporarily on inflated prices. Some of the world’s largest rice importers, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh, and Benin, are facing significant first-order effects of these disruptions, with 80% or more of their rice imports originating from India and Vietnam (Exhibit 3). The rest of the countries are likely to face similar pressures as disruptions lead to broader increases in rice prices. In sub-Saharan Africa, where rice and wheat have become the second most important source of calories after corn, and where as a region rice imports are soon expected to surpass those of Asia, any price hikes in rice (and other staples such as corn, millet, and wheat) will have a large impact, given the already high risks of malnutrition faced by the region’s populations. Among the bottom 20 ranking countries listed by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Food Security Index, fifteen are in sub-Saharan Africa (Exhibit 4). Within countries, lower income communities are also disproportionately feeling the strains the current pandemic has placed on the food and economic systems. An early study by Rozelle et al. (2020) finds that rural households in China have suffered income losses totaling more than $100 Billion as a result of travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The majority of villagers have reduced spending on food and drastically altered diets, switching from meat and produce to grains and staples. The study indicates a decline in nutrition among a share of rural families, and there is particular concern for families with young children, for whom nutritional deficiencies in early childhood can significantly inhibit cognitive development. In the wake of large-scale disruptions to the global food system, governments and organizations around the world are pledging their support to players across the food system, as well as advocating for solutions that could lead to long term sustainability in food access. The World Bank has invested in targeted programs in countries like Angola and Pakistan, where their capital can be used to improve operations of existing food supply chains and enhance food production in least-served communities. Colombia’s government has temporarily lifted conditionality on cash transfers to the program’s 10 million plus beneficiaries, and introduced a bonus subsidy and VAT tax returns to allow the most vulnerable and food insecure populations of the country to have an adequate provision of basic necessities like food. In countries where schools are closed due to COVID-19 – which means that millions of children are no longer receiving the school meals they normally depend on for nutrition – the World Food Programme is working with governments and partners to identify alternatives such as take-home rations and provision of cash or vouchers – to help ensure children continue to receive the nutritional support required. These actions, and more, are crucial to stave off the risks of severe food insecurity around the world. - Year ending April. The stocks-to-use ratio is a measure of supply and demand interrelationships for commodities. This ratio indicates the level of carryover stock for any commodity as a percentage of the total use of the commodity. Y Analytics aggregates credible findings from leading institutions and researchers. Our goal is to shine a light on the facts made available by content experts and present the implications of these facts. If you have recommendations for additional reputable data sources, insights to help us refine our analysis, or suggested research topics, please contact us at [email protected].
How to Kill Spider Mites on Bonsais Nothing can stress the keeper of a bonsai specimen more than pests attacking his pride and joy, particularly if they’re spider mites. While severe infestations of these tiny eight-legged terrors can literally suck the life out of a plant and kill it, small populations aren’t difficult to eliminate. The key is to diagnose the problem quickly. Treat your bonsai proactively and aggressively with nothing fancier than what you probably already have around the house. Even badly damaged plants often recover once they’re completely rid of spider mites. Examine your bonsai’s overall appearance daily for the presence of spider mites. Junipers and other conifers will exhibit tiny yellow spots on their needles, which may even turn brown and drop off as a result of spider mite predation. Leafy bonsai specimens suffer tiny yellow spots called stippling on the foliage. Leaves wilt, yellow along the veins and begin dropping as spider mite damage increases. The health of an untreated plant declines, and it will eventually die. Place a sheet of white paper on a flat surface under the bonsai’s branches. Tap a limb gently but firmly. If spider mites are present, you’ll see the tiny, black or red pests scurry around on the paper. Repeat until you have tested all the bonsai’s branches. Scrutinize the mid-veins on leaf undersides with a magnifying glass as spider mites are so tiny that they’re difficult to see with the naked eye. Search thoroughly for the mites, which look like very tiny grains of black or red pepper. Check petioles and branch crotches closely for fine silken webbing. Isolate the infested bonsai from all other plants immediately. Spider mites spread easily from plant to plant and produce an astounding 50 to 200 eggs every seven to 14 days in favorable conditions. Add one gallon of warm water to a bucket. Pour in 5 Tbsp. of non-degreasing liquid dish soap to create a 2 percent solution of insecticidal soap. Stir the solution gently to combine well without creating excessive suds. Add the insecticidal soap to a plastic spray bottle. Spray all surfaces of the bonsai to the point of runoff. Pay special attention to the undersides of leaves. Insecticidal soap kills all the spider mites it covers. Do this outdoors in the morning on a calm day when you expect the temperature to remain below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. To prevent a possible hypersensitive reaction to the solution, rinse the bonsai thoroughly to remove all traces of soap. Check the bonsai carefully each day for the presence of live spider mites. Repeat the insecticidal soap every four to seven days until the plant no longer tests positively for the pests. Keep it quarantined for another week and test once more before returning it to your collection. - Mist the bonsai daily to increase the humidity in the environment. Spider mites thrive in warm, dry conditions typical of homes and offices. Cover the bottom of a saucer with gravel. Add enough water to nearly cover the small stones and set the bonsai’s pot on top of them. Do not allow the plant’s roots or the potting medium to come in direct contact with water. This further increases the amount of humidity in the air. - Pick up any dropped plant material, which is probably infested with spider mites or their eggs. Wrap it up in a plastic bag and dispose of in the trash. - Test the soap solution on a small area on the bonsai before using it as an all-encompassing insecticide. Check the area for signs of trouble in 48 hours. - Plants that tend to be hypersensitive to soap include succulents, crown of thorns, nasturtiums, ferns, lantana, palms, some ivy cultivars, gardenias, hairy-leafed plants and some types of tomatoes. A full-time writer since 2007, Axl J. Amistaadt is a DMS 2013 Outstanding Contributor Award recipient. He publishes online articles with major focus on pets, wildlife, gardening and fitness. He also covers parenting, juvenile science experiments, cooking and alternative/home remedies. Amistaadt has written book reviews for Work At Home Truth.
Phenotype MicroArrays (PMs) represent the third major technology, alongside DNA Microarrays and Proteomic Technologies, that is needed in the genomic era of research and drug development. Just as DNA Microarrays and Proteomic Technologies have made it possible to assay the level of thousands of genes or proteins all at once, Phenotype MicroArrays make it possible to quantitatively measure thousands of cellular phenotypes all at once. Phenotype MicroArray technology enables researchers to evaluate nearly 2000 phenotypes of a microbial cell in a single experiment. Through comprehensive and precise quantitation of phenotypes, researchers are able to obtain an unbiased perspective of the effect on cells of genetic differences, environmental change, and exposure to drugs and chemicals. You can: Phenotype MicroArrays are preconfigured 96 well plates containing different classes of chemical compounds designed to test for the presence or absence of specific cellular phenotypes. There are 10 panels designed to interrogate metabolic pathways along with ionic, osmotic and pH effects, and 10 panels to assess the sensitivity to various antimicrobials with different mechanisms of action. Have a look at our Phenotype MicroArray Plate Maps: HOW PHENOTYPE MICROARRAY TECHNOLOGY WORKS DNA Microarrays and Proteomic Technologies allow scientists to detect genes or proteins that are coregulated and whose patterns of change correlate with something important such as a disease state. However there is no assurance that these changes are really significant to the cell. Phenotype MicroArrays are a complementary technology providing the needed information at the cellular level. Phenotype MicroArrays are preconfigured sets of phenotypic tests deployed on microplate panels. Each well of the array is designed to test a different phenotype after inoculation with a standardized cell suspension, allowing simultaneous testing of thousands of phenotypes in a single experiment. Phenotype MicroArrays use Biolog’s patented redox technology, with cell respiration (NADH production) as a universal reporter. If the phenotype is strongly “positive” in a well, the cells respire actively, reducing a tetrazolium dye and forming a strong color. If it is weakly positive or negative, respiration is slowed or stopped, and the result is less color or no color. The redox assay provides for both amplification and precise quantitation of phenotypes. Incubation and recording of phenotypic data is performed automatically by the OmniLog instrument. To compare the phenotypes of two cell lines, one is recorded as a red tracing and one as a green tracing. These graphs can then be overlaid by the bioinformatic software to detect differences. Areas of overlap are colored yellow, whereas differences are highlighted as patches of red or green. KINETIC DATA CAPTURE AND ANALYSIS OmniLog PM software contains a suite of algorithms that work in conjunction with the OmniLog PM system and Phenotype MicroArray panels to automate incubation of up to fifty microplates at a fixed user-controlled temperature with complete collection of colorimetric assay data over time. These programs allow for display of kinetic data from PM panels recorded by the OmniLog PM system, manage and analyze the data, export it in a variety of raw and processed forms, and generate reports. File Management/Kinetic Analysis Visit our bibliography
Brazil nuts, also known as para nuts or cream nuts, are the edible seeds of a large tree native to (you guessed it) Brazil. In the past, they used to be somewhat of a luxury food outside their native country. These days, however, you can usually find packets of Brazil nuts in most convenience and health food stores. If not, you can always get them on Amazon. The creamy kernels come with a long list of potential health benefits. Some are well documented, while others need more research to be verified. Most of the supposed benefits come from the nuts’ insanely-high selenium content. Selenium is an essential trace mineral, and many people don’t get enough of it. With Brazil nuts, though, it couldn’t be simpler: Just 5g of the nuts (around 2 of them) contain 96 mcg of selenium — 137% of the daily recommended intake. Brazil Nuts For Female Fertility Perhaps the most notable health benefit of the exotic nuts has to do with fertility. On the internet, you’ll find plenty of new mothers who swear that the nuts helped them get pregnant. There has been a lot of speculation as to why, exactly, the exotic food would help with this. Obviously, the most likely explanation is their uniquely-high selenium content. However, the exact mechanisms involved have been hard to pin down. Many theories floated around the web, but the science behind them were tough to find. Thankfully, in recent years, new research has shed some light on Brazil nuts’ relationship with female fertility. The Selenium Link As mentioned, just a couple of Brazil nuts will be enough to cover your daily need of selenium. While clear-cut research is somewhat lacking, there is some evidence that the underrated mineral can help with reproduction. In 1995, an interesting study was published in the International Journal of Clinical Chemistry (study). First, the researchers measured the amount of selenium found in the ovarian follicles of 112 in vitro fertilization patients. Then, they evaluated how the women’s mineral levels related to their fertility treatment results. When the study was concluded, they found that the women with unexplained infertility had significantly-lower levels of selenium in their ovarian follicles. Clues From Cows More recently, a 2015-study on bovines found that larger, more healthy ovarian follicles had higher amounts of selenium in them (study). The researchers concluded that the mineral may play an important role as an antioxidant in developing ovarian follicles. Yes, this study was done on cows, but we are also mammals, after all. Additionally, the findings seemed to reaffirm the earlier conclusions drawn from examining humans. Furthermore, it resulted in more successful implantations. However, the researchers also found that prolonged supplementation gave the opposite effects. This is likely because of minor selenium toxicity, which can happen if you get too much of the mineral. Another breakthrough came from a great scientific review from 2015. The authors concluded that low levels of selenium could lead to: - Gestational problems - Low birth weight - Damage to the nerves and immune system of fetuses Exactly how selenium takes care of these problems is somewhat unclear. Likely explanations include the mineral’s strong antioxidant activity, as well as its beneficial effect on the immune system. The Bottom Line So, what does the existing research show us? Well, it’s quite simple, really: If you’re a woman looking to boost your fertility and the health of your potential newborn, getting enough selenium is strongly recommended. Again, you only need to consume about 2 Brazil nuts a day to achieve this. As long as you don’t eat too many, it’s one of the easiest ways to potentially improve your chances of conceiving. Brazil Nuts For Male Fertility Alright, so we’ve gone through how Brazil nuts could boost female fertility. But what about men? After all, we’re talking about half of the equation here. There’s no use having a fertile womb if no swimmers show up. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways Brazil nuts can empower a man’s seed. Selenium And Vitamin E – A Dynamic Duo In 2011, an eye-opening study was published in the International Journal of General Medicine (study). It included 690 infertile men aged 20-45 who experienced an unexplained loss of sperm motility. They were given two daily supplements they would take for at least 100 days: 200 mcg of selenium and 400IU of vitamin E. When the study finished, 362 of the 690 men saw a marked improvement. The researchers concluded that selenium and vitamin E could boost semen quality and motility — thereby increasing the chances of conception. The Power Of A Single Nut More research on this subject was carried out in 2018 (study). 12 infertile men were given a selenium capsule that they would take daily for 3 months. Each capsule contained 50mcg of the selenium — that’s the equivalent of one Brazil nut. Yes, just a single nut a day. But could that really be enough to boost fertility? When the 3-month treatment was complete, the researchers saw tremendous improvements in the subjects. The selenium supplementation significantly increased: - Sperm count - Sperm motility - Sperm viability - Ejaculatory volume - Serum testosterone Sure, this was a smaller sample size, but the findings were similar to previous studies. Considering that we’re talking about a single Brazil nut a day, there’s not much to lose. Based on the research, it’s potentially one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to greatly increase male fertility. How Many Brazil Nuts Should You Eat A Day? So, there you have it. Turns out, Brazil nuts, with their incredible amounts of selenium, really can improve fertility — both in women and men! But how many of the creamy kernels should you eat a day? Well, it’s no secret they’re packed with goodies. Besides their legendary selenium content, they also come packed with protein, healthy fats, magnesium, phosphorus, and thiamin. However, there is one potential problem that needs to be addressed? Avoiding The Danger Zone As I briefly mentioned earlier, too much selenium can lead to toxicity. This is because excess intake of the mineral doesn’t get flushed out with your pee. Instead, it builds up in your body, and eventually starts creating nasty reactions if the levels get too high (case study). Signs of selenium toxicity are: - Stomach pain - Bad breath - Intestinal cramps - Hand tremors - Reduced blood pressure And even more horrible, horrible, things. Don’t overeat Brazil nuts! If you have preexisting health conditions, or you really go overboard, you may even die from doing so (source). Staying Safe & Reaping The Benefits While the toxicity warning may sound scary, don’t worry: As long as you stick with a low-to-moderate consumption, you should be completely fine. Just remember to check the nutritional info of the Brazil nuts you buy. This is because their selenium content may differ based on where they’re grown. Also, if you’re eating other high-selenium foods (like oysters), you need to take that into consideration as well. With that said being said, we can give a general answer: 1-3 Brazil nuts a day will be optimal for most people. This will yield around 50-150mcg of selenium. Based on the research, this should be enough to boost your fertility while still being within the safe zone. If you manage to do that, you may see some exciting developments down the road. And maybe, just maybe, a new family member will be on their way.
K.C.S.E Biology Q & A - MODEL 2017PP2QN01 The diagram below represents a nucleus. (a) Name the structures labelled E and F. (ii) State the function of F. (iii) With reference to the nucleus, state one difference between an animal and a bacterial cell. (b) Name the plant cell organelle: (i) that stores chlorophyll (ii) responsible for intracellular digestion. (c) State two main functions of the vacuole in the amoeba. F — Nuclear pore/nucleopore; ii. Facilitates movement of materials in and out of the nucleus; iii. Nuclear material in the bacterial cell is not enclosed within a membrane /prokaryotic, while in animal cell it is enclosed eukaryotic; (b) i. Chloroplast; (c) i. Feeding (food vacuole); ii. Osmoregulation (contractile vacuole); iii. Excretion/removal of wastes;
In Food In Cuba: The Pursuit of a Decent Meal (Stanford University Press, 2020), Hanna Garth examines the processes of acquiring food and preparing meals in the midst of food shortages. Garth draws our attention to the social, cultural, and historical factors Cuban’s draw upon to define an appropriate or decent meal and the struggle they undergo to produce a decent meal. Often, studies of food security overlook the process of acquiring food, which Garth demonstrates as a critical locus for understanding food access. Garth focuses on a variety of households, families, and individuals in Santiago, Cuba at different class levels and household compositions in order to show the gendered, racial, economic, social, and moral dimensions of how Cubans navigate their food landscapes and attempt to create culturally appropriate meals. In so doing, she argues for the centrality of how local people determine their food system to be adequate. The book would be of interest to the areas of anthropology, particularly medical anthropology, food studies, Latin American Studies, Cuban studies, and studies of socialism and post-socialism. Hanna Garth is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at The University of California, San Diego. Reighan Gillam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Southern California. Reighan Gillam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Southern California. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creations.
A molecular pressure cooker tenderizes tough pieces of protein and helps to bite off Proteins are composed of amino acids connected by amide bonds. The amide bond exhibits high chemical stability and has a planar structure around the bond. Although the high stability of the amide bond is indispensable for maintaining protein functions, it is problematic to convert the building block into some other molecular species by selective dissociation of a relevant amide bond. There have been attempts to control the reactivity of a specific amide bond via selective twisting by complicated chemical modifications. Some model compounds with twisted amide bonds have been produced by multi-step organic synthesis, and their high reactivity has been demonstrated. It is presumed that the high reactivity of these twisted amide bonds is also used in vivo. Some proteins seem to be selectively cleaved by twisting specific amide bonds during autolysis and splicing. These proteins, unlike artificially synthesized model compounds, are supposed to use non-covalent interactions to twist their amide bonds. For many years, researchers at the University of Tokyo and Institute for Molecular Science have fabricated molecular cages that are self-assembled by non-covalent interactions. They applied their molecular cages to confine amide molecules, which can be regarded as analogs of small pieces of proteins, and squeezed the amide bonds by pressurizing them inside their cage. The researchers have reported in the present paper that amide bonds, which have planar structures and are inert in free space, can be twisted, and the amide compounds can be activated by confining them into their molecular cage (shown in figure). When target amide compounds and the molecular cage are mixed and heated in an aqueous solution, the cage confines the amide compounds. Single-crystal X-ray structure analysis revealed that two amide compounds with twisted structures are confined in the cage. The twist angle around the amide bonds was found to reach 34 degrees. The reaction rate of hydrolysis of the twisted target was accelerated by a factor of five. The researchers succeeded in creating a new artificial enzyme of a previously unexploited mechanism that confines and twists the target molecules to activate a specific chemical bond. The researchers also succeeded in altering the reactivity of target molecules by confining "stuffing molecules," which are not involved in the reaction, together with the targets in the cage, thereby precisely controlling the degree of twisting of the amide bonds. Without the stuffing molecule, the two target amides are confined in one cage. One of the two targets is twisted and the other remains planar. In contrast, when conical stuffing is mixed and then involved together with the target in one cage, the target remains planar. When a planar stuffing molecule is involved with the target, the stuffing changes the shape of target into a twisted structure. The researchers investigated the reaction rates of hydrolysis in the two cases and found that the planar stuffing (twisted target) accelerates the rate by 14 times, while the conical stuffing (planar target) accelerated the rate by three times. The stuffing molecules allows the researchers to tune the reaction rate precisely. This is an unprecedented achievement that has never been found in previous studies. This research offers a novel method for the activation of inert molecules and can be applied to a variety of organic reactions. The researchers showed that the amide molecules can be activated by twisting inside the cage without cumbersome chemical modification processes. "We are looking for a new type of cage that can activate the targets with higher efficiency and apply them to other categories of target molecules. With our new cages, we will develop the novel activation method of inert molecules. In the future, our cages will be used as catalysts, which selectively squeeze and activate a specific bond of a target molecule and also as activation agents for prodrugs working in the body," said Fujita.
From the extremely starting of the private pc (Laptop) men and women have needed external storage. In the adhering to material we will go over the beginning of the exterior storage (floppy disks) to the current systems. In the beginning of the Personal computer there were only floppy disk drives that were five 1/four” vast. The working technique and apps needed to be loaded into the floppy drives just to operate the computer in the early 1980’s. The personal computer hard disk permitted the purposes to be loaded into the computer without needing the floppy travel. During this timeframe people could store their data on these floppy disks and maintain it offline to be reloaded into the laptop afterwards. The original five one/four” floppies held 160KB (kilobytes) of knowledge but rapidly improved to 360KB. To set this into standpoint 1KB is about fifty percent a webpage of textual content. The floppy drives had been manufactured from a vinyl like a document in that you experienced tracks the place the information was stored. The five one/4″ drive topped out at 1.2MB (megabytes) but were still contained in the fragile floppy disk that was vulnerable to environmental contamination. The subsequent format to appear out ended up 3 one/2″ floppies. These not only had been smaller sized but they experienced a plastic circumstance protecting them. Although they started keeping only 720KB of information, they had been shortly able to maintain 1.44MB of knowledge and were significantly simpler to shop in cases and off site. By the late eighties the five 1/4″ floppy disks have been changed by the three 1/2″ format. In the course of the identical timeframe in the 1980’s the interior difficult disk travel was getting to be a standard for the Computer as nicely. There are distinct variations in between the tough disk storage (think library of information) and memory (RAM – random accessibility memory) and the floppy generate (utilized to consider the data with you). The difficult drives began out in 5 1/four” format storing 5MB (megabytes) of knowledge growing steadily through the 1980’s up right up until the Quantum one.28GB travel. To place this into perspective 1GB is about 250 MP3 tracks. In contrast to floppy disks, challenging drives ended up put in inside the pc. Difficult drives ongoing to development shrinking their sort issue to three 1/2″ in the 1990’s. These difficult drives had been referred to as 50 %-peak drives. By the 1990’s the challenging drives were developing speedily starting up about 40GB (gigabytes) of overall storage all the way up to present day 3TB (terabytes) drives. Difficult disk drives continue to shrink with the laptop computer models standardizing on two one/two” sort aspect. Hard drives within an exterior enclosure, whilst all around technically for some time, were turning out to be available in the customer marketplace in regular formats like USB (Common Serial Bus), FireWire, and SATA (Serial AT Attachment) although the 2000’s. These new formats authorized these enclosures to be pretty transportable with a standardized interface (like USB) making it possible for you to hook up to yet another system painlessly. USB gives a far more generic plug and perform capacity enabling the system to recognize the push as shortly as you join it. There are some enclosures on the industry that can maintain multiple drives and even supply RAID (redundant array of low-cost disks) abilities. RAID provides the ability to either mirror your data from a single tough travel to an additional or extend (stripe) the information throughout the drives you have. What this gives is a failsafe in case you free a tough disk travel owing to failure the computer will not discover any difference in accessing your information as the other tough drives just take above. Even though disk drives remained standardized by type element (entire top or fifty percent peak) the floppy push diversified into a entire discipline of products which includes modern USB drives. In late 1980 there arrived a new format named CD (compact disk) which provided information stored onto a plastic disc with reflective backing. These CD drives were five 1/4″ type issue and match simply into present enlargement bays in the Laptop. CDs commenced storing 680MB of data keeping close to seventy four minutes of songs and have topped out at 700MB of knowledge. CDs turned the common format for removable storage and are even now commonly employed today. In the early 1990’s Iomega arrived to market with the Iomega Zip drive. This external storage gadget commenced at 100MB and grew to 750MB densities. It was cartridge based mostly continuing the three one/2″ floppy innovation. This new kind of storage had distinct connections to the Computer. In the commencing the connection was SCSI (little pc program interface) but later on on it designed into a USB (universal serial bus) connection. By 1995 SmartMedia experienced arrived on the scene from Toshiba Corporation. SmartMedia was a little (45mm) plastic card with a flash memory module inside permitting 2MB of direct storage but this swiftly grew to the 64MB/128MB. These playing cards were used in digital cameras and other gadgets permitting the capability to get rid of the storage and study it on your Computer. Today you can find different sizes up to 32GB on a single card. By contrast to older technologies these new products ended up much more rugged than the floppy drive and significantly much more moveable. During this identical timeframe the DVD (electronic video clip disk) arrived to the marketplace to change the CD. tips for external blu ray drives supplied four.7GB (eight.5G double layered) of storage area on the same optical disc structure that the CDs had been based on. As density improved Blu-Ray DVDs arrived to provide 50GB of storage space with twin layer discs becoming the most common. Blu-Ray provides the best high density online video format available right now commercially with 100GB of knowledge getting the normal. Flash ahead to today as the difficult drives and portable exterior storage have progressed to SSD (Solid State Disk) engineering. This remodeled portable storage enabling for people ubiquitous USB flash drives individuals carry close to with them. Inside challenging drives based mostly on SSD technologies let you to use SATA to hook up the push internally to your Laptop or laptop computer. SATA is the frequent common for connecting hard drives. These drives are a lot more durable and have a reduced entry time. As new rising systems arrive like cloud computing there will be considerably less demand from customers for transportable storage and challenging drives. Cloud computing enables you to operate your application on the web whilst your knowledge resides in other places (the cloud). Make no miscalculation your knowledge is being stored, just not on your challenging drive or floppy.
Before a drug even reaches the clinical trial stage, preclinical studies indicate early results that move the development process forward. But, if the animals that are part of the preclinical research are not cared for in a consistent way, results can be misleading and a clinical trial could be set up to fail. Ensuring consistent animal health is a vital part of preclinical research and can be challenging for lab managers. Especially when working with immuno-compromised mice, risk of infection is high. Not every health scare presents itself in an obvious way “Some mouse pathogens you can’t even tell are affecting the mice, but they can change their systems,” explains Adrienne Edgell of SoBran BioScience, an expert in preclinical toxicology that offers on-site support and contract research services. “It could affect their ability to grow or respond to treatment, or affect their lifespan. It could compromise study results in the long run.” With subjects housed in close proximity to each other, any change in condition could affect multiple studies being conducted in the same lab. Colonies are expensive and hold vital information; researchers can’t simply start over. Labs need to be proactive in preventing and detecting disease, and have procedures in place to stop any outbreak quickly and keep it from spreading. How the pathogens get in Pathogens that cause disease can be brought into the lab environment by people handling the studies, transferred via clothing or skin. The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals sets industry standards for humane animal care and use in research. However, there are no definitive requirements for sterile operating procedures used by researchers and lab staff. “It’s all facility specific,” says Edgell. “There are no set rules for personal protective devices or health checks. It’s all in what kind of animals are in the lab and what the veterinarians and researchers think is adequate for their type of research.” Regular testing can pick up pathogens, particularly preliminary chain reaction (PCR) tests that use comparison samples of tissues, rather than a typical blood test. But most labs may not conduct tests like these more than once per year due to expense. What’s more, labs that handle molecular tests such as these have proprietary methodologies and may in fact offer conflicting test results, making the lab manager’s job even more difficult in detecting and protecting against outbreaks. Edgell says that researchers need to be more proactive in defending against any kind of outbreak among their research subjects that could affect study results. Changing behavior to protect animal health If a lab is large enough, it is possible to design operating procedures in which staff will always enter rooms from one door and exit from another, so they cannot backtrack and contaminate a clear area. Not every lab is large enough for that kind of process, but using separate rooms for at-risk subjects, holding regular trainings on hood use, and enforcing use of personal protective equipment can go a long way toward preventing pathogens from finding their way into studies. Step one, Edgell says, is careful review of the sources for research subjects. For example, if mouse colonies are imported from overseas, standards of care may not be the same as in the United States. It’s important to create special procedures to manage imported colonies, and prevent any mingling with domestic sources, while working with sources to set the same standards. At SoBran’s contract research facility in the science and technology park at Johns Hopkins, all subjects are handled in a highly sterile environment. Staff use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as coveralls, hair covers, masks, gloves, and shoe coverings whenever they enter the facility. Immune compromised mice have an even higher level of protection. They are handled with tongs, rather than gloved hands. The tongs are placed in a dissecting solution after each use, rotated out and then decontaminated again before use. Animals coming from overseas or from non-commercial or new vendors are housed in a separate quarantine room. Staff use double PPE when entering this area, and go into that room last in the day so they do not bring any pathogen back into the main lab. Processes like these require ongoing staff training and constant vigilance, says Edgell. But, they are essential to ensuring preclinical results are consistent and replicable, eventually leading to drugs that are proven safe and effective for humans.
Current Status: In Pennsylvania, the upland sandpiper is listed as threatened and protected under the Game and Wildlife Code. Although not list as endangered or threatened at the federal level, the upland sandpiper is listed as Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan priority grassland species; a U.S. Waterbird Conservation Plan priority species; and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird of Conservation Concern in the Northeast. All migratory birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Population Trend: Upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) are rare breeding birds with scattered nesting sites, mostly in the state's west and central regions. Only two confirmed breeding blocks were located during the 2nd Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas (2004-2008), in Butler and Lawrence Counties, versus 21 confirmed breeding blocks in the 1st Breeding Bird Atlas (1983-1989). They are common breeders in the Great Plains states of the Midwest, where grasslands are larger and more prevalent. This species has experienced dramatic population changes in Pennsylvania over the past 150 years. Their nesting population increased with deforestation in the 1800s, and then gradually decreased as pesticides and changes in farming practices increased in the 1900s. It was considered common to abundant in the farming country of southeastern Pennsylvania in the early nineteenth century. They have disappeared from the eastern third of the state and are now found primarily on reclaimed strip mines. Upland sandpipers were listed as threatened in 1985. Because of a precipitous decline over two decades that diminished its breeding range and increased its rarity, the upland sandpiper's status in Pennsylvania was downgraded from threatened to endangered in 2012. Identifying Characteristics: The upland sandpiper, formerly called the upland plover, is a large, light-brown shorebird. It is about 12 inches tall and has a 20-inch wingspan. The upland sandpiper can be identified by its long neck, disproportionately small head, and long tail. Its back and wings are dark brown; breast streaked. The upland sandpiper is perhaps most readily identified by its preference for perching on wires and fenceposts, and its habit of holding its wings high above its back for a few moments after alighting and then gracefully folding its wings and disappearing into the grass. An upland sandpiper perched gracefully on top of a fencepost is a classic image of the American prairie. This species is not easily confused with other shorebirds because of its habitat and size. Its voice is a characteristic and enchanting sound of North American grasslands. The most distinctive vocalization is a far-carrying, ethereal whistle described by some as a mellow, mournful and upwardly trilling. Others describe it as sounding somewhat like the "wolf whistle" playfully offered by humans. Nonetheless, it is distinct and, once learned, perhaps the best first clue that an upland sandpiper is nearby. Biology-Natural History: Although upland sandpipers are classified as shorebirds, this species does not frequent shorelines. This species requires grasslands rather than coastal areas to survive. This elegant sandpiper has been described by some as a quintessential species of grasslands. They are more likely to be found in fields 150 acres or larger than in smaller fields. Upland sandpipers nest across the northern states and in Canadian provinces. They winter in South America, particularly the pampas of Argentina. These birds arrive in Pennsylvania in April and leave in July or August following the nesting season. The female lays a typical four-egg clutch on the ground in tall grasses. Both adults incubate the eggs and raise the chicks, although the female may depart for wintering areas before the male. Young hatch in about three weeks, and they leave the nest as soon as the last one hatches. Whereas nests sites are located in tall grass, adults and chicks use low vegetation — including mowed areas — for feeding. Juveniles take short flights at 18 days old and leave the nesting area at about 30 days of age. They are almost exclusively insectivorous, feeding primarily on grasshoppers, crickets and weevils. For this reason, upland sandpipers can be beneficial to agriculture. Waste grain and weed seeds are sometimes eaten. Preferred Habitat: Upland sandpipers are birds of open country and characteristic of short-grass prairie. They may be found in large fallow fields, pastures and grassy areas (greater than 250 acres). Upland sandpipers need a mosaic of grasses in a large area, using the shorter grass areas for foraging and courtship and the taller grasses for nesting and brood cover. The regularly occupied areas now are on reclaimed surface mines. Increasingly, this species can be found nesting at airports across its range. They also have nested in blueberry farms and barrens as well as peat bogs in the northeastern part if its range. Rarely are more than one or two pairs found in a field until migration, when family groups gather in flocks or are joined by migrants. Reasons for Being Endangered: Upland sandpipers were once more common than they are today, statewide and nationally. Around the turn of the 20th century, they attracted the attention of market hunters looking for a bird to fill the void created by the decline – and ultimate extinction – of the passenger pigeon. As a result, it is estimated that tens of thousands of upland sandpipers were shot in Midwestern states and sold at markets on the east coast from circa 1870 until the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which protected these and other migratory birds from overhunting. The upland sandpiper was particularly vulnerable to market hunting because it typically allows a close approach and gathers in large flocks in transit. Large numbers were shot at favorite migratory stopover spots in Lancaster County and other agricultural areas. Today, loss of farmland to development, changing agricultural practices and extensive pesticide use are thought to be keeping numbers low. In addition, it is believed hunting and insecticide use on this bird's wintering grounds may be decreasing the global population. Management Programs: Before any management programs can be initiated, surveys need to be conducted to determine where and how many upland sandpipers are currently breeding in Pennsylvania. This includes some Important Bird Areas, such as the Freedom Township Grasslands in Adams County. The persistence and productivity of the few active nesting sites need to be monitored. When possible, grasslands found to be used by upland sandpipers should be managed to avoid disturbance during the nesting season. Mowing after July 15 ensures that young sandpipers — and other grassland birds — will not be harmed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) has been successful in Midwestern states to promote upland sandpipers and other grassland bird species and, therefore, should be encouraged on highly erodible farmland. Rotational grazing, no-till, and organic agricultural practices will also benefit the species. Prescribed burns at regular intervals (two to three years) can help promote preferred grassland habitat for upland sandpipers. Privately and publicly owned prairie patches should be managed to preserve their original vegetation and structure. Native, rather than exotic and invasive grasses and herbs, should be maintained in these prairies. Brauning, Daniel W. 1992. Upland Sandpiper. In The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Pennsylvania (D. W. Brauning, Ed.). University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA. pp. 138-139. Dechant, J. A., M. F. Dinkins, D. H. Johnson, L. D. Igl, C. M. Goldade, B. D. Parkin, and B. R. Euliss. 2003. Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Upland Sandpiper. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. Houston, C. Stuart and Daniel E. Bowen, Jr. 2001. Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. McWilliams, G. M. and D. W. Brauning. 2000. The Birds of Pennsylvania. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. Suggested for Further Reading: Askins, R. A. 2000. Restoring North America's Birds. Yale University Press. New Haven and London. Brown, S., C. Hickey, B. Harrington, and R. Gill, eds. 2001. The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, 2nd ed. Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, MA. Leopold, A. 1966. A Sand County Almanac. Ballantine Books, New York, NY. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Search for "upland sandpiper." Palmer, R. S. 1967. Upland Sandpiper. Pages. 191,195-196. In The Shorebirds of North America (G. D. Stout, ed., text by P. Mathiessen). Viking Press, New York, NY. Partners in Flight United States website. Pashley, D. N., C. J. Beardmore, J. A. Fitzpatrick, R. P. Ford, W. C. Hunter, M. S. Morrison, and K. V. Rosenberg. 2000. Partners in Flight Conservation of the Land Birds of the United States. American Bird Conservancy, The Plans, VA. Pennsylvania Game Commission and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. 2005. Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan, version 1. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Rich, T. D., C. J. Beardmore, H. Berlanga, P. J. Blancher, M. S. W. Bradstreet, G. S. Butcher, D. W. Demarest, E. H. Dunn, W. C. Hunter, E. E. Inigo-Elias, J. A. Kennedy, A. M. Martell, A. O. Panjabi, D. N. Pashley, K. V. Rosenberg, C. M. Rustay, J.S. Wendt, T. C. Will. 2004. Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Ithaca, NY. Vickery, P. D. and J. R. Herkert. Eds. 1999. Ecology and Conservation of Grassland Birds in the Western Hemisphere. Proceedings of a Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 1995. Studies in Avian Biology Bob Moul Photo No. 19, Cooper Ornithological Society. Vickery, P. D., M. I. Hunter, Jr., and S. M. Melvin. 1994. Effects of Habitat Area on the Distribution of Grassland Birds in Maine. Conservation Biology 8: 1087-1097. Wilhelm, G. 1995. Scenario of the Upland Sandpiper in western Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Birds 8: 204– 205. Zimmerman, J. L. 1993. The Birds of Konza: the Avian Ecology of the Tallgrass Prairie. University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, Kansas. By Cathy Haffner and Doug Gross Pennsylvania Game Commission
You have one or more of these tests to diagnose a brain or spinal cord tumour. If you are diagnosed with a brain tumour, you might have further tests to find out how big the tumour is and whether it has spread. You usually have them as an outpatient. An MRI scan can help to find where the tumour is and whether it has spread. Find out what to expect. You might have a CT scan of your brain to help diagnose a brain or spinal cord tumour. Find out what to expect. Read about having a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Find out what it is, how you have it and what happens afterwards. Find out about having an angiogram for a brain tumour including what it is, how you have it and what happens afterwards. A biopsy may be done on its own or at the same time as surgery to treat the brain tumour. Find out what to expect during a brain tumour biopsy. A lumbar puncture is a test to check the fluid that circulates around the brain and spinal cord. You may have a neuroendoscopy to take a sample of tissue from a brain tumour. Blood tests can check your general health and help to diagnose certain types of brain tumours. Find out what happens during a physical examination and how your doctor tests your nervous system (neurological examination).
There is no greater financial investment in one's future than a college degree. While this viewpoint has its critics, the reality is the value of a degree has never been greater. Despite public questions about a degree's worth, the pay gap between college graduates and those without a degree reached a high in 2013, even with the slow recovery from the most severe recession in seventy-five years. According to new data, based on an analysis of Labor Department statistics by the Economic Policy Institute, Americans with four-year college degrees are not only equipped for a fulfilling adult and professional life but made 98 percent more an hour on average than those without a degree. And, the wage gap is only increasing, up from 89 percent five years ago, 85 percent a decade earlier, and 64 percent in the early 1980s. College graduates are also more likely to be employed full-time than their less-educated counterparts, and are less likely to be unemployed, 4 percent versus 12 percent, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. Liberal arts graduates are not excluded from this reality. The vast majority with degrees in the humanities and social sciences are employed, and at salaries significantly higher than those having earned only a high school diploma. Putting the cost of college in perspective, 30 percent of students are earning their degrees at institutions with annual tuitions from $6,000 to $9,000, often at regional campuses like mine where tuition is at the low end of the range. Students attending universities where tuition exceeds $45,000 only account for 3 percent of undergraduates nationwide. When it comes to financing even an affordable degree, Finaid.org recommends educational debt should not exceed more than the salary a graduate earns in his or her first year of employment. Students nationwide are keeping this in mind, and making smart financial choices. The National Center of Education Statistics found more than one-third of graduates have no debt, while 12 percent owe $1,000 to $10,000. Professional school graduates owing $100,000 account for only one percent. Indiana University's Financial Literacy initiative, for example, has helped to reduce student borrowing at my campus by 25 percent in the last year. Regional, public campuses, like Indiana University Northwest, play a critical role in creating access to higher education, ensuring that all students have an opportunity to invest in their future through personal, affordable and life-changing education. I am proud to be Chancellor at an institution where nearly 50 percent are under-represented students, and one-third are aged 26 or older. Our campus serves the students who might not otherwise be provided with an opportunity to earn a degree that brings a more financially secure and rewarding life. Unless the diverse students of our nation see the value in a degree, and have the opportunity to succeed academically and complete their degrees, none of the nation's goals for increasing numbers of college graduates are attainable, or even meaningful.
The Strange Situation research was introduced by psychologists Mary Ainsworth and Wittig in 1969 and was based upon Ainsworth’s Uganda and Baltimore studies. Ainsworth developed the assessment technique called the Strange Situation Classification (SSC) to examine the modifications of attachments between children. The Strange Situation was developed as an experimental procedure in order to explore the difference of attachment forms demonstrated between mothers and infants. As such, the strange situation paradigm was applied to observe the credibility of attachment in one- to two-year-olds for identifying the nature of attachment behaviors and the classification of attachment styles. The Strange Situation procedure includes a small room, where the experiment is held, with one-way glass so one may observe the behavior of the infant secretly. The infants engaged in the procedure were aged between 12 and 18 months, along with the 100 middle-class families of the United States. The Strange Situation test involves eight episodes, each lasting nearly 3 minutes, to monitor the infant’s behavior. The episodes include the following steps: - Mother, baby, and experimenter (continues for less than one minute) - Mother and baby alone - A stranger accompanies the mother and infant - Mother leaves baby and stranger alone - Mother returns and stranger leaves - Mother leaves and infant is left entirely alone - Stranger returns - Mother comes back and stranger leaves Furthermore, the categorization of the Strange Situation, namely the attachment styles, was based upon four behavioral regulations within two reunion episodes of mother and infant. The scoring process consisted of the following steps, such as proximity and contacting seeking, contact maintaining, avoidance of proximity and contact, resistance to contact, and comforting. The behavior showcased during 15-second intervals is noted and evaluated for intensity on a scale of 1 to 7.
Some images are so much of their time that, as years pass, they acquire an air of genuine authority — about an event, a person, a place — and even, perhaps, of inevitability. This is what it was like, these pictures tell us. This is what happened. This is the moment. This must be remembered. Of the indispensable photographs taken during the Second World War, Margaret Bourke-White’s image of survivors at Buchenwald in April 1945 — “staring out at their Allied rescuers,” as LIFE magazine put it, “like so many living corpses” — remains among the most haunting. The faces of the men, young and old, staring from behind the wire, “barely able to believe that they would be delivered from a Nazi camp where the only deliverance had been death,” attest with an awful eloquence to the depths of human depravity and, maybe even more powerfully, to the measureless lineaments of human endurance. What few people recall about Bourke-White’s survivors-at-the-wire image, however, is that it did not even appear in LIFE until 15 years after it was made, when it was published alongside other photographic touchstones in the magazine’s December 26, 1960, special double-issue, “25 Years of LIFE.” Pictures from Buchenwald, Belsen and other camps that LIFE did publish — made when Bourke-White and her colleagues accompanied Gen. George Patton’s Third Army on its legendary march through a collapsing Germany in the spring of 1945 — were among the very first that documented for a disbelieving American public the wholly murderous nature of the camps. (At the end of this gallery, see how the original story on the liberation of the camps appeared in the May 7, 1945, issue of LIFE, when the magazine published a series of brutal photographs by Bourke-White, William Vandivert and other LIFE staffers.) LIFE photographer Margaret Bourke-White Here, on the anniversary of the April 11, 1945, liberation of Buchenwald, LIFE.com presents a series of Bourke-White photographs, the majority of which never ran in the magazine, from that notorious camp located a mere five miles outside the ancient, picturesque town of Weimar, Germany. Her justifiably iconic picture of men at the Buchenwald fence suggests the horrors made manifest by the Nazi push for a “final solution”: the Bourke-White photographs here, on the other hand, do not suggest, or hint at, the Third Reich’s horrors; instead, they force the Holocaust’s nightmares into the unblinking light. In Dear Fatherland, Rest Quietly — her devastating 1946 memoir, subtitled “A Report on the Collapse of Hitler’s ‘Thousand Years’” — Bourke-White recalls the ghastly landscape that confronted the Allied troops who liberated Buchenwald, and her own tortured response to what she, the troops from the Third Army and her journalist peers witnessed and recorded there: There was an air of unreality about that April day in Weimar, a feeling to which I found myself stubbornly clinging. I kept telling myself that I would believe the indescribably horrible sight in the courtyard before me only when I had a chance to look at my own photographs. Using the camera was almost a relief; it interposed a slight barrier between myself and the white horror in front of me. This whiteness had the fragile translucence of snow, and I wished that under the bright April sun which shone from a clean blue sky it would all simply melt away. I longed for it to disappear, because while it was there I was reminded that men actually had done this thing — men with arms and legs and eyes and hearts not so very unlike our own. And it made me ashamed to be a member of the human race. The several hundred other spectators who filed through the Buchenwald courtyard on that sunny April afternoon were equally unwilling to admit association with the human beings who had perpetrated these horrors. But their reluctance had a certain tinge of self-interest; for these were the citizens of Weimar, eager to plead their ignorance of the outrages. In one of the signal moments of his long career and, indeed, of the entire war, an enraged General Patton refused to recognize that the Weimar citizens’ ignorance might be genuine — or, if it was genuine, that it was somehow, in any moral sense, pardonable. With Olympian wrath, Patton ordered the townspeople to bear witness to what their countrymen had done, and what they themselves had allowed to be done, in their name. Margaret Bourke-White’s pictures of these terribly ordinary men and women — appalled, frightened, ashamed amid the endless evidence of the terrors that their compatriots had long unleashed — Bourke-White’s pictures remain among the most unsettling she, or any photographer, ever made. Long before the political theorist Hannah Arendt introduced her notion of the “banality of evil” to the world in her 1963 book, Eichmann in Jerusalem, Margaret Bourke-White had already captured its face, for all time, in her photographs of “good Germans” forced to confront their own complicity in an unfathomably barbarous age. — Ben Cosgrove is the Editor of LIFE.com
Submitted by CM Chiba Every person has dignity and value. One of the ways that we recognize this fundamental worth is by acknowledging and respecting a person’s human rights. Human rights are those requirements that allow us fully to develop and use our human qualities of intelligence, conscience and to satisfy our spiritual needs. They are based on humankind’s increasing demand for a life in which the inherent dignity and spirit of each human being will receive respect and protection – an idea that reaches beyond the comforts and conveniences that science and technology can provide. Human rights are not a recent invention. The genesis of human rights can be traced back to ancient civilizations of Babylon, China and India and are central to Buddhist, Christian, Confucian, Hindu, Islamic and Jewish teachings, which in turn contributed human rights concepts to the laws of Greek and Roman society. Human rights, in essence, are concerned with equity and fairness. They recognize our freedom to make choices about our life and develop our potential as human beings. They are about living a life free from fear, harassment and discrimination. To deny human beings their rights is to set the stage for political and social unrest, as well as wars and hostility between nations and between groups within a nation. Far from being an abstract subject matter for philosophers and lawyers, human rights affect the daily lives of everyone – woman, man and child. Global Recognition of Human Rights There are a number of basic rights that people from around the world have agreed on, such as the right to life, freedom from torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment, rights to a fair trial, free speech and freedom of religion, rights to health, education and an adequate standard of living. Outrage at the gross violation of human rights immediately before and during the Second World War was the catalyst that gave birth to both the United Nation’s Charter at San Francisco in 1945 and the United Nation’s Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The opening words of the UN Charter reaffirmed faith in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person, and reflected the indivisible link between respect for human rights and human survival. The UN Charter also recognized that conditions of stability and wellbeing were necessary for world peace and thus established as one of the purposes of the UN the promotion for higher standards of living, full employment and conditions of economic and social progress and of universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. In recognition of this interdependence of human rights, social and economic progress and world peace, the UN took upon itself one of its earliest tasks, the establishment in 1947 of a Human Rights Commission, which assumed responsibility for the drafting of an international bill of rights that would set a common standard of achievement for all peoples and for all nations large and small The Declaration of Human Rights On December 10, 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the final text of the draft entitled the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was passed without a dissenting vote, although there were four abstentions. The late Eleanor Roosevelt, the Commission’s first Chair, called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the Magna Carta of humankind and it has since been hailed as the greatest achievement of the United Nations. The late John Humphrey, an eminent Canadian and international law expert, also helped to draft the Declaration and served as the Director of the UN Human Rights Division from 1946 to 1966. Eighteen years later, the Declaration was given a more precise legal form in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. An Optional Protocol to the latter Covenant was also adopted, providing that, in respect of States accepting the Protocol, individual petitions about alleged violations of human rights may be submitted to an international committee of experts – the Human Rights Committee. Both Covenants and Optional Protocol came into force in 1976 in Canada Broadly speaking, two kinds of rights are recognized in the Universal Declaration. Firstly, there are the civil and political rights, which gradually evolved over centuries during the long development of democratic society. Secondly, there are economic, social and cultural rights, which started to be recognized more recently when people realized that enjoyment of political and civil rights would be enhanced through the simultaneous enjoyment of certain rights of an economic, social and cultural character. The UN Assembly gives equal attention to the promotion and protection of both types of human rights, considering that the full realization of civil and political rights is impossible without the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. The UN Declaration, although now part of the customary law of nations and therefore binding on all states, was not meant to have the force of law when it was adopted by the General Assembly in 1948. But almost immediately it took on a moral and political authority equal to that of any other contemporary international instrument. Since then, it has inspired the adoption of many bilateral and multilateral treaties dealing with rights and freedoms, and, it has been entrenched in national constitutions, like the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and applied by international and national tribunals alike. Canada has ratified key UN human rights instruments: - International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) - International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICSECR) - International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) - Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) - Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) - Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - Optional Protocol to the CRC on Children in Armed Conflict - Second Optional Protocol of the ICCPR aimed at the elimination of the death penalty - Optional Protocol to the CRC on the Sexual Exploitation and Sale of Children - Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (CRPD) - Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Canada has also agreed to the jurisdiction of the individual complaint mechanisms established by the First Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, CAT and the Optional Protocol to the CEDAW. In sum, human rights are inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. And, these rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible. Equal and non-discriminatory Non-discrimination is an overarching principle in international human rights law. The principle is present in all the major human rights treaties and provides the central theme of some of the international human rights conventions such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The principle applies to everyone in relation to all human rights and freedoms and it prohibits discrimination on the basis of a list of non-exhaustive categories such as sex, race, colour and so on. The principle of non-discrimination is complemented by the principle of equality, as stated in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Human Rights and Obligations Human rights entail both rights and obligations. Countries, such as Canada, assume obligations and duties under international law to respect, to protect and to fulfill human rights. The obligation to respect means that States must refrain from interfering with or curtailing the enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect requires countries to protect individuals and groups against human rights abuses. The obligation to fulfill means that countries must take positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights. At the individual level, while we are entitled to our human rights, we should also respect the human rights of others. Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in all forms of treaties, customary law, general principles and other sources of international law. International human rights lay down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or refrain from certain acts, in order to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals and groups. Canada & Human Rights Canada’s original Constitution, the British North America Act (the BNA Act), was passed in 1867 by British Parliament. This Act, also known as the Constitution Act, 1867, founded Canada as a nation. It made elected governments the highest political and legal institutions in the country. The Constitution distributed power between the federal and provincial governments. Unlike the United States Constitution, Canada’s BNA Act did not have a “Bill of Rights” that governments had to follow. But in 1960, the federal government, under then Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, passed the Canadian Bill of Rights. It was the first comprehensive human rights legislation enacted by Parliament. But this statute was not part of the Constitution. It had no more power than any other law. The Bill spoke of fundamental freedoms, legal rights and equality before the law. But if a law itself was discriminatory, the Bill of Rights was generally not helpful. As well, the Bill only applied to federal, not provincial laws. Because Canada’s original Constitution was an Act of British Parliament, it could only be changed by Britain. Thus, for many years, Canada’s Prime Ministers had been looking to repatriate or to “bring the constitution home.” Human Rights Laws and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: The Power to Appeal to the Courts when Human Rights are Violated In 1981, Canadians witnessed and participated in a truly historical event. Canada had reached at last the goal of that long journey to full, sovereign independence from Britain that began with Confederation in 1867. Along with sovereign independence, something else took place that is of equal importance; namely, the enshrining of certain basic human rights and freedoms in our Constitution. The significance of this should not be overlooked. The late Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the Prime Minister who succeeded in repatriating the Constitution, stated it thus: The Parliamentary resolution that sets out the details of our truly Canadian Constitution is important to every citizen, containing as it does many of the long-established provisions that form the foundations of our society and of the laws under which we construct our affairs. … Most of the rights and freedoms we are enshrining in the Charter are not totally new and different. Indeed, Canadians have tended to take most of them for granted over the years. The difference is that now they will be guaranteed by our Constitution, and people will have the power to appeal to the courts if they feel their constitutional rights have been infringed upon or denied. By virtue of the Constitution Act, 1982, human rights and fundamental freedoms were given an enhanced legal status through the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which, as a part of the Constitution, entrenched these rights within the supreme law of the country. Section 52(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982, expressly states that “The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of Canada, and any law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is, to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect.” Part 1 of the Constitution Act, 1982, sets out a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that establishes for all Canadians protection of certain basic rights and freedoms essential to maintaining our free and democratic society and a united country. Hence, everyone has the following fundamental freedoms (s. 2 Charter): - freedom of conscience and religion - freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication - freedom of peaceful assembly; and - freedom of association. Section 1 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. The Charter applies to all governments — federal, provincial and territorial — and in addition to our fundamental freedoms, it will provide protection of the following: - democratic rights – include citizen’s right to vote (s. 3) - mobility rights – the right to enter, remain and leave Canada and the right to live and to seek employment anywhere in Canada (s. 6) - legal rights – includes the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice; the right against arbitrary detention or imprisonment; the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal; and the right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. (ss 7-14) - equality rights for all individuals – Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability (s. 15) - protection of the official languages of Canada (English and French only) (s. 16) - minority language and education rights (English and French only) (s. 22) - Aboriginal peoples’ rights – The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from any aboriginal, treaty or other rights or freedoms that pertain to the aboriginal peoples of Canada including any rights or freedoms that have been recognized by the Royal proclamation of October 7, 1763; and any rights or freedoms that may be acquired by the aboriginal peoples of Canada by way of land claims settlement (s. 25) - recognition of Canada’s multicultural heritage (s. 27) - guaranteed equality to both sexes (s. 28) Canadians have enjoyed many of these basic rights and freedoms as a matter of practice for many years. Certain rights were set out in the Canadian Bill of Rights, as well as in various provincial laws. However, including them in a Charter of Rights, written into the Constitution, clarifies and strengthens them. Limitations of the Charter There are, however, certain limitations on the reach of Charter guarantees. First, the Charter applies only to relations between governments and the public; section 32 of the Charter states that the Charter applies to Parliament and to provincial legislatures as well as to the federal and provincial governments. Thus, the Charter does not generally apply to private actions of individuals or corporations, though it may do so, for example, through judicial extension of its guarantees to human rights codes. Secondly, in a democratic society, rights cannot be absolute; they must be qualified in order to protect the rights of others. For instance, freedom of speech must be qualified by libel and slander laws. Therefore the rights that the Charter guarantees may be subject to the section 33 “notwithstanding clause”. This means that Parliament or a provincial legislature could pass legislation that conflicts with a specific provision of the Charter in one of those areas. Any such legislation would expire after five years unless specifically renewed. The value of this clause is that it will ensure that legislatures rather than judges have the final say on important matters of public policy. The provision will allow for unforeseen situations to be corrected without the need for constitutional amendment. Thirdly, section 1 of the Charter provides that all rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Charter are subject to “such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.” This means that once an infringement of a Charter right has been established, the courts must decide whether the violation can be considered justified. This requires the courts to use a highly discretionary balancing test to weigh the policy interests of the government against the interest of the Charter litigant. A similar balancing requirement exists with respect to human rights legislation that allows for the recognition of a bona fide occupational requirement or justification as a defence to an otherwise discriminatory practice. In this case, human rights tribunals must make these determinations on the basis of the evidence before them. The Significance of s. 15 of the Charter Section 15(1) provides as follows: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.” Section 15 of the Charter guarantees the right to equality. Although the Charter came into force in 1982, section 15 did not take effect until 1985. The purpose of this three-year delay was to provide the federal and provincial governments with sufficient time to review, and amend where necessary, their respective bodies of legislation to bring them into line with the section. The delay reflected the view that section 15 would be one of the more intrusive provisions of the Charter; however, it ignored the fact that until cases were actually litigated up to the Supreme Court of Canada there would be no confident opinion on the breadth of the Charter’s equality guarantees. Although there has still been no definitive pronouncement on the scope of section 15, it is interesting to note that the Supreme Court of Canada has given considerable weight to federal and provincial human rights jurisprudence in its interpretation of discrimination under the Charter (see for example Andrews v. Law Society (British Columbia), 1 S.C.R. 143). While the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination in section 15 is equivalent to that in most human rights legislation, section 15 also extends to other grounds of discrimination that are similar or analogous to those set out in the section. Under human rights legislation, the grounds listed are intended to be exhaustive. Other Human Rights Protections in Canada As previously mentioned, at the federal, provincial and territorial levels, there are also human rights codes, the Ontario Human Rights Code, and human rights bodies, such the Canadian Human Rights Commission, which play a key role in furthering equality rights in Canada. Although there is some diversity among federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, the principles and enforcement mechanisms of these human rights laws are essentially the same. Each statute prohibits discrimination on specified grounds, such as race, sex, age, religion, in the context of employment, accommodation and publicly available services. The system of human rights administration is complaint-based in that a complaint of discrimination must be lodged with a human rights tribunal, commission or council either by a person who believes that he or she has been discriminated against or the tribunal itself on the basis of its own investigation. If a complaint is determined to be well-founded, the tribunal generally attempts to mediate or conciliate the difference between the complainant and the respondent. Where mediation or conciliation fails, a tribunal may hear the case and make a binding decision. In addition to their administrative functions, such human rights bodies are also charged with educational and promotional functions in relation to human rights. Human rights tribunals at the federal or provincial level are independent of their counterpart human rights commissions and their members are appointed by the governor in council or cabinet. Unlike the courts, human rights tribunals are specialized bodies which have broad powers to fashion remedies to address the unique social problems underlying a complaint of discrimination. The Canadian Human Rights Act(CHRA) applies to the federal government and to federally regulated businesses like banks, railways, airlines and telecommunications companies, and governs principally employment and the provision of goods and services in each of those sectors. It covers about 10% of the Canadian workforce. The rest of the Canadian workforce is covered by the provincial and territorial human rights codes. Thus the vast majority of retail businesses, manufacturing industries and residential accommodations are dealt with by provincial and territorial human rights laws. The CHRA does not apply to religious, cultural or educational institutions. These are not under federal jurisdiction. As with its provincial counterparts, the CHRA sets out certain fundamental characteristics, or “grounds”, of discrimination which are against the law. The list includes, for example, race, colour, religion, age, sex, marital status or family status, and disability. The CHRA also sets out the procedures for handling complaints lodged under the CHRA. There is thus a great deal of overlap between the equality guarantees of section 15 of the Charter and those of federal, provincial and territorial human rights legislation. Decisions rendered by the courts and tribunals in this area to date suggest that these anti-discrimination laws share the same underlying philosophy and have overlapping jurisdiction in many respects; however, certain distinctions must be kept in mind when dealing with individual cases. The Differences between Human Rights Legislation and the Charter As a result of a federal system of government with a division of legislative powers, human rights statutes have been enacted in Canada at the federal, provincial and territorial levels. As well, by virtue of the constitutional amendments in 1982, human rights guarantees were entrenched in the Constitution of Canada by means of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The creation of the Charter did not, however, eliminate the need for statutory human rights codes or diminish their importance. On the contrary, it actually served to elevate human rights laws to the status of quasi-constitutional legislation. At this point, it is perhaps useful to highlight some of the practical differences between two unique forms of anti-discrimination law in Canada, namely, the provisions of human rights legislation in Canada with the equality rights guarantees of section 15 of the Charter. - The human rights commission system of ensuring equality rights is essentially self-contained in that there is no direct right to litigate cases of discrimination before the courts (as opposed to administrative law tribunals, like the Canadian Human Right Tribunal). The Supreme Court of Canada in the case of Bhadauria v. Board of Governors of Seneca College, 2 S.C.R. 183 held that the comprehensiveness of human rights legislation, with its administrative and adjudicative components, indicates a clear intention to restrict the enforcement of its discrimination prohibitions to those measures established by the statute itself, and not to vest any supplementary enforcement responsibility in the courts. - The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies to any federal, provincial or municipal law or regulation, as well as to any governmental activity. Human rights legislation, on the other hand, prohibits discriminatory practices in both the private and public sectors, but only with respect to certain economic activities, such as employment and publicly available services and accommodation. Therefore, an overlap between human rights Acts and the Charter will exist where it can be shown that the practice at issue is an act of government that took place in the context of employment or the provision of services, facilities or accommodation. - A landlord of an apartment building in Toronto refuses to rent to an Aboriginal person. A complaint of discrimination would have to be made to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, as this is a case of discrimination by a private individual; it is neither sanctioned by law nor by the government. Because private apartment rental is a matter of provincial jurisdiction, recourse would be to the appropriate provincial, as opposed to federal, human rights commission. - Where a provincial human rights statute is found to contravene the Charter. In the case of Blainey v. Ontario Hockey Association (1986), 26 D.L.R. (4th) 728 (Ont. C.A.) (leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada denied), section 19(2) of the Ontario Human Rights Code, which barred sex discrimination complaints from being filed by sports organizations, was challenged by a 12-year-old female athlete as violating her equality rights under section 15(1) of the Charter. The Court found that section 19(2) was inconsistent with section 15(1) of the Charter and, pursuant to section 52 of the Constitution Act, 1982, held the section of the Code to be of no force or effect. The section was subsequently repealed. This case illustrates the fact that the Charter can have an impact on the content of human rights statutes. - The federal Employment Insurance Act provides for certain maternity and child care benefits. As a piece of legislation, this Act could be the subject of a Charter challenge; however, it is also possible that a discrimination challenge could be made to the Canadian Human Rights Commission on the basis that the provision of benefits is a service provided to the public by a federal government department. - Unlike section 15 of the Charter, which contains a non-exhaustive list of prohibited grounds of discrimination, human rights commissions and tribunals are restricted to dealing with those grounds specifically enumerated in their governing legislation. The line between enumerated and non-enumerated grounds of discrimination in human rights legislation would, however, appear to be blurring. For instance, prior to June 1996 (the enactment of Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act) the Canadian Human Rights Act did not prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. However, the Ontario Court of Appeal in the case of Haig v. Canada (1992), 9 O.R. (3d) 495 “read in” sexual orientation into the federal Human Rights Act as a prohibited ground of discrimination. The Court acted on the generally accepted premise that sexual orientation is a non-enumerated ground of discrimination protected by section 15 of the Charter. It therefore found that the failure of the Canadian Human Rights Act to provide homosexuals with an avenue for redressing discriminatory treatment, and the possible inference from this omission, that such treatment is acceptable and constituted discrimination against these members of society in violation of section 15 of the Charter. As a result of the Haig decision, the Canadian Human Rights Commission accepted complaints of discrimination on this basis until its governing legislation was amended accordingly. - There are statutory time limits for bringing a complaint of discrimination under human rights legislation; for example, there is a one-year limit under the Canadian Human Rights Act. There are no such time limits on proceedings under the Charter. - Charter enforcement is generally subject to the ordinary court system; by contrast a finding of discrimination by a human rights commission or council is enforceable only by means of special procedures and remedies set out in the governing legislation. Moreover, an individual usually incurs significantly less costs in filing a complaint of discrimination with a human rights commission or tribunal, whereas legal fees in court proceedings under the Charter are usually prohibitively high. - Finally, in terms of remedial relief under the Charter, as noted earlier, an individual or group of individuals may challenge a particular law on the basis of section 52 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which provides that any law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Charter will be struck down, but only to the extent of the inconsistency. This section permits anyone to make such a challenge before the courts. Individuals or groups of individuals who have experienced an infringement of their Charter rights may apply for a remedy under subsection 24(1), which provides that anyone whose rights or freedoms as guaranteed by the Charter have been infringed or denied may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain an appropriate remedy. Section 24 is extremely broad-ranging in that basically any individualized form of relief that is appropriate and just in the circumstances may be awarded, even if it is entirely innovative. In contrast, although human rights tribunals generally have broad remedial powers, they are limited to making orders that are provided for in their governing legislation. - Canadian Human Rights Commission, “The right to be different: Human Rights in Canada: an assessment” (Minister of Supply & Services Canada, 1988) - Nancy Holmes, Law and Government Division, October 13, 1997 & Revised September 18 1997, Parliamentary Research Branch, Depository Services Program: http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/MR/mr102-e.htm - United Nations, “Human Rights: 50 questions and answers about human rights and United Nations Activities to promote them” (United Nations Office of Public Information, 1984) - Department of Justice Canada website - Canadian Human Rights Commission Website - Ontario Human Rights Website - G.-A Beaudoin and E. Ratushny, The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (2nd ed.) (Toronto: Carswell, 1989) - P.W. Hogg, Constitutional law of Canada (4th ed.), (Scarborough: Carswell: with Supplement to Constitutional Law of Canada, 2002) - Leishman, Rory, Against Judicial Activism: The Decline of Freedom and Democracy in Canada (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2006) - J.E. Magnet, Constitutional Law, 8th ed. (2001).
Marie Tharp was an American geologist and oceanographic cartographer who, in partnership with Bruce Heezen, created the first scientific map of the Atlantic Ocean floor. Tharp’s work revealed the detailed topography and multi-dimensional geographical landscape of the ocean bottom. Her work also revealed the presence of a continuous rift valley along the axis of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, causing a paradigm shift in earth science that led to acceptance of the theories of plate tectonics and continental drift. Private Ivy League research university in New York Cityview profile Public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United Statesview profile Public university in Athens, Ohio, United Statesview profile University in Oklahoma, United Statesview profile

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