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Mindfulness and Depression
There are a variety of treatments available for depression. Exploring different options can help you find the best fit. Mindfulness is a practice that many people find helpful and it can be a positive way for you to manage your depression.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a practice that is centered on experiencing the present moment including what your body is sensing and feeling. When you practice mindfulness, you simply acknowledge your thoughts and feelings without reacting to or judging them. Your main goal is to focus on being present. There are many different ways you can practice mindfulness. Commonly, people will practice mindfulness meditation to help them when they are feeling stressed or overwhelmed. It is a way to center yourself and relax.
Benefits of Mindfulness
You can experience many benefits through practicing mindfulness. One of the most common benefits is a reduction of stress. Mindfulness helps you to learn how to experience the world around you without letting it overwhelm you. You can also use mindfulness to help you increase your focus and awareness of the world around you. The practice of mindfulness is all about approaching yourself with kindness and learning to process thoughts and emotions. Repeated practice can help you to manage your depression symptoms.
How to Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness can be practiced in many different ways and you can choose to do it in any way that appeals to you. You can practice mindfulness with breathing exercises, eating mindfully, doing yoga, or focusing on a single task. Mindfulness meditation is the most common way to practice. To meditate, sit down in a comfortable position. Sit up tall, but not completely straight. Be aware of everything your body is doing. Keep your gaze focused on a spot on the floor. You can then simply sit and breathe. Try to clear your mind. If a thought does enter your mind, simply acknowledge it without judgement and let it pass. During your meditation, you can also do a body scan and mentally evaluate every part of your body and what you are feeling. Again, mindfulness can be personalized to the individual, so try anything that sounds interesting to you.
Mindfulness is something that everyone is capable of doing. It simply takes practice to incorporate it into your life. As you practice mindfulness, you can help to address the symptoms of depression you may be experiencing.
Learn more about depression and how to manage it.
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A pizzicato effect is created on a string instrument when the player plucks the string instead of bowing it.
This means that in order to create this sound, you pluck or pull down on a string rather than pushing up.
The pizzicato technique can be used for many different instruments but is most often associated with violins and cellos.
It was originally referred to as ‘pizzicato secco’ which translates literally to “plucked dry,” meaning without dampening the strings after playing them.
The pizzicato effect is created when the player plucks a string rather than bowing it.
There are three main types of pizzicato:
Hard (the finger or fingers press down strongly enough so that they remain pressed),
Soft (only touching lightly) and Mixed (pressing down at one point then moving
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National Fire Prevention Week
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
The NFPA is a global, self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896 and devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the mission to help save lives and reduce loss with information, knowledge and passion.
Fire Protection Week
Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored Fire Prevention Week in October. During this week, children, adults, and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire. Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to decrease casualties caused by fire. Fire Prevention Week is observed annually the week of October 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire which began on October 8, 1871 and caused devastating damage, killing more than 250 people, leaving 100,000 homeless, destroying more than 17,400 structures, and burning more than 2,000 acres of land.
The 2023 campaign, "Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention," works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe when cooking.
- Cooking Safety
- Cooking Safety (Spanish)
- Cooking Safety Infographic
- Campus Safety Tips
- Escape Planning
- Home Safety for People with Disabilities
- Smoke Alarms at Home
The 2022 campaign, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape™”, works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fires.
- September 27, 2022 Fire Prevention Week Proclamation
- Fire Won't Wait Infographic
- Family Home Safety Action Plan
- Home Fire Escape Plan (geared for kids)
The theme for Fire Prevention Week in 2021 was "Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety." Learning the different sounds which smoke and carbon monoxide alarms make keeps individuals, their families & friends, and their property safe. "Hear a beep, get on your feet!"
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Plastic injection molding is the process of producing plastic parts by passing the molten form of plastic into mold materials that are shaped in the design of the desired final product. Injection molding can be used in the production of a variety of products other than plastic products. It can be used to produce items made from aluminum, glass, and several different materials. In the process of plastic injection molding, the raw material is heated then passed through molds then cooled to take the desired shape before being assembled. In this post, we look at the essential aspects of the injection molding process.
Perhaps the most critical aspect of plastic injection molding and other forms of injection molding is the process of mold design. There are different parts of the mold that have to be considered when coming up with the mold design. These parts include the windows, the gates, and vents, among others. Other features to consider during mold design include;
Side actions- these are the unique features that are designed into the mold especially when the product design is intricate. Such unique features include; lifters, screwing actions, collapsible cores, and slides, among others.
The type of mold- there are three types of molds, which include a single cavity mold, a multi-cavity mold, and the family tool mold.
The Molding Process
The first step of the plastic injection molding process is collecting the raw materials needed. This comes after the feasibility stage where the type of material to be used is determined. Once the raw materials have been collected, the next step would be to heat the elements at a different temperature to change them into a molten form.
The next step then is the injection process. Here, the melted or the molten plastic (or any other raw material is injected into the mold through the process called injection. During this process, the material enters the mold displacing the air in the spaces through the vents found in the injection pins. Some of the air is also ejected through the parting lines on the mold. To endure that the mold is adequately filled with molten plastic, parts of the mold like vents, runners, and gates come in handy owing to their design.
After injection, the raw material, while adequately filled into the mold is then cooled. The cooling process is timed to the precise amount required to change the raw material from molten to solid form. The molding machine comes typically with internal heating and cooling elements that maintain a constant temperature. As the materials cool down in the mold, screws on the barrel retract, and plastic resin is drawn into the barrel from the hopper.
The final step is the ejection of the final products which happens as the erector rods of the machine move the pins forward.
The other term for mold designing in injection molding is tooling. While injection molding may be efficient in several ways, the whole process is determined by the quality of the tooling.
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France is considered the center of the perfume world, with many heritage perfumeries founded in various French cities. People from across Europe have always looked to perfume houses here for the latest stylish scents and new techniques to capture the fragrance from flowers, wood, and other materials.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that French perfumeries trace their origins to the Sun King, Louis XIV. He famously built the Palace of Versailles and installed his perfumed court there, where it stayed until the French Revolution a century later.
The Perfumed Court of the Sun King
The story of France’s perfume prowess began when Louis XIV built his palace on swampland and made it his permanent residence. His court followed, and soon Versailles housed many noblemen, ministers, and ambassadors.
The problem, however, was that high society did not believe in the power of baths. They believed water spread diseases, so the less you bathe, the less vulnerable you are. Several hundred years before flush toilets and bidet seats became fashionable, the nobility relied on perfume. In fact, applying these fragrances were not just about smelling pleasant—odors were tied to medicine and cleanliness.
As such, the grooming regimen of both men and women involved hefty amounts of fragrant elixirs. They were even sprayed onto furniture and, according to hearsay, the fountains. Perfume has become so in-demand and widely used that Louis’ court earned the nickname “the perfumed court.”
The Successor of the Perfumed Court
The Sun King is not the only one to be surrounded by fragrant courtiers; his successor and great-grandson, Louis XV, also made Versailles fragrant. At the helm of the perfume trend during his reign was his mistress, Marquise de Pompadour. According to some accounts, she spent almost a million francs on perfumes in a single year.
Courtiers weren’t left behind in the excesses. The Countess de Saint-Hermine hoarded perfumed garters, while the abbe d’Osmond went bankrupt for his love of violet powder. During this time, perfume had become the main item in noble households.
Such was the consumption of perfumes that competition in the fragrance industry was fierce. Montpellier and Grasse, two proud perfume communities, outdid each other to supply fragrances to the nobility. Today, Grasse still holds the title The Perfume Capital of the World.
The Last Perfumed Court
As far as perfumes are concerned, there was one glamorous figure every perfumer wanted to please: Marie Antoinette, the wife of King Louis XVI. The queen, known for her looks and fashionable taste, also led the perfume craze in her husband’s court.
By this time, perfume was no longer a means to stay clean — Marie Antoinette herself bathed every day to remove dirt from her body. Perfume has become more about art than hygiene, which spawned ever wilder creations and combinations of scents.
When the French Revolution erupted, the members of the perfumed nobility were either exiled or executed. Leading perfumers scaled down their operations, until the 500-year-old perfumer’s guild, the maîtres gantiers-parfumeurs was destroyed in 1791.
The fascination for fragrances, however, did not abate. As time went on, France’s perfume industry rebounded. Today, it’s one of the biggest creators and suppliers of perfumes, keeping everyone—not just the nobility—fresh and fragrant.
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Convert 25 Meters (m) to Millimeters (mm)
This is our conversion tool for converting meters to millimeters.
To use the tool, simply enter a number in any of the inputs and the converted value will automatically appear in the opposite box.
How to convert Meters (m) to Millimeters (mm)
Converting Meters (m) to Millimeters (mm) is simple. Why is it simple? Because it only requires one basic operation: multiplication. The same is true for many types of unit conversion (there are some expections, such as temperature). To convert Meters (m) to Millimeters (mm), you just need to know that 1m is equal to mm. With that knowledge, you can solve any other similar conversion problem by multiplying the number of Meters (m) by . For example, 6m multiplied by is equal to mm.
Best conversion unit for 25 Meters (m)
We define the "best" unit to convert a number as the unit that is the lowest without going lower than 1. For 25 meters, the best unit to convert to is .
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The National Library of Medicine reminds users of three resources of special interest to those who need to learn more about or have urgent access to health information related to tsunamis, earthquakes, and radiation emergencies affecting Japan.
REMM – RADIATION EMERGENCY MEDICAL MANAGEMENT
Clinicians who need to learn about assessing and managing radiation emergencies are urged to use the Radiation Emergency Medical Management (REMM) web site. Selected key files from REMM are also available for downloading on mobile devices from http://www.remm.nlm.gov/downloadmremm.htm. The entire REMM web site can be downloaded to a laptop or desktop computer for use where there is no Internet connection.
EMERGENCY ACCESS INITIATIVE
The NLM Emergency Access Initiative has been activated in support of medical efforts in Japan. The Emergency Access Initiative is a collaborative partnership between NLM and participating publishers to provide free access to full-text articles from over 230 biomedical journals and over 65 reference books and online databases to healthcare professionals and libraries affected by disasters. It serves as a temporary collection replacement and/or supplement for libraries affected by disasters that need to continue to serve medical staff and affiliated users. It is also intended for medical personnel responding to the specified disaster. EAI is not an open access collection – it is only intended for those affected by the disaster or assisting the affected population.
JAPAN DISASTERS TOPIC PAGE
A new page of links to information on “Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Radiation Event – March 2011” is now available from the Disaster Information Management Research Center. The resources on this page may help with understanding the health issues related to the devastating Japan earthquake, tsunami, and possible nuclear power plant disruptions. Resources from the National Library of Medicine, U.S. federal agencies, and other key resources are listed for responders, health professionals, and the general public.
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Many Australians worry about the quality of the water and question whether it’s safe to let their family drink straight from the tap. While the government regularly tests and ensures the safety of tap water many still take the “better safe than sorry” approach, especially with the prevalence of bottled water. However is there a more affordable and environmentally friendly way to ensure clean drinking water without having to pay so much money for bottled water?
The answer may just be the use of water filters. One of the modern and well-tested water filtration methods available today is the use of carbon as a filtering agent. This filtration method features several layers of various materials that can filter out sediments, impurities and biological organisms. A carbon filter contains activated carbon which does a great job of eliminating contaminants and impurities through the process of chemical adsorption.
Carbon filtration is so effective that it is also used in air purifiers, gas processing and even in respirator masks. When it comes to water treatment, it gets rid of chlorine, asbestos, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Giardia cyst parasites, sediment, taste and odour.
While carbon water filters do an excellent job of clearing out all the impurities that can make us sick, there are other substances that it is unable to remove. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Carbon filtering leaves behind essential minerals like fluoride which helps prevent cavities in teeth. Some pathogenic bacteria and minerals won’t be filtered by carbon, but this is the reason why carbon filters are not the primary filtration medium. Water is always also treated at water plants and monitored by the government to ensure that any harmful bacteria and minerals are eliminated before it reaches our taps. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines specify that water “should contain no harmful concentrations of chemicals or pathogenic micro-organisms, and ideally it should be aesthetically pleasing in regard to appearance, taste and odour.” There are strict laws and guidelines already in place to protect the drinking water of every Australian household. Carbon water filters are a second level of filtration designed to improve the quality and taste of drinking water and put homeowners’ minds at ease.
So why would you choose filtered tap water over bottled water? Firstly, activated carbon is a natural filtration medium, so natural filtration is achieved and no additional chemicals are introduced. Secondly, filters are very easy to maintain and are a fraction of the cost of bottled water. If these reasons haven’t convinced you yet, a study has shown that an estimated 25% or more of the bottled water brands – including some of the big and most popular brands are just tap water in a bottle – sometimes further treated, sometimes not. And they come at a significant cost to the consumer.
Once you have an idea of the real impact of bottled water on the environment and on your pocket, you’ll realise that it’s just not worth it.
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So generally we have to find out if there is a microorganism or any infection in the urine or not. So putting a urine sample for culture in an aerobic medium, if there is no growth, then it is possible that there is infection. But if the urine has infection and suspecting the growth and the microorganism is there. So growth or no growth depends on the microorganism in the urine or the infection that is present in the urine. So no growth in the urine culture specifies that the urine does not have any infection or the patient may be on antibiotics suppressing growth of the microorganism, then only we can subject the urine to some tests like sensitivity of the bacterial growth, to which antibiotic they are sensitive otherwise is to see if it is acidic or alkaline, does it have RBC’s or casts. So we can subject the urine samples for a routine microscopy and we don’t have to do a culture. Even routine microscopy can give also information on the urine sample.
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Here’s something you don’t see every day — hundreds of new islands have been discovered around the world.
The Earth has 657 more barrier islands than previously thought, according to a new global survey by researchers from Duke University and Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C.
The researchers identified a total of 2,149 barrier islands worldwide using satellite images, topographical maps and navigational charts. The new total is significantly higher than the 1,492 islands identified in a 2001 survey conducted without the aid of publicly available satellite imagery.
Barrier islands often form as chains of long, low, narrow offshore deposits of sand and sediment, running parallel to a coast but separated from it by bays, estuaries or lagoons. Unlike stationary landforms, barrier islands build up, erode, migrate and rebuild over time in response to waves, tides, currents and other physical processes in the open ocean environment.
All told, the world’s barrier islands measure about 13,000 miles (21,000 kilometers) in length. They are found along all continents except Antarctica and in all oceans, and they make up roughly 10 percent of the Earth’s continental shorelines. The northern hemisphere is home to 74 percent of these islands.
Barrier islands help protect low-lying mainland coasts against erosion and storm damage, and can be important wildlife habitats. The nation with the most barrier islands is the United States, with 405, including those along the Alaskan Arctic shoreline.
“This provides proof that barrier islands exist in every climate and in every tide-wave combination,” said study team member Orrin H. Pilkey of Duke University. “We found that everywhere there is a flat piece of land next to the coast, a reasonable supply of sand, enough waves to move sand or sediment about, and a recent sea-level rise that caused a crooked shoreline, barrier islands exist.”
There, but overlooked
The newly identified barrier islands didn’t miraculously appear in the last decade, said study team member Matthew L. Stutz of Meredith. They’ve long existed but were overlooked or misclassified in past surveys.
Full story here
Here’s the full paper:
Open-Ocean Barrier Islands: Global Influence of Climatic, Oceanographic, and Depositional Settings
A satellite-based inventory of barrier islands was used to study the influence of depositional setting, climate, and tide regime on island distribution and morphology. The survey reveals 20,783 km of shoreline occupied by 2149 barrier islands worldwide. Their distribution is strongly related to sea level history in addition to the influence of tectonic setting. Rising sea level in the late Holocene (5000 YBP–present) is associated with greatest island abundance, especially on North Atlantic and Arctic coastal plains. Stable or falling sea level in the same time frame, a pattern typical of the Southern Hemisphere, is associated with a lower abundance of islands and a higher percentage of islands along deltas rather than coastal plains. Both coastal plain and deltaic island morphology are sensitive to the wave–tide regime; however, island length is 40% greater along coastal plains whereas inlet width is 40% greater on deltas. Island morphology is also fundamentally affected by climate. Island lengths in the Arctic are on average (5 km) only half the global average (10 km) because of the effect of sea ice on fetch and thus wave energy. Storm frequency in the high and middle latitudes is suggested to result in shorter and narrower islands relative to those on swell-dominated low-latitude coasts. The ratio of storm wave height to annual mean wave height is a good indicator of the degree of storm influence on island evolution. The potential for significant climate and sea level change this century underscores the need to improve understanding of the fundamental roles that these two factors have played historically in island evolution in order to predict their future impacts on the islands.
A New Classification of Barrier Islands?A useful and efficient global classification of barrier islands does not yet exist. However, global distribution and morphologic patterns do emerge from a broad-based investigation. In particular, the influence of sea level rise and storm impacts on barrier island distribution and morphology can perhaps be more appreciated than before.It is clear that no simple hierarchical relationship exists among the factors that influence barrier island distribution and morphology. It is more apparent that any single factor may be most influential in a given setting and more useful as a basis for describing variability between islands. For example, locations such as south Texas have extreme climatic gradients but little change in the oceanographic regime. In other settings, such as the Georgia Bight and German Bight, there are substantial gradients in the wave–tide regime but little climatic variability (Hayes, 1979).
Our examination of barrier island distribution shows that whether barrier islands can exist or not exist in a particular place is mostly determined by the history of tectonics and sea level changes. As is true for most geologic processes, inheritance plays a crucial role. Within these constraints, barrier islands will form most preferentially along low-gradient coastal plains under rising sea level, with deltaic island abundance greatest along higher-gradient coasts experiencing falling sea level. The varying roles of marine vs. fluvial processes on coastal plains and deltas result in fundamentally different island morphologies at the global scale. Islands will form virtually anywhere if the sediment supply is favorable, even given low energy levels. The greatest influence on sediment supply—both quantity and quality—is the climate (Milliman and Meade, 1983). The relative roles of storms vs. swells can determine the typical morphologic features present on islands, and the dominant vegetation can significantly influence island evolution. Within a given tectonic and climate setting, the balance of wave and tidal energy can account for much of the variability in island morphology and evolution, although more clearly in coastal plain island systems.
There does not appear to be a clear prototype island for each division and subdivision. However, the influence of the lowest-level factors on barrier island evolution can be most accurately analyzed when the higher-level factors are understood and accounted for. The high-order factors of sea level and climate are likely to experience dramatic change in this century, signaling a potential large-scale response of barrier islands worldwide. The most climatically sensitive barrier islands, in the Arctic, will likely experience the most dramatic climate change and the most severe impacts. The combined roles of climate and sea level rise in barrier island evolution need to be better understood in all regions to improve predictions about the impacts of future sea level and climate change.
Just a reminder…
From the same journal, this interesting study:
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When it comes to allergies, allergic rhinitis with its congested, itchy nose gets a lot of attention. But for some, allergic conjunctivitis with itchy, watery eyes is the greater nuisance. You might even have both reactions.
Allergic conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva — the layer of tissue lining the eyelids and covering the whites of the eyes. It’s caused by contact with a substance you’re allergic to, such as outdoor pollen or indoor pet dander or dust spores. Blood vessels in the eye swell, and eyes become itchy and red, and start to tear.
People with seasonal allergies typically have a stronger reaction when outdoors on hot, dry days when the pollen count is high. Symptoms tend to be less severe for people with indoor allergies, though these can occur any time of the year and flare anytime you stir up dust, from vacuuming to grooming your dog.
The symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include itchy, burning, red eyes; puffy, swollen eyelids; watery eyes and/or stringy discharge; and sensitivity to light.
Though the best way to avoid symptoms is to avoid the substances that trigger your allergy, this isn’t always possible. Try treating symptoms with lubricating eye drops and by applying cool compresses. Antihistamine medications may help, but they can make watery eyes too dry, so use with caution.
How to Reduce Indoor Allergy Exposure
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to better remove dust and dander.
- Keep pets out of your bedroom.
How to Reduce Outdoor Allergy Exposure
- Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to shield eyes.
- Rinse your eyes when you get home.
For true relief, get a proper diagnosis from an allergist who can identify your specific allergens and prescribe stronger medications if needed.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology has detailed information on eye allergy from symptoms to treatments.
Copyright © 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Weeds are an integral part of the garden, lawns and fields. There is a Spanish proverb that describes well the presence of this vegetation. It is said that “the garden grows more than the gardener sings.” In fact, this statement is absolutely true. There should be no garden or lawn without the undesirable presence of these hardy plants.
It’s well said, “Give the weed an inch, and it will take a yard.” Weeds grow faster than plants they have infected. Even William Shakespeare must have said, “Sweet flowers grow slowly and weeds are pressed.” This disrupts the size and appearance of the garden or lawn, which, if not cared for properly, will turn into an eyesore.
But weeding is also a separate profession. Requires a lot of attention and care. Because if you pull the weed too much, it can happen that the weed will break in your hands, and the roots will remain in place, underground. In a few days this may lead to the emergence of new vegetation.
Different methods and tools are needed to remove different types of weeds. Previously, weeding was done manually. But it was a difficult and tedious activity, which took a lot of time and effort. But over time, technological progress took place, and in 1971 George Ballas invented a weed eater. This machine worked on gas or electricity and increased the convenience of the gardener.
A weed eater is also called a weed grinder or a grass trimmer because of the function it performs and the part it consists of. Basically, three types of tools against weed are popular among gardeners. These three categories are remedies for weeds:
Electric weed: Some weeds work at the power source. They don’t need gas or oil to work. These electric cultivators are lighter in weight and are also available in smaller sizes. In addition, they are easy to maneuver. They are great for small lawns or gardens, as they have a restriction on the power cord. For the lawn to become larger, you will need an extension cord to operate the machine.
Killer weeds on gasoline: Weed killers on gasoline are traditionally used to remove invasive vegetation. These types of edge machines use oil or gas to work, and sometimes both. They are strong horses of the grooming community. Gas herbivores have more power and can hold more ropes than their electric counterparts. Gas weeding machines also have a wider scope as they are not limited by the cord and can reach the far corners of the garden. The only drawback of this equipment is that it is very heavy and not as easy to maneuver as electric.
Battery-powered weed killers: Battery-powered weed killers are widely used nowadays. They are still charged from electricity, but this helps to some extent to control air pollution and noise. You don’t need a cord, gasoline or oil for such a tool. Battery edge machines are also lightweight and give the user more room to work on small areas.
There are many big brands that sell their funds from weeds. After George Ballas brought this machine to market, there were many changes and innovations in the production of these weed control tools. Big players such as Black and Decker, Feather lite, Ryobi, Echo and Toro have a wide range of cultivators. Some of them have electric power, and many – wireless and battery power.
The company Black and Decker has released a wireless device for the destruction of weeds called Grasshog 12 Inch 18 Volt Cordless Edger / Edger. It is lightweight and very easy to handle. This machine is battery-powered and wireless, making it more convenient to carry. Grasshog can cut an area of about half an acre on a single charge using its 18-volt battery.
Feather Lite Weeder is a product of Poulan, which has been producing quality tools since 1944. In this category there are two main models – Weed Eater Feather Lite Plus – 20cc Curved Shaft Edger and Weed Electric String Trimmer. Eater 14 inches 4.1 A respectively. These are lightweight edge-cutting machines that use 4-tactical and 2-tactical engines to achieve the best results and perfectly trimmed lawn.
Ryobi is also one of the leading brands in the production of power tools, street products and accessories. Products perfectly combine innovation and versatility.
There are two models of this company that come in the form of gas and electrical products from weeds. The Ryobi 18 volt-12-inch lithium battery (model P2002) is wireless and weighs up to 7.5 pounds. It also has an adjustable top shaft according to the user size, directs for folding edges and stays loaded 4 times longer for better results.
The Ryobi gas mower is heavier and makes a lot more noise than the electric mower. And you need to add a tank from time to time.
In addition, there is another brand that is at the forefront of producing high quality products for weed destruction, and it is Echo that has been working in this business for 30 years. It makes a good machine for burning / cutting weeds of the commodity grade. Some of the most popular Echo models may include the Echo Weed Eater GT-200R, GT-200i, GT-251 and SRM-210. Most of these lawnmowers are light, with a curved handle, making it easier to use them.
Then comes the production company Toro, which has been producing quality equipment since 1914. There are two well-known models of weeds of this company. Battery electric shovel machine / Toro 3.5 Amp 11 inches – it is a reliable machine for cutting and cutting thick grass and weeds. It runs from the engine at 3.5 A and is easy to use.
The second model is an electric seedling / Toro 4.4A 15 inches trimmer with a dual handle, which allows users to easily switch between mower and trimming edges.
Thus, the type of tool for weed control depends on the user’s needs and the area to be cleaned of weeds. You can easily choose one of the three types of machines that suits them best. Any brand of weed crackers will give you the best results if you treat them carefully and properly care for them.
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David Roberts: The Artistic Journey of a Master Painter
David Roberts was a 19th-century Scottish artist renowned for his exceptional talent in depicting landscapes, architecture, and historical scenes. His work transcended national borders, capturing the imaginations of viewers around the world. With an innate passion for travel and a meticulous eye for detail, Roberts left an indelible mark on the world of art, creating a rich and diverse body of work that continues to inspire and captivate art enthusiasts and historians to this day.
Early Life and Education
David Roberts was born in Stockbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, on October 24, 1796. His early life was marked by an affinity for art, and he began his career as an apprentice to a house painter. However, Roberts’ ambition and talents soon outgrew his humble beginnings, and he sought formal art training. He enrolled at the Trustees’ Academy in Edinburgh, where he honed his skills in drawing and painting, particularly focusing on architectural subjects.
The Grand Tour
In 1820, Roberts embarked on a journey known as “The Grand Tour,” a rite of passage for many young artists of the time. His destination was Egypt, a place steeped in history, culture, and architectural marvels. This voyage marked a pivotal moment in his career, setting the stage for his future as a prolific artist.
Upon arriving in Egypt, Roberts was immediately captivated by the grandeur of the ancient ruins. With sketchbook in hand, he meticulously documented the architectural wonders of the region. His drawings of Egyptian monuments, temples, and pyramids were both accurate and artistically captivating. These sketches laid the foundation for some of his most celebrated works.
The Holy Land
From Egypt, Roberts continued his journey to the Holy Land, an equally significant leg of his Grand Tour. The region’s rich history and religious significance offered a wealth of subjects for his art. His depictions of iconic landmarks like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the River Jordan resonate with a sense of reverence and historical accuracy.
David Roberts’ artistic achievements are a testament to his dedication and talent:
- Landmark Publications: Roberts’ extensive collection of drawings and watercolors from his travels were published in two monumental volumes – “The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia” (1842-1849) and “Egypt and Nubia” (1846-1849). These publications featured beautifully colored lithographs of his original sketches and became highly influential in shaping Western perceptions of the East.
- Royal Patronage: Roberts enjoyed the patronage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, which further elevated his status as an artist of note.
- Influence on Orientalism: His work contributed to the Orientalist movement in art, which romanticized the cultures and landscapes of the Middle East. His compositions inspired countless artists, including those who followed in his footsteps.
- Legacy: David Roberts’ art continues to be celebrated in numerous galleries and museums worldwide, with his original works and lithographs prized possessions among collectors and connoisseurs.
David Roberts’ legacy as a painter is deeply intertwined with his passion for travel, his remarkable talent for capturing architectural detail, and his dedication to producing works of enduring beauty. His images have transcended time and space, providing us with a vivid window into the historical and architectural wonders of Egypt and the Holy Land. David Roberts’ extraordinary artistic achievements are a testament to the power of art to connect people across generations and cultures, reminding us of the timeless beauty of the world’s most iconic landmarks.
David Roberts, the renowned 19th-century Scottish artist, left an indelible mark on the art world through his extensive travels and meticulous renderings of landscapes, architecture, and historical scenes. His works have been subject to various analyses and have had a lasting influence on art, culture, and the study of Orientalism.
Influence on Orientalism: David Roberts’ artistic impact is perhaps most notable in the realm of Orientalism, a cultural and artistic movement that emerged in the 19th century, focusing on the fascination with and romanticization of the Middle East and North Africa. Roberts’ travels to Egypt and the Holy Land, and the subsequent publication of his works, played a pivotal role in shaping Western perceptions of these regions.
- Visual Documentation: Roberts’ drawings and watercolors were highly accurate and intricate, capturing the architectural details and landscapes of the Middle East with exceptional precision. These works served as visual documentation of the region, providing a source of inspiration and reference for future artists and scholars.
- Romanticizing the East: His paintings, often filled with a sense of exoticism and grandeur, contributed to the romanticized view of the East in Western art and literature. They fueled Western curiosity and fascination with the cultures and landscapes of the Middle East.
Artistic Analysis: The influence of David Roberts on the art world is multifaceted, and his work has been the subject of extensive artistic analysis.
- Attention to Detail: Roberts was known for his meticulous attention to detail. His works are characterized by intricate renderings of architectural elements, capturing the essence of historical sites. This meticulousness made his art invaluable for architectural and historical studies.
- Use of Light and Shadow: He skillfully employed the play of light and shadow to create depth and drama in his compositions. This technique added a sense of realism and three-dimensionality to his artworks.
- Color and Composition: Roberts’ use of color, particularly in his lithographs, was striking. He used vibrant and harmonious palettes to evoke a sense of grandeur and awe. His compositions often featured monumental architectural structures set against expansive landscapes, creating a sense of scale and wonder.
- Historical Accuracy: Beyond their artistic beauty, Roberts’ works are valued for their historical accuracy. They provide valuable insights into the architecture, culture, and landscapes of the Middle East and Egypt during the 19th century.
Legacy: David Roberts’ influence and impact have transcended time, and his legacy endures in various ways:
- Inspiration to Artists: Many artists, both in his time and in subsequent generations, have drawn inspiration from Roberts’ works, especially in their portrayal of exotic landscapes and architectural subjects.
- Historical and Cultural Significance: His works remain invaluable resources for historians, archaeologists, and scholars, offering a glimpse into the past and the evolution of these regions.
- Cultural Understanding: Roberts’ art continues to foster cultural understanding by allowing people to appreciate and connect with the historical and architectural treasures of the Middle East and Egypt.
In conclusion, David Roberts’ art is a testament to the power of travel, meticulous observation, and artistic skill. His influence on Orientalism and the realm of art is immeasurable, and his works continue to be celebrated for their historical, artistic, and cultural significance, making him a truly iconic figure in the world of art and cultural exploration.
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Because the growing trade in animals in public places – such as local squares – caused increasing nuisance, the first fully covered cattle market complex was opened in 1931 by Mayor Frans van Lanschot; the Bossche Livestock Market. The architect combined the style of the expressionist Amsterdam School with traditionalism and this design was built on a swampy piece of land just outside the centre of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. The Bossche Livestock Market started every Wednesday morning at 05:30 hrs, but on the other days of the week the building was often empty. That’s why agricultural events were also organised on these days, such as the national Easter cattle and livestock meat inspections.
In 2001 the building became listed as a National Monument. That same year, the foot-and-mouth epidemic broke out in Europe. The measures that prevented the epidemic from spreading further led to the closure of the Bossche Livestock Market.
After trade at the livestock market had come to a standstill for a few years, the renovation of the monumental building began in 2009. On February 3, 2010, an important phase – the restoration of the monumental and prominent tower – was completed in the construction project. As a symbol for this special moment, on the stroke of twelve, the clockwork of the clock was put back into operation after a long break. Not long after, ’s-Hertogenbosch’s 1931 Congress Centre opened. The renovation safeguarded the authentic character and created an attractive conference and meeting centre.
In 2009, the renovation of the national monument part of ’s-Hertogenbosch’s Brabanthallen started. On February 3, 2010, an important phase – the restoration of the monumental and prominent tower – was completed in the construction project. As a symbol for this special moment, on the stroke of twelve, the clockwork of the clock was put back into operation after a long break. The former livestock market complex and the office building (together good for about 7,000 m²) have been designated as a national monument. The authentic character is retained and provides an attractive conference and meeting centre.
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How Chiropractic Care Can Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Splints, medication, and surgery aren't the only ways to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. Chiropractic treatment offers an effective solution if you're struggling with pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in your hand, wrist, and fingers.
Why Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Is So Important
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve. This nerve travels the length of your arm and sends signals from your brain to the muscles in your arm, hand, and fingers. These signals tell the muscles how to move when you need to grip a pen, lift a bag, or turn a doorknob.
The median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel, a pathway formed by the bones and tissues in your wrist. The already narrow tunnel can become even tighter due to injuries, fluid retention, chronic health conditions that affect the nerves, or inflammation of the tissues in or around the pathway. Although anyone can develop carpal tunnel syndrome, women are more likely to experience symptoms due to the smaller size of their bones. Your hobbies or occupation may also increase your risk. People who bend their wrists repeatedly when typing, driving, hammering, sewing, painting, or texting have a higher incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome.
If the condition isn't treated promptly, numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain may worsen and nerve damage could occur. Carpal tunnel syndrome can eventually cause permanent weakness and loss of feeling in your fingers, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
What Your Chiropractor Can Do to Relieve Your Carpal Tunnel Symptoms
Chiropractors offer several treatments and strategies that may ease your symptoms, including:
- Wrist Manipulation (Adjustment) and Mobilization. Your chiropractor uses these hands-on techniques to realign the bones, tendons, and ligaments in your wrist and improve movement. The treatments improve blood flow to soft tissues and reduce pressure, swelling, and inflammation. In an anatomical study published in Clinical Biomechanics, mobilization treatment increased the size of the carpal tunnel and decreased pressure on the median nerve.
- Spinal Manipulation. Do you have a stiff or sore neck in addition to your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms? The source of your symptoms may be a misaligned cervical (neck) vertebra. The out-of-place vertebra might be pressing on a nerve in the neck that connects with the median nerve. A misaligned vertebra could cause pain and make it difficult to move your neck. In fact, restricted neck movement was a factor in mild to severe carpal tunnel syndrome in a research study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. Chiropractors use spinal manipulation to correct alignment problems in your neck and relieve pressure on your nerves. The treatment involves quick, hands-on thrusts that improve the position of the vertebrae, relieve painful pressure on tissues and nerves, and improve blood flow.
- Ultrasound Therapy. Ultrasound waves heat the tissues deep inside your wrists during this helpful therapy. The treatment loosens tissues and relieves pain, inflammation and swelling.
- Massage Therapy. Tight tissues in your wrist, hand, arm, shoulder, or neck could be worsening your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Massage eases muscle tension, decreases inflammation, and may relieve pain, numbness, and tingling.
- Taping or Bracing. Bracing or taping supports the wrist and prevents you from accidentally bending or stressing them.
- Exercise. During your visit, your chiropractor may teach you a few wrist exercises that stretch your muscles, decrease pressure on the median nerve, and help the tendons that connect muscles to the bones in your wrist glide through carpal tunnel easily. You may also learn a few exercises to improve the range of motion of your neck, strengthen your neck muscles, and improve your posture and head position. Holding your head too far forward can strain your neck and cause spinal misalignments that could press on nerves.
Are you ready to find out if chiropractic care can help your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms? Contact our office to schedule your appointment.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, 3/2022
Clinical Biomechanics: Dimensional Changes of the Tunnel and Median Nerve During Manual Mobilization of the Carpal Bones - Anatomical Study, 9/3/2018
Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy: Women With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Show Restricted Cervical Range of Motion, 5/2011
MedlinePlus: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
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Forensic Science Careers
Forensic Science Career Information
We strongly recommend that anybody interested in forensic science visit the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Website. They have an excellent 'choosing a career section' which among other things tackles questions such as:
Click Here To Visit The American Academy of Forensic Sciences Website.
Forensic Science Careers in the UK
For anybody thinking about forensic science careers in the UK, The Forensic Science Service website is well worth a visit.
Click Here To Visit The Forensic Science Service Website.
The following article written by Lindsay Jaroch provides some very useful forensic science career information.
Forensic Science Careers - Real Life CSI
Advances in scientific technology in examining crimes scenes have turned forensic science into a high demand and rapidly growing career field. Adding to the popularity of forensic science jobs are TV shows like CSI - Crime Scene Investigators.
This article will serve as an overview for a career in forensic science that includes many subcategories like forensic science consultants, fingerprint technicians, fingerprint examiners, forensic investigators and evidence technicians.
Forensic Scientist Job Description
Forensic scientists investigate crimes by collecting crime scene evidence and using the natural sciences to analyze the data they recover. They generally work 40 hours each week in a forensic science laboratory.
Forensic science technicians are often required to go to the crime scene and collect the physical evidence that can be found. They work closely with government officials and police detectives in order to help solve crimes.
Additional tasks forensic scientists have include:
Most forensic scientists specialize in certain types of evidence such as DNA analysis, firearm research and weapons testing, examining fiber, hair, tissue, or body fluid substances.
They often work with chemicals, fluid samples and firearms that demand safety precautions. However, the risk of harm or contamination within these working conditions is minimal.
Salary Ranges / Job Outlook for a Forensic Scientist
Of all science technicians, forensic scientists currently earn the second highest annual salary. In 2002 the average pay rate for a forensic scientist was $19.73 per hour, or approximately $41,000.
The low ten percent of this scale earned around $12.06 per hour - $25,100 yearly. The highest ten percent earned around $31.49 per hour - $65,500 yearly. However, the pay range depends upon factors like type of specialty, years of experience, type of employment and location.
In the United States, the employment rate for forensic scientists is expected to grow steadily over the next decade.
Current Nationwide trends estimate that job openings for forensic scientists will rise approximately 19 percent by 2012. These numbers indicate more than 360 job positions opening up each year. In 2002, forensic scientists held approximately 8,400 job positions. These scientists work mainly for State and local governments, but keep close professional relationships with police investigators and other crime experts.
Employment rates are dependent upon field development, government spending abilities, local population growth and the locality's crime rate. Job growth for forensic scientists can be attributed to rapid scientific and technological advances. Researchers are developing and perfecting new experimental methods every day. This will cause forensic science departments to fill the technician positions this research will create.
Currently, the number of skilled, experienced applicants is low. These low numbers mean that forensic scientists working for State and government departments are highly likely to receive positive employment prospects and benefits.
Education / Getting Started
Although organizations seek applicants with bachelor's degrees, many employers will hire candidates who have completed specific training programs, obtained certification or possess an associate's degree. Training and certification programs generally take only two years to complete and will earn graduates the opportunity for a career in forensic science.
Programs with a focus in criminal investigations and criminal justice can help prospective applicants specialize as forensic consultants, fingerprint technicians, forensic investigators, laboratory technicians and fingerprint examiners.
There are various courses that must be taken to qualify as a forensic science technician. Some important courses include chemistry, computers and electronics, law and government, public safety, mathematics, writing and communications.
Prospective scientists must have good decision making skills as well as written and oral expression. Additional skills include inductive reasoning, information ordering, critical thinking and the ability to identify patterns and details.
Because forensic scientists work in crime scenes that may be stressful and emotionally draining, they must be able to control their emotions and handle situations that can be distressful. Employers usually look for people with previous forensic experience. Many forensic science technicians begin in entry level trainee positions that help them gain job experience.
Another good way to get experience is through internship programs that are offered by numerous schools. Forensic scientists also start out as forensic laboratory technicians and after developing those skills, advance to crime scene technicians.
Advancements in science and technology continue to improve the accuracy and importance of crime scene evidence in prosecuting criminals and defending the accused. Training to be a forensic scientist will put you on the front line of this interesting and necessary analysis.
About the Author
Lindsay Jaroch is a freelance writer who writes about education topics. (www.degreesource.com)
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Honey is a very important renewable resource in Rwanda´s forested areas. There is a program at the Nyungwe National Park for teaching honeycomb harvesters to use modern as well as traditional techniques. The bees feed upon the native forest rich flowers, and then produce the honey into the combs that are in the surroundings of the national park, where the cooperatives of harvesters take advantage of the product.
Tea plantations have taken place where the original native mountain forest was flourishing during millenniums. Forests have been cleared off in order to feed the many people who depend on that harvest. But on the other hand, tea plantations by the side of the national parks helps making a very clear cut borders that delimitate them, making much easier to guard the forest from the poachers and furtive woodcutters.
Tropical forests are the most unlimited source of medicinal plants. The most of them are not yet discovered, but the traditional knowledge of the ancient cultures has walked part of the way. The joint botanical knowledge of traditional cultures and the world´s global growing use of plants for this purpose has allowed the local doctors the creation of mixed gardens that increase their tools for healing.
The Cercostachis scandens is a much dominant plant at the Nyungwe forest. It was very important for the elephants diet. But the last elephant was shot on Nyungwe on 1999. Since then, the plant has become an uncontrolled pest. It flowers every fifteen years, and it is said by the ancestors that every time it flowers there are tragedies, epidemics, natural disasters, wars, etc. The last time it flowered was 1994, year of the genocide.
Water is the base of life.We all are here not only because our planet is rich in water, but also because its average temperature is on the range of the liquid water. But we are too many, every time more and more, so water deficit is the most risking factor for human survival in not too long term. An incredible high amount of peoples fight for their daily life: the major aspects of the water crisis are overall scarcity of usable water and water pollution.
The renovation of tropical forests depends on the seed dispersers. Many medium size and big mammals and birds feed upon the abundance and diversity of fruits the jungle produces, taking their seeds away from the parental plants, which warranties their reproduction. Many of that animals have been heavily hunted and depleted so the long term survival of the forests is on risk. A forest without seed dispersers is a dead forest.
Most of the Rwandan population relies on firewood for cocking and warming. It has put the jungles and forest to very dangerous edges, reducing dramatically their original extensions. Several projects are trying to increase the use of alternative combustible sources, as the methane gas produced by the treatment of the organic disposals from towns, schools or even jails.
The great lakes in Africa are famous for their high numbers and diversity of fishes. A very big population around them relies upon fishing for its survival. In Rwanda fishing takes place on the country's lakes, but stocks are very depleted. The protection and control, particularly on national parks, help to prevent local extinctions, though are being still intensively used and the average size of the fishes is every time more and more reduced by the overfishing.
Swamps and marshes are among the richest but more fragile ecosystems. Unhappily they are being drained and dried worldwide for many different purposes. The Kamiranzovu swamp, on the Nyungwe National Park, though protected, remains on risk due to the land slidings of the main road, which takes mud to its pristine waters and threats its flow by repressing them. The farmers out of the park depend upon its waters for irrigation with a river that flows from the park.
The mountain gorillas are the most emblematic animals of Rwanda, symbols of the environment conservation and the wildlife tourism. The Ibiyiwa Culture Village at Nyabigoma, at the feet of the Sabyinyo volcano, is formed by ex-poachers, who have shifted from the furtive hunting to the tourism activities, showing to the visitors their traditional dances, music, medicine and craftsmanship and getting higher incomes while helping protect the environment.
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Wondering what is a website developer? Then you have landed at the right space. In today’s digital age, websites have become the cornerstone of the online world, serving as the digital storefronts for businesses, information hubs, and communication platforms. Behind the scenes, website developers play a pivotal role in bringing these websites to life and ensuring they function seamlessly. In this section, we’ll delve into the world of website development, exploring what it entails and the critical role that website developers play in shaping the online landscape.
What is a Website Developer?
A website developer, often referred to simply as a web developer, is a skilled professional responsible for creating and maintaining websites on the internet. They are the architects and builders of the online world, using a combination of technical expertise, programming languages, and creative problem-solving to transform ideas and concepts into functional websites.
Website developers are not limited to creating static web pages; they also craft dynamic, interactive websites and web applications that can perform a wide range of tasks. These tasks might include processing user input, managing databases, and ensuring that websites load quickly and operate smoothly across various devices and browsers.
Website developers can specialize in different aspects of web development, including front-end development, back-end development, or full-stack development, each requiring a unique set of skills and knowledge. We’ll explore these specializations in more detail later in this guide.
The Role of Website Developers
Website developers are the driving force behind the websites we encounter daily. Their roles extend beyond just writing code; they involve understanding client needs, designing user-friendly interfaces, ensuring website security, and optimizing website performance. Here are some key responsibilities and roles of website developers:
- Coding and Programming: Website developers write the code that powers websites. Front-end developers focus on the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX), while back-end developers work on the server-side logic and database interactions. Full-stack developers bridge the gap between these two domains, handling both front-end and back-end development.
- Functionality and Interactivity: Website developers add interactivity and functionality to websites. They create features like contact forms, e-commerce systems, content management systems (CMS), and more to enhance user engagement.
- Cross-Browser Compatibility: Ensuring that websites work correctly across different web browsers is a crucial aspect of a web developer’s role. They write code that is compatible with popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
- Performance Optimization: Website developers optimize websites for speed and performance. This includes optimizing images, reducing load times, and implementing best practices to enhance the overall user experience.
- Security: Web developers are responsible for identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities in websites. They implement measures to protect websites from hacking attempts, data breaches, and other security threats.
- Testing and Debugging: Developers conduct thorough testing and debugging to identify and resolve issues before a website is launched. This ensures that the website operates smoothly and without errors.
Skills and Knowledge
A. Technical Skills Required
Website development demands a diverse set of technical skills to craft functional, aesthetically pleasing, and efficient websites. Here are some of the key technical skills required for a successful career in web development:
- HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- Version Control Systems
- Responsive Web Design
- Web Performance Optimization
- Debugging and Troubleshooting
- Web Security
- Back-End Development
- Database Management
- API Integration
- Content Management Systems (CMS)
B. Programming Languages for Web Development
Programming languages are the building blocks of web development. Additionally, Different tasks and specializations within web development require proficiency in specific languages. Here are some of the commonly used programming languages in web development:
- HTML/CSS: While not traditional programming languages, HTML and CSS are the backbone of web development. HTML structures content, while CSS styles it. Together, they define the look and structure of web pages.
- PHP: PHP is a server-side scripting language commonly used for web development. It’s especially popular for building dynamic websites and web applications. Platforms like WordPress are built on PHP.
- Python: Python is known for its readability and versatility. It’s used for web development frameworks like Django and Flask and is favored for its simplicity and ease of use.
- Ruby: Ruby is the language behind Ruby on Rails, a popular web development framework known for its rapid development capabilities and elegant code.
- Java: Java is used in web development for building robust, enterprise-level applications, often with the Spring framework.
- C#: C# is associated with Microsoft’s .NET framework and is used for developing Windows-based web applications and services.
Ready to dive into the world of web development? Explore these top web development programming languages and start building your digital future today!
C. Understanding Web Technologies
Understanding web technologies goes beyond coding skills and includes knowledge of how the internet and web applications function. Here are key aspects of web technologies:
- HTTP and HTTPS: Understanding the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and its secure counterpart (HTTPS) is essential. These protocols govern how data is exchanged between web servers and browsers.
- DNS (Domain Name System): Familiarity with DNS helps developers understand how domain names are translated into IP addresses, allowing users to access websites via human-readable URLs.
- Web Servers: Knowledge of web server software like Apache, Nginx, and Microsoft IIS is important for configuring and hosting websites.
- Web Hosting and Cloud Services: Understanding web hosting options and cloud services like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud is valuable, as developers often deploy websites on these platforms.
- RESTful and GraphQL APIs: Understanding API design principles, including RESTful and GraphQL APIs, is crucial for enabling communication between web applications and external services.
- Web Security Protocols: Knowledge of security protocols like OAuth, JWT (JSON Web Tokens), and SSL/TLS encryption is vital for securing web applications and protecting user data.
- Web Accessibility: Awareness of web accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) ensures that websites are inclusive and usable for all, including individuals with disabilities.
- Web Performance Metrics: Familiarity with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and WebPageTest helps developers optimize website performance by analyzing load times, rendering, and other metrics.
Types of Website Developers
Website development is a multifaceted field, and professionals often specialize in specific roles to create well-rounded, functional websites. Here are the key types of website developers:
A. Front-End Developers
Front-end developers, also known as client-side developers, focus on the user interface and user experience of websites. Their primary responsibilities include:
- User Interface (UI) Development: Front-end developers design and implement the visual elements of a website, including layouts, typography, colors, and interactive components.
- User Experience (UX) Design: They optimize the website’s usability, ensuring that users can navigate, interact, and achieve their goals efficiently.
- Responsive Design: Front-end developers make websites responsive, ensuring they adapt gracefully to various screen sizes and devices.
- Cross-Browser Compatibility: They ensure that websites work consistently across different web browsers.
- Testing: Front-end developers conduct testing to identify and fix visual and functional issues, often using debugging tools and browser developer tools.
B. Back-End Developers
Back-end developers, also known as server-side developers, work behind the scenes to create the server-side logic and database functionality that powers websites. Their key responsibilities include:
- Server-Side Programming: Back-end developers use programming languages like Python, Ruby, PHP, Node.js, and Java to handle requests, process data, and interact with databases.
- Database Management: They design, create, and maintain databases, ensuring data is stored securely and efficiently.
- API Development: Back-end developers build application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow different parts of a website or external services to communicate.
- Security: They implement security measures to protect data, including encryption, authentication, and access controls.
- Scalability: Back-end developers design systems that can handle increased traffic and load by optimizing server performance and using technologies like load balancing.
- Testing and Debugging: They rigorously test server-side code, identify and resolve issues, and monitor server performance.
C. Full-Stack Developers
Full-stack developers are well-versed in both front-end and back-end development, making them versatile professionals capable of handling all aspects of website development, including understanding what is a website developer. Their roles encompass:
- End-to-End Development: Full-stack developers can independently handle the entire web development process, from designing user interfaces to writing server-side code.
- Cross-Functional Expertise: They bridge the gap between front-end and back-end development, allowing them to create cohesive and integrated web applications.
- Problem Solving: Full-stack developers possess a broad skill set, making them adept at troubleshooting and finding solutions to complex web development challenges.
- Project Management: Some full-stack developers also take on project management responsibilities, overseeing the entire development process from planning to deployment.
- Tech Stack Versatility: They are proficient in a range of programming languages, frameworks, and tools, making them adaptable to different project requirements.
Related Article: What is a Full Stack Developer?
D. Web Designers vs. Web Developers
While web designers and web developers collaborate closely, they have distinct roles in website creation:
- Web Designers: Web designers focus on the aesthetics and visual aspects of a website. Furthermore, They create wireframes, mockups, and design layouts using graphic design tools like Adobe XD or Sketch. Additionally, Designers are responsible for creating a visually appealing and user-friendly interface and selecting color schemes, typography, and imagery.
Tools and Technologies
Website developers rely on a variety of tools and technologies to streamline their work, collaborate effectively, and build websites efficiently. What is a website developer? They are professionals who use these tools and technologies to create and maintain websites. Here are some of the essential tools and technologies used in web development:
A. Development Environments
A development environment provides developers with a workspace where they can write, test, and debug code. What is a website developer? It typically includes text editors, integrated development environments (IDEs), and other software tools. Here are the key components of development environments:
- Text Editors: Text editors like Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, and Atom are lightweight tools for writing and editing code. They often support syntax highlighting, code completion, and extensions for various programming languages.
- Integrated Development Environments (IDEs): IDEs like JetBrains PhpStorm, Eclipse, or Microsoft Visual Studio offer comprehensive solutions for web development. Additionally, They provide code editors, debuggers, version control integration, and other features in a single package.
- Online Code Editors: Cloud-based code editors like CodePen, JSFiddle, and Replit are useful for quick experiments and collaborative coding, allowing developers to write and test code directly in web browsers.
B. Version Control Systems
Version control systems (VCS) help developers manage code changes, collaborate with team members, and track project history. What is a website developer needs to understand that Git is the most widely used VCS, and platforms like GitHub and GitLab provide hosting and collaboration features. Key aspects of version control systems include:
- Repository Management: Developers create repositories to store their code and project files. These repositories track changes over time and facilitate collaboration.
- Branching and Merging: VCS allows developers to work on different branches of a project simultaneously, enabling them to add features or fix bugs without disrupting the main codebase. Branches can later be merged back into the main branch.
- Committing: Developers make commits to save changes to the codebase. Furthermore, Each commit is accompanied by a descriptive message that explains the changes made.
- Collaboration: VCS platforms provide tools for collaborating with team members, including pull requests, code reviews, and issue tracking.
- History Tracking: Developers can review the entire history of code changes, making it easier to identify when issues were introduced and how they were resolved.
C. Content Management Systems (CMS)
Content Management Systems simplify website creation and management, particularly for non-technical users. What is a website developer? They provide user-friendly interfaces for adding, editing, and organizing content. Key features of CMS platforms include:
- User-Friendly Interfaces: CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla offer intuitive interfaces that allow users to create and edit content without needing extensive technical knowledge.
- Templates and Themes: CMSs offer a range of templates and themes that provide design flexibility. Users can choose from pre-designed layouts or create custom designs.
- Plugin and Extension Ecosystem: CMS platforms often have extensive plugin or extension ecosystems that enable the addition of features like e-commerce, SEO optimization, and social media integration.
- Content Organization: CMSs provide tools for organizing content hierarchically, making it easy to create and manage large websites with multiple pages and sections.
- User Management: CMS platforms support user management and access control, allowing different users to have different levels of access to the website’s backend.
- SEO-Friendly Features: Many CMSs include built-in SEO tools and features that help optimize websites for search engines, including meta tags, URL structure, and XML sitemaps.
- Security: CMS developers continually update and patch security vulnerabilities, enhancing website security.
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, website development stands as a cornerstone, shaping the online world into a dynamic and interactive space. What is a website developer? From the inception of an idea to the final deployment of a fully functional website, website developers play a pivotal role in bringing the virtual realm to life.
Whether you’re a seasoned web developer, a budding enthusiast, or simply someone intrigued by the world of website development, we hope this guide has provided valuable insights and a deeper understanding of the exciting and ever-changing realm of website development. As you embark on your journey or further your expertise in this field, remember that web development is not just about code; it’s about crafting digital experiences that leave a lasting impact on users worldwide.
Ready to elevate your online presence? Partner with our web development company today and transform your vision into reality!
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One Fewer Usage Error
In my mind, less and fewer illustrates quite well virtually all of the problems of prescriptivism: the codification of the opinion of some eighteenth-century writer, the disregard for well over a millennium of usage, the insistence on the utility in a superfluous distinction, and the oversimplification of the original rule leading to hypercorrection.
I found a very lovely example of hypercorrection the other day in The New York Times: “The figures are adjusted for one fewer selling day this September than a year ago.” Not even stuffy constructions like “10 items or fewer” make me cringe the way that made me cringe.
No usage or style guide that I know of recommends this usage. In my experience, most guides that enforce the less/fewer distinction grant exceptions when dealing with things like money, distance, or time or when following the word one. And why, exactly, is one an exception? I’m really not sure, but my best guess is that it sounds so strange that even the most strictly logical prescriptivists admit that less must be the correct choice.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage has an excellent entry on less/fewer, but surprisingly, regarding the “one fewer” issue it says only, “And of course [less] follows one.” Perhaps the use of “one fewer” is so rare that the editors didn’t think to say more about it. Obviously someone should’ve said something to the copy editor at The New York Times.
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During the summer months most of us get adequate vitamin D levels as we are outside swimming, biking or running.
But what happens during the colder winter months? We start to wear layers of clothing and our sun exposure is decreased. This can promote a vitamin D deficiency which can lead to one getting a ‘winter cold or flu’, mood problems or heart disease.
The US RDA has increased the vitamin D levels to 600 IU, however the Vitamin D Council recommends that healthy adults and adolescents should consume at least 5,000 IU per day.
So how do you make sure your vitamin D levels don’t dip this winter? 2 ways. First you can use a vitamin D3 supplement to maintain your levels or secondly, you can keep up your intake of wild salmon or other fatty fishes.
Ask Dr. Huston or Dr. Lindstrom if vitamin D supplementation is right for you, and check out our new Pinterest page for some great fish recipes!
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The universe began 13.8 billion years age with the Big Bang. The Big Bang is a theory about how the universe started and the formation of stars and galaxies. The universe was very hot, small and dense with no stars, atoms, form, or structure called a singularity. then inflated over the next 13.8 billion years to the cosmos that we know today.
The universe is 13.8 billion years old. Astronomers estimate the age of the universe by looking for the oldest stars; and by measuring the rate of expansion. The universe cannot be younger than the objects contained inside of it. By determining the ages of the oldest stars, scientists are able to put a limit on the age.
The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the objects that orbit it, either directly or indirectly. Of the objects that orbit the Sun directly, the largest are the eight planets, with the remainder being smaller objects, the dwarf planets and small Solar System bodies.
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Sökning: "Yngve Sundblad"
Visar resultat 1 - 5 av 15 avhandlingar innehållade orden Yngve Sundblad.
Sammanfattning : Personas are fictitious characters that represent the needs of the intended users, and scenarios complementing the personas describe how their needs can be met. The present doctoral thesis considers the usage of personas and scenarios and how they are used in system development projects. LÄS MER
Sammanfattning : Spatial information presented visually is not easily accessible to visually impairedusers. Current technologies, such as screen readers, cannot intuitively conveyspatial layout or structure. This lack of overview is an obstacle for a visuallyimpaired user, both when using the computer individually and when collaboratingwith other users. LÄS MER
Sammanfattning : This thesis is concerned with shared virtual environmentsfor collaborative work. An important aspect of shared virtualenvironments is the avatar, the representation of the user inthe virtual world. LÄS MER
Sammanfattning : .... LÄS MER
Sammanfattning : The cooperative design approach, which research and practice have proven to be successful in several ways, is based on understanding users and their contexts through a variety of methods. This approach of working closely together with the users, however, is not the same thing as letting the users decide themselves what to design. LÄS MER
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Our nation’s schools are full of students who possess a desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard, but many of them do not truly have the opportunity to be college-ready. These are often the students who will be the first in their families to attend college and are from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education. AVID Secondary equips teachers and schools with what they need to help these students succeed on a path to college and career success.
To address this need, AVID has developed the AVID Elective course. For one period a day, students receive the additional academic, social, and emotional support that will help them succeed in their school’s most rigorous courses. Districts have the flexibility to decide how many AVID Elective classes to start and which grade levels will implement AVID first. Additionally, in middle school, the language and literacy needs of long-term English language learners can be addressed through the AVID Excel elective class.
The power of AVID Secondary is the ability to impact students in the AVID Elective class and all students throughout the campus. AVID Secondary can have an effect on the entire school by providing classroom activities, teaching practices, and academic behaviors that can be incorporated into any classroom to improve engagement and success for all students. Teachers can take what they've learned at AVID training back to any classroom to help all students, not just those in AVID, to become more college- and career-ready.
The training can start with a group as small as eight participating in three days of AVID professional learning.
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Women have been instrumental in driving change across various fields and industries. From politics to technology, women have made significant contributions to the progress of society. This article will highlight some of the remarkable women who have been at the forefront of change and have inspired others to follow in their footsteps.
Kamala Harris made history when she was elected as the first female, Black and South Asian Vice President of the United States in 2020. Her election was a significant milestone for women's representation in politics, and she has been an advocate for women's rights throughout her career. She has pushed for equal pay, reproductive rights, and access to healthcare, and has been a voice for marginalized communities.
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for girls' education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She has been an advocate for girls' education since she was a child and gained international attention after surviving a Taliban assassination attempt. Despite the attack, she continued to speak out and has become a symbol of hope for girls around the world who face barriers to education.
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist who has been leading the fight against climate change. She gained worldwide attention after she started a school strike for climate change in 2018, which inspired millions of young people to take action. She has spoken at international conferences and rallies, urging leaders to take immediate action to address the climate crisis.
Sheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Facebook and the founder of LeanIn.org. She has been an advocate for women's empowerment in the workplace and has authored several books on the subject, including "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead." She has pushed for more diversity and inclusion in the tech industry and has encouraged women to pursue leadership positions.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American jurist and the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. She was a champion for women's rights and gender equality, and she played a pivotal role in several landmark cases, including United States v. Virginia, which struck down the Virginia Military Institute's male-only admissions policy. She was a trailblazer for women in the legal profession and inspired generations of women to pursue careers in law.
These women have made significant contributions to society and have shown that women can lead and drive change in their respective fields. They have inspired generations of women to pursue their dreams and have pushed for a more equitable and inclusive world. As we continue to strive for gender equality and women's empowerment, we must recognize and celebrate the achievements of these remarkable women. #Leadership #leadingchange
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Last week Dominion Energy announced a slew of new solar and energy-storage projects, which it describes as a “significant step” toward achieving the net-zero carbon goals for Virginia’s electric grid under the Virginia Clean Energy Act.
The proposed investments include 11 utility-scale projects, two small-scale distributed solar projects, one combined solar and energy-storage project, and one stand-alone energy storage project. Aside from receiving State Corporation Commission approval, the projects will require state environmental permits and local zoning approval.
Once in operation, the projects will be able to provide 1,000 megawatts of electricity, or roughly enough to power 250,000 homes at peak output. Dominion said the package of projects would add $1.13 to the typical residential customer’s monthly bill.
Dominion’s announcement raises questions. If utility-scale solar is the most economical form of electricity generation, how come rates will be going up?
Part of the answer hinges on the words highlighted above, “at peak output.” Solar generates the cheapest electricity on the planet — when the sun is shining. But the sun sets with fair regularity — at least it has for the past four billion years — and sometimes these things called clouds block the sun’s rays. Therefore, Dominion must maintain electric generating capacity to provide electricity when the sun isn’t shining.
What’s interesting in this proposed package is that Dominion will acquire some electric-storage backup. Dominion is dipping its toe into battery storage. It appears to be adopting the same strategy as it did with its earliest, small-scale solar projects of setting up pilot plants to see how they integrate into the electric grid.
In this package, Dominion wants to set up a combined solar/battery storage project and a stand-alone battery storage project. The Dry Bridge Storage project in Chesterfield County will generate up to 20 megawatts, while the Dulles Solar and Storage project in Loudoun County will generate 100 megawatts of solar and provide 50 of storage.
The announcement does not break out the cost of the battery storage. But solar + battery storage gives us a truer cost to the electric system, which must create redundancy in order to maintain reliability, than calculating the stand-alone cost per kilowatt at the solar-panel level. Hopefully, the SCC will hold hearings that allow the public to gain keener insight into the economic of solar, battery storage and the full system costs of solar.
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Younger siblings up the odds of brain cancer
Could childhood infections double cancer risk?
Younger brothers and sisters are usually considered pests for their whining and fighting. Now it seems they could also be a factor in whether older siblings grow a brain tumour.
The cause of brain tumours is a long-standing and impenetrable mystery, because they are very rare and it is difficult to collect together enough cases to find a common cause. But one idea is that viral infections are involved, as they are in causing cervical and other cancers.
To explore this, a team led by Andrea Altieri of the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, studied the number of brothers and sisters a person has as a surrogate measure for the number of infections they suffered. The idea, used by epidemiologists before, is that a greater number of snotty siblings generally exposes a child to more viruses.
The team found that people with four or more siblings (either younger or older) were twice as likely to have developed certain types of brain and nervous-system tumours than those with no siblings.
Sibling count is "one of the highest risk factors we know for nervous-system cancers," Altieri says.
All in the family
The team analysed more than 13,600 cases of nervous-system tumours in a Swedish cancer database, one of the largest family cancer registries in the world.
Children who had three or more younger siblings were up to 3.7 times more likely to develop certain tumours when they were children or young teenagers compared with those with no younger siblings. Having lots of older siblings did not produce the same risk.
The result suggests that infections passed from younger siblings to older ones, perhaps during late childhood, may somehow increase susceptibility to these cancers. Infections passed from older siblings to younger ones, on the other hand, may not.
Another explanation could be that first-born children face different risks than third- or fourth-born children because they are exposed to a different milieu of maternal hormones or other factors during pregnancy.
The study the largest yet to look at links between siblings and brain tumours is published this month in Neurology1.
Altieri stresses that the evidence is too provisional to try and prevent cancers through frequent hand washing or other measures that fight infection.
Pass it on
The idea that children swapping infections might play a large role in some cancers has been posed before (see ' Common infections blamed for childhood leukaemia'). But studies into childhood infection and brain cancers have been inconsistent.
The real challenge, says Faith Davis who studies the epidemiology of tumours at the University of Illinois, Chicago, is to pin down whether one particular virus or bacterium specifically increases susceptibility to cancer. Alternatively, she says, it may be that infections generally alter the developing immune system so that it does not fight off cancerous cells normally.
There are established links between the state of the immune system and brain cancer, Davis says. People who suffer allergies or asthma, for example, seem to be at less risk of certain types of tumour. "What we need to do is tease out what's underlying it," she says.
There is a link between the immune system and cancer, Davis notes. People who suffer allergies or asthma, for example, seem to be at less risk of certain brain tumours. "What we need to do is tease out what's underlying it," she says.
Few risk factors have been definitively pinned down for brain tumours, although family history, certain rare inherited disorders, high doses of radiation and HIV are thought to increase risk.
Visit our newsblog to read and post comments about this story.
- Altieri A., et al. Neurology, 67 . 1979 - 1983 (2006).
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After a traumatic brain injury, you may experience cognitive, emotional, and physical dysfunctions that you didn’t have before. While you can’t repair damage to brain cells, you might be able to rewire your brain and build new pathways. Some side effects will be permanent, but it’s possible that new treatments like stem cell therapy can improve your function and help you feel more like yourself.
What is a traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is any injury to the brain caused by a blow, jolt, or bump. In these instances, the brain can bounce around inside the skull, causing physical damage to cells. Sharp blows can also cause chemical changes in the brain, leading to further damage.
In its mildest forms, you might hear it called a concussion. Concussions typically aren’t life-threatening, and your brain can usually heal on its own after a few weeks. That said, they can still be serious, especially if you’ve had a few throughout your life. You might start to experience problems with memory and concentration or have problems with balance. Headaches and nausea are also common.
Things become more dangerous if you suffer a moderate to severe TBI. When this happens, your brain is seriously damaged. You might experience more troubling symptoms like:
- Seizures and convulsions
- Slurred speech
- Intense nausea and vomiting
- Loss of coordination
- Being unable to wake up from sleep
- Feeling confused, restless, or agitated
- Having numbness or weakness in the extremities
There are many ways to get a TBI. It might be something as simple as falling or as serious as getting into a car accident. Firearm-related suicide attempts are also linked to high rates of TBI.
Traumatic brain injury symptoms years later
Statistics on traumatic brain injury symptoms years later vary. Still, around 50% of people see positive results regarding their condition, according to the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Data and Statistical Center. Around 22% of those injured said their symptoms stayed the same, while 26% saw improvement in their injuries. This means that minimizing permanent damage is possible with the right care from your medical team.
What are the long-term symptoms most TBI patients are noticing? Seizures can be a big problem, with TBI sufferers more likely to suffer from them than the general population. Other health conditions can still have a huge impact on quality of life.
Long-term physical symptoms of a TBI
Some of the biggest problems come in the form of motor deficits and disabilities. You may experience paralysis of your limbs or have uncontrolled muscle spasms throughout the day. Swallowing, talking or even walking may be challenging. Many people also experience persistent headaches, ranging from migraines to tension headaches. Sleep disorders can be common, as they can be tiring more easily.
Long-term cognitive symptoms of a TBI
Mentally, you may also find your mind is shifting from one moment to the next. Problems controlling frustration and anger are common. Many people find it hard to learn new skills, remember things, and process things on the fly. Simple things like reading might now take you twice as long because you have problems with comprehension. Depression and anxiety are also rampant in the TBI community, as are concentration difficulties and confusion.
How to minimize permanent damage
There is some good news surrounding traumatic brain injury symptoms years later — while you may not be able to get rid of them completely, you can minimize them. In fact, coordinated long-term care can help improve your quality of life, daily function, health and even increase your life expectancy.
While long-term care is vital, the best thing you can do to minimize permanent damage after a TBI is to seek immediate emergency care. If you’ve hit your head hard, don’t put off going to the hospital because you think you have a concussion. Even a concussion should be seen to. Often, symptoms can take days to emerge, and by then, the damage may be permanent. Your physician can perform surgery to get rid of blood clots and relieve pressure in the skull. These steps can prevent further damage from happening, so you don’t suffer long-term effects.
Once you’re out of immediate medical danger and your brain is starting to heal, one of the most important tools at your disposal to minimize permanent damage is rehab. You’ll need to work to retrain your brain to do the things it used to know how to do. This will involve repeating certain tasks over and over to help the brain adapt. It will also require you to be steadfast in your treatments — you can’t just go hard for a week and then decide that’s enough. Consistency over time is key.
Head injury treatment options
After a TBI, your doctor will focus on stabilizing your brain to prevent further damage. Then, once your brain is safe, your treatment protocol will generally be about reducing your systems and helping your brain relearn how to function.
After a TBI, your doctor will likely prescribe you several medications to help your brain heal and reduce lingering symptoms. Keep in mind; these aren’t a cure for your issues — they’re more like a bandaid to help improve your ability to function. Some of the medications that might help include:
- Stimulants, which can help you stay focused and pay attention better
- Muscle relaxants, which can reduce unwanted muscle spasms
- Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications to help stabilize your mood and improve your depression
- Anticonvulsants to lower your chances of having a seizure
- Anticoagulants to lower your chances of developing blood clots.
Physical, occupational and speech therapy
Therapy is a must after TBI. That’s because you’ll need to rewire the pathways in your brain. Basically, think of it like this. Your brain likes to use certain trails to get to certain destinations. Your TBI was like a big storm that washed out the trails, meaning they’re now impassable. However, the final destinations still exist. Your brain needs to find a new way to get there. Therapy helps you redirect your route to healthy parts of the brain.
Physical, occupational, and speech therapy can all help you with that. If you’re facing motor limitations, they’ll teach you how to move and speak again. In physical therapy, you’ll work on developing your muscles through repetition and overcoming imbalances. Occupational therapy focuses more on activities of daily living, like brushing your teeth or cooking meals. And in speech therapy, you’ll practice pronunciation and relearning words to help master language once again.
Stem cell therapy
Stem cell therapy is a promising new type of treatment that has shown amazing results for patients with neurological conditions. To understand how the treatment works, you first need to understand what stem cells are.
Stem cells are starter cells that can convert themselves into any other type of cell. You have a ton of stem cells in your body as an embryo, as the embryo needs them as it starts to grow. As an adult, you still have some stem cells, but these are spread throughout the body and don’t function similarly.
However, by harnessing your body’s stem cells, BioXcellerator has created a new treatment that can help to heal the brain after a TBI. The treatment is a week-long process during which your stem cells are collected. Then, they are inserted into the brain to help facilitate new growth. It’s a completely natural treatment using only your body’s own cells.
One reason this technique is so promising is that stem cells can penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Normally the brain’s cells create a barrier to keep out foreign particles and compounds. It’s a natural defense meant to protect against pathogens, but unfortunately, in the case of TBI, it also usually means that helpful drugs can’t always make it through to help the brain heal. Stem cells, however, can get through, meaning they’re one of the only treatments that can help initiate repairs in the brain.
Overall, stem cell therapy can decrease inflammation, encourage repairs of damaged tissue, improve cell-to-cell communications and even stimulate the growth of new blood vessels to help improve blood flow in the brain.
Consider stem cell therapy to improve your TBI symptoms
Recovering from a TBI is a long and winding road. It will take a lot of work and patience on your part, but if you put in the effort, you’ll find the benefits are worth it.
Stem cell therapy may be one way to help you get where you want to go. To see if it’s an option, get in touch with one of our patient advocates today. They can help you learn more about how BioXcellerator’s stem cell therapy works and if it’s the right treatment option for you.
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There is erroneous speculation on this subject. We can clarify muth versus reality.
It’s not science fiction, its science in action. The human body contains hundreds of different cells that are essential for our daily health. These cells are responsible for keeping our bodies functioning, ensuring our hearts beat, maintaining a sharp brain, kidneys filtering our blood, and our skin cells renew every day, among other responsibilities.
Stem cells are the providers of new cells. When they divide, they can transform into a new type of cell. For example, they can form additional stem cells from skin, or they can form skin cells that have specific jobs and produce the pigment melanin.
In short, the stem cells have the potential to turn into various types of cells in the body and serve as a feedback system for the body.
However, there are many myths about this subject and much erroneous speculation.
Here are exmaples of myths versus facts:
Myth: All stem cells are the same
Reality: There are many types of stem cells, but we can lump them into two large groups: the adult and the embryonic. The differences between the two are striking, not only at the biological level, but also in applications of medical procedures.
Myth: Stem cells come only from embryos.
Reality: Adult stem cells are present in all tissues and organs; mainly in the fat, bone marrow, blood, and teeth.
Myth: Stem cells can cure all diseases.
Reality: Stem cells are not a guaranteed cure-all for all diseases. However, several studies have shown a possibility for recovery and improvement of the hope and quality of life, or to reverse or make slow progression of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, Parkinson’s Alzheimer’s, autism, lupus, macular degeneration, musculoskeletal issues, pulmonary diseases, renal and hepatic failure, multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord, erectile dysfunction, and alopecia, among other conditions.
Myth: Research with embryonic stem cells is forbidden by law in the United States.
Reality: Currently there is a United States federal law against the use of human embryos for research pruposes. However, an institution that uses private funds is free to investigate. President George W. Bush authorized federal funding for limited embryonic human stem cell research for the first time, and President Barack Obama increased those funding levels for further research.
It is well documented that stem cell therapy is transforming medicine, as these procedures are administered to treat a variety of medical conditions in which traditional medicine has failed to alleviate.
Headquarted in Phoenix, Arizona, and with our newest clinic in Medellin, Colombia, at BioXcellerator we are an organization that enthusiastically ventured into the field of regenerative medicine and have documented our success stories which contribute to the solution of multiple medical conditions.
If you are interested in learning more about stem cells and their current applications to improve your quality of life, request a personalized consultation below!
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Mither Tap O'Bennachie
History, tourist information, and nearby accommodation
The wall is ruinous in places, but once featured a parapet walk. There is an obvious entrance through the wall, protected by earthwork defences.
There is faint evidence of an inner wall, halfway between the outer wall and the summit. Both walls have collapsed and are no more than wide piles of scree.
Within the walls, excavations have revealed up to 10 hut formations.
There is no certainty when the fort was created. It is tempting to assign it to the Iron Age, but it could equally well be much later, perhaps as recent as the Dark Ages.
Leading from the fort is the 'Maiden Causeway', a paved road thought to link the fort to Maiden Castle. There are two branches of the road, one on the east side of the fort and one on the west. The two branches meet at the Nether Maiden, a small rock outcrop.
Most photos are available for licensing, please contact Britain Express image library.
About Mither Tap O'Bennachie
Address: Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Attraction Type: Prehistoric Site
Location: By foot from the Bennachie Forest car park at Rowantree. Signposted from the minor road between the A96 and Monymusk
Website: Mither Tap O'Bennachie
Photo Credit: Anne Burgess, licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence
Opening Details: Open access site, usually accessible at any reasonable time
We've 'tagged' this attraction information to help you find related historic attractions and learn more about major time periods mentioned.
Find other attractions tagged with:
Iron Age (Architecture) -
NEARBY HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS
Heritage Rated from 1- 5 (low-exceptional) on historic interest
Bennachie - 1.5 miles (Countryside)
Maiden Stone - 1.9 miles (Prehistoric Site)
East Aquhorthies Stone Circle - 3.3 miles (Prehistoric Site)
Monymusk Church - 4.5 miles (Historic Church)
Newton Stone - 4.7 miles (Prehistoric Site)
Brandsbutt Symbol Stone - 4.8 miles (Prehistoric Site)
Lang Stane o'Craigearn - 5.3 miles (Prehistoric Site)
Dunnideer Castle - 5.6 miles (Castle)
Nearest Holiday Cottages to Mither Tap O'Bennachie:
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A protracted-beaked echidna, named after David Attenborough and regarded as extinct, has been rediscovered within the mountains of Indonesia.
The long-lost species of mammal is described as having the spines of a hedgehog, the snout of an anteater and the toes of a mole.
It was caught on digicam in Indonesia’s Cyclops Mountains greater than 60 years after it was final recorded – on the final day of a four-week expedition led by Oxford University scientists.
Biologist James Kempton discovered the pictures of the small creature within the forest undergrowth on the final reminiscence card retrieved from greater than 80 distant cameras.
“There was a great sense of euphoria, and also relief having spent so long in the field with no reward until the very final day,” he stated of the second he first noticed the footage.
“I shouted out to my colleagues that were still remaining… and said ‘we found it, we found it’ – I ran in from my desk to the living room and hugged the guys.”
Echidnas share their identify with a half-woman, half-serpent Greek mythological creature, and had been described by the workforce as shy, nocturnal burrow-dwellers who’re notoriously troublesome to search out.
“The reason it appears so unlike other mammals is because it is a member of the monotremes, an egg-laying group that separated from the rest of the mammal tree-of-life about 200 million years ago,” Dr Kempton stated.
Read extra from Sky News:
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Australia agrees to take local weather refugees from Tuvalu
This explicit species, Zaglossus attenboroughi, has solely been scientifically recorded as soon as earlier than, by a Dutch botanist in 1961.
A unique echidna species is discovered all through Australia and lowland New Guinea.
Dr Kempton’s workforce survived an earthquake, malaria and even a leech hooked up to an eyeball throughout their journey.
They labored with the native village, Yongsu Sapari, to navigate and discover the distant terrain of northeastern Papua.
The echidna is embedded within the native tradition, together with a convention that claims conflicts are resolved by sending one get together into the forest to seek for the mammal and one other to the ocean to discover a marlin.
Both creatures had been seen as so troublesome to search out that it could usually take many years or a era to find them – however as soon as discovered, the animals symbolised the top of the battle and a return to harmonious relationships.
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40 questions and answers to better understand development cooperation
Tuesday 4 July 2023
What exactly is international cooperation? What is a "development project"? And what is public development aid used for? Does 2 degrees of global warming really change anything? And how is it that hunger remains a major problem in the world and that some countries are still poor in 2023?
These days, a lot of people are wondering and questioning these sometimes very complex issues of common interest. In order to provide detailed and relevant answers, Caritas Luxembourg has just published a brochure entitled " Coopération au développement : 40 réponses à des questions essentielles " (Development cooperation: 40 answers to essential questions).
This comprehensive brochure, aimed at the general public, provides information on the foundations of international cooperation, world poverty, the usefulness of public development aid, the role of NGDOs, policy coherence and the Luxembourg context, as well as on subjects such as migration and finance, answering the questions most frequently asked by citizens and politicians. A goldmine of very concrete and accessible information, essential for a better understanding of the issues of our time.
THE BROCHURE CAN BE DOWNLOADED BELOW.
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A verruca is another name for a plantar wart which is a wart that grows on the sole of your foot. It is a viral infection, similar to the virus that forms warts on other parts of the body. The verruca virus is usually caught as a result of contact with infected skin from other people with the virus. This is why they are frequently a result of walking barefoot in public areas, such as gymnasiums and swimming pools, especially when there are small tears in the surface of the foot which allow the virus to enter. They may occur singly or in clusters.
These warts occur by infecting the top layers of the skin on the sole of the foot, causing the layers to thicken. This thickening eventually causes pain as the most commonly affected areas of the feet are those that bear your weight. The pain feels similar to walking on a stone. You can tell the difference between a corn and a verruca because the skin over a verruca does not have the usual skin ridges of normal skin which sit over corns.
Often a verruca will disappear with little or no treatment, however if the verruca is causing pain then it should be treated. Successful removal of these warts may take some time. They can also cause scarring if the verruca needs to be surgically removed or frozen off.
The usual treatment for a verruca involves special plasters or applications that remove the infection by burning it off over time. You can also use spray ‘freezing’ preparations that burn off the verruca. These treatments need to be repeated several times to ensure the virus affected skin has been eradicated. You will need to leave periods of time between treatments to allow for healing. Care must be taken to protect the surrounding skin as the treatments will affect all areas applied to, causing further pain and injury.
Do not attempt to cut out verrucas yourself. If you are intending to use public shower spaces then do not go barefoot. If you do not have verrucas then use rubber footwear instead of going barefoot, especially in public showers. If you do have verrucas, then cover them with waterproof plasters if going into public places where you need to be barefooted. This will prevent the spread of an infection.
All of the treatments mentioned above are available from your community pharmacist. Your pharmacist can give you advice and preparations to protect the surrounding skin, and to relieve pressure from walking on verruca affected feet. If warranted, your pharmacist will refer you to your doctor or a podiatrist for more drastic methods of verruca removal, for example if large areas of your feet are affected by this painful condition, or if previous treatment has been unsuccessful.
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Domestic water filter about to enter Indian market
Killugudi Jayaraman/ Bangalore, India
A domestic water filter that uses metal nanoparticles to remove dissolved pesticide residues is about to enter the Indian market. Its developers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chennai (formerly Madras) believe it is the first product of its kind in the world to be commercialised.
Mumbai-based Eureka Forbes Limited, a company that sells water purification systems, is collaborating with IIT and has tested the device in the field for over six months. Jayachandra Reddy, a technical consultant to the company, expects the first 1000 units to be sold door-to-door from late May.
’Our pesticide filter is an offshoot of basic research on the chemistry of nanoparticles,’ Thalappil Pradeep, who led the team at IIT Chennai, told Chemistry World. He and his student Sreekumaran Nair discovered in 2003 that halocarbons such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) completely break down into metal halides and amorphous carbon upon reaction with gold and silver nanoparticles.1
Pradeep said this prompted them to extend their study to include organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticides, whose presence in water is posing a health risk in rural India. In research funded by the Department of Science and Technology in New Delhi, his team found that gold and silver nanoparticles loaded on alumina were indeed able to completely remove endosulfan, malathion and chlorpyrifos - three pesticides that have been found at elevated levels in Indian water supplies.2,3
Use and recycle
The mechanism of removal is ’adsorption followed by catalytic destruction’, Pradeep explained. ’The chemistry occurs in a wide concentration range of environmental significance.’ He added that tests proved silver particles from the filter are not released into the water. The IIT study found that gold particles perform better in the case of endosulfan. However, for cost reasons, the commercialised filters use only silver particles, which range in size from 60 to 80 nanometres at a concentration (on their alumina support) of 33 parts per million.
’Based on consumption patterns of a typical Indian household, the filter is designed to have enough nanomaterials to provide 6000 litres of pesticide-free water for one year,’ Pradeep said. ’After that, the company will recycle the filters to recover the silver.’
Use of nanoparticles for environmental remediation is an emerging area of research worldwide. Nanoscale iron powders had been shown to degrade other pesticides, including DDT and lindane,4 ’and there are reports about the use of nanomaterials for removing arsenic, heavy metals and fluorides,’ said Pradeep. ’But ours is the first product to hit the market,’ he said.
Murali Sastry, chief scientist of TATA Chemicals Innovation Centre in Pune - India’s first nanotechnology research centre in the private sector - agrees. ’What Pradeep has done is definitely novel,’ Sastry told Chemistry World. ’I am not aware of any similar product in the market.’
Eureka already markets a water purifier that combines a sedimentation chamber with activated carbon filters and UV irradiation, and costs around Rs8500 (?100). Reddy estimated that adding the 21-centimetre-long nanosilver cartridge (see image) to remove pesticides will increase the price by 15 per cent, but silver recycling (in an environmentally-friendly manner, stressed Pradeep) should help to reduce that cost.
Vijayamohanan Pillai, a nanomaterials expert at the National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, pointed out that it is very rare for an Indian company to exploit a home-grown nanotechnology. ’Most big companies in India look abroad for collaboration,’ he said. One problem is that scaling up nanoparticle production is difficult. But Pradeep said his team had taken three years to attack this problem, and ’Eureka Forbes can now make four tonnes of silver nanoparticles a month.’
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Cybercrime has become a common occurrence. A data breach can have a tremendous impact on the health and finances of a business. If your company’s data was stolen in a cyber incursion, it can damage its reputation, expose it to liability, and interrupt business operations. Cyber liability insurance allows you to transfer some of that risk to an insurance company.
What Are the Cyber Risks Businesses Are Facing?
Cyber attacks are a growing risk for businesses. Common types of cyber threats include:
Malware: Malicious software is intentionally engineered to damage servers, computers, networks, and clients. It may include ransomware and viruses.
Ransomware: This is a particular type of malware that infects a computer and restricts access pending payment of a ransom. It exploits software vulnerabilities and is often delivered through phishing emails.
Phishing: Email or malicious websites are used to collect sensitive information or infect a computer with malware. Most phishing emails appear to be sent from a legitimate source. When recipients click on a link or open an attachment, a malicious code is run, infecting the computer.
Viruses: These harmful programs are designed to spread from one computer to another and to connected devices. Their purpose is to give cybercriminals access to your system.
How Does Cyber Liability Insurance Work?
Cyber liability insurance can vary widely, depending on the specific policy. There is no standard form for this coverage. Each insurer has its own form and its own policy language. However, most cyber liability policies provide two basic types of coverage.
First-Party Cyber Liability Insurance
This coverage pays for immediate costs your company incurs as a result of a data breach or cybercrime. This may include costs of:
Repairing damaged hardware and software
Notifying public and employees
Public relations and marketing responses to safeguard your company’s reputation
Lost income from business interruption
Ransom demanded by cybercriminals
Credit monitoring for customers and other related expenses
Third-Party Cyber Liability Insurance
This coverage helps your company defend against lawsuits and claims by third parties. It covers your attorney fees, court costs, and any damages you are required to pay. Third-party cyber liability coverage helps protect your company against:
Breach of privacy lawsuits filed by customers or employees
Copyright infringement, libel, slander, and other media liability claims
Negligence or breach of contract claims
Fines from regulatory agencies
In addition to first and third-party liability coverage, some insurers offer risk mitigation services. These services are designed to help your company identify cyber threats in advance, so you can avoid them.
What Is the Cost of Cyber Liability Insurance?
The price of cyber liability insurance can vary dramatically from policy to policy. Factors affecting the cost include:
Access to sensitive data
Security measures in place
With the current prevalence of cyberattacks, companies need protection. However, it can be difficult to determine how much coverage you need. Speak with our knowledgeable agent about cyber liability insurance for your business. We can help you find a policy that protects your company from cybercrime at the lowest possible cost.
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One of the most important tasks when working at a school or being a parent is teaching kindergarten pupils or toddlers how to write the different letters of the alphabet. In order to help teach children letter formation, letter identification, letter recognition, how to write both uppercase and lowercase letter n, and eventually develop fine motor skills, we have created a series of free worksheets.
How to begin writing the letter n using the worksheets.
The children can now practice the letter N with ease after downloading these free worksheets. When they're done, they'll be well on their way to becoming phonics experts!
Students can begin tracing the dotted lines on the letter n worksheets. For kids and preschoolers, this is typically a lot of fun. The students should repeat the process until they feel comfortable and competent at it.
The children must then begin writing the letter n without the use of the worksheets to tracing it. Younger kids will find this new task difficult, but with consistent practice, they will improve as writers and eventually grow to enjoy it. Once comfortable, they can proceed to letter recognition and identification.
Kindergarten and preschool children must be able to distinguish between upper case and lower case letters. These activities, which are included on our alphabet worksheets, will assist your child in understanding the distinction between n and N. While completing these worksheets, students will come across instances of the capital letter N and the lowercase letter N being used, and they will be able to recognize and understand the difference.
The child can start writing words and sentences once they have learned the concept of writing letters.
Phonics instruction starts to get more enjoyable at this point. Encourage your preschoolers to try out new words and phrases. It is also very important to ensure students leave enough space between letters as overlapping letters is a common issue. Children should leave enough space between each letter to make it easy to read. Teachers and parents should ensure that all pupils take this skill seriously.
Students will be able to master letter recognition, excel at letter identification and correctly spell those words with the help of our letter n worksheets. To refine their skills in this, it's all about practice. The instructor should make sure that students enjoy learning to write letters, even if it can be difficult, along with being patient and retaining a sense of humor.
If you would like us to create more worksheets, reach out to us on our contact page and we'll see what we can do. Each worksheet has been carefully crafted with accuracy in mind. If you find any errors please let us know so we can make the necessary corrections. Worksheets are free for personal use only and may not be sold or redistributed without our written permission.
We have worksheets for every letter, so you can choose whichever one your child needs to work on. These worksheets are a great way to help your child master their letter formation and improve their handwriting.
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https://www.classicalfinance.com/letter-n/
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Updated: Jun 29
Hostile attribution bias is a cognitive bias that causes people to interpret the behavior of others as hostile or aggressive, even when it is not. This bias can lead to misunderstandings and conflict in relationships and can have a negative impact on mental health.
If someone bumps into you, you might interpret this as a hostile act ("They pushed me on purpose!") even if it was simply an accident. Or, if a friend doesn't reply to your text immediately, you might assume they're intentionally ignoring you, instead of considering other reasons (like they're busy or haven't seen the message).
The effects of hostile attribution bias can be far-reaching. It can lead to misunderstandings and conflict in relationships, as well as feelings of anxiety and depression. It can also lead to a person feeling isolated and disconnected from others. In extreme cases, hostile attribution bias can lead to aggressive behavior and even violence.
Hostile attribution bias is a cognitive bias that can have a negative impact on mental health and relationships. It is important to be aware of this bias and to try to recognize it in yourself and others. By understanding the definition, examples, and effects of hostile attribution bias, we can work to reduce its impact and create healthier relationships.
Do you want to expand your knowledge on this topic? Read our full in-depth article on cognitive biases.
Do you have extra 15 minutes today? Take our fun and interactive quiz to learn which of 16 reasoning styles you use, your overall level of rationality, and what you can do now to improve your rationality skills.
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| 0.957876 | 320 | 3.125 | 3 |
Natural Language Processing in the Real World
Human languages are often ambiguous and difficult to understand. Sarcasm, irony, and other standard queues that people realize in person can often be misunderstood when written or only spoken. To fully understand human language, scientists and linguists have had to use tools to help computers understand the context, word ambiguities, word order, and other concepts.
Natural Language Processing uses a computer to read and understand spoken and written language. While NLP tools could be used to facilitate the translation of languages, they can be further expanded into helping a computer understand the intent of a question. Computers generally take each individual word in situ and do not understand the context. NLP allows computers to understand the different meanings and nuances, which enables them to respond correctly.
The crowd can provide you with any amount of high-quality audio datasets for the training of your NLP applications.
Ask clickworker about tailor-made solutions for your applications.
Natural Language Processing in the World of AI
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is an area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that strives to transform human languages into something that machines are able to understand.
NLP is more than just simple speed analytics. For example, the word “pass” has multiple different meanings –
- To pass a test or quiz
- To pass an item from one person to another
- To not partake in an activity
“Pass” can be used as a noun or a verb, so the only way to understand what is being said is to look at the whole sentence or phrase. To help computers understand the underlying meaning behind a word, different techniques are used.
By using self-learning AI algorithms, the context of individual words can be defined. The algorithms derive rules from the text as they peruse the information to describe other words further. An example of a rule might be that if the first word is a noun, then the word following is likely to be a verb.
As each language has different rules for sentence structure, programmers incorporate these into the tool manually. Once this is done, the program utilizes tree diagrams to break down the whole sentence into specific phrases. This parsing builds a tree diagram of the different sentence elements, such as a proper noun, an article, and a verb.
Once tagging and parse trees are completed, computers are at times still faced with a problem of understanding the meaning behind a phrase. It is at this stage that semantics comes into play. With semantics, the words preceding and following the specific word are also analyzed to understand the phrase’s meaning.
In this way, NLP uses a symbolic approach towards understanding the message based on already existing rules. NLP’s goal is for computers to have a clear comprehension of not only a word but also what a word means in context to a sentence.
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CC-MAIN-2023-50
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The American Academy of Otolaryngology says that approximately 66,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) yearly. This isn’t something that’s caused by traumatic noise. Instead, your inner ear becomes inflamed. Oftentimes this is accompanied by both vertigo and tinnitus (ringing of your ears).
This type of hearing loss is very scary because being unable to hear is disorienting. However, the sudden onset of SSNHL also causes people to wonder if they’re having a stroke. This is why people need to be more aware of it – especially those who are in their late 40s and early 50s since this is the age group in which it is typically seen.
Unfortunately, doctors don’t know why this happens. However, there are some who believe that this is a metabolic syndrome.
What to Know and do if You Experience SSNHL
If you think that you may be experiencing SSNHL you should:
- Don’t simply assume that it’s because you have a respiratory infection such as a cold. You need prompt diagnosis and treatment (within 24 – 48 hours) so you can be one of the 50% of those who are diagnosed and able to regain some hearing – generally speaking, this population isn’t experiencing vertigo. Typically, this hearing will spontaneously reappear within two weeks.
- Have your hearing examined by a hearing professional within a few days. They’ll perform a pure-tone test to determine if you’ve lost at least 30 decibels of hearing in three consecutive frequencies (a drop that makes it difficult to hear conversations). If so, you’ll be diagnosed with SSNHL.
- When you’re also experiencing dizziness, your audiologist may also perform an electronystagmography – placing small electrodes around your eyes to measure their movement. Doing so tells them how well your vestibular system is working.
- Once you’re diagnosed with SSNHL you’ll need to see an ENT. They may order an MRI and blood work to check for autoimmune disorders.
Effective Treatment for SSNHL
There are a few options available for treating SSNHL, including:
Steroid pills, injections in the eardrum, or a combination of both are the standard treatment. They’ll reduce any inflammation or swelling but you may gain weight, experience mood changes, have difficulty sleeping and your blood pressure and blood sugar may also increase.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) whereby you enter a chamber in which you breathe in pure oxygen is another option. This increases the oxygen to your brain and ears.
If you’re still experiencing hearing loss after three months, you may want to consult with an audiologist to get fitted for hearing aids. In the most severe cases, cochlear implants are used. Those who are also experiencing tinnitus may need to undergo audiological rehabilitation.
It’s important to maintain healthy hearing at any age. However, if you find yourself suddenly stricken with SSNHL you’ll want to make sure you receive the best treatment possible. If you live in Clearwater, Florida, this means you should contact Countryside Hearing Aid Services and set up an appointment for yourself today.
Picture Credit: 123rf.com
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A very important part in Egyptian education was the wisdom literature, which contained the teachings (ś b q̂ ‘je) that a person of grave authority imparted to a pupil. The oldest should be the “teachings of Ptahḥq̂tpe”, found in Thebes and come to the National Library of Paris through the Prisse d’Avennes. The manuscript, in hieratic characters, is from the beginning of the XII dynasty; other examples render the text with strong variations. The person to whom the work is attributed, the prince and vizier Ptahḥq̂tpe, lived in the time of Pharaoh Azôze of the 5th dynasty (about 2479-2451 BC) and his tomb exists in Saqqārah. However, the language proves to be the literary one of the Middle Kingdom, although much choice, as the theme requires. The maxims are certainly in verse. According to Egyptian custom, the operetta has a prologue. The minister, bruised by the years, he presents himself to the pharaoh to have the faculty to take help and obtains to educate him, so that he becomes the model of the sons of dignitaries; since no one is born wise. The first maxim concerns wisdom itself: “do not pride yourself on your knowledge – [but] inform yourself with the induced as with the learned; – [since] the end of an art is not touched, – [and] there is no artist whose profit is exuberant. – Rare is the wisdom more than the emerald, – however it is found [perhaps] among the slaves at the mill “. The advice continues around many points of morality and conduct: how to contain oneself towards the family, superiors, inferiors, or in various tasks. Too bad that the conciseness of the form makes it difficult for us, as it was for the ancients, to penetrate this text. K ‘ – j gmj. w – n – j “my ko is that I have found”, means in the newborn), minister also under the pharaoh Śenfôre (around 2644), but who would have written under the previous pharaoh. Part of the remaining page could agree with our saying: “in church with saints and in tavern with gluttons”. Widespread in the schools of the Empire was the training of the so-called Duauf (Ṭ ew’ejwef “[he will be] his worshiper”), whose father was a certain Aġtq̂j, addressed to his son Pjôpe. As also appears from the personal names, the work is from the Middle Kingdom. Pjôpe had been admitted to court school among the children of adults and this opportunity is taken to praise the condition of the man of letters, the scribe, the superiority of this man is highlighted over any other worker and a satirical painting of the inconveniences that occur in the various trades. Next to the father who admonishes his son, we can place the king who passes on his experience to his successor. In the twentieth year of his reign, Amenemḥê’e I stood alongside his son, Zenwq̂śre I, as regent. For Egypt 2003, please check computerannals.com.
The provision seems to have been advised, above all, by a serious attack to which the old king had been exposed at court. In this circumstance his saying could not fail to be heartfelt, and he loudly complains of human ingratitude: “Do not love any brother – do not recognize a friend. – Do not be confidants”. Whether these sentences are authentic or not, maxims of good governance have also been reported to other kings. We find mentioned some of the Heracleopolitan king Aġtq̂i; and an eighteenth dynasty papyrus preserves lofty words written for King Merekarîe, one of his successors. Enej’s teachings to his son Henzḥq̂tpe belong to the empire. The manuscript in his possession dates back to the XXI-XXII dynasty and is by an unintelligent scribe. The language is blunt Neo-Egyptian. It always concerns the same issues of practical morality and is not lacking in very profound reflections. At the end the pupil is assimilated to a child who is in the arms of the mother; while he is small, he loves to suck milk, but as he feels grown up, he no longer wants to and opens his mouth to say: “give me the bread”. Recently, the publication of another wisdom book (Br. Museum, n. 10474), that of Amenemq̂p and his son Haremmaḥrq̂w, which seems to be later than the XXI dynasty, has aroused great interest. The operetta is divided into thirty chapters and has been partly incorporated into the Proverbs of Solomon. The lamentations raised by an resident of Wādī en-Naṭrūn, at the time of the Heracleopolitans, are also of philosophical content.
This farmer had come to Egypt with donkeys laden with merchandise and had been stripped by an employee of the butler of the royal house. The latter, having become aware of the peasant’s acumen, even on the advice of the pharaoh, pretends not to listen to the supplicant, so that nine times the peasant, unaware of the game, complains about the partiality of those in charge of imparting justice. In the same Heracleopolitan period we place a group of operettas notable for their pessimistic and skeptical color, a character that reflects the turbulent conditions of the time. The most interesting, very obscure, received mutilated, is the dialogue between someone who is tired of living and his soul. He, embittered by existence, he would like to kill himself and describes the tomb as a resting place; but the soul replies that death is annihilation and burial is useless, since even those who build pyramids, like the pharaohs, have become equal to the dead abandoned on the bank of the river, which partly carried away the sea, partly vanished the Sun. So it is better to enjoy and forget the worry. The tired πεισιϑάνατος goes on to describe the ugliness of the world and how sweet the passing appears. It seems that the soul convinces him to put aside the lament and to calmly await the natural end. The so-called “prophecies of Jepwêr” describe in all the details the events that occurred at the end of the reign of Pjôpe II; Egyptian society was upset and those who were below went up, those who were above went down. It is impossible for all of this to be invented. There is no beginning and end; but it is suggested that better days are promised when religion is restored. A conversation with the heart, perhaps in the same tone, engages the Heliopolitan priest Ḫa‛ḫperrîeśq̂nbe, of the beginning of the XII dynasty, about the iniquity of the times; but even it remains truncated to us. Other prophecies are attributed to an alleged priest of the goddess Baste, named Nefrréhwew, not less under Śenfôre, to praise the founder of the XII dynasty, Amenemḥê’e I; but, needless to say, they belong to that period.
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Move Over, Meat: Veggies Star in Main-Dish Meals
Anyone who knows me knows I’m no saint, especially when it comes to food. I have read enough about healthy eating to know that I need to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. For most of us, it’s not part of the plan to give up meat altogether, but it’s a good idea to try to eat more vegetable-focused meals (not necessarily vegetarian) to reduce saturated fats in our diets. I’m happy that the definition of “healthy eating” has shifted from using meat substitutes like tempeh and tofu to using meat as a flavoring, rather than the main event. However, if you have eating disorder, you can check out this Clementine eating disorder treatment program for adolescents in Fairfax for help.
And did you know the commercial meat industry is responsible for 20 percent of man-made greenhouse gases? Buying local meats can reduce your carbon footprint as well as the use of fossil fuels to transport it to market. Be aware of your carbon footprint with carbon click’s carbon calculator. Locally raised meat may cost a little more, but it’s worth it for what is usually better flavor. Get maximum taste from the meat by using flavorful cuts and cooking them in a way that best brings out their flavor.
If you’re looking to make healthy changes, one way is to visualize moving meat from the center of the plate, at least some nights. Instead of serving one steak per person, slice a cooked steak and serve one for several people while serving a filling grain as the main dish. Or, instead of cooking burgers made from beef, use ground turkey or chicken, stretched with an equal volume of roasted mushrooms. (They are so easy to make! Toss 2 pounds of quartered mushrooms with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then cool and chop in the food processor.) These ground mushrooms are also delicious substituted for half the ground meat in your favorite meatloaf or meatball recipe.
To add interest to your vegetable-based dishes, make sure that you have lots of different flavors and textures. Consider the way that the vegetables are cooked; use different techniques like smoking, roasting, grilling and pickling to make it feel more like a meal, and less like a plate of steamed vegetables. Add texture by including nuts and beans in your recipes. And don’t forget that sustainable seafood is more readily available and good for you—but that’s another article for another time!
Sometimes it’s hard to change old habits, but do a little research and you may be convinced that moving meat from the center of your plate a few nights a week may be a worthwhile effort for your health and the environment. Happy cooking!
Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash (Serves 6-8)
I love the sweet spicy dressing and the different flavors in this center-of-the-plate salad. It contains enough flavors and textures so that I’m satisfied without meat, but if you’d like something meaty, top with prosciutto that has been baked in a 350 oven until crisp. It can be made a day or two in advance—just wait to add the cheese until you’re ready to serve.
1 butternut squash
6 cups of baby kale, chopped
Sweet and Spicy Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 bag frozen black-eyed peas
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup crumbled local goat cheese
Preheat the oven to 375. Peel the butternut squash, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in oven until tender and beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool.
Put the kale in a bowl, and crush with your hands to soften slightly. Toss with ½ cup Sweet and Spicy Vinaigrette. Let sit.
Cook the black-eyed peas in boiling water for about 20 minutes until just tender. Drain and spread on a sheet pan to cool.
Combine squash, kale, peas, chopped pepper, jalapeno and parsley. Add more vinaigrette as needed to coat all the vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with crumbled goat cheese before serving.
Add all ingredients to a small jar and shake until combined.
Smoked Tomatoes (makes 1 ½ pounds)
After taking the main event off the grill, we like to use the dying embers to smoke tomatoes (and other veggies) for dishes later in the week. These smoked tomatoes can be used instead of regular tomatoes in pizza, chili, soups, or any recipe that may benefit. And you can try them as the star of the shakshuka recipe that follows.
On a gas or charcoal grill: Wrap the wet wood chips in a piece of foil, and make three inch-long slits in the foil. Place the foil pack on the coils and heat until smoking. Cut tomatoes in half, and squeeze gently to remove most of the seeds. Drizzle a disposable pan with olive oil. Place tomatoes in a single layer, cut side up. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs. Smoke on low heat (about 250 if you have a thermometer) for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate or freeze until needed.
Shakshuka with Smoked Tomatoes (serves 4-6)
This North African egg dish is an incredible brunch or dinner dish.
Be sure to serve lots of crusty bread alongside to sop up the spicy tomato sauce.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large red pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into thin strips
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Cayenne pepper to taste
14-ounce can of chopped tomatoes
8 smoked tomato halves, chopped
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet, saute the onions and pepper until soft and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the canned and smoked tomatoes, and ½ cup water. Let cook until it thickens a bit, about 3 to 5 minutes. Crack the eggs, spacing them evenly apart, into the tomato sauce. Top with feta cheese.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 7 minutes until the eggs are just set. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread.
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For lots of you, this week will be your first experience learning from home.
But our young adviser Kaydence has been a home learner for years, so she knows all about the most interesting and engaging resources that are out there.
We asked her to share her favourite ones, but she said there were literally too many to put in a blog like this. So she’s shared her favourite resources that are free― as these should be accessible to everyone who can get online.
Kaydence’s top resources
Reading Eggs has learning materials for reading and for maths.
Khan Academy is really good and gives complete courses.
GamEd Academy is a fantastic program for Minecraft fans. Learning through play is brilliant.
NASA for students
NASA’s website for children and young people has lots of activities you can do at home.
The Exploratorium is pretty neat. It has a lot of online teaching and learning resources to help people learning at home.
Duolingo makes it easy to practice languages.
Project Gutenberg is a huge free online library of books that have gone out of copyright.
Scholastic and Twinkl
Kidztype has fun and quick typing practice lessons.
Yousician is a fab app for music lessons.
The Art Hub
The Art hub has brilliant art lessons.
Math factor is an easy to use and fun math site.
Ted talks are pretty good conversation starters.
Don’t be put off by YouTube. Search for fun science experiments, magic school bus or horrible histories and you will find so many enjoyable and educational videos.
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Dental Paediatric Costs – What You Can Expect
Have those of you with young children ever considered – are you paying more for paediatric dental treatment?
A Paediatric Dentist is a specialist and you are likely to pay a lot more than your standard dentist.
However, it is always good practice to see your dentist first and have them assess your child’s mouth first. Should your child require a Paediatric Dentist it is then an option you have up your sleeve.
You may be eligible to get your dental bills covered as well. So, to put it simply – no, you do not have to pay more for paediatric dental treatment.
Let’s begin discussing how to brighten your child’s smile.
Are There Specialists for Childrens’ Dentistry?
Yes, a children’s specialist is known as a paediatric Dentist.
These Dentists’ have studied an extra 3 years after general Dentistry, focusing on Paediatric Dentistry.
This additional training allows them to specialise solely on the many oral health care needs of children, such as:
- Their physical and intellectual progress and maturation from when they are born until adolescence.
- Identifying the causes of, and how to treat, their oral diseases, i.e. decay, missing, extra, or badly formed teeth, etc.
- Use specialised methods to treat nervous young children or those with anxiety i.e. using local or general anaesthetics or dental sedation.
- Treat children with special needs, such as:
- Medical, physical, and intellectual conditions, and
- Those with behavioural difficulties i.e. Autism or ADHD.
- Teaching children how to brush their teeth.
- Giving parents an oral health care plan tailored to the child’s needs, with nutritional advice to:
- Reduce the risk of further dental problems as they age, based on their disabilities and other background information.
Please note that visiting a Paediatric Dentist will cost roughly twice the amount of seeing your regular Dentist.
Most regular Dentists also have been trained and have all the knowledge to treat your children’s dental needs.
However, a specialist Paediatric Dentist has access to a surgical unit or a hospital where treatment is able to be carried out under General Anaesthesia.
General anaesthesia may be used for very young children or children with special needs.
Specialist Dentistry – All You Need To Know contains detailed information on the:
- Differences between a specialist Dentist and your regular Dentist.
What Are Common Causes for Children to Visit the Dentist
There are several common reasons that we see a child in the dental chair.
These are listed for you below.
Bringing children to the dentist as a routine visit will allow the child to enter an unfamiliar area and make it safe, especially if only playtime and an exam are necessary.
In this way, if treatment is needed the child is not confronted with the unknown in pain or discomfort.
If you put your baby to bed with a bottle of milk (breast or otherwise), the swallowing muscles and saliva flow are stagnant in sleep.
So the milk may remain in the mouth while the child sleeps.
The amount of sugar in the milk while in contact with the baby teeth could slowly dissolve the baby teeth.
As the teeth dissolve and the night feeding continues the now weakened baby teeth may develop tooth decay.
So by exposing your baby’s teeth to an extensive amount of sugar by putting the bottle teat or dummy into honey or any sugary substance will cause tooth decay.
But if you prolong the contact of the sugar with the teeth then the decay could be extensive.
Only water should be put into a bedtime bottle.
Even with breastfeeding if your baby falls asleep if you are able to introduce a gauze into the baby’s mouth and wipe away the excess breast milk this will help to stop the accumulation of milk in the mouth
Bottle caries are usually evident in the upper teeth as the tongue may protect the back and lower teeth from the sugar.
If the decay of the baby teeth becomes extensive it may travel to the nerve inside the baby teeth through to a nerve this could cause an abscess or even damage the underlying permanent adult teeth.
It is necessary to protect baby teeth from decay because the decay will become wider and will need to be treated.
Your dentist will need to remove the decay and put in a filling into the baby tooth.
Treating very young children could traumatise them and the child could hold onto the trauma for future treatment.
Treating small children the dentist will usually remove the decay without any local anaesthetic as the feel of the local anaesthetic is usually traumatic for the child as it is difficult to explain the effects to the child.
If the decay travels to the nerve of the baby tooth then an abscess and pain results.
Treating small children in pain is uncomfortable for the child but an abscess cannot be left in the mouth as it could damage the underlying adult teeth and cause systemic symptoms for the child.
When there is decay in a baby tooth, the nerve of that tooth can become infected.
If this happens, it is vital to clear that infection, or your child could get sick and have fevers.
When a baby is teething and the teeth are erupting this is a form of infection in the mouth until the teeth break through the gums. This could cause fevers, rashes and systemic illness
Any infections of the mouth must be treated but with teething mother will know how to soothe the baby and help the baby through this time.
An old wives tale is that putting honey on your children’s gums will help with their teething pain.
I cannot stress this enough – PLEASE DO NOT do this.
It is unsafe, and it will cause extensive problems with tooth decay. Honey may also contain bacteria which should not be introduced to a young child.
Whilst learning how to walk, there is a big chance that your child will fall and hurt themselves.
Learning to walk and during play, there can be many ways that the teeth could be damaged.
Falling against furniture is the biggest cause of tooth damage.
One warning is to not let your baby run with pencils, rulers, anything in their mouth. Falling with objects in the mouth could be the major cause of tooth and throat damage.
Because of this, you must be very attentive.
Remove all objects which could be put in the mouth while the baby is learning to walk.
Even when the baby is walking remove rulers, scissors or long objects that the baby could put in the mouth. Always supervise pencil use.
If your child falls and damages their mouth:
Soft Tissue Injury of Lips, Tongue, Cheeks or Gum
There will most likely be bleeding. This will heal in due time.
The problems occur if the teeth have been hit. This could result in:
Knock to the Teeth
If a tooth has been knocked sufficiently it may come out of the socket
Either partially or completely. If the baby tooth comes out completely we do not reinsert the baby teeth.
If the baby tooth is only misaligned we may re-align the tooth and just let it heal.
But if the damage is extensive the best option is to just remove the baby tooth.
If the tooth has been knocked it may damage the nerve inside the tooth. The tooth may stay in its place but may become either dark, pink or yellow.
Dark: the nerve inside the tooth has died. Monitor the tooth and ensure that no infection is associated with the tooth.
Pink: the tooth is trying to regenerate from the knock. Monitor it and ensure no infection as any infection associated with the tooth it is best to remove it.
Yellow: The nerve inside the tooth is trying to lay down more tooth structure to regenerate and again if no infection it is kept to ensure that we do not traumatise the child.
If the tooth is not extensively fractured the dentist may just polish off the fracture to stop any further damage.
If the baby child can eat and drink milk than any treatment is just so that there is no further damage or sharpness to the surrounding tissues.
Loss of Teeth
Front teeth lost does not have bearing on the position of the permanent teeth.
But canines (eye teeth) and posterior teeth (back teeth) act as guides for the eruption of the permanent teeth.
So the dentist may try and treat and keep the baby teeth for as long as possible so that the permanent teeth can be guided into position.
Any damage to the baby teeth will usually signal the permanent teeth to erupt sooner than the expected eruption.
So trauma to baby teeth is common.
Have an evaluation done by your dentist. Your dentist should be able to treat your child in a calm effective manner and monitor your child’s baby teeth.
But if treatment for infection and tooth removal may require a referral to a Specialist Paediatric dentist who can use General Anaesthetic or sedation to restore badly broken down baby teeth or removal of teeth.
A very delicate subject controversial subject.
No one can dictate or advise a parent on this subject.
So many factors are involved. Parents should really research this subject and find the best fit for their lifestyle and their abilities.
I would like you to consider some facts:
If you introduce a dummy then the time will come where you will need to take that dummy away.
Placing a dummy in the child’s mouth will change the way the child sucks and swallows.
The oral musculature of the mouth will form around the dummy.
Just consider that anything that:
Applies pressure in the mouth, where the tongue is limited and unable to expend any force, can have some effect on the growth and appearance of the face. This also includes sucking fingers or thumbs.
Potential outcomes include:
- Swallowing is the main factor for the internal arrangement of the oral cavity. The force of the tongue is 500grams. If the tongue is not up against the palate when swallowing then the tongue is needing to get the seal for swallowing at the front of the mouth. The pressure of the tongue at the front of the mouth will cause growth aberrations of the face. When the swallowing patterns have been altered other structures of the mouth have to compensate and the position of the teeth will be altered.
- Crowded teeth. Forces of fingers, thumb and dummy will cause the jaws to grow in the direction of the force. This direction of growth may cause the size of the jaws to diminish and may cause crowding of teeth.
- Forces of the swallowing, dummy, thumb or fingers may stop the correct eruption of teeth.
- Interruptions of growth of bones and teeth eruption may cause narrowing of the airway which could result in snoring, grinding and sleep apnea.
- Reduced maturing of muscle and again change the directions of growth of the face.
Minimize all refined sugars. The best sugars come from nature as they contain the enzymes and the nutrients to metabolize the sugars.
Introduce brushing as early as you can. (Please do not let the child run around with a toothbrush in their mouth.)
No toothpaste should be used with children unless it is a natural toothpaste so please read the instructions carefully.
Letting a baby chew on the rush is very effective in cleaning teeth.
Let the baby/child watch the mirror and stand behind them with their chin gently in your hand.
Open the mouth and try to brush every surface of the upper and lower jaws.
Chewing on celery and other raw vegetables naturally cleans the teeth.
Substitute all sugars for natural sweeteners found in coconuts, fruit and vegetables.
There are wonderful ice cream and confectionary brands which have no sugar and is naturally sweetened.
When making cakes use these natural sweeteners and add spinach, beetroot, broccoli and other wonderful vegetables into your muffins, cupcakes and baked goods.
Tongue ties can come in degrees of severity. It is best to seek a dentist with experience and who has studied the effects of tongue-tie.
Recently tongue-tie has become a controversial topic but if your baby is having problems with feeding, not being able to latch onto the nipple (bottle-fed babies may have difficulty in swallowing) or you can see that the tongue is forked during the baby’s crying.
Please do your own research as an undiagnosed tongue tie could also be implicated in the formation of the mouth.
Who Should Your Turn to Regarding a Children’s Dental Emergency?
The first person you should call in an emergency dental situation is your Dentist. The local hospitals have dentists on call during after hours.
It is important you know that your children’s primary teeth (otherwise called baby teeth), whilst only short-term, do serve important functions.
Baby teeth guide the adult teeth into the correct space.
Gaps between baby teeth are advantageous in predicting how much space will be available for adult teeth.
The position and bite of the baby teeth are also a predictor of the growth of the face.
So, the way the baby teeth grow and the decay incident is a predictor for when the adult teeth erupt.
If the diet and forces on the baby teeth are not taken into account then the adult teeth may be affected.
Good habits when started early could be implemented and kept for life.
So if your dentist addresses the diet and oral hygiene habits it is another means for your child to adopt these good habits.
It may help to look at this website, which provides some excellent advice as to what you can do in emergency situations.
Are Children’s Dental Bills Covered Under Medicare?
The Australian Government covers the cost of dental bills for some children under Medicare.
You can see whether your child is entitled to the Child Dental Benefits Schedule on the Australian Governments’ website.
If you are not entitled to this, you may be interested in the Smile Squad.
Can You Use Minor and Major Dental Insurance for Childrens’ Dentistry?
This ultimately depends on the health insurance company, but generally, you CAN use both minor and major dental to claim for children’s dentistry.
Please note that they will only cover your regular Dentist, not a specialist (paediatric) Dentist.
You must also be sure that you claim your Extras cover as a family, or a single parent, so your child is covered.
Dental Insurance – The Australian Guide explains exactly how dental insurance works.
Or, feel free to read The Difference Between Major and Minor Dental Cover if you want:
- Some suggestions on which one may best suit you and your family, and
- To know the cost differences.
Children’s Dental specialists, known as Paediatric Dentists, have studied an extra 3 years to prevent, diagnose and treat problems in children.
They can provide dental care information for you and your child.
However, this can cost twice as much as visiting your regular Dentist.
Therefore it is a good idea to see your regular dentist first who will be able to recommend you to a Paediatric dentist, should you need one.
Taking these steps will save some time and money.
What has your experience been like with your kid’s teeth?
By Dr Veronica Roller
Created at November 09, 2020, Updated at September 28, 2021
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Light and Dark
We have been learning about light and dark. We went outside and played with our shadows. When we waved at them, they waved back at us! We learnt about how we make shadows, and used our bodies to make lots of interesting shapes.
We made a dark box using tables and lots of fabric, and went inside to explore torches and shiny or reflective materials. We completed a challenge to make a reflective collar for our dog.
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Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gut from mouth to anus, whereas Ulcerative colitis is confined to the large intestine. Nutritional deficiencies are common and varying levels of dietary restriction may be required over time depending on the severity of your disease. This can include an elemental diet, low sulphite diet, low FODMAP diet (for those with functional symptoms), exclusion diets or a low residue diet. Each of these diet therapies may be required at different stages of disease, but rarely long term which is why it is important to maintain regular contact with your dietitian and gastroenterologist.
There are several vitamins and minerals that can be frequently depleted in IBD. Dietary intake is assessed and optimised for each "at risk" nutrient.
During periods of disease activity, your gastroenterologist or surgeon may encourage adherence to a low residue (low fibre) diet. This is not a long term diet, but unfortunately we see many people who have been instructed to do this without adequate reintroduction guidelines. Our dietitians can help you determine whether you still require a low residue diet and how you can start gradually reintroducing foods safely into your diet.
Excessive protein intake increases production of hydrogen sulphide in the gut which has implication for Ulcerative Colitis. Our dietitians can help you determine whether a reduction in protein intake is required.
Resistant starch and slowly fermented fibres are thought to provide nutrients to the intestinal lining and are therefore important in Ulcerative Colitis. Our dietitians can advise how you can increase your intake of these to optimise gut health.
Exclusive or partial enteral nutrition is the only form of dietary treatment scientifically proven to reduce inflammation that causes IBD, particularly in Crohn's disease. Our dietitians can discuss this as an option for you and guide you through the process if you and your gastroenterologist are keen to undertake this treatment.
A low FODMAP diet is the most effective dietary therapy for irritable bowel syndrome, but it has also been shown to have efficacy in people with IBD who have concurrent functional symptoms, much like those seen in IBS. A low FODMAP diet is not for life. Our dietitians will show you how to follow a low FODMAP diet and then individualise it and make long term modifications to optimise gut health.
If you have strictures or adhesions, a modified fibre diet may be necessary to reduce the changes of blockages. Whether you need to limit certain fibres and for how long will be determined by your dietitian and treating gastroenterologist.
Our dietitians can help you from the time of diagnosis of IBD and beyond. Initially, dietary assessment for nutritional adequacy is important as nutrient deficiencies are common. Requirements change over stages of IBD, with different dietary restrictions necessary depending on your symptoms and disease activity. The role of sulphur, elemental diets and emulsifiers are currently being investigated. Our team can advise you on the latest evidence and whether you may benefit from dietary change.
We are known for our expertise in gastro-intestinal (gut / bowel) nutrition, however, every member of our team has their own additional, specialty areas.
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The scientists also used “transcranial direct current stimulation,” in which an electrode is attached to the scalp, sending low electrical currents that activate neurons directly underneath. Electrodes were positioned over the dlPFC (or, for a control group, over an unrelated brain region) and turned on or off during the repetitive task. (Importantly, subjects typically couldn’t detect the current.)
The result? Stimulating the dlPFC increased the amount of mind-wandering. And did performance on the task plummet? No; it even improved a smidgen.
What does it mean that this hard-nosed, task-oriented, executive brain region helps to mediate mind-wandering? Why should the dlPFC want us to daydream? Probably because it can be beneficial.
For starters, mind-wandering fosters creative problem solving. It also aids decision-making by allowing you to run future-oriented simulations in your head: “Hmm, so how might things be if I decide to do X? How about if I do Y?” It’s ideal not just for thinking about possible outcomes but also for thinking about how different outcomes would feel.
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Osteoporosis, trauma, and other medical issues could also trigger these fractures.
Chronic pain, loss of height, and decreased quality of life may result from compression fractures.
It is vital to comprehend what causes, symptoms, and treatment options exist for compression fracture in order to make an early diagnosis and appropriate management.
This article is going to take you through the world of compression fractures, highlighting their causes, symptoms, and treatments options.
This is a broad guide that caters to individuals who either suffered a compression fracture or seek information for their beloved ones experiencing the same.
What is Spinal Compression Fractures?
Compression fractures are small breaks or cracks in the vertebrae (the bones that make up your spinal column).
The breaks happen in the vertebral body, which is the thick, rounded part on the front of each vertebra.
Fractures in the bone cause the spine to weaken and collapse. Over time, these fractures affect posture.
The spine curves forward and the person looks “hunched over” (kyphosis).
Most compression fracture occurs in thoracic middle region, mostly lower thoracic region.
Healthcare providers may refer to them as Vertebral Compression Fractures (VCF).
Although osteoporosis is a common cause, these fractures can also arise from trauma like a road traffic accident or even tumors of the spine.
Healthcare providers treat vertebral compression fractures through use of drugs and back braces that are specifically designed for the purpose.
At times, it becomes necessary to strengthen some of the vertebrae and stabilize the spinal column through a minimally invasive procedure.
The all-inclusive solution serves for relieving pain and improving the state of the patients suffering from the compression fractures.
How common are Compression Fractures?
The rate of compression fractures is extremely high; around 1 million cases annually in the United States alone.
These are the fracture known as the pathological factures which primarily affects in old women with osteoporosis which is the medical term for the weakening of the bone resulting in breakage at the weak points.
Nonetheless, compression fractures occur occasionally among elderly men as well.
Approximately one fourth of women aged 50 years or more will sustain at least one vertebral compression fracture and this risk is further accentuated following menopause.
Moreover, more than two in five people aged 80 years and above have experienced compression fracture at some moment in time.
These figures clearly demonstrate that compression fractures are a huge problem mostly among the older people.
Causes of Spinal Compression Fractures
Spinal compression fractures typically occur when the vertebral body, the block-like structure that forms the spine, collapses or becomes compressed.
The fractures result from severe osteoporosis characterized by fragile bones, which may arise from simple daily activities such as stepping out of the shower, forceful sneezing, or even lifting a light object.
Spinal compression fractures are usually caused by greater force or trauma such as falling, or even an attempt to lift heavy objects in those individuals suffering from the moderate osteoporotic condition.
- Out of all of the fractures, Spinal compression fractures are the most common ones seen in the patients suffering from osteoporosis.
- It can manifest themselves in over 1 million individuals annually.
- Approximately 25% of these postmenopausal women in the US experience these fractures and it has been proven these fractures occur more as a woman ages, with approximately 40% of females aged 80+.
- Spinal compression fractures are a common issue in older women but should not be ignored among older persons of both sexes.
- People who suffer a single spinal compression fracture have a five times higher chance of experiencing a recurrent spinal compression fracture.
Sometimes, it does not present any or very minimal symptoms, but the possibility of having additional spinal compression fractures remains high.
The main cause of spinal compression fracture in people who have healthy spines is usually severe trauma resulting from car accidents, sports injuries, or hard falls.
If there is no history of trauma in a patient who is below 55 years old and only with minimum trauma, then consider metastatic tumors as the possible cause.
This type of cancer commonly spreads through the bones of the spine. This may cause deterioration and breakdown of the affected vertebra leading to a spinal compression fracture.
Recognizing the Symptoms
Sudden and acute back pain can be symptomatic of a compression fracture.
However, not all fractures are accompanied by immediate symptoms. In other cases, a fracture could be found during an X-ray which has been carried out for different purposes.
As a compression fracture progresses and affects the vertebrae, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Gradually worsening back pain: This is because the pain gets worse when standing up and better when lying down on your back.
- Decreased height: Over a period, the bones will keep becoming smaller causing the height loss.
- Stooped-over posture: When affected by the vertebra, a forward-leaning or stooped posture, also called as kyphosis, may develop.
- Numbness or tingling: The nerve-related symptoms of numbness or a tingling sensation could result from the trauma leading to the fracture or compression and impairment of the nerve.
- Weak muscles and walking difficulties: The muscles that support the spine can become weakened, resulting in problems standing and walking straight.
Apart from fracture, bowel or bladder control may be interfered due to nerve damage.
However, if you experience any of these symptoms or suspect to have a compression fracture then you should visit your health practitioner for detailed assessment and management.
Following the collection of your medical history, a physical examination will be conducted by the physician to investigate the potential causes of your pain and determine the underlying problem.
The specific areas of your body to be examined will depend on the location of your pain, such as the neck, lower back, arms, or legs.
It’s worth noting that neurological issues are rare, except for younger patients who have experienced severe trauma like a car crash.
If a compression fracture is suspected, the doctor will perform tests to identify point tenderness near specific vertebrae.
By assessing these tender areas, the doctor can narrow down the source of your pain.
To confirm the presence of a fracture, an X-ray of the spine is typically ordered.
This painless procedure uses radioactive substances to capture images of the bones.
X-rays primarily visualize bones and provide limited information about soft tissues.
Therefore, X-rays are an integral part of diagnosing fractures.
If a fracture is presumed, a CAT scan may be recommended to assess its stability.
It produces cross-sectional images by taking “slices” of the spine, allowing for separate examination of each section.
This scan is particularly useful in evaluating the stability of a compression fracture and determining if there is any risk to the nerves.
A neurological examination will also be conducted to assess your neurological responses, including reflexes, muscle function, and sensory perception.
Abnormalities identified during this examination can indicate nerve damage.
The nerves of the spinal cord transmit messages from the brain to the rest of the body, so any spinal nerve damage may affect your body movement and neurological responses.
If there is a suspicion of nerve involvement in the fracture or uncertainty about the cause of pain, an MRI might be recommended.
Unlike X-rays, an MRI does not involve radiation. It utilizes magnetic and radio waves to generate computer-generated images.
An MRI can penetrate multiple layers of the spine, providing detailed information about soft tissues, such as nerves and ligaments.
A nuclear bone scan may also be ordered as a diagnostic test.
This scan helps determine the age of a fracture.
If the fracture is old and there is evidence of other healed fractures, it may indicate osteoporosis (a condition characterized by bone thinning) as the underlying cause.
This is particularly important for older patients, especially women.
In such cases, treatment for the fracture will include preventive measures to minimize the risk of future vertebral fractures.
This treatment may involve calcium supplements, increased vitamin D intake, weight-bearing exercises, and hormone replacement therapy for women.
Management and Treatment
Treating spinal compression fractures involves both pain management and addressing the underlying cause.
The following treatment options are commonly considered:
- Pain Medication: Over-the-counter pain relievers or prescribed medications can help alleviate discomfort associated with spinal compression fractures.
- Bracing: Wearing a brace or corset can support the spine and provide stability, reducing pain and allowing for healing.
- Rest and Activity Modification: Limiting physical activity and avoiding strenuous exercises that strain the spine can aid in pain management and promote healing.
- Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty: These minimally invasive procedures involve injecting medical-grade cement into the fractured vertebra, stabilizing it and relieving pain.
- Physical Therapy: Specific exercises and stretches prescribed by a physical therapist can help strengthen the back muscles, improve flexibility, and support the healing process.
Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used primarily to treat spinal compression fractures.
It is often performed on patients with osteoporosis or those who have experienced trauma to the spine resulting in vertebral fractures.
The goal of kyphoplasty is to relieve pain, stabilize the fractured vertebra, and restore vertebral height.
During the kyphoplasty procedure, the patient is usually under local or general anesthesia. Here is an overview of the steps involved:
- Patient positioning: The patient is positioned face down on the operating table to allow access to the spine.
- Guidewire insertion: Under X-ray guidance, the surgeon inserts a needle into the fractured vertebra through a small incision in the back. A guidewire is then passed through the needle, creating a pathway for subsequent instrument placement.
- Balloon insertion and inflation: A specialized balloon is threaded over the guidewire and positioned within the collapsed vertebra. The balloon is carefully inflated to create a void or cavity in the vertebral body, restoring its height and correcting the deformity.
- Cement injection: Once the balloon is deflated and removed, the void created is filled with bone cement (a medical-grade material similar to epoxy). The cement is inserted into the vertebral body through the same access point used for the balloon.
- Cement hardening: The injected cement quickly hardens, stabilizing the fractured vertebra and providing structural support. This helps to relieve pain and prevent further collapse of the spine.
The entire kyphoplasty procedure typically takes about one hour per treated vertebra.
Patients usually experience immediate pain relief following the procedure and are able to resume light activities within a few days.
However, it is essential to follow the surgeon’s post-operative instructions regarding physical activity and rehabilitation to ensure proper healing.
It’s worth noting that kyphoplasty is different from vertebroplasty, another minimally invasive procedure used to treat spinal compression fractures.
While both procedures involve injecting bone cement into the vertebra, kyphoplasty also includes the use of a balloon to create a cavity and restore vertebral body height.
Vertebroplasty is a treatment option for vertebral compression fractures where a cement-like material is injected into the fractured vertebra.
While it can provide relief for patients, recent studies consistently show that kyphoplasty, a similar procedure with added benefits, is superior in saving lives compared to vertebroplasty.
Kyphoplasty has shown high success rates in relieving pain, improving mobility, and enhancing the overall quality of life for patients with spinal compression fractures.
However, like any medical procedure, it carries potential risks and complications, which should be discussed in detail with a qualified healthcare professional before making any treatment decisions.
In most cases, compression fractures resulting from injuries typically heal within 8 to 10 weeks with rest, the use of a brace, and pain medication.
However, if surgery was required, the recovery period may be significantly longer.
It’s important to note that some loss of height and increased spinal curvature may occur during the healing process.
Compression fractures caused by osteoporosis often become less painful with rest and pain medication.
However, certain fractures can lead to long-term chronic pain and disability.
Medications aimed at treating osteoporosis can help prevent future fractures.
However, they cannot reverse the damage that has already occurred.
When compression fractures are caused by tumors, the prognosis depends on the specific type of tumor involved.
Tumors that affect the spine can include breast cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and hemangioma.
- Failure of bones to fuse properly after surgery
- Development of a humpback deformity
- Compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots, leading to potential neurological symptoms.
Remember, once you get one Compression Fracture, your risk for getting a second goes up 5X (500%).
If that sounds bad, by the second Compression Fracture, that risk increases to 9-12X – and by the third fracture, that’s mind-boggling 72X (7,200%) increased risk.
So for patients with more than one fracture it’s less of a question of IF and more of a question of WHEN.
Those are statistics from a large study. Just likely any other statistic, for an individual patient, it’s hard to quantify the risk.
Some patients do not get another fracture for 5 or more years – and others have 10 fractures in the first year.
Preventing Spinal Compression Fractures
While complete prevention may not always be possible, certain measures can help reduce the risk of spinal compression fractures:
- Maintain Bone Health: Adopt a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, engage in weight-bearing exercises regularly, and avoid habits that weaken bones, such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption.
- Fall Prevention: Take precautions to minimize the risk of falls, such as ensuring adequate lighting, removing tripping hazards, and using assistive devices when necessary.
- Regular Check-ups: Regular bone density screenings can help detect osteoporosis early, allowing for early intervention and preventive measures.
Spinal compression fractures can significantly impact an individual’s mobility and overall well-being.
Understanding the causes, recognizing the symptoms, and exploring the available treatment options is vital for managing this condition effectively.
By adopting preventive measures and seeking timely medical care, individuals at risk can take proactive steps toward minimizing the impact of spinal compression fractures and maintaining their spinal health.
Remember, if you suspect you may have a spinal compression fracture or are experiencing persistent back pain, it is crucial to consult with a medical professional to receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
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Tests Done in Early Pregnancy
- Obstetrics Introduction
- Schedule of Visits and Pregnancy Calendar
- Tests Done in Early Pregnancy
- Vaccinations In Pregnancy
- Helpful Information
- Lower Segment Caesarean Section
- Postnatal Care
Tests Performed in Early Pregnancy
The antenatal screen is a selection of blood tests and a urine test. The urine test looks for evidence of infection and also for the presence of protein in the urine. The blood test looks for the Blood Group and any unusual Antibodies, Full Blood Count (which checks for anaemia), Rubella immunity (German Measles), exposure to Hepatitis B and Syphilis. In certain situations we may also check for Hepatitis C, HIV infection, Vitamin D and thyroid function.
Nuchal Translucency Ultrasound
The Nuchal Translucency ultrasound is usually done between 11 and 14 weeks gestation. It looks for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down’s Syndrome (Trisomy 21), Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18), Patau Syndrome (Trisomy 13) and also sex chromosome abnormalities. This test detects about 90% of baby’s with Down’s Syndrome as high risk. Although this test is recommended for mothers 35 and older, who are at a higher risk of having a baby with Down’s Syndrome, the test can be done by any mother who is concerned about having a baby with Down’s Syndrome.
Non-Invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)
The NIPT test is done after 10 weeks gestation looking for chromosome abnormalities of Trisomy 21 (Down’s Syndrome), Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome), Trisomy 13 (Patau’s Syndrome) and sex chromosomal abnormalities. The test can detect 99% of baby’s with Down’s Syndrome and is more accurate for detection of Down’s Syndrome in comparison to the Nuchal Translucency test. The test involves taking a maternal blood sample and looking for cell-free DNA circulating in the mother’s blood. The NIPT test can also be combined with an ultrasound done at 12 weeks gestation
Amniocentesis or CVS
These are invasive procedures looking for chromosomal abnormalities or genetic abnormalities of a baby. These tests can also be performed when a NIPT test or a Nuchal Translucency test shows a higher risk of having a baby with a chromosomal abnormality.
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In recent years, there has been a significant growth in plant-based diets, with more and more people choosing to reduce or eliminate animal products from their meals. This shift in diet has been driven by a variety of factors, including concerns about animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and personal health. As a result, the food industry is undergoing a major transformation, with plant-based options becoming increasingly popular and profitable.
Why are Plant-Based Diets Becoming So Popular?
There are a number of reasons why plant-based diets are on the rise. One of the main drivers is a growing awareness of the impact that animal agriculture has on the environment. Livestock production is responsible for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions and requires vast amounts of water and land. Many people are therefore choosing to go plant-based as a way to reduce their environmental footprint.
Another factor behind the rise of plant-based diets is the growing concern over animal welfare. Many consumers are uncomfortable with the idea of factory farming and the mistreatment of animals that often goes along with it. As a result, they are choosing to opt for plant-based alternatives instead.
Finally, there are a range of personal health benefits associated with plant-based diets. Studies have shown that plant-based diets can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. They also tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, making them a healthier option for many people.
The Impact on the Food Industry
The rise of plant-based diets has had a major impact on the food industry. In order to meet the growing demand for plant-based options, many restaurants and food manufacturers have started offering more vegetarian and vegan options. This has led to an explosion in the number of plant-based products available on store shelves, from meat alternatives made from soy and other plants to dairy-free cheeses and ice creams.
One of the most notable examples of this trend is the rise of plant-based meat substitutes such as the Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat. These products are designed to look, taste, and cook like real meat, but are made entirely from plant-based ingredients. They have proven incredibly popular with consumers, and are now offered in a wide range of restaurants and fast food chains.
Overall, the rise of plant-based diets is reshaping the food industry in a number of ways. While it remains to be seen just how far this trend will go, it is clear that plant-based options are here to stay.
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Develop and assess your students' knowledge and mathematical skills throughout A Level with worked examples, practical assessment guidance and differentiated end of topic questions with this Edexcel Year 2 student book.
- Identifies the level of your students' understanding with diagnostic questions and a summary of prior knowledge at the start of the Year 1 Student Book
- Provides support for all 16 required practicals with various activities and questions, along with a 'Practical' chapter covering procedural understanding and key ideas related to measurement
- Mathematical skills are integrated throughout with plenty of worked examples, including notes on methods to help explain the strategies for solving each type of problem
- Offers plenty of practice with Test Yourself Questions to help students assess their understanding and measure progress
- Encourages further reading and study with short passages of extension material
- Develops understanding with free online access to Test yourself Answers, an Extended Glossary, Learning Outcomes and Topic Summaries
You can read this ebook online in a web browser, without downloading anything or installing software.
This ebook is available in file types:
This ebook is available in:
After you've bought this ebook, you can choose to download either the PDF version or the ePub, or both.
The publisher has supplied this book in DRM Free form with digital watermarking.
You can read this eBook on any device that supports DRM-free EPUB or DRM-free PDF format.
The publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it.
To read this ebook on a mobile device (phone or tablet) you'll need to install one of these free apps:
To download and read this eBook on a PC or Mac:
The publisher has set limits on how much of this ebook you may print or copy.
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Benefits humans rely on from the ocean-marine ecosystem services-are increasingly vulnerable under future climate. This paper reviews how three valued services have, and will continue to, shift under climate change: (1) capture fisheries, (2) food from aquaculture, and (3) protection from coastal hazards such as storms and sea-level rise. Climate adaptation planning is just beginning for fisheries, aquaculture production, and risk mitigation for coastal erosion and inundation. A few examples are highlighted, showing the promise of considering multiple ecosystem services in developing approaches to adapt to sea-level rise, ocean acidification, and rising sea temperatures.
Ecosystem-based adaptation in fisheries and along coastlines and changes in aquaculture practices can improve resilience of species and habitats to future environmental challenges. Opportunities to sue market incentives-such as compensation for services or nutrient trading schemes-are relatively untested in marine systems. Relocation of communities in response to rising sea levels illustrates the urgent need to manage human activities and investments in ecosystems to provide a sustainable flow of benefits in the face of future climate change.
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While in high school, Karishma Bhagani founded Matone de Chiwit to provide water purifiers to places in need of clean water. The water purifier received first prize overall in the Golden Climate International Science Fair Competition in 2014 and was the recipient of a $1000 seed grant from the Reynolds Changemaker Challenge at New York University in 2015. Her story is an excellent example of the power of global action projects. This blog is part of our ongoing series by young adults who participated in Global Citizens Initiative’s Summer Youth Summit.
The world suffers from a plethora of natural and manmade disasters. From destructive floods to violent conflicts, society is faced with complex global challenges that can only be solved through collaboration. Politicians and the media often focus on short-term collaboration for discreet goals, such as electing a specific politician or encouraging donations to a specific relief effort. I believe we must consider the long-term implications of our actions, not only within the context of our immediate environment, but also for the larger global community.
In my home country, Kenya, 17 million people do not have access to clean drinking water. This leads to many health problems, and I was particularly inspired to tackle this problem due to the fluctuating weather problems; half the country was drought-stricken, and the other half had a rampant increase in water-borne diseases due to flooding. So, while I was attending the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya, I created a cost-effective water purifier made from traditional elements, such as sand, gravel, charcoal, cotton cloth, and moringa oleifera, which is a local plant known for its natural antioxidants and its drought-resistant properties. On average, the purification unit can purify 5 liters of water in 30 minutes and costs less than $20 to create. The unit has enough materials to purify water for approximately 18 months of daily use by an average family of five people. In order to ensure that the purified water is potable according to the World Health Organization standards for clean water, a test was carried out at the Coast Water Services Board (CWSB) in Kenya. The initiative is called Matone de Chiwit, which means “drops of life” in the languages from the continents in the world that suffer most from water scarcity: Africa (Kiswahili), Latin America (Spanish), and Asia (Thai), respectively.
Despite the eventual success of the project, the journey was filled with many challenges and obstacles, ranging from the creation of a successful working product to gaining donations for the execution of the pilot project in Mombasa. During the process of creating the filtration unit, I experimented with multiple elements and ended up failing many times throughout the process. In theory, all the elements of purification that I had researched, including the use of galvanized and stained steel, should have been successful in cleaning the source water. However, during the experimentation process, I realized that the theoretical research did not always apply in practice, hence alternative solutions are important to test as well. Failure often results in demotivation; however, analyzing the causes of the problem and keeping a positive mindset will, in turn, provide an opportunity to grow into a better venture. The failure of my product motivated me to do better.
I was fortunate to have the continuous support of my parents throughout the process, and my academic supervisor, who provided me with guidance and insight into the entire process, also created a form of moral support, particularly when the project did not take the planned trajectory. It was through their support that I was able to gain access to more connections in the water industry and potential sponsors to help expand my project. It is with the support of these individuals that I remain motivated to continue to expand, and I am currently establishing a team of youths at my high school and at my university in preparation for large-scale expansion.
Matone de Chiwit has evolved into a social enterprise that tries to solve the global problem of access to clean water. This past year, I piloted the water purifier in the Matupeni Community in Mombasa with help from Davis & Shirtliff, one of East Africa’s largest suppliers of water-related goods. Twenty units were donated to residents of the village. Following the success of the pilot, I am in the process of getting a patent for the water purifier with the intention of distributing these units with African company sponsorship to other communities in Mombasa and around Kenya.
The 20 units that were created for the pilot donation at the Matupeni Community in Mombasa.
In the future, I plan to expand the project to other developing countries. I believe that Matone de Chiwit has the potential to serve the larger global community. As a global citizen, I believe that I have a responsibility help populations in developing countries gain access to clean water. True leadership means embracing our global community and taking action to make life better for others.
How are you going help the world as a global citizen?
Top photo of the author by Deval Devani.
Pilot photo courtesy of the author.
The opinions expressed in Global Learning are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.
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CC-MAIN-2023-50
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https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-the-power-of-global-action-projects-one-students-journey/2016/03
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| 0.964495 | 1,089 | 3 | 3 |
The Health and Environment Alliance welcomes the compromises reached throughout the discussions. The agreed legislative changes have the potential to make CLP a more protective and efficient piece of legislation.
According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), 96% of the urban population breathes air which is considered unhealthy by the World Health Organization (WHO). The health impacts from poor air quality are unacceptably high, and they are largely preventable.
We often talk in premature death numbers when showing the devastating impact air pollution has. But air pollution is also a major risk factor for all chronic diseases. Short- and long-term exposure increases the risk of cardiovascular and heart disease, stroke, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Poor air quality is also linked to reduced lung function, impacts on the developing brain and central nervous system, increased risk of preterm birth and reduced birth weight. New studies underline a higher risk of diabetes, obesity and dementia.
And evidence is increasing regarding the harmful effects of low level pollution, pointing to the fact that there is likely no safe level (especially to PM2.5, fine particulate matter) below which negative health effects aren’t seen.
Air pollution can affect everyone, in the entire course of their life, increasing the risk for serious diseases. It is a major cause of suffering, for example through the aggravation of asthma attacks, doctors’ visits, sickness days, leading to high healthcare costs with hundreds of billions of Euros.
The burning of fossil fuels is a major cause of air pollutionHuman activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels for transport, energy production or heating, release air pollutants (as gases, liquids or solids). It often is invisible – but it still harms people’s health, even at low concentrations. Burning fossil fuels also releases CO2, a major factor for climate change (which poses a whole further set of health impacts).
The main pollutants include particulate matter (PM 10), fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3 ) and sulphur dioxide (SO2 ). The main sectors of air emissions include road traffic, burning of fossil fuels for energy production and/or heating, biomass burning and agriculture.
Particulate matter is the pollutant with the greatest health impactWhen we breathe, air pollutants enter our body, can get into our lungs, but can also travel further into our body. The smaller the particle, the easier it enters the bloodstream.
Thus, PM2.5 leads to the greatest health burden, as these tiny particles can enter the bloodstream and travel to all the organs inside the body. They can even cross the blood brain barrier, and have been found in the placenta of pregnant women, and in fetal organs, which may lead to health consequences only much later in the life of the child.
Everyone is vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution, and some are more at riskAir pollution is the top environmental risk to health in Europe and everyone is vulnerable to its impacts. People’s level of vulnerability is outside of individual control, and it evolves with age, health condition, socio-economic status, as well as where people live, study or work.
The groups most at risk include the elderly, those already ill, pregnant women, children and those facing health inequalities.
In recent years, new evidence has underlined why children are particularly under threat. Exposure to air pollutants can not only increase the risk of a child developing asthma and the number and severity of asthma attacks, but also affect their learning abilities, as well as the child’s heart, brain and nervous system development. Even children still in the uterus can be affected: a pregnant person breathing unhealthy air can lead to children being born earlier, or with a lower birth weight, which increases the risk of disease decades later.
Science-based EU air quality standards will lead the way for healthier air, everywhere
The current revision of the EU’s clean air standards is a not-to-be-missed opportunity for the EU to become a clean air champion in the region and internationally, which can lead to significant improvement in people’s health and the prevention of disease, including reduced rates of cancer, heart and lung disease among others. Strengthened clean air efforts will also support climate mitigation and help the EU reach its climate goals (as the burning of fossil fuels will be tackled).
There is a huge body of evidence on air pollution and health. Each year, hundreds of studies are being published demonstrating the health harm from poor air quality. The World Health Organization (WHO) regularly reviews all available research on air pollutants` impact on people’s health. Based on this extensive, in-depth review of the scientific literature, in September 2021, WHO published updated guidelines for concentrations for selected air pollutants that significantly lower the levels, meaning that air pollution is harmful at much lower levels than previously understood. WHO guidelines can be considered the gold standard for evidence-based decision-making for health on air quality, as they have health protection at the core, based on the latest science, they are of a high methodological quality and are developed through a transparent, evidence-based review process.
That can only be fully delivered through adopting a truly health-protective Ambient Air Quality package, which includes full alignment of the EU’s legally-binding clean air standards with WHO guidelines and the latest science by 2030, and adopting a strong enabling framework to make these standards work.
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CC-MAIN-2023-50
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https://www.env-health.org/clean-air-for-health-for-everyone/
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| 0.941213 | 1,120 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Tod River, near the Tod Reservoir
2015 Aquatic Ecosystem Condition Report
Moderately diverse macroinvertebrate community with no rare or sensitive species and one flow-dependent species
Obvious signs of nutrient enrichment in spring
Riparian vegetation was mostly introduced grasses and weeds among rushes and sedges
Silt deposits in the channel
About the location
Tod River is the only permanent flowing stream on the Eyre Peninsula. It rises north of Yallunda Flat and flows in a southerly direction before discharging into Spencer Gulf at the southern end of Louth Bay. The major land uses are sheep grazing and cropping, with minor areas of native vegetation and urban settlement further upstream. The Tod Reservoir, located just downstream from the site, is a large off-stream dam that receives water via concrete aqueducts from Pillaworta Creek and the Tod River. The monitoring site was located off Growdens Road, about two kilometres north of the reservoir.
The river was given a fair rating because the site sampled showed moderate changes in ecosystem structure and some changes to the way the ecosystem functions. There was evidence of human disturbance, including poor riparian habitat, nutrient enrichment in spring and fine sediment deposition in a salt-affected watercourse in the region.
A moderately diverse community of about 26 species of macroinvertebrates (17 in autumn and 14 in spring) was collected or seen from the river, 0.7-3.4 metres wide and up to 55 centimetres deep, in autumn and spring 2015. About 80% of the stream comprised slow to non-flowing pool or channel habitats connected by 20% of faster-flowing, shallow riffles in both seasons sampled. The community was dominated by species tolerant to poor water quality and high salinity such as amphipods (Austrochiltonia), blackflies (Simulium), hypogastrurid springtails and chironomids (Tanytarsus, Chironomus, Procladius and Cardiocladius). It also included smaller numbers of worms, water mites (Arrenurus and Piona), snails (Angrobia), yabbies (Cherax), beetles, biting midges, waterbugs, damselflies, dragonflies and caddisflies (Triplectides australis and Notalina). The only flow-dependent species detected in the riffles were a few blackfly larvae (Simulium ornatipes) in autumn but they were the most numerous species recorded from the riffle habitats in spring. No rare, sensitive or freshwater species were seen. The only fish recorded from the site was an introduced pest called mosquitofish (Gambusia); a juvenile fish was collected in the autumn survey.
The water was saline (salinity of 6,600 mg/L in autumn and 5,705 mg/L in spring), well oxygenated (89-117% saturation), clear and slightly coloured, and with remarkably low concentrations of nutrients such as nitrogen (0.12-0.91 mg/L) and phosphorus (0.013-0.055 mg/L) in autumn compared to spring.
The sediments were dominated by clay, detritus and silt in the pools and by sand, detritus and gravel in the riffles; filamentous algae was only recorded in spring when it covered 20-30% of the in-stream habitats. Samples taken from below the surface were grey clays and silts that appeared to be well aerated, and showed no evidence to indicate the sediments occasionally turned anaerobic (e.g. blackened underside of rocks embedded in the sediments and no strong odours). Over 1 centimetre of silt covered the riverbed and there was no sign of any significant bank erosion at the site sampled, despite the presence of sheep droppings on the bank.
A large amount of phytoplankton was recorded in spring (chlorophyll a ranged from 1.6-39.8 µg/L) at a time when over 35% of the river was covered by filamentous algae (Cladophora and Spirogyra). A similar area was also covered by aquatic plants, including sedges (Schoenoplectus), rushes (Juncus) and samphire. The riparian zone consisted of introduced grasses, weeds, and patches of sedges (Baumea and Carex), rushes (Juncus), samphire and a few paperbark trees. The surrounding vegetation at the site was cleared cropping and sheep grazing land.
Special environmental features
The presence of a flow-dependent blackfly was the only notable feature recorded at the site in 2015.
Common Galaxias (Galaxias maculatus) have also been previously observed at this site.
Pressures and management responses
Livestock have direct access at the site and upstream in the catchment, causing sediment erosion and adding excessive nutrients.
The Eyre Peninsula NRM Board administer the Water Affecting Activities permits and polices for the region. This process allows the Board to grant or refuse permits to undertake certain activities affecting water resources. The process is the region’s primary means of preventing any potential impact on the environmental integrity of surface water catchments.
In 2012 the Eyre Peninsula NRM Board delivered a project titled Delivering the Requirements of the Tod River Management Plan. This project implemented recommendations outlined in the River Management Plan for the Tod Catchment, as well as the Freshwater Fish Survey of Southern Eyre Peninsula baseline report. In doing so, the project protected and enhanced over 380ha of native habitat identified as having high conservation value. This was achieved primarily by reducing pressures on degraded areas through removal of livestock, enhancing remnant vegetation, re-establishing native vegetation, and control of invasive Weeds of National Signifiance (WoNS). In addition, two fish-friendly watercourse crossings were constructed which has helped improve the hydrology of two highly significant sections of the Tod River, while greatly improving the ability for native fish and other aquatic biota to migrate unimpeded.
The Eyre Peninsula NRM Board continues to promote managing land to improve water quality. This includes incentives for:
The Eyre Peninsula NRM Board also undertakes a native freshwater fish monitoring program throughout this catchment.
Limited natural riparian vegetation at the site and upstream in the catchment, providing minimal buffer protection from catchment land uses.
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CC-MAIN-2023-50
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https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/reports_water/c0201-ecosystem-2015
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| 0.944613 | 1,346 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Ti Tree Creek, near McHarg Creek
2015 Aquatic Ecosystem Condition Report
Permanently wet, moderately freshwater stream with pool and flowing riffle habitats present in autumn but only drying, isolated pools remained when sampled in spring
Moderately diverse macroinvertebrate community with several sensitive and flow-dependent species present
Some evidence of minor nutrient enrichment
Riparian vegetation dominated by bracken under scattered gums and pines
About the location
Ti Tree Creek is a small stream in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges that rises a few kilometres south from McHarg Hill and flows in a south-easterly direction before discharging into McHarg Creek (part of the Bull/Finniss Creek catchment). The major land uses are sheep and cattle grazing and areas with native vegetation and a few rural houses. The monitoring site was located off Ti Tree Road, about 3 kilometres north-west from Ashbourne.
The creek was given a Good rating because the site sampled showed evidence of relatively minor changes in ecosystem structure and function. There was evidence of human disturbance including minor nutrient (mostly nitrogen) enrichment and the presence of woody and herbaceous weeds in the riparian zone but the stream provides habitat for several rare and sensitive species of macroinvertebrates.
A moderately diverse community of at least 34 species of macroinvertebrates (26 in autumn and 19 in spring) was collected from the creek, 0.7-0.8 metres wide, and up to 35 centimetres deep in autumn and only 6 centimetres deep in spring 2015. The creek comprised similar areas of slow-flowing pool habitats connected by faster-flowing, shallower riffle habitats in autumn but had contracted to a series of drying, isolated pools in spring. The community was dominated by moderate numbers of caddisflies (Triplectides similis and Lectrides varians) in autumn and by water mites (Limnesia and Hydrodroma), mosquito larvae (Culex) and chironomids in spring. It also included smaller numbers of worms, native (Angrobia) and introduced snails (Physiella), amphipods (Austrochiltonia), freshwater shrimp (Paratya), beetles, waterbugs, dixid fly larvae, blackflies (Austrosimulium furiosum), biting midges, chironomids (including Podonopsis, Kiefferulus and Larsia), craneflies, mayflies (Thraulophlebia), stoneflies (Dinotoperla evansi and Austrocerca tasmanica) and dragonflies. The caddisfly (T. similis), blackfly, mayfly and stoneflies were significant records for the site since they include sensitive and flow-dependent species commonly found together from the more vegetated, permanently flowing, fresher streams in the region. The only fish seen at the site were about 20 Mountain Galaxias (Galaxias olidus) in autumn. This species is identified as vulnerable in the 2009 ‘Action plan for South Australian freshwater fishes’.
The water was moderately fresh (salinity ranged from 1,154-1,363 mg/L), well oxygenated only in autumn (30-74% saturated), clear and slightly turbid, and with moderate to high concentrations of nutrients such as nitrogen (0.54-0.70 mg/L) and phosphorus concentrations (0.02-0.04 mg/L).
The sediments were dominated by detritus, silt and clay in the pools and by silt, gravel and sand in the riffles; smaller amounts of boulder, cobble and pebble also occurred at the site. Samples taken from below the surface were grey in colour and showed no evidence that the sediments had recently been anaerobic or lacked oxygen; however, the underside of some rocks appeared slightly black, indicating the sediments have been anaerobic in the past. Over 1 centimetre of silt and biofilm covered the bottom of the channel and nearly 10% of the streambank showed signs of erosion caused by recent flood damage. The only animal droppings seen near the creek were from kangaroos.
A low to moderate amount of phytoplankton (chlorophyll a ranged from 0.24-3.4 µg/L) was recorded but no filamentous algae was seen at the site in 2015; the dense shading (45%) provided by the banks and vegetation at the site may have limited the extent of algal growth at the site. About 10% of the channel was covered by patches of a few types of aquatic plants, including buttercups (Ranunculus) and introduced watercress (Rorippa) and dock (Rumex). The riparian vegetation extended up to 5 metres wide in places and was dominated by a dense bracken understorey and a few gum trees and pines. The surrounding vegetation at the site was cleared grazing land on one bank and dense eucalypt woodland over bracken on the other bank.
Special environmental values
Ti Tree Creek provides significant habitat for several sensitive and flow-dependent macroinvertebrate species and a vulnerable fish in the region. The presence of such an extensive area of flowing, freshwater habitat in autumn was also significant as the only other site in the region with sufficient riffle habitat to sample was at the more saline Bremer River in 2015.
Mountain Galaxias, a native fish species identified as vulnerable in the 2009 ‘Action plan for South Australian freshwater fishes’, has been found downstream of this site in Bull Creek within the last five years (Nick Whiterod, Aquasave Consultants, pers. comm.)
Pressures and management responses
|Livestock have direct access, causing sediment erosion and adding excessive nutrients (which leads to habitat disturbance, algal growth and aquatic weeds).||Natural Resources SA Murray–Darling Basin acknowledges the significant impacts that livestock have on aquatic environments and seeks to provide free technical advice and incentives to land managers for fencing and other works as funding permits. Funding incentives are limited in value and extent and require land managers to volunteer to be involved.|
|Limited riparian vegetation, providing minimal buffer protection from catchment landuses (reducing habitat quality).||Natural Resources SA Murray–Darling Basin recognises that the management of riparian vegetation requires a long-term, integrated approach to achieve ecosystem benefits. The NRM Board therefore provides free technical advice on a range of topics for land managers and various incentives for works as funding permits.|
|Insufficient natural water flows resulting from water extraction and climate variability (reducing ecological integrity).||
A water allocation plan that guides sustainable water use in the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges has been developed by Natural Resources SA Murray–Darling Basin, working with the community and government (particularly the Department for Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR)). The plan aims to balance social, economic and environmental water needs and is implemented through a system of water licensing and permits for water affecting activities administered by DEWNR.
A key component of the water allocation plan is to provide water to sustain the environment at an acceptable level of risk. Securing low flows for the environment is a key environmental water provision in this area, and Natural Resources SA Murray–Darling Basin is working together with DEWNR, Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges and the community to develop a program to secure low flows across the Mount Lofty Ranges. For more information on water allocation planning and associated projects go to our Water Allocation Planning web page.
|Widespread introduced trees and weeds in the riparian zone (reducing habitat quality).||
Natural Resources SA Murray–Darling Basin recognises the limitations of available funds relative to the scale of the degradation caused by introduced trees and weeds. It provides free technical advice and community education to assist land managers in dealing with the integrated management of aquatic weeds. The NRM Board also has a targeted process, as directed by state government, to strictly prioritise its investment in weed control activities as funds are limited. It actively seeks funding opportunities for weed control; most opportunities are for locations where biodiversity outcomes can be achieved.
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CC-MAIN-2023-50
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https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/reports_water/c0436-ecosystem-2015
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| 0.942194 | 1,705 | 2.515625 | 3 |
The most severe hailstorm in recent decades in Germany was the Munich hailstorm on July 12, 1984 with an insured loss of 1.5 billion DM. The second most expensive event in the last few decades was the Reutlingen hailstorm on 28 July 2013 in Baden-Württemberg, which caused insured losses of more than 600 million Euros at residential buildings in the densely-populated area on the western flank of the Swabian Jura.
Within the frame of the research project "HARIS" (HAil RISk), past and future hail hazard and risk for Germany is being assessed at KIT using a combination of various meteorological data sets and loss data provided by different insurance companies.
As all weather phenomena associated with deep moist convection (thunderstorms with a vertical extent to the troposphere, approx. 12 km), the regions affected by hail, referred to as hail streaks, usually exhibit a very limited spatial extent. According to a study by Changnon (1970), 80 per cent of all recorded loss-related hailstorms in the US have an extent of less than 40 km2. Due to the small affected area and a lack of suitable measurement systems, hail events are not recorded comprehensively over a long period, thus making it impossible to provide meaningful information concerning their spatial distribution and trends. Due to the inadequate recording of hail it has hitherto been difficult – particularly in Germany – to draw any conclusions regarding the hail hazard.
At KIT, hail streaks are reconstructed over a long-term period using a multicriterial approach that includes different data sets, especially radar data. Furthermore, the researchers are using indirect climate data (proxies) for long term analyses of the atmospheric conditions that are necessary for the formation of thunderstorms and hail.
KIT scientists identify hail streaks from radar data
Hailstorms cannot (yet) be reliably and realistically simulated by high-resolution weather forecast or climate models. For this reason, weather radar devices with a very high spatial (up to 0.5 km) and temporal (up to 5 min) resolution are best suited to identify hailstorms. However, the intensity measured by the radar (radar reflectivity) depends on various factors such as the size distribution of the precipitation particles or the distance of the radar beam to the ground. A clear relationship between radar reflectivity and hail intensity on the ground on the basis of these data alone can therefore not be established, but only estimated.
As part of the "HARIS" project at KIT, radar data of the German Weather Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD) are evaluated with respect to the vertical extent of high reflectivities, which serves as proxy for severe convection in combination with lightning and insurance loss data. Applied over several years, the analysis estimates the radar-derived hail hazard for Germany in a very high spatial resolution of 1 × 1 km² (Puskeiler, 2013). The reconstructed hail streaks and applied extreme value statistics confirm the considerable spatial variability of hail probability and intensity. For Baden-Württemberg, for example, a pronounced maximum was identified in the region south of Stuttgart (Kunz and Puskeiler, 2010).
Similar patterns can also be found in other regions of Germany, as is also confirmed by analyses of the lightning density. On the large-scale, the radar-derived hail probability increases from north to south, as the conditions for the occurrence of thunderstorm events are more favourable in the south due to higher available convective energy. Furthermore, some pronounced maxima are apparent, which are mostly located at the lee side (the side facing away from the wind) of the low mountain ranges – e.g., the lee of the Black Forest or the Brocken. Some of these patterns can be ascribed to the typical flow conditions prevailing on hail days, where the flow goes partly around the mountains rather than over, creating low-level flow convergence in the lee (frequent southwesterly weather conditions; Kunz and Puskeiler, 2010; Kapsch et al., 2012; Puskeiler, 2013).
Pilot project: first automatic measuring network for hail
In a pilot project, ten measuring stations of the Landesanstalt für Umwelt, Messungen und Naturschutz Baden-Württemberg (State Office for the Environment, Measurements and Nature Con¬servation – LUBW) were equipped by KIT with newly developed hail sensors (developed at htwsaar; Löffler-Mang et al., 2011) in 2013. The measuring device is able to register kinetic energy and momentum of hailstones by measuring sound waves with small piezomicrophones in a weather and UV-resistant Makrolon case. From this, hail sizes and the size spectrum can be inferred. The focus of the monitoring lies on areas with a high hail probability, for example on the plains of Filderstadt south of Stuttgart or in Villingen-Schwenningen. The aim is to observe the size distribution of the hailstones during a hailstorm and to derive new knowledge of the damaging effect of hail in combination with other meteorological measurements.
Hail probability derived from regional climate models
Over recent decades, damage caused by severe hailstorms in Central Europe and other regions has consid¬erably increased (Schiesser, 2003; Cao 2008; Kunz et al., 2009). The question arises to what extent this increase in hail damage in the past is, along with changes in vulnerability, determined by the anthropogenic climate change and what changes are to be expected in the future.
Within the project HARIS-CC ("Hail Risk and Climate Change") at KIT various proxies (indi¬rect climate data) for hail were examined with respect to their long-term variability. Appropriate proxies for hail are convective parameters and indices, which quantify static stability of the atmosphere. In contrast to direct thunderstorm or hail observations, proxy data are uniformly available for long periods (> 30 years), which enables their statistical analysis.. However, these proxy data only reflect the potential of the atmosphere for deep moist convection. Direct statements con¬cerning the actual occurrence or frequency of thunderstorms or hail cannot be derived.
Long-term statistical analyses of convective parameters derived from radiosoundings show that those considering surface-based tempera¬ture and moisture values exhibit statistically significant positive trends over the last three decades (Mohr and Kunz, 2013a). Accordingly, the probability of thunderstorms and hail over large parts of Europe has increased. To quantify changes in the thunderstorm or hail potential in the past and the near future in Germany, simulations of various high-resolution regional climate models (RCM) were evaluated. Evaluations with observations confirm that RCMs with a spatial resolution of about 10 km are basically capable to reflecting the convective conditions of the atmosphere. RCMs driven by reanalysis (ERA-40) show an increase in the thunderstorm potential between 1971 and 2000, mainly due to an increase in moisture in the lower troposphere. On the other hand, atmospheric stability shows no uniform results.
A similar picture emerges for general weather patterns determined from both reanalyses and various realisations of RCMs. In accordance with the objective weather type clas¬sification of DWD, four of the total of 40 large-scale weather types coincide with an increased probability of damage-relevant hail events. These four weather situations show a statistically sig¬nificant increase in the period from 1971 to 2000. For the future (2010 to 2050) the model data show only a slight increase in these hail-realted weather types. The strengths of the changes, however, are strongly controlled by the period considered (Kapsch et al., 2012).
Development and application of a logistic hail model
To take a sound combination of different meteorological parameters that are relevant for the occurrence of hail into account, a logistic hail model (multivariate analysis method) was developed at KIT. This approach aims at improving the diagnostics for hail events (Mohr and Kunz, 2015). The result of the model is a new index which describes the potential of the atmosphere for the formation of hail. It is therefore referred to as Potential Hail Index (PHI). Applying to a mini-ensemble of seven RCM simulations, it becomes clear that the potential for hail in the future will only increase slightly (statistically sig¬nificantly) in northwestern and southern Germany.
Changnon, S. A., 1970: Hailstreaks. J. Atmos. Sci., 27, 109 – 125.
Kapsch, M. L., M. Kunz, R. Vitolo, und T. Economou, 2012: Long-term variability of hail-related weather types in an ensemble of regional climate models. J. Geophys. Res., 117, D15107. DOI:10.1029/2011JD017185
Kunz, M., J. Sander, und C. Kottmeier, 2009: Recent trends of thunderstorm and hailstorm frequency and their relation to atmospheric characteristics in southwest Germany. Int. J. Climatol., 29, 2283 – 2297.
Kunz, M. und M. Puskeiler, 2010: High-resolution assessment of the hail hazard over complex terrain from radar and insurance data. Meteor. Z., 19, 427 – 439. DOI 10.1127/0941-2948/2010/0452
Löffler-Mang, M., D. Schön, und M. Landry, 2011: Characteristics of a new automatic hail recorder. Atmos. Res., 100, 439–446.
Mohr, S., 2013: Änderung des Gewitter- und Hagelpotentials im Klimawandel. Wiss. Berichte d. Instituts für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie, Band 58, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Mohr, S. und M. Kunz, 2013: Recent trends and variabilities of convective parameters relevant for hail events in Germany and Europe. Atmos. Res., 123, 211–228. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2012.05.016
Mohr, S., Kunz, M. und Keuler, K. (2015): Development and Application of a Logistic Model to Estimate the Past and Future Hail Potential in Germany. J. Geophys. Res. submitted.
Mohr, S. und Kunz, M., 2014: Changes in the Hail Potential Over Past and Future Decades: Using a Logistic Hail Model. J. Geophys. Res. (Eingereicht).
Pruppacher, H. R. und J. D. Klett, 1997: Microphysics of clouds and precipitation, Vol. 18. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Niederlande.
Puskeiler, M., 2009: Analyse der Hagelgefährdung durch Kombination von Radardaten und Schadendaten für Süddwestdeutschland. Diplomarbeit am Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK), Universität Karlsruhe (TH), Karlsruhe, Deutschland.
Puskeiler, M., 2013: Radarbasierte Analyse der Hagelgefährdung in Deutschland, Dissertation am Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK-TRO), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany.
Text and data in cooperation with CEDIM, an interdisciplinary research institution by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
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Online tool for converting Celsius (C) to Fahrenheit (F).
|°Fahrenheit =||9||* °Celsius + 32|
1 Celsius = 33.8 Fahrenheit.
Celsius, or centigrade, is used to measure temperatures in Europe and the biggest part of the world. Water freezes at 0° Celsius and boils at 100° Celsius.
Fahrenheit is a scale commonly used to measure temperatures in the United States. Fresh water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and bouls at 212° Fahrenheit.
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Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, found in everything from cosmetics to sunscreen to paint to vitamins, caused systemic genetic damage in mice, according to a comprehensive study conducted by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The TiO2 nanoparticles induced single- and double-strand DNA breaks and also caused chromosomal damage as well as inflammation, all of which increase the risk for cancer. The UCLA study is the first to show that the nanoparticles had such an effect, said Robert Schiestl, a professor of pathology, radiation oncology and environmental health sciences, a Jonsson Cancer Center scientist and the study's senior author.
Once in the system, the TiO2 nanoparticles accumulate in different organs because the body has no way to eliminate them. And because they are so small, they can go everywhere in the body, even through cells, and may interfere with sub-cellular mechanisms.
The study appears this week in the journal Cancer Research.
In the past, these TiO2 nanoparticles have been considered non-toxic in that they do not incite a chemical reaction. Instead, it is surface interactions that the nanoparticles have within their environment- in this case inside a mouse - that is causing the genetic damage, Schiestl said. They wander throughout the body causing oxidative stress, which can lead to cell death.
It is a novel mechanism of toxicity, a physicochemical reaction, these particles cause in comparison to regular chemical toxins, which are the usual subjects of toxicological research, Schiestl said.
"The novel principle is that titanium by itself is chemically inert. However, when the particles become progressively smaller, their surface, in turn, becomes progressively bigger and in the interaction of this surface with the environment oxidative stress is induced," he said. "This is the first comprehensive study of titanium dioxide nanoparticle-induced genotoxicity, possibly caused by a secondary mechanism associated with inflammation and/or oxidative stress. Given the growing use of these nanoparticles, these findings raise concern about potential health hazards associated with exposure."
The manufacture of TiO2 nanoparticles is a huge industry, Schiestl said, with production at about two million tons per year. In addition to paint, cosmetics, sunscreen and vitamins, the nanoparticles can be found in toothpaste, food colorants, nutritional supplements and hundreds of other personal care products.
"It could be that a certain portion of spontaneous cancers are due to this exposure," Schiestl said. "And some people could be more sensitive to nanoparticles exposure than others. "I believe the toxicity of these nanoparticles has not been studied enough."
Schiestl said the nanoparticles cannot go through skin, so he recommends using a lotion sunscreen. Spray-on sunscreens could potentially be inhaled and the nanoparticles can become lodged in the lungs.
The mice were exposed to the TiO2 nanoparticles in their drinking water and began showing genetic damage on the fifth day. The human equivalent is about 1.6 years of exposure to the nanoparticles in a manufacturing environment. However, Schiestl said, it's not clear if regular, everyday exposure in humans increases exponentially as continued contact with the nanoparticles occurs over time.
"These data suggest that we should be concerned about a potential risk of cancer or genetic disorders especially for people occupationally exposed to high concentrations of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and that it might be prudent to limit their ingestion through non-essential drug additives, food colors, etc.," the study states.
Next, Schiestl and his team will study exposure to the nanoparticles in mice that are deficient in DNA repair, to perhaps help find a way to predict which people might be particularly sensitive to them.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has more than 240 researchers and clinicians engaged in disease research, prevention, detection, control, treatment and education. One of the nation's largest comprehensive cancer centers, the Jonsson center is dedicated to promoting research and translating basic science into leading-edge clinical studies. In July 2009, the Jonsson Cancer Center was named among the top 12 cancer centers nationwide by U.S. News & World Report, a ranking it has held for 10 consecutive years. For more information on the Jonsson Cancer Center, visit our website at http://www.cancer.ucla.edu.
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Strengthen Your Kidneys with Yoga
The kidneys play the extremely important function of purifying our blood by filtering the waste from it. They also help in regulating the urinary system, secretion of hormones and maintenance of blood pressure level in the body. Kidneys also have the additional function of maintaining the level of acid and bases in the body. Clearly, the kidneys are one of the most vital organs in the body.
Studies suggest that kidney related diseases or conditions are more likely to be observed in developing nations where insufficient nutrition, stress and unhealthy lifestyle contribute to renal deterioration. According to WHO research, close to a million lives are lost globally every year due to kidney and urinary-tract related complications. High blood pressure and diabetes are known to worsen the condition.
With the help of modern medicine and advanced medical equipment, doctors have been able to curb the damage caused to kidneys. However, these methods may not always be economical or may even lead to unforeseen complications. It is at times like these that one must turn towards side-effect free, natural remedies.
Yoga is one such ancient branch of holistic living that promotes healthy lifestyle through yoga poses, meditation and Ayurveda. Yoga poses stimulate and massage various organs that help bring the body in an optimal condition. Along with yoga poses, turning to an Ayurvedic diet can keep the blood pressure levels and diabetes in check.
Start off with these simple yoga poses to ensure the health of your kidneys:
The Sphinx pose stretches and strengthens the abdominal organs. It also raises the immunity level of the body.
The Sitting Half Spinal twist stimulates the kidneys and liver. It also improves the body's immunity level.
The Cobra pose also stimulates the abdominal organs and relieves the body of stress and fatigue. It is also known to help improve immunity.
The Seated forward bend is another kidney stimulating pose that also improves digestion and relieves you of menstrual discomfort.
The Bridge pose stimulates the abdominal organs, including the kidneys. It also helps bring high blood pressure under control and relieves the body of stress.
The Boat pose strengthens and stimulates the abdominal organs. It also helps improve digestion and alleviates stress.
Ensure that you eat home cooked foods and stay away from outside food. Include more fruits and green leafy vegetables in your platter. Keep away from foods with high-potassium content and include more iron-rich food in your diet. An ayurvedic diet is rich in nutrients and is highly recommended. Drink plenty of water and get 6-8 hours of sleep every night.
Yoga has been around for more than two millennia and has helped people the world over overcome medical conditions the natural way. While it is a very effective method of keeping your kidneys healthy, yoga should not be used as a substitute for any medications that your doctor might have prescribed.
Practice yoga and meditation regularly, eat healthy and rest well to keep your body stress-free. A stress-free body responds more positively to any therapy than a stressed one. More importantly, stay positive and enjoy life to the fullest.
Yoga practice helps develop the body and mind with a lot of health benefits, yet is not a substitute for medicine. It is important to learn and practice yoga postures under the supervision of a trained yoga teacher. In case of any medical condition, practice yoga postures after consulting a doctor and a qualified Yoga teacher
Want to try out Yoga? Find out Yoga classes near you:
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Sec. Environmental Psychology
Volume 13 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.960370
Campus Nature Rx: How investing in nature interventions benefits college students
- 1Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- 2College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- 3Section of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- 4Environmental Science and Policy, Center for Geospatial Analysis, William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
The college experience is a time of discovery, learning, and personal growth. However, many U.S. college students report unprecedentedly high levels of mental health problems during these formative years. According to the 2021 National Collegiate Health Assessment, over 30 percent of students received psychological or mental health services in the previous 12 months. These challenges impact academic performance, with student classroom effectiveness reportedly reduced 22% due to depression, and nearly 38% due to stress (American College Health Assessment, 2022). Further, psychological issues are worsening. The most recent American Freshman National Survey revealed that incoming college students' self-reported physical and emotional health has been steadily declining since 1985 (Stolzenberg et al., 2020). Anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders are especially prevalent among college students (Pedrelli et al., 2015). In a 2020 national survey, two-thirds of student respondents cited loneliness as a distinct problem, an all-time high that reflects the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including social distancing and other measures (McAlpine, 2021). Alongside these other stressors, chronic loneliness can, in extreme cases, cause young people to consider suicide. A pediatric emergency department study found a significant increase in suicide-risk among youth aged 11–21, before, vs. after the onset of the pandemic (Hill et al., 2021). In another national study, suicide death rates were highest among American Indian and Alaska Native people, males, and residents of rural areas (Saunders and Nirmita, 2022).
There are numerous underlying causes of this mental health crisis among college-aged youth. Among these are the effects of academic and financial pressures, relationship issues, information overload, anxiety about the future, screentime, and social media (Pedrelli et al., 2015). Rising campus mental health issues have placed unsustainable demands on college health clinics, particularly counseling and psychological service (CAPS) units. One study estimated that colleges with student populations of 15,000 spend on average $750,000 annually on student mental health care (Eisenberg, 2015). Further, higher caseloads per counselor are associated with fewer sessions per student, less frequent appointments, reduced improvement in symptoms, and burnout among clinicians (American College Health Assessment, 2022).
Nature as a preventative, non-pharmacological intervention
In recent decades, an impressive number of studies have provided scientific evidence for the mental, and other health benefits of nature engagement. Among these benefits are reductions in stress (Antonelli et al., 2019; Hunter et al., 2019), anxiety (Bratman et al., 2015), and depression (Kondo et al., 2018), as well as improved memory recall, concentration, sleep patterns, and overall mood (Berman et al., 2008; Bratman et al., 2012). A 2017 review provided a comprehensive listing of the psychological, physiological, and behavioral benefits that can be derived from time in nature, as well as further research that needs to be conducted on each of these (Frumkin et al., 2017). Given the ample positive effects of nature exposure, a movement has arisen in recent years whereby healthcare providers prescribe time outdoors, to improve their patient's physical and mental health. These programs include Park Rx, Nature Rx, Walk with a Doc, Healthy Parks Healthy People, Nature as Medicine, among others.
The importance of time in nature for mental health and wellbeing also served as the nucleus of what has evolved into the Campus Nature Rx (CNRx) Network. From an initial partnership of four schools in 2019– Cornell University, University of California- Davis, University of Minnesota, and William & Mary– the network is now a coalition of over 50 U.S. colleges and universities (for a full list of current members, visit campusnature.com).
The Campus Nature Rx approach is based on the belief that a university education involves more than academics, addressing the whole person, including their connection to the natural world. Such programs support a sense of place and belonging at these institutions and are consistent with studies that have shown college students' valuing and use of green spaces on their campuses (Speake et al., 2013). Another unifying understanding among CNRx members is that any campus can support nature engagement, outside or indoors, via greenspace, gardens, trees, plants, nature imagery, biophilic design, and other approaches. Further, nature exposure can accommodate even the busiest student schedules. Research has shown that 1 and 5-min green microbreaks on campus greenspaces effectively support stress-relief (Ibes et al., 2018). Nature experiences of between 10 and 20 min have been shown to improve mood an average of 86% among student participants (Ibes and Forestell, 2022), and can significantly and positively impact psychological and physiological markers for college-aged individuals (Meredith et al., 2020). Given the theme of this special issue, the time duration of 20–30 min has been found to most efficient, after which physiological benefits continued to accrue but at a reduced rate (Hunter et al., 2019).
Campus Nature Rx approaches
At their respective institutions, members of the CNRx Network apply a diverse set of approaches to provide nature exposure and encourage nature engagement on their campuses. In many cases, members are collecting data to evaluate the reach and impact of such efforts. The primary approaches can be organized into the categories of Nature Rx programs, physical infrastructure, online maps, courses, communications, and nature-oriented activities.
Nature Rx programs
Since, 2017 professionals at the Cornell Health clinic have prescribed time in nature to students through electronic health records. During the '21-'22 academic year, 406 students received nature prescriptions, and 36 percent responded to a follow-up survey. At University of Kentucky, an interdisciplinary team is working with healthcare leadership to design and implement a pilot Nature Rx project adjacent to cancer treatment clinics. At William & Mary, a peer referral approach is employed by the Parks and Ecotherapy Research Lab (PERL) Campus Park Rx program, established in 2014. Trained Peer Park Ambassadors use a database to refer fellow students to one of over 100 local greenspaces based on their interests, needs, transportation options, and schedule. During the academic year, over 100 students receive a referral via an online form or tabling event on campus.
Some programs have focused on making existing outdoor spaces more comfortable, welcoming, and convenient. At Cornell, student-built sod sofas were placed around campus, Swarthmore provided oversized chairs on campus greens, and at William & Mary chair-bombing provides comfortable seating in underutilized campus greenspace. At University of Kentucky, the student-informed, interdisciplinary Mindful Oasis project partnered with Facilities Management to provide intentional spaces for wellness campus-wide, including pop-up seating areas. California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) was the first university to undertake the Living Community Challenge as part of its master planning processes. In a Research Methods class, students review the basic biophilic design elements, then use colored frames to highlight aspects of campus that feel supportive (green frames) or that they would change (red frames) to make the landscape more biophilic. In terms of mental restoration, the majority of students emphasized the importance of light and views from interiors because that is where they spend the majority of their time, both studying and working. They also expressed wanting to see more blurring between the indoors and out, with interior gardens or plantings, and windowed areas that lead out to natural courtyards.
Some CNRx members have developed online maps to support time outdoors. In March of 2020, William & Mary's PERL released their Campus Greenspace Map. Ten interactive maps display photos and details for 12 birding sites, 50 significant trees, and more than 100 greenspaces, hiking trails, sport areas, patios, and other outdoor spaces on campus. The sites are organized by activity (e.g., studying, relaxing, eating), so users can quickly find outdoor spaces that fit their needs and preferences, while helping them get their daily dose of nature. The map series is accessible via the official William & Mary app, and online (campusgreenspace.wm.edu). Members of NatureRx at UConn mapped 122 miles of hiking trails on and near campus. Mapped sites feature a description with photographs, alongside a student-produced guide to activities for engaging with nature (see naturerx.initiative.uconn.edu).
Both Cornell and UC Davis offer Nature Rx courses specific to their respective campuses. Pre- and post-surveys in both courses over a 2 year period demonstrated that students associate participation in the course with a strengthened belief in the value of spending time in nature to reduce stress, the creation and solidification of social bonds, and an expectation that the class would have a lasting impact (Kiers et al., 2021). At William & Mary, The Science and Experience of Ecotherapy has been a course offering since 2017. Validated pre- and post-surveys found that nature connectedness increased significantly following the course, and weekly 80-min ecotherapy practicums increased multiple dimensions of mood among students an average of 56%. Campus Nature Rx courses are also an opportunity to address inequity and barriers to nature access. A course at the University of Maryland, Black Bodies and Green Spaces: From 1619 to Today, critically examines how systemic racism has shaped the experience, connection, and relationship to nature among Black Americans. It also explores how many Black Americans regard nature as a space of freedom, humanity, and spirituality. At some institutions, a Nature Rx component has been a successful addition to existing course offerings. At the University of Minnesota, a virtual forest bathing experience was added to the first 20 min of each class in an evidence-based nursing practice and research course. The students reported a reduction in perceived stress and feelings of calm and increased awareness of the importance of taking time for oneself.
Communications and outreach
Campus Nature Rx programs utilize various modes of communication to support nature appreciation and engagement including social media, websites, newsletters, and media walls. Social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok are used by programs at UC Davis, U of Maryland, and W&M. William & Mary's PERL 2021 Greenspace March Madness and Where's Walnut Social Media campaigns garnered over 4,000 interactions in less than a month, and the program's website (which shares nature and health resources, research, and events), attracts an average of over 2,000 unique visitors a year. The UC Davis and W&M programs host regular newsletters, while media walls around the Cornell campus display messages of the benefits of time in nature.
CNRx programs are continuously experimenting with new ways to engage students with campus nature. Leaders at UC Davis have organized a Nature Rx Campus Community Health and Wellbeing Series, Sheep mowers, Chair Share Program, Learning by Leading internship program, and Public Outreach and Engagement activities including stargazing, Yoga in the Arboretum, Arboretum Bingo, and Nature Rx photo Scavenger Hunt. NatureRx at UConn has hosted a mini-symposium and Room to Grow, a house plant workshop, and co-sponsored an event called “Forest Bathing in the HEEP Forest.” U of Maryland Master of Public Health students and faculty organized a forest bathing session. PERL at W&M has served over 200 students with programs including a Bird Scavenger Hunt and Map, Campus Tree Tours, and Greenspace Scavenger Hunt. The University of Florida produces illustrated nature guides that include images and descriptions of local organisms to increase students' awareness of and excitement about nearby nature. At U of Kentucky, CNRx members host wellness coaching, Walk with a Doc, tree walks, and tree week.
The COVID pandemic had some administrators questioning the need for residential college experiences, particularly given the high cost of campus maintenance. The burgeoning Campus Nature Rx movement provides compelling evidence that on-campus nature experiences provide a high return on investment by offering scientifically proven, equitable, and cost-effective solutions for improving college student mental health, among other benefits. Quantitative and qualitative data reveal that students value the natural elements and spaces on their campuses, as well as efforts to enhance their engagement with them. This sentiment was expressed by a Cornell Nature Rx student who wrote in a semester-end assessment, “Thank you so much for making my last semester at Cornell so special. Your class has been really impactful and I'm grateful for what we learned and experienced.” Likewise, in an anonymous evaluation of the Science & Experience of Ecotherapy course, a Spring 2020 William & Mary graduate wrote, “There has been no more essential class in my career at WM—essential to my personal health, empowerment for the pursuit of my values, confidence in the expression of myself in the natural world and the increasing awareness of the beauty unfolding around me at all times. I feel closer to myself and more equipped to maneuver the adversity of life moving forward as a result of this class.” In the midst of a college mental health crisis exacerbated by a global pandemic, CNRx offerings represent cost-effective and meaningful approaches for bolstering psychological resilience, helping students, and colleges, grow and thrive.
This opinion piece was co-authored by DR and DI, with much input from various members of the Campus Nature Rx Network. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
American College Health Assessment (2022). American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III: Reference Group Executive Summary Fall 2021. Silver Spring, MD: American College Health Association.
Antonelli, M., Grazia, B., and Davide, D. (2019). Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int. J. Biometeorol. 63, 1117–1134. doi: 10.1007/s00484-019-01717-x
Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., and Daily, G. C. (2012). The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1249, 118–136. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06400.x
Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., Hahn, K. S., Daily, G. C., and Gross, J. J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 112, 8567–8572. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1510459112
Hill, R. M., Rufino, K., Kurian, S., et al. (2021). Suicide ideation and attempts in a pediatric emergency department before and during COVID-19. Pediatrics 147, e2020029280. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-029280
Hunter, M. C., Gillespie, B. W., and Chen, S. Y.-P. (2019). Urban nature experiences reduce stress in the context of daily life on salivary biomarkers. Front. Psychol. 10, 722. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722
Ibes, D. C., Hirama, I., and Schuyler, C. (2018). Greenspace ecotherapy interventions: the stress reduction potential of green micro breaks integrating nature connection and mind body skills. J. Ecopsychol. 10, 137–150. doi: 10.1089/eco.2018.0024
Kiers, A., Donald, H. A., Rakow, Stacey, P., and Dewa, C. S. (2021). A pilot study on the potential for formalized nature-based instruction to mitigate stress and increase social bonds in university students. J. Am. Coll. Health. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1943412
Kondo, M. C., Jacoby, S. F., and South, E. C. (2018). Does spending time outdoors reduce stress? A review of real-time stress response to outdoor environments. Health Place 51, 136–150. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.03.001
McAlpine, K. J. (2021). Depression, Anxiety, Loneliness are Peaking in College Students. The Brink. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/depression-anxiety-loneliness-are-peaking-in-college-students (accessed May 8, 2022).
Meredith, G., Rakow, D. A., Eldermire, E. R. B., Madsen, G. C., Sachs, N. A., and Shelley, S. P. (2020). What is the minimum time dose in nature to positively impact the mental well-being of college-aged students and how to measure it: a scoping review. Front. Psychol. 10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02942
Pedrelli, P., Nyer, M., Yeung, A., Zulauf, C., and Wilens, T. (2015). College students: mental health problems and treatment considerations. Acad. Psychiatry 39, 503–511. doi: 10.1007/s40596-014-0205-9
Saunders, H., and Nirmita, P. (2022). A Look at Suicide Rates Ahead of 988 Launch- A National Three-Digit Suicide Prevention Hotline. Kaiser Family Foundation News. Available online at: https://www.kff.org/other/issue-brief/a-look-a-suicide-rates-ahead-of-988-launch-a-national-three-digit-suicide-prevention-hotline/ (accessed May 8, 2022).
Stolzenberg, E. B., Aragon, M. C., Romo, E., Couch, V., McLennan, D., Eagan, M. K., et al. (2020). The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2019. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA.
Keywords: campus, green infrastructure, mental health, Nature Rx, biophilic
Citation: Rakow DA and Ibes DC (2022) Campus Nature Rx: How investing in nature interventions benefits college students. Front. Psychol. 13:960370. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.960370
Received: 02 June 2022; Accepted: 08 July 2022;
Published: 25 July 2022.
Edited by:Andrea Faber Taylor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States
Reviewed by:Jennifer D. Roberts, University of Maryland, United States
Copyright © 2022 Rakow and Ibes. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Donald A. Rakow, [email protected]
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Indications for surgery:
If the spinal cord is compressed both arms and the legs may be affected causing increased reflexes, lack of coordination and weakness. This represents spinal cord injury and is called myelopathy.
Patients with myelopathy usually describe a gradual loss of function in the hands and legs manifesting as clumsiness and difficulty with fine control actions such as doing up buttons and using a knife and fork. Walking may become slow and unsteady with a broad based gait due to lack of feeling and joint sensation as well as weakness.
Myelopathy represents damage to the spinal cord, which may not be able to recover after being decompressed. It is important to treat patients with myelopathy quickly to give them the best chance of improvement but usually the surgery does not result in full improvement but stops further deterioration.
Under general anaesthesia a small incision is made on the front of the neck and tissues are carefully opened to expose the spine. The correct disc level is found using x rays and the disc is removed using instruments whilst looking through a microscope. At the back of the disc where the nerve or spinal cord is being compressed the disc or bone is removed to decompress the nerve or spinal cord. A plastic spacer is placed in the disc space and a small plate with screws may be attached to the bones above and below the disc to encourage fusion of the bones to each other.
Evidence for surgery:
Decompression of the spinal cord is the only suitable treatment for myelopathy. The treatment should be performed urgently to minimise further deterioration.
Benefits of treatment:
Stop further deterioration in function.
Some patients will experience ongoing benefit and improvement in function between 6 months and 5 years after surgery
Risks of surgery:
Serious risks: Death, quadraplegia (paralysis in arms and legs) <1%
Other risks: Hoarseness of voice and difficulty swallowing ~20-30% of patients initially after surgery with ~5% of patients in longer term. This treatment option should be avoided in some patients eg, professional singers. Failure of fusion ~5%, worsened neck pain ~5%, shoulder pain ~5%, ongoing arm pain ~10%, worsened arm pain <5%, adjacent segment disease ~25% over 10 years. Wound infection ~1-2%, medical and anaesthetic risks.
After your surgery you will be transferred to the ward. The ward will help you to mobilize on the day of surgery. After an x ray to check on the placement of the spacer +- and plates and screws, and after overnight observation.The duration of inpatient stay will depend on the severity of your weakness and functional change. Most patients with significant myelopathy will benefit from a period of rehabilitation following the surgery.
During your ward stay the nursing staff will monitor your breathing and neck to ensure there is no neck swelling or breathing difficulty. The day after your surgery a speech pathologist will check on your voice and swallowing. If there is hoarseness or difficulty swallowing they will give you advice regarding this problem. This problem usually settles without long-term problems.
Pain is typically well controlled with Paracetamol and occasional short term use of NSAIDS (longer term use of NSAIDS may impair fusion)
Smoking impairs bone fusion and healing and is strongly discouraged.
Mobility restrictions are designed to limit discomfort and reduce risks of disc recurrence. You should avoid the extremes of neck movement and avoid working above shoulder level. You should not lift anything heavier than a full kettle of water.
Driving should be avoided for the first 3 weeks post op as checking your blind spot involves extreme neck rotation. After this period driving should only be undertaken if there is no arm weakness and good range of movement without discomfort to allow the driver to easily be in full control in an emergency situation. If this is not the case the patient is legally bound to avoid driving.
Return to work is variable between different types of jobs and dependent upon your quality of function. We will discuss return to work at your 6 week follow up appointment.
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Decades of family rule in Togo country have resulted in very little development
Ethnicity has been an important political tool for the family that has ruled Togo for nearly half a century. The current president, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, and his ruling Union Pour la République (UNIR) party have consistently privileged their Kabyè ethnic group, a minority, to the detriment of other ethnic groups, including the Ewe, Mina and Kotokoli.
The pervasive influence of ethnicity in Togolese politics dates at least as far back as 1960, when Togo attained independence from colonial rule. In 1963 the country saw the continent’s first post-independence coup d’état, when the then president, Sylvanus Olympio, who hailed from the major Ewe ethnic group, was assassinated.
He was gunned down by military men led by Gnassingbé Eyadema, later president, after refusing to integrate Togolese soldiers who had served in the French colonial army into Togo’s post independence army. Most of the rebel soldiers were from northern minority ethnic groups.
The country is home to 40 different ethnic groups, according to a 2007 Private Sector Recovery Policies and Strategies Review study published by the World Bank. According to the most recent population census by Togo’s Ministry of Planning Affairs, carried out in 2010, the Kara region, which is mostly populated by the Kabyè ethnic group of President Faure Gnassingbé, is the fourth largest of five regions, with a population of 769,940 people or 12.4 percent of the population.
The Maritime region—home of the Mina and Ewe ethnic groups and including Lome, the capital—has 2.6 million people representing 42 percent of the population. The Plateau and Savannah regions are home to 22.2 percent and 13.4 percent of the population respectively, while the Central region is the smallest region, with 10 percent of the population.
Faure Gnassingbé is the son of a former president whose party opted, decades ago, for centralised government. The result was a distribution of power and national wealth that favoured their ethnic group. “Ethnicity continues to negatively impact the implementation of policies put in place since the country resumed economic cooperation with its development partners,” says Claude Ameganvi, leader of the opposition Parti des Travailleurs (Workers’ Party).
Many ministers from the Kabyè ethnic group of Gnassingbé’s party have been accused of embezzlement. But neither an anti-corruption commission— set up in 2001 but now defunct—nor a newly created “high authority against corruption” has succeeded in bringing any of them before a court.
In 2010 Togo normalised relations with the EU and Bretton Woods institutions after 15 years of economic sanctions imposed by the EU because of concerns about the country’s poor human rights record. Improved governance was a condition for the resumption of cooperation between the country and its development partners. But bad governance, largely due to the fixation of ruling party politicians on ethnic identity and region of origin, has cost the country 300 billion CFA francs (about US$550 million) every year, says former prime minister, Yawovi Agboyibo.
The government has taken steps toward political reform and fiscal transparency—including economic planning, structural adjustment, financial stabilisation and the setting up of the new anti-corruption agency. But civil rights organisations say that “barons” associated with the Kabyè and the ruling party continue to prevent legal proceedings against kinfolk and relatives allegedly accused of public asset misappropriation and mismanagement.
“Corruption blights development of Togo to the extent that it dries up financial resources and deprives the country of necessary resources for the better implementation of national development programs,” according to a June 2016 assessment by the Centre for Analysis and Capacity Building in Togo (CADERT).
Togo is ranked 107 out of 168 countries in Transparency International’s 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index, which measures perceived levels of public sector corruption worldwide.
Gnassingbé assumed office after the death of his father in February 2005, and he has tried to involve other ethnic groups in government, as seen in several cabinet reshuffles. But his efforts to ensure fiscal prudence have largely failed. About 61 percent of Togolese citizens are unhappy with the government’s campaign against corruption, according to the 2015 Global Corruption Barometer, a survey run by the Afrobarometer Institute and Transparency International.
In April 2012, addressing the nation, Gnassingbé acknowledged that “a minority monopolises the national wealth in Togo”. For many Togolese human rights activists, this mea culpa explained decades of public anger at nearly half a century of one-family rule.
“Ethnicity causes the unfair sharing of the national wealth, and the systematic corruption at all levels of public administration in Togo,” says Alain Lawson, a 60-year-old Togolese opposition activist.
“This situation has helped a small section of the population from the same ethnic group to maintain its hold on power.” Anger at ethnic exclusion has caused several post-electoral crises.
In 2005 over 500 Togolese were killed following skirmishes between pro- regime military forces and opposition militants, according to a UN fact- finding team. “If the soldiers or pro-ruling party militiamen found that you are from the southern parts [of the country], you were subjected to beatings.
This shows that we are not in a democracy but in what I would [describe as] tribalism,” said Lawson, who still bears scars from wounds inflicted during the 2005 post-electoral violence.
Some political analysts think that opposition parties are also to blame for the ethnic polarisation of the country because they boycotted the 2002 parliamentary polls; the ruling party-dominated National Assembly took the opportunity to unilaterally amend the 1992 constitution, which had stipulated a two-round system of voting, as well as limits on the mandate of a sitting Togolese head of state.
Following the changes, a simple majority could win an election, which has encouraged aspirants for the presidency to seek support only from their own ethnic groups.
“The system [should] encourage politicians to forge alliances and to broaden their support by seeking votes outside their traditional ethnic strongholds,” says Marc Attipoe, a Togolese sociologist.
The late Gnassingbé Eyadema applied a divide-and-rule policy, favouring his Kabyè ethnic group over others, and directing resources to areas where they lived. In 2011, some 58.7 percent of the population were living in poverty, according to a survey by the General Directorate of Statistics and the National Income Accounting. This percentage does not appear to have changed much, despite important investments made by the government aimed at improving work prospects for Togolese.
“Many of the social tensions that [have] rocked the country since 2013 are expressions of unfulfilled expectations,” says Spero Mawule, secretary general of the Collectif des Assocations Contre l’Impunité au Togo, a group of civil rights organisations against torture and impunity in Togo. “They [show] the resentment [people from other groups feel] at the existing distribution of [wealth].” He warned that “a bloody revolution” might yet occur if the Kabyè elite and other minority ethnic groups close to the regime continued to enrich themselves at the expense of other groups.
Though the incumbent head of state claims to want to improve the country’s economic and social development by focusing on health and education, many Togolese are not seeing any visible signs of his promises. Togo’s Human Development Index (HDI) value for 2014 was 0.484, putting the country at 162 out of 188 countries, according to the UNDP.
These figures are indicative of the broader failures of the Togolese elite to develop the country. Most public companies are managed by long- standing figures from the Kabyè. Meanwhile, graduates from other ethnic groups find it almost impossible to get jobs. “No one can fire the old barons because they belong to the same ethnic group as the ruling family,” says Khalife Michel, an economics lecturer at Lome University. “Every year, over 10,000 young Togolese graduates look for jobs, but they have lost confidence in the government and its employment policies.”
Blame Ekoué is the Togo correspondent for the BBC and for Paris-based media house, ANA. He has also reported for Associated Press and Radio France International. He holds a BA in Communications from the Leader Institute in Lomé. Formerly deputy editor of the West Africa Revue, he has been a contributor to the Lome-based Business and Finance magazine since 2015.
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Masters in Sustainable Energy, Renewable Energy, and Green Energy Programs in Nunavut
Table of Contents
Masters in Sustainable Energy, Renewable Energy, and Green Energy Programs
Master's in Sustainable Energy programs are designed to address environmental sustainability, with a focus on teaching students how to reduce the negative impact society has on the environment and preserve the planet’s diminishing supply of natural resources.
What’s the Difference Between Sustainable, Renewable, and Green Energy?
While these terms may be used interchangeably, and while are all geared toward mitigating the negative effects of energy production and use, there are actually subtle differences between the three.
Sustainable energy is energy that renews itself automatically. In this way, it could remain a viable energy source across many generations. Examples include water, wind, and the sun.
Renewable energy comes from resources that could easily be produced or renewed. These resources are theoretically exhaustible; however, the types of renewable energy that are being explored consume minimal amounts of resources and thus could be viable for the foreseeable future. Examples include ethanol and hydroelectric power. Wood might be considered renewable at its current level of use, but if usage increases, or deforestation becomes a more prevalent practice, wood might no longer be a source of renewable energy.
All sustainable energy is renewable; however, not all renewable energy is sustainable.
Green energy is energy that uses resources that do not produce pollution, such as is found with fossil fuels. Not all green energy fits in the category of renewable energy. For example, producing energy through burning organic material may be renewable, but it is not necessarily green, since CO2 is a byproduct of the burning process.
What to Expect from a Masters in Sustainable Energy Program?
Master’s degree programs may vary depending on the type of degree program. You’ll find both MA and MS programs in renewable energy and sustainable energy—MS programs may be more research-based. There are also MBA degree programs that offer concentrations in renewable or sustainable areas, as well as programs with an engineering focus. Which you choose depends on your current educational and professional background and your future goals.
Curriculum overview for renewable energy programs
A renewable energy graduate curriculum often combines a focus on the processes involved in renewable energy as well as policy and business concepts. Coursework might cover areas such as:
- Energy policy
- Renewable energy resources
- Economics of sustainable energy
- Energy finance
- Carbon management
Research and internship opportunities in renewable energy programs
Many renewable energy programs offer chances to pursue research or internships through both government and schools. For instance, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and U.S. Department of Energy grants many virtual, on-site, and hybrid graduate student internships.
Graduate schools also offer research programs that could suit a student’s particular course of study. Research opportunities sometimes even give applicants a reason to choose a particular graduate program. Other students might want to combine research with an internship at a green energy company or research institute. This could potentially afford them an inside track after they graduate if it’s a good fit.
Faculty and alumni profiles of renewable energy programs
Professors and alumni in renewable energy programs often exemplify the leaders in an array of green industries. From high-tech CEOs to activists and scientists, sustainable education makes knowledge across disciplines accessible in many graduate classrooms. The planet’s urgent need for renewable energy helps bring together noteworthy industry thinkers and students with their hearts set on facing this challenge.
Alumni from renewable energy graduate programs might span the gamut of policymakers, inventors, founders, and scientists making advances in sustainability across the globe.
Why Pursue a Masters Degree in Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy programs are designed to teach today’s students how to make sustainability a more tangible reality, one class at a time. Graduates with a renewable energy degree have worked toward ways to make the world a better place. When green energy graduates enter the workplace, they might find opportunities from public policy positions to cleantech jobs or scientific research. These careers are designed to make a difference with sustainable energy industry sectors poised to play a critical role in slowing climate change with technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and focused advocacy for the environment.
Career opportunities in renewable energy
By earning a green master’s degree, graduates may help make critical government policy changes or maybe help develop the next form of hybrid transportation. Thanks to ongoing evolutions and innovations in green education and technology, it’s possible that careers that don’t even exist yet could be perfect for next gen graduates.
Scroll down to learn more about specific career opportunities, including salaries and job growth.
Advancements in renewable energy technology
Green technology continues to evolve with many new advancements thanks to compounding resources. For instance, Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are using renewable electricity to create fuel from corn at a more efficient rate and with fewer emissions.
Improving efficiencies like this could help foster change at many levels for a more sustainable planet. For instance, increased productivity and savings may inspire fuel companies to adopt more green sources for their products. These types of innovations also often help grow job markets and contribute to the economy while inspiring an uptick in market demand for green energy. This demand could create opportunities for entrepreneurship and contribute to sustainable economic development.
How to Choose a Great Renewable Energy Program for You
Choosing an ideal renewable energy program starts with aligning available options to your specific priorities. Applicants may focus on the type of career they hope to achieve after graduation as well as their scholarly journey while enrolled. There are also program prerequisites for admissions and costs to consider.
Factors to consider when choosing a renewable energy program
Renewable energy programs each have their strengths and concentrations. When choosing a program to fit your goals, you may want to investigate programs that focus on the sector of renewable energy studies that inspires you most.
For some applicants that may mean finding a school with a strong energy science and engineering department. Others might have more specific studies in mind, such as energy policies and politics. These applicants might find that graduate schools with rigorous government and political science programs along with a renewable energy curriculum could correspond to their interests and goals.
Admissions requirements for renewable energy programs
Graduate school degree programs usually require a bachelor’s degree in a related field for admission. Renewable energy programs would likely also prefer candidates with a proven interest in sustainability and a strong foundation in the prerequisite courses of study. For example, these requirements may include science and engineering courses as well as environmental studies.
Financial aid options for graduate programs in renewable energy
Foundations focused on sustainability are proliferating thanks to a growing interest in renewable energy. Many such associations offer or sponsor graduate program fellowships, as do many government agencies and institutes, including the Department of Energy. There are also a variety of scholarship and fellowship opportunities offered through schools and granted by corporations with a vested interest in sustainability.
Career Paths for those Earning a Masters in Sustainable Energy or Green Energy Degree
Have you ever noticed a letter grade in the window of a building? It’s likely an Energy Auditor assigned that number based on their assessment of the building’s energy efficiency. Energy auditors often hold a master’s degree in renewable energy. It’s just one example of a potential career path after earning a master’s in sustainability studies. Other possible career paths for renewable energy master’s graduates include architecture in sustainable design, energy policy analysis, and green energy engineering.
Following are several occupations listed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, along with salaries and projected job growth.
Environmental Scientist or Specialist
Median annual salary, 2022: $83,8201
Projected job growth, 2022–2032: 6%2
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Environmental Scientists and Specialists, including Health, 2022:1
|Industry||Employment||Annual mean wage|
|State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation)||20,060||$73,690|
|Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services||16,700||$89,040|
|Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation)||10,750||$77,950|
|Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services||10,150||$80,530|
|Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)||5,000||$106,930|
Median annual salary, 2022: $96,5303
Projected job growth, 2022–2032: 6%4
Median annual salary, 2022: $64,4605
Projected job growth, 2022–2032: 4%6
Future of Renewable Energy and its Impact on the Environment
The potential impact of renewable energy could reach across the globe and into every home. Green energy could create jobs, boost economies, and increase air quality.
Knowledgeable scientists, engineers, and environmentalists also agree that renewable energy could reduce climate change. The diversity of potential power supply options with renewable energy could also help create a society that’s less prone to reliance on fossil fuels.
Potential of renewable energy to combat climate change
Climate change solutions focused on renewables could reduce fossil emissions. That’s because renewable energy sources, by definition, don’t run out. The planet has limited fossil fuels, and, although they’re providing a significant amount of our fuel, they also contribute to climate change.
Renewables aren’t carbon-free, but they tend to emit fewer emissions than fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the largest source of carbon emissions in the United States. Nuclear energy, while carbon-free, isn’t renewable. We need uranium to create nuclear energy, and although seemingly common, only a specific type of uranium called U-235 works for nuclear fuel.
Innovations in renewable energy technology
Biofuels, solar, and wind often dispatch the headlines when it comes to renewable energy. But fueling transportation and homes isn’t the only focus for renewable energy technology and innovation. Replacing fossil fuels has been a major focus given our planet’s reliance on them and their impact on the climate, but it’s not the only energy we use beyond our means.
For instance, increased battery usage has impacted critical metal resources like lithium. This has driven recent innovations such as sodium ion batteries and new modes of critical metal extraction. Discoveries like these could help reduce the environmental impact of battery usage and help create even more renewables.
Challenges and opportunities in the renewable energy industry
The renewable energy industry has its share of ups and downs. Increases in biofuels from corn crops have contributed to food scarcity and world hunger. Increased usage of hybrid vehicles has impacted our plant’s lithium supply with the uptick in battery demands. But these challenges may also serve as opportunities for more diverse renewable energy sources and increased innovation.
There’s more to going green than just solving a planetary problem—it could also improve the quality of our lives. From simple everyday pleasures like breathing cleaner air to the power of changing government policies, renewable energy may help make a positive difference. Earning a degree in renewable energy could give you a chance to play a part in the change you want to see in the world.
Schools with Green & Sustainable Energy Graduate Master’s Programs
Sources: 1https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes192041.htm | 2https://www.bls.gov/OOH/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-scientists-and-specialists.htm#tab-1 | 3https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172081.htm | 4https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm#tab-1 | 5https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes191031.htm | 6https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/conservation-scientists.htm#tab-1 |
Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Accessed 7/19/2023.
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8 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar
August 2, 2022
High blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, is associated with diabetes, a disease that can cause heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure.
High blood sugar occurs when your body fails to produce enough insulin or use insulin efficiently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 13% of all Americans and 25% of those 65 or older suffer from it.
But there are simple steps you can take to lower your blood sugar levels naturally:
1. Exercise regularly
- Regular exercise can help improve your insulin sensitivity, which means your cells can better use the sugar in your blood, reducing blood sugar levels. Good forms of exercise include weightlifting, walking briskly, running, bicycling, dancing, hiking, and swimming.
2. Manage your carbs
- You body converts carbs into sugar, then insulin helps your body to use and store sugar for energy. You can help your body control your blood sugar by monitoring carb intake and planning meals. A low-carb diet helps prevent sugar spikes – and can have long-term benefits.
3. Eat more fiber
- Fiber slows your body’s digestion of carbohydrates and sugar absorption. That means it promotes more gradual increases in blood sugar levels. All kinds of fiber are good for the body, but soluble fiber is best for improving blood sugar control. High fiber diets also help manage type 1 diabetes by helping the body regulate blood sugar. High fiber foods include fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.
4. Drink plenty of water
- Drinking plenty of water helps your kidneys flush out excess sugar. One study found that people who drink more water lower their risk for developing high blood sugar levels. And remember, water is the best. Sugary drinks elevate blood sugar by raising it even more.
5. Eat moderate portions
- Portion control helps reduce the calories you eat, which helps you maintain a moderate weight. Controlling your weight promotes healthy blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
6. Manage your stress
- Stress also affects blood sugar levels. Exercise, relaxation techniques, and meditation can help to reduce stress and blood sugar levels.
7. Get enough sleep
- Poor sleeping habits can increase appetite and promote weight gain, affecting blood sugar. Sleep deprivation increases cortisol levels – which are essential to managing blood sugar.
8. Eat foods that are rich in chromium and magnesium
- High blood sugar levels are linked to deficiencies in minerals like chromium and magnesium, which regulate blood sugar. Chromium-rich foods include meats, fruit, vegetables, and nuts. Magnesium-rich foods include dark, leafy greens, squash and pumpkin seeds, tuna, whole grains, dark chocolate, bananas, and beans.
Get the Care You Need
You can help to control your blood sugar levels with a few natural adjustments to your lifestyle and diet. Of course, you should discuss changes with your health provider first. If you don’t have a doctor, Grady can help. If you need a primary care physician, book your appointment online at gradyhealth.org, use MyChart, or call (404) 616-1000. We’ll arrange an appointment at a Primary Care Center near you. Doctors there can treat most conditions and provide access to Grady’s unparalleled medical specialty expertise.
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In a historic and impactful move echoing the ongoing struggle for racial justice in America, the Washington National Cathedral recently embarked on a momentous transformation. Nestled in the heart of the nation's capital, this iconic cathedral has exchanged its old Confederate-themed stained-glass windows for new artwork that celebrates the fight for racial equality and justice. This monumental shift marks a defining chapter in the cathedral's history and conveys a resounding message about the imperative for change and reconciliation.
The Controversial Confederate Tribute Windows
For over six decades, the Washington National Cathedral exhibited stained glass windows that paid homage to Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. These windows, created in 1953 and donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, depicted Lee and Jackson as near-saintly figures, bathed in heavenly radiance, with Confederate battle flags as a backdrop. These windows stood as a stark reminder of the historical horrors of slavery and the Civil War, a legacy still haunting the nation. Recent incidents of racist violence, like the Charleston church shooting in 2015 and the Charlottesville rally in 2017, further underscored the pressing need for change. Responding to mounting calls for the removal of the Confederate-themed windows, the Washington National Cathedral opted to take them down and explore alternative representations.
The Birth of "Now and Forever"
After an extensive quest for an artist capable of crafting a new piece to replace the outdated, divisive display, the cathedral chose artist Kerry James Marshall in 2021. Marshall's design for the windows, titled "Now and Forever," pays homage to African Americans at the heart of the Civil Rights struggle in America. Kerry James Marshall is celebrated for his vibrant portrayals of the joy, struggles, and resilience of Black people in America. "Now and Forever" depicts a march for justice by African Americans, featuring individuals from diverse backgrounds walking from left to right, some on foot and others in wheelchairs. They hold signs proclaiming "FAIRNESS" and "NO FOUL PLAY," with the windows bathed in light from the sky-bright panes of white and blue above.
A Symbol of Hope and Reconciliation
The unveiling of the new stained-glass windows, accompanied by the removal of the Confederate flags and imagery, marks a significant turning point for the Washington National Cathedral. This cathedral has always held a special place in the hearts of Americans and can now serve as a symbol of hope and reconciliation. During the dedication of the new windows, the cathedral also revealed a poem by scholar Elizabeth Alexander titled "American Song," engraved beneath the windows. The poem implores the nation to confront its history honestly, paving the way for a future of healing. This poem serves as the perfect companion piece to the windows, a lasting reminder of the significance of acknowledging the past and prioritizing equity and justice on a national scale.
The Long Road to Racial Justice
Activists across the country have tirelessly championed racial equity for decades, and the journey continues. However, the Washington National Cathedral's choice to replace its old Confederate-themed stained-glass windows with artwork that honors the struggle for racial justice is a momentous step in the right direction. Though these windows represent just a small portion of the cathedral's interior, their transformation carries profound significance. It underscores the capacity of institutions to evolve, learn from the past, and strive for a more just and inclusive future. This stands as a compelling reminder that individuals and communities can do the same.
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Grief is a deeply personal, often overwhelming, emotion that follows loss. It can be hard to know how to support someone who is grieving. Well-intentioned gestures or words can sometimes feel inadequate or might even cause further distress. This article provides guidance on how to support a loved one navigating through their grief.
Grief is a natural response to loss. While it is most commonly associated with the death of a loved one, any loss can trigger grief, including the end of a relationship, loss of health, or the passing of a pet. Grief can encompass a range of feelings, such as sadness, anger, guilt, and disbelief.
Grief doesn't look or feel the same for everyone. It is a highly individual process, shaped by numerous factors, including the nature of the loss, the person's background and beliefs, relationship to what was lost, and coping style. This unique nature of grief means there's no "right" way to grieve, and the process can't be rushed.
Being present is one of the most powerful ways to support someone in grief. Offer a listening ear, free of judgment or needing to "fix" their grief. Grief is not a problem to be solved but a process to be experienced. Be patient, giving them the space and time to express their feelings.
Amid grief, daily tasks can feel overwhelming. Practical help, such as preparing meals, doing housework, or running errands, can provide significant relief. Ask them what they need help with, or offer specific ways you can assist.
Knowing what to say can be challenging. It's important to remember that you don't have to have all the answers. Express your concern, acknowledge their pain, and reassure them that it's okay to grieve. Avoid cliches such as "I know how you feel" or "At least they're in a better place," which might minimize their pain.
Avoid trying to find a silver lining or make sense of the loss. Phrases like "everything happens for a reason" can be particularly hurtful to someone in grief. Instead, recognize their pain and validate their feelings without trying to offer explanations.
During a time of loss, self-care often gets neglected. Yet, it is an essential aspect of navigating through grief. Encourage your loved one to look after their physical health by maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and ensuring they get enough rest. Emotional self-care is equally important and can involve activities like journaling, meditation, or engaging in a hobby they love.
Depending on the intensity and nature of the grief, your loved one may benefit from professional help. Offer to help them find a grief counselor, therapist, or support group. While it's important to suggest this gently and without pressure, professional resources can be incredibly beneficial for someone who is grieving.
Grief doesn't have a set timeline. Long after the initial stages of loss, your loved one may still have difficult days. Make sure they know you're there for them no matter how much time has passed. Regular check-ins, invitations to spend time together, or letting them know you're thinking of them can all be helpful.
Anniversaries, holidays, or birthdays can be particularly tough for those grieving. Offer your support during these times, and be open to discussing the person who passed away. Remembering and celebrating their life can be a significant part of the healing process.
Supporting a loved one through grief is a long-term commitment. It requires patience, understanding, and sitting with them in their pain. By offering a listening ear, extending practical help, promoting self-care, and being there for them throughout their journey, you can help provide the support they need to navigate their grief. Remember, your presence and ongoing care can make a difference to someone experiencing the isolating grief journey.
Grouport Therapy provides online group therapy for anger management, anxiety, borderline personality, chronic illness, depression, dialectical behavior therapy, grief and loss, obsessive compulsive disorder, relationship issues and trauma and PTSD. Our licensed therapist leads weekly group sessions conducted remotely in the comfort of members' homes. According to participant feedback, 70% experienced significant improvements within 8 weeks.
You don't have to face these challenges alone. Join our community and work together towards a brighter future. Sign up for one of our courses today and begin your journey towards meaningful, lasting change and renewed hope.
Due to licensing restrictions, our online group therapy sessions are for Florida, New York, and New Jersey residents. If you are not a resident of either state, consider our dialectical behavior therapy skills group. It is a therapist-instructor-led online group that will teach you strategic new skills to replace behaviors and emotions causing friction in your daily life and relationships. It is excellent for interpersonal connections and building social skills concerning relationship issues.
We offer grief and loss group therapy sessions to help participants mitigate the weight of their grief.Find my group
Space is limited, so reserve your seat today.
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Your suprachiasmatic nucleus communicates its repeating signal of night and day to your brain and body using a circulating messenger called melatonin.
The rise in melatonin begins soon after dusk, being released into the bloodstream from the pineal gland, an area situated deep in the back of your brain.
Melatonin acts like a powerful bullhorn, shouting out a clear message to the brain and body: “It’s dark, it’s dark!” At this moment, we have been served a writ of nightime, and with it, a biological command for the timing of sleep onset.
Melatonin simply provides the official instruction to commence the event of sleep, but does not participate in the sleep race itself.
For these reasons, melatonin is not a powerful sleeping aid in and of itself, at least not for healthy, non-jet-lagged individuals.
There may be little, if any, quality melatonin in the pill. That said, there is a significant sleep placebo effect of melatonin, which should not be underestimated: the placebo effect is, after all, the most reliable effect in all of pharmacology.
Once sleep is under way, melatonin slowly decreases in concentration across the night and into the morning hours. With dawn, as sunlight enters the brain through the eyes (even through the closed lids), a brake pedal is applied to the pineal gland, thereby shutting off the release of melatonin.
The absence of circulating melatonin now informs the brain and body that the finish line of sleep has been reached. It is time to call the race of sleep over and allow active wakefulness to return for the rest of the day.
In this regard, we human beings are “solar powered.” Then, as light fades, so, too, does the solar brake pedal blocking melatonin.
As melatonin rises, another phase of darkness is signaled and another sleep event is called to the starting line.
It starts a few hours after dusk. Then it rapidly rises, peaking around four a.m. Thereafter, it begins to drop as dawn approaches, falling to levels that are undetectable by early to mid morning.
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The immune system protects us against pathogens, which are microbes that cause infection. Vaccines “teach” the immune system to recognize and eliminate certain microbes. That way, your body is prepared if you’re ever exposed.
Vaccinations are an important form of primary prevention. That means they can protect people from getting sick. Vaccinations have allowed us to control diseases that once threatened many lives, such as:
It’s important that as many people as possible get vaccinated. Vaccinations don’t just protect individuals. When enough people are vaccinated, it helps protect society.
Vaccines are very important for infants. But not all vaccines are given immediately after birth. Each vaccine is given on a timeline, and some require multiple doses.
Childhood vaccination schedule
If you didn’t receive some of your childhood vaccines, it’s still possible to get them as an adult. However, depending on the vaccine, the dosing schedule may be different. You can ask your doctor what to expect.
|Name of Vaccine||Age||How many shots?|
|Hepatitis B||Birth||A second at 1–2 months, a third at 6–18 months|
|Rotavirus (RV)||2 months||A second at 4 months, a third at 6 months|
|Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (DTaP)||2 months||A second at 4 months, a third at 6 months, a fourth at 15–18 months, a fifth at 4 to 6 years, and then every 10 years|
|Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)||2 months||A second at 4 months, a third at 6 months, a fourth at 12–15 months|
|Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV13||2 months||A second at 4 months, a third at 6 months, a fourth at 12-15 months|
|Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV)||2 months||A second at 4 months, a third at 6–18 months, a fourth at 4-6 years|
|Influenza||6 months||Repeat yearly|
|Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)||12–15 months||A second at 4–6 years|
|Varicella||12–15 months||A second at 4–6 years|
|Hepatitis A||12–23 months||A second at 6 months after the first|
|COVID-19||6 months -17 years||Moderna: |
Pfizer and Novavax (12 years and older only):
2 doses 3-8 weeks apart and then a booster dose after 2 months.
|Human papillomavirus (HPV)||11–12 years old||2-shot series 6 months apart|
|Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY)||11–12 years old||Booster at 16 years old|
|Human papillomavirus (HPV)||11-12 years old||A second 6-12 months after the first|
|Herpes zoster (Shringrix)||50 years old||A second 6 months after the first|
|Pneumococcal||65+ years old||1 dose PCV15 followed by PPSV23 or 1 dose PCV20|
Many vaccines are given in a group or series. It may seem like your child is getting a lot of vaccines all at once.
But according to the
In addition to regular childhood vaccinations, adults should receive:
Your doctor may also suggest you receive additional vaccines or boosters based on your sexual orientation, health history, personal hobbies, and other factors. These possible vaccines include:
- Bacterial meningococcal disease: This is a bacterial illness that causes inflammation of the layer of tissue surrounding your brain and spinal cord. While the meningococcal ACWY vaccine is recommended for all adolescents, the meningococcal B vaccine is also
recommendedfor individuals with certain immune conditions.
- Yellow fever: This is a serious and potentially deadly viral disease that’s spread by mosquitoes. The
CDC recommendsanyone nine months and older be vaccinated against yellow fever if they plan to travel or live in areas of the world where yellow fever is present.
- Typhoid fever: This is a potentially dangerous infectious disease. The
CDC recommendsadults and children be vaccinated against typhoid before international travel to places where typhoid fever is common.
Other vaccines you may need if you’re planning to travel are outlined by the CDC in its Travel vaccine summary table.
A healthy immune system defends against invaders. The immune system is composed of several types of cells. These cells defend against and remove harmful pathogens. However, they first have to recognize that an invader is dangerous.
When the immune system encounters an antigen, it starts an immune response. Proteins, toxins, and nucleic acids from pathogens are all examples of potential antigens.
In response, the immune system
Vaccination, also known as immunization,
Vaccines work by exposing you to a safe version of a disease. This can take the form of:
- a protein or sugar from a pathogen
- a dead or inactivated form of a pathogen
- a modified toxin (toxoid) from a pathogen
- a live but weakened form pathogen
Vaccines are usually given by injection. Also, some vaccines require a booster dose. Boosters help to reinforce your defenses against illness.
When it comes to vaccination, these benefits are important to consider:
- Vaccines help prevent dangerous diseases that have killed and can sicken or kill many people.
- Researchers thoroughly investigate each vaccine before presenting the data to the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA can approve or deny the vaccine. The overwhelming majority of research shows that vaccines are safe.
- Vaccines protect people around you, especially people who are not well enough to be vaccinated. This occurs through herd immunity. Widespread vaccinations make it less likely that a susceptible person will come into contact with someone who has a particular disease.
- Some vaccines, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and hepatitis B vaccine, can prevent infections that can cause cancer.
- Preventing illness from vaccine-preventable diseases can save both time and money. For example, it can reduce the number of sick days you need to take from work or school and can help you avoid unnecessary medical bills.
- Sometimes, vaccination can eliminate a disease entirely, such as smallpox. Additionally, polio has been almost been eradicated. According to the
World Health Organization (WHO), wild poliovirus only impacted two countries in 2022 – Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Vaccines are considered to be safe. They’re rigorously tested and go through many rounds of study, examination, and research before they’re used with the general public. The
Mild side effects
It is possible to experience some side effects, but these are usually mild. Common side effects may include:
- pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site
- fever, with or without chills
- muscle or joint pain
- nausea or vomiting
A 2021 study on the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in a population found that
Most mild vaccine side effects go away on their own within a few days. Some side effects, such as pain and fever, can be alleviated through the use of over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
Allergy and anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a severe reaction to a trigger, such as an allergy, and is potentially life threatening.
Symptoms can come on quickly and include:
- feeling faint or lightheaded
- difficulty breathing or wheezing
- rapid heartbeat
- clammy skin
- collapsing or losing consciousness
- stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting
If you or someone around you develops these symptoms, you should:
- Check to see whether they have an epinephrine pen. If they do, read and follow the instructions to dispense the medication.
- Dial 911 (or a local emergency number).
- Lay them down. If they have vomited, lay them on their side.
- Stay with them until emergency services arrive.
It is possible for someone to need more than one injection with an epinephrine pen. If symptoms do not begin to clear after 5 minutes, give a second injection if one is available.
Another example is myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle and a rare side effect of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
Because most of the possible side effects are rare or relatively mild, the greatest risk for most individuals is choosing not to get a vaccine.
Not getting vaccinated can lead to infection, more severe illness, and transmission to others who may be vulnerable. It could also cause lasting complications or even be deadly.
You may have more questions about the safety of vaccines. This guide to vaccine safety can help.
Generally speaking, vaccines are highly effective. However, no vaccine is 100 percent effective. The effectiveness rate for vaccines differs from one vaccine to the next.
For example, flu vaccines effectively lower the risk of infection by
If they’re wrong, the vaccine may be less effective. If they’re right, the rate of protection may be higher.
In recent years, vaccine opponents have challenged their safety and effectiveness. However, their arguments have generally been flawed.
For instance, there’s
There are some other cases in which someone might not get vaccinated:
- Weakened immune system: In this case, you should not get live vaccines such as the MMR vaccine or the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine. However, other types of vaccines would still be generally safe.
- Previous allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to a vaccine before or you know you are allergic to an ingredient in the vaccine, you will need to avoid being immunized. Read more about which people should avoid certain vaccines and why.
- Lack of awareness: According to the CDC, only
50.2%of American adults got the annual flu shot during the flu season of 2020 to 2021. A 2017 survey studyof adults in the United States found that only 62.3% of respondents knew that there was a recommendation for the flu vaccine.
- Vaccine inequity: People from historically marginalized groups
may haveless access to quality healthcare, including to vaccinations, than people who are white.
New vaccines are being developed all of the time. The COVID-19 vaccines are a relatively recent example. These vaccines came about through a combination of building on previous research, an influx of private and public funding, and scientific collaboration. Learn more about the types of Covid vaccines available.
Additionally, a new vaccine has been developed for malaria. Malaria is a febrile illness that’s caused by a parasite carried by mosquitoes. According to the
The vaccine, called RTS,S/AS01, contains recombinant proteins from the malaria parasite. Based on the results of a pilot program, the
Another intense area of research is in finding a vaccine for HIV. The high diversity of HIV and its high mutation rate are just two of the hurdles that have made this endeavor challenging.
Vaccines introduce your immune system to a pathogen so that you have protection from it, should you be exposed. Several types of vaccines are currently used to accomplish this:
- Live virus vaccines: These use a weakened (attenuated) version of a pathogen.
- Killed (inactivated) vaccines: These are made from a pathogen that’s not living.
- Toxoid vaccines: These come from a harmful toxin that’s made by a pathogen. Toxoid vaccines don’t make you immune to the germ, but instead, they make you immune to the harmful effects of the toxin of a germ.
- Subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines: These take a structural component from a virus or bacterium that can train your immune system to attack this part of the germ.
- mRNA vaccines: These use a piece of mRNA to teach your cells to produce a protein from a pathogen that your immune system can then generate a response to
- Viral vector vaccines: These use a modified, non-replicating virus to show your cells how to make a protein from a pathogen that your immune system can then make a response to
In addition to the actual antigen, other ingredients are used to keep vaccines safe during production, storage, and transportation. These ingredients may also help the vaccine work more effectively once it’s administered and represent a very small portion of the vaccine. They may include:
- Suspending fluid: Sterile water, saline, or other fluids keep the vaccine safe during production, storage, and use.
- Adjuvants or enhancers: These ingredients help make the vaccine more effective once it’s injected. Examples include aluminum gels or salts.
- Preservatives and stabilizers: Many vaccines are made months, even years before they’re used. These ingredients help prevent the antigen from breaking down and becoming ineffective. Examples of a stabilizer are monosodium glutamate (MSG) and thimerosal.
- Antibiotics: Very small amounts of a bacteria-fighting drug may be added to vaccines to prevent the growth of bacteria during vaccine production and storage.
Each of these ingredients is studied rigorously for safety and efficiency. See how these ingredients work together in the flu vaccine.
One vaccine ingredient that has been surrounded by a bit of controversy is thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that is
However, its more widespread use in the past has contributed to the false belief in a link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
When you’re pregnant, vaccines don’t just protect you. They provide immunity to your growing baby. During these nine months, you and your baby need protection against serious diseases, and vaccines are a vital part of that.
After pregnancy, people assigned female at birth can receive vaccines, even while breastfeeding or chestfeeding. Post-pregnancy vaccinations also help protect your infant. If you’re immune to a virus or bacterium, you’re less likely to share it with your child.
If you aren’t properly vaccinated, you and your infant could get sick. Read why that’s a serious problem with the flu.
Most health insurance plans cover vaccinations at little or no out-of-pocket cost to you. If you do not have insurance or your insurance does not cover vaccines, you can look for low- and no-cost alternatives.
- Community health organizations: Many organizations provide vaccine clinics for infants and children at a greatly reduced rate.
Vaccines for Children Program:This no-cost program provides recommended vaccines to children who do not have health insurance, are underinsured, are Medicaid-eligible, can’t afford the shots, or are Native Americans or Alaska Natives.
- State health departments: These community-based offices can provide basic health services, including vaccines, on a low cost basis.
The CDC provides a routinely-updated
Additionally, it’s important to know that COVID-19 vaccines are currently
Vaccines are highly effective and safe. They’re used worldwide to prevent illness and death. These example statistics show how successful they’ve been — and how much more successful they could be with improved access.
- Polio: Cases have decreased by
more than 99 percentsince a polio eradication campaign was initiated in 1988, according to the WHO. Today, polio is routinely found in only two countries (Afghanistan and Pakistan).
- Prevention: Vaccines prevent
4 to 5 million deathseach year. Another 1.5 million could be prevented with expanded vaccine access. Between 2000 and 2018, the worldwide rate of measles deaths fell by 73%.
- Rates: According to the CDC,
68.3 percentof American children receive the 7-vaccine series that’s recommended by age two. However, most vaccination rates for individual vaccines are higher.
- COVID-19: By now, more than 50 million Americans have been vaccinated for Covid-19 and received an updated booster dose.
Vaccines can reduce disease, and ending vaccination could be very dangerous. For example, In 2000, measles had been declared eradicated in the U.S.
But, between the months of January and October of 2019, a total of 22 measles outbreaks comprising
Even today, around the world, many vaccine-preventable illnesses and deaths still occur. This is because vaccines are not available to everyone. Because vaccines can prevent millions of deaths each year, one of the missions of the WHO is to increase vaccine availability worldwide.
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Cashew nuts are seeds in a kidney shape, which are located in the cashew apple that grows in the coastal regions of northeast Brazil. The main commercial producers of cashews include Nigeria, Brazil, India, Tanzania, and Mozambique.
The cashew nuts contain anacardic chemicals which kill the positive bacteria which lead to acne, tooth decay, pneumonia and tuberculosis.
You cannot find cashews in the shell on the market, as they are sold pre-shelled due to one reason: these shells contain a caustic resin inside, called cashew balm, which should be carefully eliminated before consumption. It is industrially used in the production of insecticides and varnishes.
Cashews are high in manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and zinc. They also have a lower amount of fat than other nuts, almost 82% of the fat is unsaturated fatty acids, and about 66% of the unsaturated fatty acid content are those heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to the ones in olive oil.
Moreover, the collection of 20 years of dietary documents from the Nurses’ Health Study on 80,000 women indicates that the consumption of minimum 1 ounce of cashew nuts every week reduces the risk of developing gallstones by 25 percent. This amount is equal to 2 tablespoons of nut butter.
The anacardic acids in cashews destroy gram-positive bacteria that lead to tooth decay, acne, Francisella tularensis, tuberculosis, leprosy, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. 1 part of this acid dissolved to 200,000 parts water to as low as 1 part in 2,000,000 is lethal to Gram-positive bacteria in only 15 minutes.
Cashew nut shell liquid and the anacardic acids have potent antioxidant, antitumor and anti-Helicobacter pylori properties. Therefore, the cashew nuts effectively fight cancer and ulcers in the gut. Research has shown that the consumption of these nuts reduces the risk of pancreatic cancer.
The high triglyceride levels of diabetics are successfully reduced due to the consumption of monounsaturated fat. Triglycerides are a kind of fat that are transported in the blood, and if in high levels, lead to raised risks of heart diseases.
These nuts also have potent cardioprotective properties. Additionally, the journal Obesity published a study which found that the consumption of minimum 2 a week lowers the risk of weight gain.
A 28 month study which involved 8,865 adult women and men in Spain found that those who ate nuts minimum twice per week, had a lower risk of weight gain by 31 percent. Researchers found that the frequent consumption of nuts led to a reduced risk of weight gain for 5 kg or more.
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Do federal social programs work? This is a simple question. While the question may be straightforward, however, finding an answer is complicated. To answer in the affirmative, federal social programs must ameliorate the social problems they target. In essence, social programs seek to improve human behavior in ways that will make people better off. For example, the social programs of the Great Society sought to eradicate the fundamental causes of poverty by providing opportunity for the poor to join other Americans in prosperity.
As used in this paper and the book by the same name, the term “social program” refers to efforts by the federal government that attempt to improve human behavior by increasing skills or awareness, chiefly through noncompensatory services. These programs engage in social engineering that attempts to enhance the well-being of citizens. Social programs are intended to fix social problems that individuals are assumed to be unable to solve themselves. Head Start is a classic example of a social program. Created as part of the War on Poverty in 1965, Head Start is a preschool community-based program that is intended to provide a boost to disadvantaged children before they enter elementary school.
In the federal budget, social programs are considered discretionary and grouped with “other mandatory” domestic programs. This classification includes numerous education, welfare, housing, and employment programs.
Determining the effectiveness of federal social programs is particularly relevant given the current political debate over the federal government’s persistent deficits and debt. Many of the budget plans in Congress reduce the rate of spending increases on federal social programs. Very few plans actually propose real spending reductions.
Opponents of spending reductions assert that spending any less on social programs will have disastrous effects on society. In April 2012, for example, President Barack Obama called the budget plan passed by the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives a “Trojan Horse” and “thinly veiled social Darwinism.” In particular, the President said, “If this budget becomes law and the cuts were applied evenly, starting in 2014, over 200,000 children would lose their chance to get an early education in the Head Start program.” The clear implication is that over 200,000 children will somehow be harmed by not attending Head Start. This would be true only if Head Start is an effective program that actually benefits the children it serves.
Using evidence from scientifically rigorous multisite experimental evaluations of national programs published since 1990, the book Do Federal Social Programs Work? demonstrates that federal social programs such as Head Start are ineffective. The American people have nothing to fear from the elimination of ineffective programs.
The findings of multisite experimental evaluations are reliable because they assess the performance and effectiveness of federal social programs in multiple locations. While individual programs operating in single locations may undergo experimental evaluations, these small-scale, single-site evaluations do not inform federal policymakers of the general effectiveness of national programs. The success of a single program that serves a particular jurisdiction or population does not necessarily mean that the same program will achieve similar success on a national scale. Thus, small-scale evaluations are poor substitutes for large-scale evaluations. Yet many advocates of social engineering make grandiose claims about the potential effectiveness of small-scale programs implemented on the national scale.
On December 31, 2011, the gross debt racked up by the federal government reached $15.2 trillion—the legal limit authorized by Congress. In response, President Obama formally notified Congress on January 12, 2012, of his intent to raise the nation’s debt ceiling by $1.2 trillion from $15.2 trillion to $16.4 trillion. At the end of fiscal year (FY) 2013 on September 30, 2013, the federal government’s gross debt was expected to reach $17.5 trillion or 107.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). As of February 14, 2014, the gross debt was $17.3 trillion. This is a staggering sum that is difficult for Americans to grasp. If we did, we would be truly frightened at the prospect of paying it off.
While entitlement spending is the primary driver of the federal debt, spending on social programs is not trivial. Obtaining exact data on how much the federal government spends on social programs is difficult. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) started classifying spending by subfunction categories in 1962. The Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services function and the Housing Assistance, Food and Nutrition Assistance, Other Income Security, and Criminal Justice Assistance subfunctions are used to estimate the amount of taxpayer dollars spent on federal social programs. Within these categories are a range of social programs intended to change human behavior for the better. While this measure is imperfect, it is a practical estimate of social program spending. Social programs funded under these categories include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), job-training and education programs, juvenile delinquency prevention programs, and many other programs. The figures presented include only federal outlays and ignore spending by state and local governments.
A growing population means more spending on social programs. To account for population growth, Chart 1 presents federal social program spending on a per capita basis in 2010 dollars. In 1962, social program spending was $125.67 per capita. In 2011, the figure reached $1,421.02 per capita—a 1,031 percent increase. Total U.S. population grew from 186,537,737 people in 1962 to 311,591,917 people in 2011—an annual growth rate of 1.1 percent. An annual growth rate of 1.1 percent means that the total population will double in size every 91 years. In contrast, the annual growth rate of 5.1 percent in social program spending per capita means that spending in this category doubles every 19 years.
Why does the federal government overspend so much? To arrive at an answer, we need to understand how greatly the federal government’s scope, power, and responsibilities have expanded. Starting with the Progressive Era, running through the New Deal, and ending with the Great Society, the original understanding of the government’s role in protecting our freedoms that was established during the American Founding was redefined with the call for a much more activist federal government. Each of these political waves sought to transform America into something very different from what the Founding Fathers envisioned.
Based on the Founders’ conception, once government secures our natural rights or formal freedom as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the responsibility for obtaining our hopes, desires, and economic security—while not guaranteed—is up to us. The Progressives replaced the Founders’ notion of natural rights with a new positive or effective freedom that required government to assist individuals in achieving their full potential as human beings. Securing formal freedoms was not enough to allow individuals to be truly free. Individuals must be given the capacity and resources to achieve “effective” freedom. Instead of protecting our formal freedoms as understood by the Founders, Woodrow Wilson asserted that “the individual must be assured the best means, the best and fullest opportunities, for complete self-development.” Federal social programs must be created to help individuals acquire the necessary resources to be effectively free.
This fundamental transformation of the notion of freedom allowed Franklin D. Roosevelt to assert that “[e]very man has a right to life; and this means that he has also a right to make a comfortable living.” Instead of requiring that Americans not harm each other, we are, according to Roosevelt, obligated to ensure that every American has a comfortable living.
Unlike the New Dealers, the advocates of the Great Society sought not to provide relief and social insurance programs, but rather to social engineer a better society. In May 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson envisioned the Great Society as
a place where every child can find knowledge to enrich his mind and to enlarge his talents. It is a place where leisure is a welcome chance to build and reflect, not a feared cause of boredom and restlessness. It is a place where the city of man serves not only the needs of the body and the demands of commerce but the desire for beauty and the hunger for community.
Johnson expressed freedom in terms of reaching the highest ideals. From the Progressive Era through the New Deal to the Great Society, the role of the federal government was greatly expanded. Instead of securing natural rights based on the principles of the Founding, the mission of the federal government now revolves around the Great Society’s objective of providing effective freedom that alleviates material hardship and promotes the realization of individual fulfillment.
Democrats and Republicans have embraced the progressive cause of providing social programs to assist individuals in achieving their full potential as human beings. Further, support for federal social engineering programs crosses ideological lines. Despite the transformation of freedom coming from the Left, many on the Right have embraced federal social engineering.
Holding Social Programs Accountable
Given the fiscal crises that the federal government is facing, holding federal social programs accountable for their performance is necessary to regain control of excessive spending. Why should Congress routinely spend taxpayer dollars on failed social programs that do not work?
Operating with increasingly scarce resources, federal policymakers need to start denying funds to ineffective programs, even if calls for funding these programs seem morally compelling. Calling for more spending on social programs may seem morally compelling, but continuing to spend taxpayer dollars on programs that do not produce their intended results is morally indefensible.
Social programs should be carefully evaluated to determine whether they do in fact work. Determining whether these programs work requires reliably sorting out the effect of a social program from confounding factors, which is a difficult task. While large-scale experimental evaluations are the best method for assessing cause-and-effect relationships, there are additional methods to judge the merits of social programs. Most notable is the legal matter of whether or not the U.S. Constitution provides Congress the authority to create social programs in the first place. In addition, the worthiness of spending hundreds of billions of dollars on social programs should be judged in light of the fact that the federal government’s gross debt is $17.3 trillion.
Science Versus Anecdotal Observations. There are numerous methods available for making sense of the world around us. We frequently make personal observations of events around us to bring order to our lives. We often assign cause-and-effect relationships to events we personally experience. For instance, learning that touching a hot stove will burn one’s hand is an easy cause-and-effect association that does not need to be tested more than once. We can easily correlate the act of touching the stove with the pain felt. Firsthand experience is often instrumental to developing knowledge. Every day, we make personal observations that guide us in our activities. We often seek the advice of others based on their personal experiences.
However, the usefulness of personal observations or experiences can be undermined when assessing complex social interactions that can have multiple causes. This problem is particularly acute when assessing the effectiveness of social programs where multiple factors can cause the outcomes of interest. The best way to determine whether federal social programs do in fact work is to conduct large-scale, multisite experimental evaluations that attempt to isolate the direct effects of social programs from other factors that affect the outcomes of interest.
Impact evaluations often assess impacts by comparing treatment or intervention groups to control or comparison groups. Determining the impact of social programs requires comparing the conditions of those who received assistance with the conditions of an equivalent group that did not experience the intervention. However, evaluations differ by the quality of methodology used to separate the net impact of programs from other factors that may explain differences in outcomes between comparison and intervention groups.
Experimental evaluations are the “gold standard” of evaluation designs. Randomized experiments attempt to demonstrate causality by (1) holding all other possible causes of the outcome constant, (2) deliberately altering only the possible cause of interest, and (3) observing whether the outcome differs between the intervention and control groups. In reality, all evaluation methods, including experimental designs, can never establish 100 percent certainty that all of the potential causes (confounding factors) were held constant.
When conducting an impact evaluation of a social program, identifying and controlling for all of the possible factors that influence the outcomes of interest is impossible. We simply do not have enough knowledge to accomplish this task. Even if we could identify all possible causal factors, collecting complete and reliable data on all of these factors would likely still be beyond our abilities. For example, it is impossible to isolate a person participating in a social program from his family in order to “remove” the influences of family.
This is where the benefits of random assignment become clear. Because we do not know enough about all possible causal factors to identify and hold them constant, randomly assigning test subjects to intervention and control groups allows us to have a high degree of confidence that these unidentified factors will not confound our estimate of the intervention’s impact. Random assignments should evenly distribute these unidentified factors between the intervention and control groups of an experimental evaluation.
Standards for Assessing the Effectiveness of Federal Social Programs
Congress can take several steps to ensure that federal social programs are properly assessed using experimental evaluations. These experimental evaluations should be large in scale and based on multiple sites to avoid the problems of simplistic generalizations. Given the multitude of confounding factors that may influence the performance of social programs, the larger the size of the evaluation, the more likely that the federal social program will be assessed under all of the conditions under which it operates.
When Congress creates social programs, especially state and local grant programs, the funded activities are implemented in multiple cities or towns. While individual social programs operating in a single location and funded by the federal government may undergo experimental evaluations, these small-scale, single-site evaluations do not inform policymakers of the general effectiveness of national social programs. Small-scale evaluations assess only the impact on a small fraction of the people served by federal social programs. The success of a single program that serves a particular jurisdiction or population does not necessarily mean that the same program will achieve similar success in other jurisdictions or among different populations. Put simply, small-scale evaluations are poor substitutes for large-scale evaluations.
Thus, federal social programs should be evaluated in multiple sites so that social programs can be tested in the various conditions in which they operate and in the numerous types of populations that they serve. In addition, a multisite experimental evaluation that examines the performance of a particular program in numerous and diverse settings can potentially produce results that are more persuasive to policymakers than results from a single locality.
The case of police departments performing mandatory arrests in domestic violence incidents is a poignant example of why policymakers should exercise caution when generalizing findings from a single evaluation. During the 1980s, criminologists Lawrence W. Sherman and Richard A. Berk analyzed the impact of mandatory arrests for domestic violence incidents on future domestic violence incidents in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Compared to less severe police responses, the Minneapolis experiment found that mandatory arrests lead to significantly lower rates of domestic violence. Sherman and Berk urged caution, but police departments across the nation adopted the mandatory arrest policy based on the results of one evaluation conducted in one city.
However, what worked in Minneapolis did not always work in other locations. Experiments conducted by Sherman and others in Omaha, Nebraska; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Charlotte, North Carolina; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Dade County, Florida, found mixed results. Experiments in Omaha, Milwaukee, and Charlotte found that mandatory arrests lead to long-term increases in domestic violence. Apparently, knowing that they would automatically be arrested prompted repeat offenders to become more abusive. It seems the offender followed the sick logic that if he were going to be automatically arrested and spend the night in jail, he might as well beat his wife even more. In a subsequent analysis of the disparate findings, Sherman postulated that arrested individuals who lacked a stake in conformity within their communities were significantly more likely to engage in domestic violence after arrest, while arrested individuals who were married and employed were significantly less likely to commit further domestic violence infractions.
Large-Scale Multisite Experimental Evaluations
Despite the trillions of dollars that Congress has spent on federal social programs, only a few have undergone large-scale experimental impact evaluations. We have done our best to include all of the relevant multisite experimental evaluations of federal social programs that have been published since 1990. These 20 evaluations assessed the impact of 21 federal social programs:
- Early Head Start;
- Enhanced Early Head Start with Employment Services;
- Head Start;
- Even Start Family Literacy Program;
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers;
- Abstinence Education;
- Upward Bound;
- Food Stamp (renamed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) Employment and Training Program;
- Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) Project;
- Building Strong Families (BSF);
- Supporting Healthy Marriage;
- Moving to Opportunity;
- Section 8 Housing Vouchers;
- Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs;
- Unemployment Insurance Self-Employment Demonstrations;
- Project GATE (Growing America Through Entrepreneurship);
- Job Corps;
- Center for Employment Training (CET) Replication; and
- Quantum Opportunity Program Demonstration.
Federal Social Programs for Children and Families
This section covers federal social programs that are intended to benefit a wide range of clients—from infants and toddlers to adult heads of household. Federal programs target a host of social problems, including low academic skills, poverty, personal relations, hard-to-employ workers, and low wages.
Young Children. Commenting on the lack of demonstrated effectiveness of federal social programs over the past 20 years, Isabel V. Sawhill of the Brookings Institution and Jon Baron of the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy wrote, “Only one program—Early Head Start (a sister program to Head Start, for younger children)—was found to produce meaningful, though modest, positive effects.” While the short-term results of the evaluation were publicly available at the time that Sawhill and Baron made this statement, a subsequent long-term follow-up study released in 2012 found that the short-term benefits of Early Head Start quickly faded away—not an uncommon finding for social programs.
Early Head Start, created during the 1990s, is a federally funded community-based program that serves low-income families with pregnant women, infants, and toddlers up to age three. While the short-term findings indicated modest positive impacts, almost all of the positive findings for all Early Head Start Participants are driven by the positive findings for blacks. The program had little to no effect on white and Hispanic participants, who are the majority of program participants.
For the long-term findings, the overall initial effects of Early Head Start at age three clearly faded away by the fifth grade. For the 11 child-social-emotional outcomes, none of the results were found to have statistically meaningful impacts. Further, Early Head Start failed to have statistically measurable effects on the 10 measures of child academic outcomes, including reading, vocabulary, and math skills.
Despite Head Start’s long life, the program never underwent a thorough, scientifically rigorous evaluation of its effectiveness until Congress mandated an evaluation in 1998. The Head Start Impact Study began in 2002, and the immediate-term, short-term, and long-term results released in 2005, 2010, and 2012, respectively, are disappointing. Overall, the evaluation found that the program largely failed to improve the cognitive, social-emotional, health, and parenting outcomes of children who participated compared with the outcomes of similar children who did not participate. According to the report, “[T]he benefits of access to Head Start at age four are largely absent by 1st grade for the program population as a whole.” Alarmingly, Head Start actually had a harmful effect on three-year-old participants once they entered kindergarten. Teachers reported that non-participating children were more prepared in math skills than the children who participated in Head Start.
The third-grade follow-up to the Head Start Impact Study followed students’ performance through the end of third grade. The results shed further light on the ineffectiveness of Head Start. By third grade, Head Start had little to no effect on cognitive, social-emotional, health, or parenting outcomes of participating children.
In addition to these failures, evaluations of the Enhanced Early Head Start with Employment Services, which provides early childhood care and employment training services to families, and the Even Start Family Literacy Program, which is intended to meet the basic educational needs of parents and children, failed to produce statistically meaningful impacts.
School-Age Children. Federal social programs targeting school-age children do not fare any better. An evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, an after-school program intended to improve the academic performance of students, found that the program actually decreased the academic performance and increased the behavioral problems of participating students.
Created in 1965, Upward Bound is an original War on Poverty social program intended to help economically disadvantaged students successfully complete high school and attend college. However, an evaluation found that in general, the program has almost entirely no effect on these goals. Other school-age social programs have been found to be ineffective too.
Families. Of all the social programs reviewed, welfare-to-work strategies have had the most positive results. In 1989, the federal government funded the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS), which assessed the long-term effects of 11 mandatory welfare-to-work programs operating in seven sites during the late 1980s and 1990s. According to Lawrence M. Mead, a professor of politics at New York University,
NEWWS aimed mainly to determine whether programs that emphasized training or work first were more effective and whether work tests for mothers would harm children. A clear verdict emerged that work first was best and that children were little affected. The congressional drafters of PRWORA [Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act] in 1996 had already assumed that a radical, work-first reform was best, but the NEWWS results ratified that judgment.
Overall, NEWWS found that welfare-to-work strategies were more effective at increasing the earning of participants. In particular, strategies that focused on quick entry into the labor force moved welfare recipients into jobs more quickly and were more effective than strategies that focused on job training.
While the 1989 welfare-to-work evaluation showed consistent positive impacts on earnings, welfare reform experts argue that the spread of work-focused strategies encouraged many individuals to find employment in the first place rather than seeking welfare assistance. This effect should surely be considered a positive benefit of welfare reform and was not part of the NEWWS evaluation. The NEWWS evaluation, with similar randomized experiments, used a control group that participates in some form of welfare assistance. This fact means that these experimental evaluations cannot assess the potential benefit of encouraging individuals to obtain employment instead of seeking welfare assistance and are an inadequate method for estimating changes in welfare caseloads.
Despite the success of welfare-to-work strategies, other social programs focusing on families that have undergone multisite experimental evaluations have been found to be ineffective. For example:
- The Food Stamp (renamed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Employment and Training Program failed to affect earnings and employment outcomes;
- The Employment Retention and Advancement Project, a program designed to provide additional employment and training services to Temporary Assistance to Needy Families participants and others with employment difficulties, was largely ineffective in improving earnings and employment outcomes; and
- The evaluation of Moving to Opportunity/Section 8 housing vouchers found that housing subsidies intended to improve the lives of parents and children consistently failed to produce statistically meaningful results.
Federal Social Programs for Workers
This section covers federal social programs that are intended to boost the job skills and employability of workers. The federal government has spent decades trying to improve the earnings of low-income individuals through various employment and training programs, but the Government Accountability Office has concluded that there is little evidence to show that these programs are effective.
Adults and Youth. Conducted in 16 sites across the nation during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Job Training Partnership Act evaluation tracked program effects for more than 20,000 adult men, adult women, and out-of-school youths over the course of 30 months. Overall, the performance of JTPA programs is widely considered to be a failure. While adult females had several positive outcomes, the results were generally not large enough to be considered very meaningful. Further, JTPA programs were largely ineffective in raising the incomes of adult males or male and female youths.
Adults. To assess the effectiveness of self-employment training programs for those receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits, the federal government sponsored two experimental impact evaluations of programs in Washington State and Massachusetts. Both programs had some very small and fleeting effects on increasing self-employment, but they were largely ineffective at raising the earnings of participants.
To help Americans start new businesses, the federal government established an employment program to assist people in creating or expanding their own business enterprises. Begun in 2003, Project GATE operated in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Maine. Overall, Project GATE appears to have an initial impact on business ownership and self-employment, but it quickly faded away. Most important, Project GATE failed to increase the self-employment earnings of participants while temporarily reducing their total earnings.
Youth. Three multisite experimental evaluations of employment and training programs that specifically target youth strongly suggest that these programs are poorly serving this population.
Created in 1964, the Job Corps is a residential job-training program that serves disadvantaged youth in 125 sites across the nation. An experimental evaluation found the program to be ineffective. Over the course of the 48-month study, Job Corps participants actually worked less than the control group. The study also revealed that the Job Corps had little impact on increasing the number of hours worked per week. If the Job Corps is effective in improving the skills of its participants, then it should have substantially raised the hourly wages they received. Initially, Job Corps participants earned an average of $0.24 more per hour than non-participants, but this difference decreased to $0.22 per hour after one year.
The JOBSTART Demonstration evaluated the impact of 13 job-training programs that were offered by community-based organizations, schools, and the Job Corps. Overall, the programs failed to increase the earnings of participants. Of the 13 sites, 12 were found to be ineffective at raising the incomes of participants. However, one site—the Center for Employment Training (CET) in San Jose, California—had a positive impact on earnings. Thus, at a single site, the CET appears to have been effective at raising the incomes of participants. For policymakers, the important question is whether these results can be replicated at different sites and for different populations.
Based on the JOBSTART evaluation results for the CET, the U.S. Department of Labor sought to replicate the program at 16 other sites. However, only 12 of these sites were evaluated. The CET model had little to no effect on short-term and long-term employment and earnings outcomes at these other locations. The multisite experimental evaluation of the CET, according to its authors, “shows, that even in sites that best implemented the model, CET had no overall employment and earnings effects for youth in the program, even though it increased participants’ hours of training and receipt of credentials.”
Similarly, the Quantum Opportunity Program demonstration, which offered intensive and comprehensive services with the intention of helping at-risk youth graduate from high school and enroll in postsecondary education or training, failed to increase the employability or earnings of youth.
Do federal social programs work? Based on the scientifically rigorous multisite experimental evaluations published since 1990, the answer certainly cannot be in the affirmative. Despite the best social engineering efforts, overwhelming evidence points to the conclusion that federal social programs are ineffective.
Ameliorating such problems as low academic achievement, poor cognitive ability, poverty, joblessness, low wages, and personal relations appears to be out of reach for federal social programs. The most notable exception is welfare-to-work programs, which increased earnings, but participants still received some government assistance.
The evidence clearly shows that federal social programs are ineffective. It cannot be just a coincidence that the many multisite evaluations published since 1990 overwhelmingly find that this is true. Our nation faces a severe debt crisis that threatens our very future. Americans should not fear eliminating social programs. Now is the time for deep budget cuts in federal social programs.
The social programs that Congress continues to fund need to undergo large-scale experimental evaluations. Multisite experimental evaluations are the best method for assessing the effectiveness of federal social programs. Yet to date, this method has been used to evaluate only a handful of federal social programs. Congress needs to reverse this trend.—David B. Muhlhausen, PhD, is Research Fellow in Empirical Policy Analysis in the Center for Data Analysis at The Heritage Foundation.
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Abstract: Teen sexual activity is costly, not just for teens, but also for society. Teens who engage in sexual activity risk a host of negative outcomes including STD infection, emotional and psychological harm, and out-of-wedlock childbearing. Genuine abstinence education is therefore crucial to the physical and psycho-emotional well-being of the nation's youth. In addition to teaching the benefits of abstaining from sexual activity until marriage, abstinence programs focus on developing character traits that prepare youths for future-oriented goals. When considering effective prevention program aimed at changing teen sexual behavior, lawmakers should consider all of the available empirical evidence and restore funding for abstinence education.
Teen sexual activity remains a widespread problem confronting the nation. Each year, some 2.6 million teenagers become sexually active--a rate of 7,000 teens per day. Among high school students, nearly half report having engaged in sexual activity, and one-third are currently active.
Sexual activity during teenage years poses serious health risks for youths and has long-term implications. Early sexual activity is associated with an increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), reduced psychological and emotional well-being, lower academic achievement, teen pregnancy, and out-of-wedlock childbearing. Many of these risks are avoidable if teens choose to abstain from sexual activity. Abstinence is the surest way to avoid the risk of STDs and unwed childbearing.
Abstinence education "teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school age children" and stresses the social, psychological, and health benefits of abstinence. Abstinence programs also provide youths with valuable life and decision-making skills that lay the foundation for personal responsibility and developing healthy relationships and marriages later in life. These programs emphasize preparing young people for future-oriented goals.
Studies have shown that abstinent teens report, on average, better psychological well-being and higher educational attainment than those who are sexually active. Delaying the initiation of or reducing early sexual activity among teens can decrease their overall exposure to risks of unwed childbearing, STDs, and psycho-emotional harm. Authentic abstinence programs are therefore crucial to efforts aimed at reducing unwed childbearing and improving youth well-being.
Studies of Abstinence Education
This paper discusses 22 studies of abstinence education. Sixteen studies examined abstinence programs that were primarily intended to teach abstinence. Of these 16 studies, 12 reported positive findings. The other six studies analyzed virginity pledges, and of these six studies, five reported positive findings. Overall, 17 of the 22 studies reported statistically significant positive results, such as delayed sexual initiation and reduced levels of early sexual activity, among youths who have received abstinence education. Five studies did not report any significant results.
In addition to these 22 studies, five other studies have been cited in various reviews of abstinence program evaluations. However, these five studies are not fully discussed in this paper for several reasons.
First, a 2007 study evaluated a voluntary component of a three-part abstinence program that focused on life skills education. The voluntary component does not represent the core abstinence curriculum of the Heritage Keepers program, but an evaluation of the abstinence curriculum is discussed in this paper. Because the students who participated in the voluntary section had already received the core abstinence education curriculum, the study effectively measured the "incremental impact" of the voluntary component, not the full program impact.
A second study evaluated the Operation Keepsake program in Cleveland. While the study reported positive results (i.e., reduced levels and delayed initiation of sexual activity), the statistical significance of findings was less certain. While the findings were positive, they were statistically significant at only the 94 percent and 93 percent confidence levels--below the standard 95 percent confidence threshold. An evaluation of For Keeps, an updated version of Operation Keepsake, is discussed in this paper.
A third study examined a teen pregnancy prevention program in Denmark, South Carolina, in the early 1980s. Although teen pregnancy rates declined during the early intervention period, the results cannot be meaningfully interpreted because of the uncertain nature of the services received by the students.
A fourth study examined a Canadian program, which was designed as a traditional sex education program but was delivered without a contraception component in the evaluation's specific context.
Finally, a fifth study analyzed the Postponing Sexual Involvement program in Atlanta in the mid-1980s. Although the study reported positive findings (i.e., delayed onset of sexual activity), the content of the program has been questioned. For example, was the intervention a pure abstinence program, or were other components critical?
The research field of abstinence program evaluation is developing, so only a handful of programs has been evaluated thus far. Currently, several hundred abstinence programs are in operation nationwide. These programs vary substantially in the youth populations that they serve, in their implementation, and in their curricula. Importantly, the few evaluated programs inadequately represent the spectrum of abstinence programs. Consequently, the available findings are mostly generalizable to the specific conditions under which those particular programs were implemented and to the youth populations that they served.
The studies discussed in this paper used a variety of research methods to assess the degree to which specific abstinence programs influenced teen sexual behavior.
Experimental studies have the most rigorous evaluation design. A true experiment enables the researchers to draw conclusions about the program's impact with a high degree of confidence. To simulate the scenario of how abstinence program participants would have behaved if they had not received any abstinence education, an experiment randomly assigns youths to receive or not to receive abstinence education. In theory, random assignment eliminates any systematic differences between the intervention group and the control group, making the two virtually identical except for the intervention--in this case, abstinence education. In reality, well-designed and well-implemented experiments are few. This is particularly true for abstinence program evaluation.
Most of the evaluations reported in this analysis are quasi-experiments, which incorporate certain elements of experimental design, such as identifying a comparable group of youths for comparison and using statistical methods to account for pre-intervention differences between youths who received abstinence education and those who did not.
Quasi-experimental studies adjust for a host of observable factors other than abstinence education that might confound the results. Depending on the rigor of the evaluation design and the adequacy of the statistical analysis employed by the researchers, the degree of confidence with which conclusions may be drawn about the findings from non-experimental studies can vary. Consequently, all findings should be interpreted with the full context of the program and evaluation in view.
The virginity pledge studies used a longitudinal survey of self-reported data. The longitudinal survey followed the same group of individuals from adolescence to young adulthood. The pledge studies applied various statistical methods to estimate the underlying relationship between pledging during adolescence and behavioral outcomes in young adulthood.
This paper focuses on the significant positive behavioral outcomes as reported by the studies, such as delayed onset of sexual activity, reduced levels of early sexual activity, and fewer sexual partners among adolescents. In addition, this paper discusses five studies that reported no significant impact. (For a list of the studies, summary findings, and evaluation design characteristics, see the Appendix and the Reference List.)
While abstinence programs emphasize the message of abstinence until marriage as the standard for all school-age children, simply delaying the initiation or reducing current levels of sexual activity among teens can decrease teens' overall exposure to the risk of physical and psycho-emotional harm.
Studies That Reported Positive Behavioral Change
Positive behavioral changes were reported in 12 studies of abstinence programs. (See the Appendix and Reference List.)
Abstinence-only Intervention. A 2010 study in the medical journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, published by the American Medical Association, concludes that an "abstinence-only intervention reduced sexual initiation" as well as recent sexual activity among a group of African-American adolescents. Two years after attending an eight-hour abstinence program, about one-third of the participants had initiated sexual activity, compared to nearly one-half of the non-participants who enrolled in a general health program. That is, the abstinence program reduced the rate of sexual initiation by one-third. Moreover, abstinence program participants who became sexually active were not less likely to use contraception.
By contrast, the study also evaluated two alternative interventions, one that only taught contraception (i.e., the "safe sex" approach) and another that contained both abstinence and contraception content (i.e., comprehensive sex education), and found that neither program delayed or reduced teen sexual activity. Furthermore, these programs, whose main emphasis is on contraception, failed to increase use among adolescents.
The study implemented a randomized controlled experiment, the gold standard for such evaluations. Six hundred sixty-two sixth- and seventh-grade African-American students participated in the experiment. These students attended four public middle schools that served low-income communities in a northeastern U.S. city. Students were randomly assigned to attend an eight-hour abstinence-only program, an eight-hour "safe sex" program that promoted contraception, an eight- or twelve-hour comprehensive sex education program that taught both abstinence and contraception, or an eight-hour general health class without any sex education content, which served as the control group.
Reasons of the Heart. Taught over 20 class periods by certified and program-trained health educators, the Reasons of the Heart (ROH) curriculum focuses on individual character development and teaches adolescents the benefits that are associated with abstinence until marriage.
A 2008 study evaluated the ROH curriculum's impact on adolescent sexual activity among seventh grade students in three suburban northern Virginia public schools. The researchers also collected data on a comparison group of seventh grade students in two nearby middle schools that did not participate in the program. Students in those schools instead received the state's standard family life education, which included two videos on HIV/ STD prevention and one on abstinence.
The evaluators surveyed seventh grade students in all five schools before and after the program. They found that, a year after the program, 32 (9.2 percent) of the 347 ROH students who were virgins at the initial survey had initiated sexual activity, compared with 31 (or 16.4 percent) of the 189 comparison group students. Controlling for the differences between the comparison group and ROH students, the study reported that ROH students were half as likely as comparison group students to initiate sexual activity. The evaluators concluded, "This result appears to compare favorably to the reductions in initiation achieved by some of the abstinence programs [evaluated in earlier studies]."
Sex Can Wait. Sex Can Wait is a three-series abstinence education program with one series for upper-elementary students, a second for middle school students, and a third for high school students. The Sex Can Wait program lasts five weeks and offers lessons on character building, important life skills, and reproductive biology.
A 2006 study evaluated the program's long-term (18-month) impact on adolescent sexual behavior. The researchers compared students who participated in Sex Can Wait to those who received their school districts' standard sex education curricula on two behavioral outcomes: overall abstinence and abstinence during the last 30 days. As the authors noted, "the study compared the effects of the Sex Can Wait curriculum to 'current practice' rather than true 'control conditions.'"
The researchers found that, 18 months after the program, upper-elementary students who participated in Sex Can Wait were less likely than non-participants to report engaging in recent sexual activity. Among middle school students, participants were also less likely than non-participants to report engaging in sexual activity ever and in the preceding month before the 18-month follow-up. Finally, among high school students, the authors found reduced levels of sexual activity in the short term but not in the 18-month follow-up.
Heritage Keepers. Heritage Keepers is a primary prevention abstinence program for middle school and high school students. The program offers an interactive three-year, two-level curriculum.
To assess Heritage Keepers' impact, a group of evaluators compared some 1,200 virgin students who attended schools that faithfully implemented the program to some 250 students in demographically and geographically comparable schools who did not receive the abstinence intervention. One year after the program, 14.5 percent of Heritage Keepers students had become sexually active compared with 26.5 percent of the comparison group.
Overall, Heritage Keepers students "were about one-half as likely" as comparison group students to initiate sex after adjusting for pre-program differences between the two groups. The study found similar results in subsets of African-American students, Caucasian students, boys, and girls.
For Keeps. A study published in 2005 evaluated the For Keeps curriculum as implemented in five urban and two suburban middle schools in the Midwest. Schools were assigned by the school districts to receive the program, which was part of a county-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiative.
Taught by outside facilitators, For Keeps was a five-day curriculum with 40-minute sessions that focused on character development and the benefits of abstinence and tried to help students understand how pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases can impede their long-term goals. It also emphasized the psycho-emotional and economic consequences of early sexual activity. The curriculum was intended both for students who had become sexually active and for those who had not.
The evaluation collected data on all students through a pretest survey, and some 2,000 youths (about 70 percent of those who took the pretest survey) responded to a follow-up survey conducted about five months after the program ended. Among youths who engaged in any sexual behavior during the follow-up period, some who participated in For Keeps reported a reduction in "the amount of casual sex, as evidenced by fewer episodes of sex and fewer sexual partners" during the evaluation period, although program participants did not differ from non-participants in the likelihood of engaging in sexual activity during the follow-up interval.
Best Friends. The Best Friends (BF) program began in 1987 and operates in about 90 schools across the United States. The Best Friends curriculum is an abstinence-based character-building program for girls starting in the sixth grade and offers a variety of services such as group discussions, mentoring, and community activities. Discussion topics include friendship, love and dating, self-respect, decision making, alcohol and drug abuse, physical fitness and nutrition, and AIDS/STDs. The curriculum's predominant theme is encouraging youths to abstain from high-risk behaviors and sexual activity.
A 2005 study evaluated the District of Columbia's Best Friends program, which operated in six of the District's 20 middle schools. The study compared data on BF participants to data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) conducted for the District. When the authors of the study compared Best Friends schools to District schools that did not have the program, they found that Best Friends schools tended to be located in the more disadvantaged sections of the city and were academically comparable to or slightly worse than the District's middle schools in general.
Adjusting for the survey year, students' age, grade, and race and ethnicity, the study reported that Best Friends girls were nearly 6.5 times more likely to abstain from sexual activity than YRBS respondents. They were 2.4 times more likely to abstain from smoking, 8.1 times more likely to abstain from illegal drug use, and 1.9 times more likely to abstain from drinking.
Not Me, Not Now. Not Me, Not Now, a community-wide abstinence intervention program, targeted children ages nine through 14 in Monroe County, New York, which includes the city of Rochester. The Not Me, Not Now program devised a mass communications strategy to promote the abstinence message through paid television and radio advertising, billboards, posters distributed in schools, educational materials for parents, an interactive Web site, and educational sessions in school and community settings. The program had five objectives: raising awareness of the problem of teen pregnancy, increasing understanding of the negative consequences of teen pregnancy, developing resistance to peer pressure, promoting parent- child communication, and promoting abstinence among teens.
Not Me, Not Now was effective in reaching early teens, with some 95 percent of the target audience in the county reporting that they had seen a Not Me, Not Now ad. During the intervention period, there was a statistically significant positive shift in attitudes among pre-teens and early teens in the county.
The sexual activity rate of 15-year-olds across the county dropped by a statistically significant amount, from 46.6 percent to 31.6 percent, during this period. The pregnancy rate for girls ages 15 through 17 in Monroe County fell by a statistically significant amount, from 63.4 pregnancies per 1,000 girls to 49.5 pregnancies per 1,000. The teen pregnancy rate fell more rapidly in Monroe County than in comparison counties and upstate New York in general, and the differences in the rates of decrease were statistically significant.
Abstinence by Choice. Abstinence by Choice operated in 20 schools in the Little Rock area of Arkansas. The program targeted seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students and reached about 4,000 youths each year. The curriculum included a five-day workshop with speakers, presentations, skits, videos, and an adult mentoring component.
A 2001 evaluation analyzed a sample of 329 students and found that only 5.9 percent of eighth grade girls who had participated in Abstinence by Choice a year earlier had initiated sexual activity compared with 10.2 percent of non-participants. Among eighth grade boy participants, 15.8 percent had initiated sexual activity, compared with 22.8 percent among non-participating boys. (The sexual activity rate of students in the program was compared with the rate of sexual activity among control students in the same grade and schools prior to commencement of the program.)
HIV Risk-Reduction Intervention. A 1998 study evaluated a two-day abstinence-based HIV risk-reduction intervention. The program was delivered to some 200 African-American middle school students in Philadelphia. Students volunteered to participate in a weekend health promotion program, and the volunteers were then randomly assigned to an abstinence education program, a safer-sex education program, or a regular health program (the control group) delivered by trained adult and peer (high school student) facilitators.
The researchers found that, during the three-month follow-up, students in the abstinence programs were less likely to report having engaged in recent sexual activity compared with students in the control group and that they were marginally less likely to report having engaged in recent sexual activity compared to students in the safer-sex program.
Although the three groups generally did not differ in their reports of sexual activity in the preceding three months during the six-month and 12-month follow-ups, the researchers did report that, among students who had sexual experience before the intervention, those in the safer-sex group reported fewer days of sexual activity on average than students in the control group and the abstinence group reported.
Stay SMART. Delivered to Boys and Girls Clubs of America participants, Stay SMART integrated abstinence education with substance-use prevention and incorporated instructions on general life skills as well. The 12-session curriculum, led by Boys and Girls Club staff, used a postponement approach to early sexual activity and targeted both sexually experienced and sexually inexperienced adolescents. Participation in Boys and Girls Clubs and Stay SMART was voluntary.
A 1995 study evaluated Stay SMART's impact on adolescent sexual behavior. The study measured the sexual attitudes and behavior of more than 200 youths who participated in Stay SMART or Stay SMART plus the boosters and compared their outcomes to some 100 youths who did not participate in Stay SMART but were still involved in the Boys and Girls Clubs. The analysis controlled for demographic and baseline characteristics to test for the program's independent effect on adolescent sexual behavior and attitudes.
The study found that, two years after the program, youths who had engaged in prior sexual activity and participated in the stand-alone Stay SMART program exhibited reduced levels of recent sexual activity compared with non-participants and, interestingly, participants in the Stay SMART-plus-boosters program as well. Among participants who were virgins prior to the program, the study did not find a statistically significant program effect.
Project Taking Charge. Project Taking Charge was a six-week abstinence curriculum delivered in home economics classes during the school year. It was designed for use in low-income communities with high rates of teen pregnancy. The curriculum contained elements on self-development; basic information about sexual biology (e.g., anatomy, physiology, and pregnancy); vocational goal-setting; family communication; and values instruction on the importance of delaying sexual activity until marriage.
The program was evaluated in Wilmington, Delaware, and West Point, Mississippi, based on a small sample of 91 adolescents. Control and experimental groups were created by randomly assigning classrooms either to receive or not to receive the program. The students were assessed immediately before and after the program and at a six-month follow-up. In the six-month follow-up, Project Taking Charge was shown to have had a statistically significant effect in increasing adolescents' knowledge of the problems associated with teen pregnancy, the problems of sexually transmitted diseases, and reproductive biology.
The program may also have delayed the onset of sexual activity among some of the participants. About 23 percent of participants who were virgins at the pretest initiated sexual activity during the follow-up interval, compared with 50 percent of the youths in the control group, although the authors urged caution in interpreting these numbers due to the small sample size.
Teen Aid and Sex Respect. An evaluation of the Teen Aid and Sex Respect abstinence programs in three Utah school districts reported that certain groups of youths who received these programs delayed the initiation of sexual activity. To determine the effects of the programs, students in schools with the abstinence programs were compared with students in similar control schools within the same school districts. Statistical adjustments were applied to control for any initial differences between program participants and control group students.
In the aggregate sample, the researchers did not find any differences in the rates of sexual initiation between youths who had received abstinence education and those who had not. However, analyzing a cohort of high school students who had fairly permissive attitudes, they found that program participants were one-third less likely to engage in sexual activity one year after the programs compared with non-participants (22.4 percent versus 37 percent).
Even when the researchers adjusted for students' dating and drinking behavior, religious involvement, family composition, peer pressure, and other factors, the differences between the two groups remained statistically significant. (Statistically significant changes in behavior were not found among a similar group of junior high school students.) The researchers found it notable that youths who had more permissive attitudes were "not only receptive and responsive to the abstinence message in the short run, but that some influence on behavior [was] also occurring."
Virginity Pledge Studies
Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of American youth, several studies have found that adolescent virginity pledging was associated with delayed or reduced levels of teen sexual activity, other risky behaviors, teen pregnancy, and STDs. (See the Appendix and the Reference List.)
Delayed Sexual Activity. A 1997 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined a large national sample of teenagers in the seventh through 12th grades. The study compared students who had taken a formal virginity pledge with students who had not taken a pledge but were otherwise identical in race, income, school performance, degree of religiousness, and other social and demographic factors. Based on this analysis, the authors found that the level of sexual activity among students who had taken a formal pledge of virginity was one-fourth the level of their counterparts who had not taken a pledge. The researchers also noted that "[a]dolescents who reported having taken a pledge to remain a virgin were at significantly lower risk of early age of sexual debut."
Another study of the virginity pledge movement, published in 2001, found a similar association between pledging and delayed sexual activity. According to the authors:
Adolescents who pledge, controlling for all of the usual characteristics of adolescents and their social contexts that are associated with the transition to sex, are much less likely than adolescents who do not pledge, to have intercourse. The delay effect is substantial and robust. Pledging delays intercourse for a long time.
Based on a sample of more than 5,000 students, the study reported that taking a virginity pledge was associated with a reduction of approximately one-third in the likelihood of early sexual activity, adjusted for a host of other factors linked to sexual activity rates including gender, age, physical maturity, parental disapproval of sexual activity, school achievement, and race. When taking a virginity pledge was combined with strong parental disapproval of sexual activity, the probability of initiating sexual activity was reduced by 75 percent or more. The authors did note that the pledge effect depended on youths' age and their peer group context.
Life Outcomes in Young Adulthood. By the third wave of the Add Health survey, administered in 2001, respondents had reached young adulthood, ranging between 19 and 25 years of age. In some cases, the virginity pledge may have been taken up to seven years earlier. Nonetheless, for many respondents, the delaying effect associated with pledging during adolescence appeared to last into young adulthood.
Analyzing the most recent Add Health data, a 2004 study found that adolescent virginity pledging was linked to a number of positive life outcomes. For example, a 22-year-old white female pledger from an intact family with median levels of family income, academic performance, self-esteem, and religious observance was two-thirds less likely to become pregnant before age 18 and 40 percent less likely to have a birth out of wedlock compared with a non-pledger with identical characteristics. Strong pledgers with the same characteristics were 40 percent less likely to initiate sexual activity before age 18 and had an average of one-third fewer sexual partners compared with non-pledgers with the same demographic profile.
STDs and Risky Sexual Behaviors. Analyzing the same sample of respondents, another study found that virginity pledging during adolescence was also associated with lower rates of STD infection among young adults. The STD rate among pledgers averaged 25 percent lower than the rate of non-pledgers of the same age, gender, race, family background, and religiosity. Significantly, the study found that virginity pledging was a stronger predictor of STD reduction than condom use on five different measures of STDs.
The protective effect of pledging may have extended to other behaviors as well. According to a 2005 study, young adults who took a virginity pledge during adolescence were less likely to engage in a number of risky sexual behaviors compared with those who did not take a pledge.
Studies Reporting No Significant Effects
The Mathematica Study. In 2007, Mathematica Policy Research released a study that evaluated four abstinence programs: My Choice, My Future! in Powhatan, Virginia; ReCapturing the Vision in Miami, Florida; Families United to Prevent Teen Pregnancy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Teens in Control in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Primarily preventive in their intent, these programs focused on upper elementary and middle school children. The average age of the participants ranged from 10 to 13. Two of the sites were in urban settings, and two were in rural communities.
The four programs varied in duration and intensity. Three programs--two multi-year curricula and a one-year curriculum--required participation. Their intensity ranged from several sessions a year to daily classes. One program, an up-to-four-year curriculum, met daily but made participation optional. In that program, only about half of the students assigned to the program actually participated. Of those who participated at all, less than half attended a meaningful portion of the sessions offered.
The evaluation employed a rigorous experimental design. The researchers surveyed students four to six years after initial program enrollment to assess the impact of the four programs on youth behavior. Although long-term impact is ideal, some students in this study's sample were last surveyed later than is conventional in this field. For example, at the program site with the shortest curriculum length (about one year), students averaged about 10 years old at enrollment, and the gap between program completion and the last follow-up survey was as long as five years. During this gap, the students received no additional abstinence education or intervention support.
In the final follow-up survey, the study reported no statistically significant differences between program participants and non-participants. Among both program and control groups, half of the students remained abstinent. Among students who had become sexually active by the time of the final survey, program participants and non-participants had similar rates of condom use. (The four abstinence programs did not promote contraceptive use.)
At one of the program sites, the study found that 48 percent of the program participants remained abstinent in the final follow-up compared with 43 percent of the non-participants. At the same site, program participants were also more likely (a difference of 7 percentage points) to report expectations of abstinence until marriage compared with non-participants. Although these differences were not statistically significant, the study's authors noted that, "[g]iven the smaller sample sizes available for estimate impact at the site level...the study cannot rule out modest site-specific impacts on these outcomes."
WAIT Training. A 2005 study evaluated the WAIT Training abstinence education program as it was implemented in four high schools in Colorado. Except for one of the program schools, students in the study's sample were mostly in the ninth grade. The study did not specify what type of sex education services, if any, students in the control group received. In the 12-month follow-up, the researchers did not find any differences in the sexual initiation transition rates between students in the program group and those in the control group.
California's Postponing Sexual Involvement (PSI). In the early 1990s, California incorporated the PSI curriculum into its statewide Education Now and Babies Later (ENABL) initiative to reduce teenage pregnancy. However, proponents of abstinence education have challenged whether or not the initiative is a genuine abstinence program given Planned Parenthood's role in its implementation.
The PSI curriculum included five sessions of 45 to 60 minutes, delivered either in school or in community settings by adult or youth instructors. Youths who received PSI were also required to receive reproductive health education before beginning the PSI curriculum. Students in the control groups received the standard sexuality curriculum offered by their schools.
An experimental study evaluated California's PSI program. Based on data collected on some 7,300 students, the study found no significant differences between PSI youths and non-participants in their sexual behavior, pregnancy rates, and STD rates 17 months after the program. However, the study did find short-term positive effects on youths' beliefs and intentions about sexual activity and self-efficacy.
Will Power/Won't Power. In the mid-1980s, Girls Incorporated (formerly Girls Clubs of America) developed a series of programs designed to prevent teen pregnancy. Will Power/Won't Power targeted younger adolescent girls, ages 12 to 14. The program taught young girls skills to help them resist peer pressure and risky behavior. The full curriculum was delivered in six two-hour lessons.
A study evaluating the effectiveness of Will Power/Won't Power in delaying the onset of sexual activity compared some 250 participants to 155 non-participants. Participants volunteered to join the program; youths who declined enrollment became the control group.
Students were surveyed a year after the program. At that point, the study found that 12.8 percent of participants versus 13.5 percent of non-participants had initiated sexual activity since the program. However, the difference was not statistically significant. Further analysis suggested that the level of program participation might have played a role.
Virginity Pledges and STDs. Drs. Hannah Brückner and Peter Bearman, who found, using the Add Health data, that "[a]dolescents who pledge are much less likely to have intercourse than adolescents who do not pledge," also analyzed the pledge effect on STD infection among young adults. They reported "no significant differences in STD infection rates between pledgers and non-pledgers, despite the fact that they [pledgers] transition to first sex later, have less cumulative exposure, fewer partners, and lower levels of nonmonogamous partners."
Today's young people face strong peer pressure to engage in risky behavior and must navigate media and popular culture that endorse and even glamorize permissiveness and casual sex. Alarmingly, the government implicitly supports these messages by funding programs that promote contraception and "safe-sex."
In FY2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spent $610.1 million on such programs targeting teens--at least four times what it spent on abstinence education. Regrettably, last year, the Obama Administration and Congress disregarded the social scientific evidence on abstinence education and eliminated all federal funding for it. Instead, they created additional funding for comprehensive sex education. In his FY2011 budget, the President proposed to increase spending on these programs.
Although 80 percent of parents want schools to teach youths to abstain from sexual activity until they are in a committed adult romantic relationship nearing marriage--the core message of abstinence education--these parental values are rarely communicated in the classroom.
In the classroom, the prevailing mentality often condones teen sexual activity as long as youths use contraceptives. Abstinence is usually mentioned only in passing, if at all. Sadly, many teens who need to learn about the benefits of abstaining from sexual activity during the teenage years never hear them, and many students who choose to abstain fail to receive adequate support for their decisions.
Teen sexual activity is costly, not just for teens, but also for society. Teens who engage in sexual activity risk a host of negative outcomes including STD infection, emotional and psychological harm, lower educational attainment, and out-of-wedlock childbearing.
Genuine abstinence education is therefore crucial to the physical and psycho-emotional well-being of the nation's youth. In addition to teaching the benefits of abstaining from sexual activity until marriage, abstinence programs focus on developing character traits that prepare youths for future-oriented goals.
When considering effective prevention programs aimed at changing teen sexual behavior, lawmakers should consider all of the available empirical evidence and restore funding for abstinence education.
Christine C. Kim is a Policy Analyst and Robert Rector is a Senior Research Fellow in the Domestic Policy Studies Department at The Heritage Foundation. This study updates an earlier study by the authors: Abstinence Education: Assessing the Evidence, Heritage Foundation Backgrounder No. 2126, April 22, 2008.
Studies Reporting Significant Results
John B. Jemmott III, Loretta S. Jemmott, and Geoffrey T. Fong. "Efficacy of a Theory-Based Abstinence-Only Intervention Over 24 Months," Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Vol. 164, No. 2 (February 2010), pp. 152-159.
Stan Weed, Irene H. Ericksen, Allen Lewis, Gale E. Grant, and Kathy H. Wibberly, "An Abstinence Program's Impact on Cognitive Mediators and Sexual Initiation," American Journal of Health Behavior, Vol. 31, No. 1 (2008), pp. 60-73.
George Denny and Michael Young, "An Evaluation of an Abstinence-Only Sex Education Curriculum: An 18-Month Follow-Up," Journal of School Health, Vol. 76, No. 8 (October 2006), pp. 414-422.
Stan E. Weed, Irene H. Ericksen, and Paul James Birch, "An Evaluation of the Heritage Keepers Abstinence Education Program," Institute for Research and Evaluation (Salt Lake City), November 2005, at www.heritageservices.org/Stan%20Weed's%20HHS%20Conference%20article.pdf (December 1, 2006).
Elaine A. Borawski, Erika S. Trapl, Loren D. Lovegreen, Natalie Colabianchi, and Tonya Block, "Effectiveness of Abstinence-Only Intervention on Middle School Teens," American Journal of Health Behavior, Vol. 29, No. 5 (September/October 2005), pp. 423-434.
Robert Lerner, "Can Abstinence Work? An Analysis of the Best Friends Program," Adolescent & Family Health, Vol. 3, No. 4 (April 2005), pp. 185-192.
Andrew Doniger, John S. Riley, Cheryl A. Utter, and Edgar Adams, "Impact Evaluation of the 'Not Me, Not Now' Abstinence-Oriented, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Communications Program, Monroe County, N.Y.," Journal of Health Communication, Vol. 6, No. 1 (January-March 2001), pp. 45-60.
Stan E. Weed, "Title V Abstinence Education Programs: Phase I Interim Evaluation Report to Arkansas Department of Health, Institute for Research and Evaluation," October 15, 2001.
John B. Jemmott III, Loretta Sweet Jemmott, and Geoffrey T. Fong, "Abstinence and Safer Sex HIV Risk-Reduction Interventions for African American Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial," JAMA, Vol. 279, No. 19 (May 20, 1998), pp. 1529-1536.
Tena L. St. Pierre, Melvin M. Mark, D. Lynne Kaltreider, and Kathryn J. Aikin, "A 27-Month Evaluation of a Sexual Activity Prevention Program in Boys & Girls Clubs Across the Nation," Family Relations, Vol. 44, No. 1 (January 1995), pp. 69-77.
Stephen R. Jorgensen, Vicki Potts, and Brian Camp, "Project Taking Charge: Six-Month Follow-Up of a Pregnancy Prevention Program for Early Adolescents," Family Relations, Vol. 42, No. 4 (October 1993), pp. 401-406.
Stan E. Weed et al., "Predicting and Changing Teen Sexual Activity Rates: A Comparison of Three Title XX Programs," report to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs, December 1992.
Michael Resnick et al., "Protecting Adolescents from Harm: Findings from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health," JAMA, Vol. 278, No. 10 (September 10, 1997), pp. 823-832.
Peter S. Bearman and Hanna Brückner, "Promising the Future: Virginity Pledges and First Intercourse," American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 106, No. 4 (January 2001), pp. 852-912.
Robert E. Rector, Kirk A. Johnson, and Jennifer A. Marshall, "Teens Who Make Virginity Pledges Have Substantially Improved Life Outcomes," Heritage Foundation Center for Data Analysis Report No. CDA04-07, September 21, 2004, at www.heritage.org/Research/Abstinence/cda04-07.cfm.
Robert Rector and Kirk A. Johnson, "Adolescent Virginity Pledges, Condom Use, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Young Adults," paper presented at the Eighth Annual National Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference of the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, June 14, 2005, at http://s3.amazonaws.com/thf_media/2010/pdf/79366_1.pdf.
Robert Rector and Kirk A. Johnson, "Adolescent Virginity Pledges and Risky Sexual Behaviors," paper presented at the Eighth Annual National Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference of the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, June 14, 2005, at http://s3.amazonaws.com/thf_media/2010/pdf/79314_1.pdf.
Studies Reporting No Significant Results
Christopher Trenholm, Barbara Devaney, Kenneth Fortson, Melissa Clark, Lisa Quay Bridgespan, and Justin Wheeler, "Impacts of Abstinence Education on Teen Sexual Activity, Risk of Pregnancy, and Risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Spring 2008), pp. 255-276.
Lisa A. Rue and Stan E. Weed, "Primary Prevention of Adolescent Sexual Risk Taking: A School-Based Model," presented at the 2005 Abstinence Evaluation Conference, Baltimore, Maryland.
Douglas Kirby, Meg Korpi, Richard P. Barth, and Helen H. Cagampang, "The Impact of the Postponing Sexual Involvement Curriculum Among Youths in California," Family Planning Perspectives, Vol. 29, No. 3 (May-June 1997), pp. 100-108.
Leticia Postrado and Heather Johnston Nicholson, "Effectiveness in Delaying the Initiation of Sexual Intercourse of Girls Age 12-14: Two Components of the Girls Incorporated Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy Program," Youth and Society, Vol. 23, No. 3 (March 1992), pp. 356-379.
Hannah Brückner and Peter Bearman, "After the Promise: The STD Consequences of Adolescent Virginity Pledges," Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 36, Issue 4 (April 2005), pp. 271-278.
Five Studies Mentioned But Not Discussed in This Paper
Melissa A. Clark, Christopher Trenholm, Barbara Devaney, Justin Wheeler, and Lisa Quay, "Impacts of the Heritage Keepers Life Skills Education Component," Mathematica Policy Research, August 2007, p. 1, at www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/heritagekeepers08-07.pdf (February 27, 2008).
Elaine Borawski et al., "Evaluation of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs Funded Through the Wellness Block Grant (1999-2000)," Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Center for Health Promotion Research, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, March 23, 2001.
Helen P. Koo, George H. Dunteman, Cindee George, Yvonne Green, and Murray Vincent, "Reducing Adolescent Pregnancy Through a School- and Community-Based Intervention: Denmark, South Carolina, Revisited," Family Planning Perspectives, Vol. 26, No. 5 (September-October 1994), pp. 206-211 and 217.
B. Helen Thomas, Alba Mitchell, and M. Corinne Devlin, "Small Group Sex Education: The McMaster Teen Program," in Brent C. Miller, Josefina J. Card, Roberta L. Paikoff, and James C. Peterson, eds., Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy: Model Programs and Evaluations (Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, Inc., 1992), pp. 28-52.
Marion Howard and Judith Blamey McCabe, "Helping Teenagers Postpone Sexual Involvement," Family Planning Perspectives, Vol. 22, No. 1 (January-February 1990), pp. 21-26.
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In this article we present 2 case studies of courageous whistleblowers who helped expose wrongdoing and promote positive changes in society and in the future of handling sensitive information.
One of the most notable whistleblower cases is that of Daniel Ellsberg, who exposed the “Pentagon Papers” in 1971. This event played a key role in revealing irregularities and promoting significant changes.
Case Summary (1 of 2):
Daniel Ellsberg was a military analyst hired by the US Department of Defense during the Vietnam War. He had access to the “Pentagon Papers”, a set of secret government documents detailing the secret history of US political and military decision-making in Vietnam since the Second World War.
Ellsberg was deeply disturbed by the content of the documents, which revealed information about the conduct of the war that was inconsistent with what the government was releasing to the public.
The documents showed that several US presidents had deliberately misled the public about the war, and Ellsberg believed that these actions resulted in unnecessary deaths and suffering.
In 1971, after trying unsuccessfully to convince members of Congress to reveal the documents, Ellsberg decided to expose the “Pentagon Papers” to the press. He provided a copy of the documents to The New York Times, which began publishing a series of articles based on the information contained therein.
Impact and consequences:
The revelation of the “Pentagon Papers” had a seismic impact in the United States and around the world:
The release of the documents caused a major political scandal and shook public confidence in the US government.
Ellsberg was charged with violating the US Espionage Act and faced trial. However, the case against him was dismissed due to irregularities in the collection of evidence and the illegal disclosure of information about Ellsberg’s personal life.
Legacy of Transparency
Ellsberg’s case highlighted the importance of transparency and government accountability. He is often cited as an example of a courageous whistleblower who exposed the truth in the public interest.
Impact on the Vietnam War
Although the leak of the documents did not immediately end the Vietnam War, it contributed to growing public opposition to the war and helped speed up the process of withdrawing US troops.
Overall, the case of Daniel Ellsberg demonstrates how a courageous whistleblower can play a crucial role in exposing wrongdoing, strengthening democracy, and promoting positive changes in politics and society. His action has contributed to a more open and honest discussion about government policies and their impact on the population.
Another well-known whistleblower is Edward Snowden, a former third-party employee of the US National Security Agency (NSA). Although his actions are controversial and have sparked debates about national security and privacy, he is often cited as an example of a courageous whistleblower who exposed wrongdoing and promoted positive change.
Case Summary (2 of 2):
Edward Snowden, in 2013, revealed highly classified information about mass surveillance programs conducted by the US government in partnership with other intelligence agencies, such as the CIA.
Snowden’s main revelations included:
The existence of a program called PRISM, which allowed the NSA to access the personal data of individuals from large technology companies, such as Google, Microsoft and Facebook, without their knowledge or consent.
The bulk collection of Americans’ phone records, including information on calls made and received, as well as the duration of those calls.
The existence of a tool called XKeyscore, which allowed the NSA to collect and analyze internet communications on a large scale, with few restrictions.
The revelation that the NSA conducted mass surveillance operations not only in the United States, but all over the world, including in allied countries.
Edward Snowden claimed that his actions were intended to inform the public about the extent of government surveillance, which he considered a violation of civil liberties and privacy. He exposed this information to journalists, including Glenn Greenwald, and documented his concerns in papers that became known as the “Snowden documents.”
Snowden’s revelations sparked intense debates about national security, privacy, government transparency and the role of whistleblowers. He faced criminal charges in the United States and sought political asylum in several countries, including Russia, where he has remained since 2013.
Edward Snowden’s case remains highly controversial, with defenders praising him as a defender of privacy and critics calling him a traitor. Regardless of perspective, his actions have had a lasting impact on the debate about security and privacy in the digital age.
In conclusion, fortunately in these cases there was someone who had the courage, and the ability to face adversity, to expose cases of such relevance to everyone’s lives, in the public interest.
However, on the other hand and unfortunately, these cases did not have the anonymity they probably would have liked, nor the protection for whistleblowers that the current law 93/2021 confers, as we believe that with their protection it could have gone much better for them.
However, we believe that all the organizations concerned need to manage their whistleblowing channels properly and that all public and private bodies should comply with this European directive which, in the hopefully near future, will help us to build a more ethical and transparent society with a better reputation for organizations.
Published in: 2023.10.04
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Storm damage and atmospheric debris is one of the main reasons for roof leaks and damage to the interior of buildings, costing building owners thousands, if not millions of dollars over the lifespan of a roof system. Ensuring your building is watertight at any time is critical while weather continues to wear down details.
Thanks to years of accumulated data, we know there are evident patterns when it comes to the weather in Sydney, New South Wales. This allows us to know what to expect and plan ahead for those inevitable seasons and months. This is incredibly important information, especially for homeowners and property owners/managers; knowing which months will have the highest amount of rainfall/hail and strongest winds during the year can allow you to prepare your roof, protect your assets and plan your budget.
How much does it rain in Sydney, and what Months have the most rainfall?
In Sydney, during the entire year, the rain falls for 143.4 days and collects up to 1212.1mm of precipitation. Looking at the graph below, we can see that March through June is the period with the highest amount of rain throughout the year, with March accumulating 129.2mm. However, June is the month with the most rainfall in Sydney, Australia. Rain falls for 12.5 days and accumulates 131.9mm of precipitation.
What is the windiest month in Sydney?
Averaging at 13.8 km/h (8.6 mph), November is the windiest month, whilst March is the calmest at 11.3 km/h (7.0 mph). Clients are often surprised to realise their roof area can be quickly covered in debris and require further cleaning shortly after completing roof washing. As the main protecting layer for your building against all elements, it can quickly collect damaging matter. It is important to notice when wind has recently been high; although you may not see it – a build of debris could be occurring causing blockage in gutters and drains leading to major drainage issues such as heavy ponding, that otherwise could have been avoided. High winds can also cause roof components to blow off or become loose leading to future leak areas from caused damage. There also can be cases where mechanical/electrical equipment becomes loose and blows around the roof causing damage leading to a leak.
What is the month that hail occurs the most in Sydney?
Hailstorms occur most frequently between October and February (spring and summer) in NSW, with peak activity in November and December. The hail season in Sydney begins 2 months earlier (August to February). However, during the last 14 years there has been a shift to November to March. For metal roofs – if not taken care of immediately - hail can cause dents in the sheets and chip away at the top layer of paint, causing the life of your metal roof sheets and flashings to end prematurely. Early corrosion can occur in significant dents if ponding occurs, this can cause the paint to fracture and leads to structural weak points within the sheets. However, metal roofs don't suffer as much as tile roofs. In recent hailstorms, tile roofs have been damaged the most and needed more repairs, this further adds value to why metal roofs are better.
What are notable events we have experienced so far this year?
Between 7 and 9 February 2020, the Sydney metropolitan area received its heaviest rain in 30 years due to an east coast low (which is unusual in the summer). The storm brought vast flooding and strong winds that caused commuter chaos and left over 20,000 homes without power. The city recorded around 391.6 mm of rain within those three days, more than three times the average rainfall for February. Thousands of people living in depressed areas, such as those in Narrabeen and southwest of Sydney near Georges River, were told to evacuate due to billowing floodwaters and rising river levels. At least 200 people were rescued by emergency services during the stormy weekend. Warragamba Dam, which was only at 42% in capacity, reached as close to 70% after the deluge. The last time more than 300 mm of rain fell in two days in the city was in 1992, in addition to being the wettest four-day period since 1990.
In the late evening of 18 February 2020, over 60,000 lightning strikes hit the Sydney area, with wind gust over 100 km/h being recorded in some Sydney suburbs. The storm toppled trees, damaged properties and left tens of thousands of homes without power.
What do we know and where to we go from here?
Now that you have all this information, you now know the impactful months in which rain, wind and hail activity occur and how they can affect your roof. You can now prepare your home or property in advance to avoid costly emergency repairs and protect your assets. Preventative maintenance is the best way to prepare; designed to offer dynamic information for improve forecasting and budgeting while also preventing leaks and emergency repairs.
Be proactive and call us right away to ensure the repair costs do not become premium emergency repair costs and your investments stay protected. Our professional team is ready to service you right away and provide answers to any other queries you may have. Call us on 1300 ASSET1 now!
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The CDC found evidence of the Omicron mutation in New York City wastewater on November 21st, The New York Times reports. Researchers in California and Texas also found evidence of Omicron in wastewater samples from late November.
This is the day before the new variant is announced by South African scientists, 10 days before the first US case is reported.
Although New York City’s infectious diseases fell by 46% last week, New York City still has the highest mortality rate in the country. That’s because death and hospitalization are always lagging behind cases.
The findings suggest that at the time, the Omicron variant was more widespread in the United States than the case data alone would indicate, and provide more evidence that wastewater surveillance can serve as an early warning system about the spread of new variants.
“At first it was uncertain whether this variant was going to come to the United States,” said Alexandria Boehm, an environmental engineer at Stanford and an author of the paper. “The wastewater answered that question way before the clinical samples could, and the answer was yes.”
This isn’t proof, just strong evidence.
“The virus present in wastewater is fragmented, and while the researchers detected many of Omicron’s telltale mutations, the findings do not prove that they were all present on the same genome,” the Times reports.
According to the Times, “a team of scientists from several institutions — John Dennehy at Queens College, Monica Trujillo at Queensborough Community College, Davida Smyth at Texas A&M University and Marc Johnson at the University of Missouri — have been tracking the coronavirus in New York City’s wastewater since the summer of 2020.” The November 21st sample showed the Omicron variant mutations.
Cali found it on November 26th with PCR tests.
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The performance of your CPU — the “brain” of your PC — has a major impact on the speed at which programs load and how smoothly they run. However, there are a few different ways to measure processor performance. Clock speed (also “clock rate” or “frequency”) is one of the most significant.2
If you’re wondering how to check your clock speed, click the Start menu (or click the Windows key) and type “System Information.” Your CPU’s model name and clock speed will be listed under “Processor.”
What Is Clock Speed?
In general, a higher clock speed means a faster CPU. However, many other factors can come into play, as well.
Your CPU processes many instructions from different programs every second. Some of these instructions involve simple arithmetic, while others are more complicated. The clock speed measures the number of cycles your CPU executes per second, measured in GHz (gigahertz).
In this case, a “cycle” is the basic unit that measures a CPU’s speed. During each cycle, billions of transistors within the processor open and close . This is how the CPU executes the calculations contained in the instructions it receives.
A CPU with a clock speed of 3.2 GHz executes 3.2 billion cycles per second. (Older CPUs had speeds measured in megahertz, or millions of cycles per second.)
Sometimes, multiple instructions are completed in a single clock cycle; in other cases, one instruction might be handled over multiple clock cycles. Since different CPU designs handle instructions differently, it’s best to compare clock speeds within the same CPU brand and generation.
For example, a CPU with a higher clock speed from five years ago might be outperformed by a new CPU with a lower clock speed, as the newer architecture deals with instructions more efficiently.
Recent features like the Intel® Thread Director allow the latest gen Intel processors to intelligently distribute workloads to multiple cores. That’s one reason why newer processors often outperform older ones on benchmark tests even when they have similar clock speeds.
Within the same generation of CPUs, a processor with a higher clock speed will generally outperform a processor with a lower clock speed across many applications. This is why it’s important to compare processors from the same brand and generation. The K-series of Intel® Core™ processors, for example, denotes a set of chips that are unlocked and allow for overclocking, indicating that they can achieve more ambitious clock speeds than their peers in the same generation.
For more information on how to interpret Intel® Core™ processors by their naming conventions, read our guide.
How Does Clock Speed Affect Gaming?
Before the advent of multi-core CPUs, clock speed was viewed as the key spec for comparing single-core processors. Today, it’s taken into consideration alongside many other factors, like:
- The number of cores the CPU contains
- The size and efficiency of the CPU cache
- The amount of power the CPU consumes
The impact of clock speed on an individual game depends on the game’s engine and the tools used to create it. For example, FromSoftware’s Elden Ring uses a proprietary game engine that leans heavily on single core performance3. On the other hand, Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is designed to take full advantage of core multi-threading. This allows the game to hit impressive performance benchmarks even when using older, slower processors — provided it has enough cores to work with.3
These examples show that specific benchmarks are the best way to assess CPU performance in a particular game engine. However, clock speed remains a good general guide to the relative performance of processors within a product family.
What Does Turbo Frequency Mean?
Intel processor specifications list both Max Turbo Frequency and Processor Base Frequency. The processor base frequency refers to the its regular operating point, while the Max Turbo Frequency refers to the maximum speed the processor can achieve using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology.
Intel Turbo Boost Technology enhances clock speed dynamically to deal with heavy workloads. It works without requiring any installation or configuration by the user. The technology judges the amount of heat the system can tolerate, as well as the number of cores in use, and then boosts clock speed to the maximum safe level.
Base Processor Frequency and Max Turbo Frequency are two core performance metrics that refer to different usage scenarios. For high-intensity gaming, the turbo frequency is the more important metric.. Given adequate cooling, this is the speed your CPU will operate at when dealing with heavy gaming workloads such as traveling through a highly detailed environment, or calculating AI behavior on an enemy turn in a strategy game in the most CPU-intensive titles.
How Do You Adjust Your CPU Clock Speed?
The term “overclocking” refers to speeding up the CPU clock for more processing power. As mentioned above, Intel CPUs with a “K” in the name have an unlocked “multiplier” for easy overclocking when paired with a motherboard chipset that supports overclocking.
Overclocking can yield improved FPS4, even for high-end CPUs like the latest gen Intel® Core™ processors. Intel® Speed Optimizer provides one-click overclocking for all Intel® processors. This means experts and beginners alike can optimize overclocking performance safely.
The CPU multiplier (sometimes called the “CPU ratio”) expresses the CPU’s performance as a multiplier of the CPU Base Clock (or BCLK) speed. A CPU multiplier of 46 and a base clock of 100 MHz, for example, results in a clock speed of 4.6GHz. Note that the BCLK in the system’s BIOS settings is not the same as the “Processor Base Frequency” referred to in Intel specs — the latter refers to the overall CPU clock speed when Intel Turbo Boost Technology isn’t activated.
The BCLK sets not only the speed of the CPU, but also the speed of memory, PCIe bus, CPU cache, and more. It’s easier for overclockers to simply adjust the CPU multiplier than to change the BCLK, which can cause instability by affecting many components at once.
Why Does Clock Speed Matter?
CPU clock speed is a good indicator of overall processor performance. Though applications like video editing and streaming are known to rely on multi-core performance, many new video games still benchmark best on CPUs with the highest clock speed.
Clock speed is a useful metric for comparing processor models in the same generation. When selecting a processor for a new gaming computer, it provides at-a-glance information about the general performance of products in the same lineup, like the latest gen Intel® Core™ Processor family. For more specialized use cases, individual benchmarks are usually more appropriate.
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Four Steps to Valuing an Estate
Determining the value of an estate is a fundamental first step in estate management and a critical requirement for settling a decedent’s estate.1
How to Assess the Value of an Estate
- Select the date of calculation. Because values move up and down, you need to set a specific date for a valuation. For a living person, you are free to pick any date. If you’re assessing the value of a decedent’s estate, you may choose either the date of death or the date six months after their death (the “Alternate Valuation Date”). If you use the Alternate Valuation Date, any asset sold or distributed during the first six months following the death must be valued as of the date of sale or distribution.2
- Determine the assets comprising the estate. This asset list should include everything an individual owns or has ownership interests in.
- Gather all financial statements as of the date of calculation. If an account is owned individually, the entire value should be calculated in the estate. If owned jointly with a spouse who has rights of survivorship, then 50 percent of the value should be included.
-Deduct any outstanding mortgage balance.
-Include life insurance when the policy owner is the deceased individual or the beneficiary is the decedent’s estate.3
- Calculate deductions. Subtract any debts from the total value of assets. For the decedent, this may also include any regular bills that may be due (e.g., utilities, medical expenses, etc.), charitable gifts, and state tax obligations.
Assessing the precise value of an estate can be complicated, especially when settling an estate. Please consult a professional with estate expertise regarding your individual situation.
1. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation.
2. Investopedia.com, January 10, 2023. The article assumes the deceased has a valid will and has named an executor who is responsible for carrying out the directions of the will. If a person dies intestate, it means that a valid will has not been executed. Without a valid will, a person’s property will be distributed to the heirs as defined by the state law.
3. Several factors will affect the cost and availability of life insurance, including age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Life insurance policies have expenses, including mortality and other charges. If a policy is surrendered prematurely, the policyholder also may pay surrender charges and have income tax implications. You should consider determining whether you are insurable before implementing a strategy involving life insurance. Any guarantees associated with a policy are dependent on the ability of the issuing insurance company to continue making claim payments.
The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG, LLC, is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright FMG Suite.
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Who doesn’t love a good selfie? These gorillas are no exception.
Virunga National Park is home to 218 mammals, 706 bird, 109 reptiles,78 amphibia, and 22 primate species. The park one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the world. Of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas, about one third live in Virunga Park.
Keeping animals safe is a dangerous job. One hundred seventy-nine rangers have died protecting them. While the danger is a concern, the rewards are worth it. “There is a bond that ties us together,” said Andre Bauma, manager of the Senkwekwe Centre. “A relationship that is very, very close between the guardians and the gorillas.”
When Ranger Mathieu Shamavu posted a picture of one of the rangers with two gorillas, it quickly went viral. The animals’ complete trust of the guards is visible. And so it should be. The rangers work hard to protect and defend the animals from poachers and other danger threatening their way of life. Gorillas are poached for food, traditional medicine, and the bushmeat trade.
The rangers undergo intense training to do their jobs. Many times their work is hampered by lack of funding or adequate equipment. Even a small donation can go a long way; $8 will buy new boots for a ranger, $32 sponsors a ranger and family for a whole day, and $150 feeds an orphaned gorilla food and supplements for two weeks. Consider donating to help these animals at https://virunga.org/donate.
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Financial Management Insight Strategies to Help Build Your Future
Some people aspire to buy a dream home or travel the world after they retire. Others want to help their children pay for a college education. And when it comes down to it, many of us would love to accomplish all these worthy goals. Sound financial management is a process that begins with a person’s first paycheck and continues through each stage of life. Like the steps of building a sand castle, each decision you make about money today forms the foundation for your financial future. Cash Management Improving your financial position Protection Strategies Strengthening your “safety net”
Investing Fundamentals Building a portfolio Tax Issues Managing your tax burden Retirement Planning Funding a comfortable financial future Estate Matters Preserving wealth
Cash Management Improving Your Financial Position Start by taking control of your cash flow: 1. Assess your spending. You cannot make sound decisions about your money if you have no idea where it’s going. Once you see where you might be wasting money, you can put it to work more productively. 2. Build a cash reserve or emergency fund. This is the “rainy day” money you set aside for life’s surprises. 3. Pay down credit-card debt. Credit cards are a double-edged sword. Most people rely on them as a financial convenience, but credit cards have a “dark” side too, namely their relatively high rate of interest. Embrace the Household Budget Creating a budget involves allocating a set amount of money to spend on such items as housing, food, transportation, and entertainment — and to save for the future. A good first step is to keep a detailed record of all spending for at least 30 days. Every expense should be labeled, categorized, and subcategorized for tracking purposes. This may seem like a daunting task, but today’s technology could make it less tedious and possibly even fun. You can write down each expense or use computer software, online financial tools, or a mobile budgeting app. After 30 days, youmay notice that you tend to spend more than you thought on some types of items. Regardless of the budgeting method you prefer, the process can help you identify and curtail overspending. A budget doesn’t have to be overly restrictive to be effective, as long as it provides realistic spending guidelines that reflect your earnings and lifestyle. Only 44% of Americans say they have a budget and keep close track of their spending. Source: National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 2021 (most current data available)
43% Spend less than they earn 19% Spend more than they earn 34% Break even (earnings/ spending) The Bottom Line Percentage of Americans who Source: FINRA Investor Education Foundation, 2022 (2021 data, most current available) Be Prepared for Life’s Surprises A sudden job loss — even unexpected expenses like a major car repair and medical bill — could be devastating if you don’t have an adequate cash cushion. To avoid racking up debt during tough times, youmay want to keep a cash reserve fund that is large enough to cover living expenses for at least three to six months. Emergency funds typically should be held in a bank money market or savings account where the cash would be readily accessible when needed. A review of your spending habits may reveal some relatively painless ways to cut back, leaving a little more to sock away eachmonth. Here are two more ways to build up your emergency fund. • Divert a portion of salary. Determine howmuch income you can afford to set aside and transfer that amount automatically from your paycheck to a separate account. • Make themost of a windfall. Resolve to save your tax refund, annual bonus check, monetary gifts, and other unplanned income.
$30,000 Average cost of a wedding (in 2022) $375,700 U.S. median home price (March 2023) Life’s Expensive Milestones How Debt Can Stand in the Way of Progress Here’s a hypothetical example that demonstrates the true cost of carrying a large amount of credit-card debt. For someone with $25,000 of credit-card debt (15% interest rate) who consistently makes $400monthly payments, it would take 10 years to pay off the balance — and add up to $23,938 of interest. On the other hand, if the same $400 was invested monthly in an account earning a hypothetical 7% rate of return, the account could grow to $69,232 over the same 10 years. The difference between these two results— the investment opportunity lost to credit-card debt — is a surprising $93,170. When you think about it that way, it might make more sense to pay off high-interest credit-card debt before youmake any other investment. This hypothetical example is used for illustrative purposes only and does not represent any specific investment or credit card. It assumes a 7% annual return on the investment and a 15% annual interest rate on the credit cards. It also assumes a 10-year repayment schedule for the credit-card debt with no new charges added. Actual results will vary. Investments with the potential for higher rates of return also carry a greater degree of risk of loss.
$310,605 Estimated cost to raise a child born in 2015 to age 18 (with projected inflation) $23,250 Average annual cost to attend a four-year public college, 2022–2023 (in-state tuition, fees, room, and board) $53,430 Make that a private college Sources: The Knot, 2023; National Association of Realtors, 2023; Brookings, 2022 (based on 2015 USDA data); College Board, 2022 Escape the Credit-Card Trap The average credit-card balance was $5,910 in 2022.1 Although paying off your cards may not sound as appealing as a trip to Hawaii or a new car, it could prove to be one of the wisest “investments” you make. Here are four strategies to help pay down credit-card debt more quickly. 1. Pay more than the minimum monthly amounts whenever possible, and try to reduce the account balances on the highest-rate cards first. 2. Use low introductory rates or 0% balance transfers to help lower interest payments and pay off more of the balance during the promotional period. Before transferring balances, make sure any rates that might kick in later won’t be higher than normal, and resolve not to spend more and run up the balance again after you pay off the card. 3. Make monthly payments on time. The interest rate on some accounts may be much higher for cardholders who pay late or have low credit scores in general. 4. Call the credit-card company and try to negotiate a lower rate. 1 Experian, 2023
Regardless of where you live, what you do for a living, and the lifestyle you personally enjoy, there are many forms of insurance that could provide some financial protection from life’s unknowns. Therefore, it might be worth the time and effort to review your coverage and evaluate whether it is still adequate for your family’s needs. Protection Strategies Strengthening Your “Safety Net”
1 Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2023 Homeowners Insurance A home could be the single largest investment youmake in your lifetime. Homeowners insurance provides compensation (up to the policy limits) if your home is damaged or destroyed, or if your family’s possessions are stolen or damaged. It can also provide some measure of protection against liability claims and medical expenses that result from property damage or injuries suffered by others on the property. Auto Insurance People rarely stop to think about the dangers associated with driving and many other normal, everyday activities. Auto insurance not only helps protect your vehicle, but it may also shield you from liability for damage or injury (up to policy limits) caused by you or someone else driving your car. Health Insurance As health-care costs have risen, workers who can enroll in an employer-sponsored medical planmay notice plan changes such as higher premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance rates. Individuals who are not covered by employer-sponsored health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or another government program can purchase insurance that meets minimum standards directly from a private insurance company (or broker) or from an exchange run by their state or the federal government. The official site is HealthCare.gov. Medicare Medicare is the U.S. government’s health insurance program for people ages 65 and older as well as younger individuals with specific disabilities and illnesses. Even withMedicare, there are some fairly stiff deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. In fact, Medicare typically covers only about 60% of the cost of health-care services for beneficiaries age 65 and older.1 An alternative to Original Medicare is Medicare Advantage (Part C) —private plans that provide the benefits and services of Medicare Parts A and B and may offer additional benefits such as vision, wellness, and prescription drug coverage.
Source: Insurance Information Institute, 2023 (most current data available) Damage from wind and hail is the most common type of homeowners insurance claim, but fires are generally the most expensive. Homeowners’ Losses by Severity of Claims (weighted average, 2016–2020) Why Homeowners Depend on Insurance Theft $4,415 Fire/lightning $77,340 Bodily injury/property damage (liability) $30,323 Wind/hail $11,695 Water damage/ freezing $11,650 Medical payments (liability) $7,147
Even with insurance, health costs can be a financial burden. In 2021, 20% of adults had major, unexpected medical bills to pay. Source: Federal Reserve, 2022 A Bitter Pill Health-care costs for the typical American family of four with employer coverage reached $30,260 in 2022. The family’s share amounted to $12,683 in payroll deductions and out-of-pocket expenses— more than the family would spend on groceries. Source: Milliman Medical Index, 2022 $25,561 2020 2021 2022 $28,932 $30,260 Annual health-care costs for a family of four
Disability Income Insurance A disabling illness or injury that prevents you from earning a living could ruin your efforts to secure a comfortable financial future. Many employers offer short-term group disability insurance, but the coverage may last only a fewweeks or months. Long-term group disability coverage generally replaces only 50% to 60% of a worker’s income, and any benefits would be taxable if the employer paid the premiums. Few people would be able to meet all their expenses if they had to live on half of their current salaries. How can you help protect your income and lifestyle from the financial ramifications of a prolonged disability? Youmight consider purchasing an individual disability income insurance policy if you are self-employed or your employer coverage is insufficient for your family’s needs. It might surprise you to know that about one in four of today’s 20-year-olds can expect to be out of work for at least one year because of a disabling condition before they reach age 67. Without disability income insurance protection, that could spell financial disaster. Source: Social Security Administration, 2023
Life Insurance There are two basic types of life insurance. Term insurance is pure insurance that is purchased for a specified but limited period of time. When the term expires, coverage ends. It tends to be more affordable, especially for younger individuals. Permanent (whole life) insurance also offers a death benefit, but the insurance remains in force for the rest of policy owner’s lifetime, as long as premiums are paid. In addition, a portion of the premiums goes into a cash-value account that accumulates on a tax-deferred basis. The cost and availability of life insurance depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Before implementing a strategy involving life insurance, it would be prudent to make sure that you are insurable. As withmost financial decisions, there are expenses associated with the purchase of life insurance. Policies commonly have mortality and expense charges. In addition, if a policy is surrendered prematurely, there may be surrender charges and income tax implications. Any guarantees are contingent on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
A sound investment strategy based on your financial goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance could serve you well over the long run. To build a portfolio that could help meet your needs, you should consider why you are investing and the time frame available before you need the money. If you are investing for your children’s college education, for example, youmay not be able to assume as much investment risk because your time frame is short. If retirement is a long way off, youmay be able to invest more aggressively. In addition, you should think about your tolerance for risk, which refers to howwell you tend to handle dramatic ups and downs in the markets and changes in the value of your portfolio. Investing Fundamentals Building a Portfolio
Understanding basic investment strategies may help you make more informed investing decisions. Asset allocation involves dividing your portfolio into different asset classes — typically, stocks, bonds, and cash— to seek the highest potential return based on your risk tolerance. This process can help you balance investments that have lower levels of risk with those that have a higher potential for growth. Diversification generally means “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Different types of investments may react to changing market conditions in different ways. When your money is diversified, gains in one area may help compensate for losses in another. By distributing your holdings among a variety of investments, you can help limit your risk of loss in any one sector of the market. Dollar-cost averaging involves investing a fixed amount of money at regular intervals, such as monthly. By investing the same amount consistently over time, you are able to buy more shares of an investment when the price is low and fewer shares when the price is high, whichmay result in a lower average cost per share over time. Because dollar-cost averaging involves making periodic investments, you should consider your financial ability and willingness to continue making purchases during periods of low and high price levels. These strategies may seemunexciting, but much of their value comes from reducing the potential to react emotionally during periods of market volatility. Asset allocation, diversification, and dollar-cost averaging won’t guarantee a profit or prevent a loss; they are methods used to help manage investment risk. Investments offering the potential for higher rates of return also involve a higher degree of risk of principal. The return and principal value of all investments fluctuate with changes inmarket conditions. Shares, when sold, and bonds redeemed prior to maturity may be worthmore or less than their original cost.
Tax Issues Managing Your Tax Burden It’s not easy to keep up with complex tax laws that always seem to be changing, much less figure out how they might affect your finances. Even so, it is important to consider taxes when making financial decisions. You may even be able to postpone or reduce your tax obligation with some careful planning and the guidance of a tax professional. Federal Income Tax Brackets There are seven federal income tax brackets, ranging from 10% to 37%. This table shows the taxable income ranges for single filers and married joint filers for the 2023 tax year. Dollar limitations are adjusted annually for inflation. Single filers Joint filers Tax rate Up to $11,000 Up to $22,000 10% $11,000 to $44,725 $22,000 to $89,450 12% $44,725 to $95,375 $89,450 to $190,750 22% $95,375 to $182,100 $190,750 to $364,200 24% $182,100 to $231,250 $364,200 to $462,500 32% $231,250 to $578,125 $462,500 to $693,750 35% Over $578,125 Over $693,750 37% Taxable income ranges for 2023 Source: Internal Revenue Service, 2023
After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 nearly doubled the prior standard deduction amounts and eliminated the deduction for personal exemptions, more taxpayers take the standard deduction rather than itemizing deductions, leading to a less complex tax filing season. *The net investment income tax (also called the Medicare surtax on net investment income) applies to the lesser of (a) net investment income or (b) the amount by which modified adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds the above thresholds. It does not apply to municipal bond interest or IRA/qualified retirement plan withdrawals. Source: Internal Revenue Service, 2023 Investment Tax Rates The tax code treats capital gains and dividends differently from ordinary income, such as that received from wages or interest from bonds and savings accounts. High-income taxpayers may also be subject to a 3.8% net investment income tax on capital gains, dividends, interest, royalties, rents, and passive income if their modified adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds $200,000 (single filers) or $250,000 ( joint filers). Single filers Joint filers Tax rate Long-term capital gain and dividend tax (2023 taxable income thresholds) Up to $44,625 Up to $89,250 0% $44,626 up to $492,300 $89,251 up to $553,850 15% Over $492,300 Over $553,850 20% Net investment income tax (2022 AGI thresholds) Over $200,000 Over $250,000 3.8%* Short-term capital gains on investments held 12 months or less are taxed as ordinary income, so investors in the top 37% tax bracket could owe up to 40.8% on short-term gains.
Retirement Planning Funding a Comfortable Financial Future Setting the stage for a comfortable retirement involves determining how much you need to save and developing a roadmap to pursue your goal. It’s never too early to prepare for retirement. The beneficial impact of compounding is enhanced for workers who start saving early in their careers. People who wait until they are older to save for retirement have less time on their side and will typically have to invest muchmore of their incomes to achieve the same result.
How much money will you need? It basically depends on a number of factors specific to your personal situation. You might start by addressing these questions: Considering these and other retirement expenses, especially the potential for higher health-care costs, experts suggest that you might need at least 70% to 80% of your pre-retirement income to live comfortably in retirement. Have you considered the impact of inflation on your savings needs? If the average 30-year inflation rate of 2.50% were to continue going forward, an item that cost $1 in 2023 would cost more than $2 in 2053 — twice as much! What retirement lifestyle do you envision? Do you plan to move, travel extensively, or maintain a country club membership? You might need more than someone who anticipates a more frugal lifestyle. How many years will you spend in retirement? Consider your health and family history. At what age would you like to retire? The earlier you retire, the more financial resources you may need. Will you pay for health-care expenses out of pocket, or will a former employer help cover the costs? It’s estimated that some couples who retired at age 65 in 2022 could need as much as $383,000 in savings to cover their health expenses in retirement. Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2023 This hypothetical example is used for illustrative purposes only. Actual results will vary.
Social Security: Benefits are based on your earnings history and the age when you claimbenefits. If you retire at your “full retirement” age —which ranges from 66 to 67 —you will receive your “full” Social Security benefit. If you choose to claim benefits at age 62 (the earliest claiming age), you will receive a permanently reduced benefit (25% to 30% less than the full benefit, depending on your year of birth). If you delay claiming benefits after reaching full retirement age, you will receive a larger benefit — about 8%more for each year you delay, up to age 70. Married couples may have additional filing strategies to maximize lifetime benefits. Personal savings and investments: Unless you receive a traditional pension, the money you save and invest will make up the bulk of your retirement income. Youmight invest in IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans. And youmight supplement these plans with taxable financial vehicles such as stocks, bonds, cash alternatives, and mutual funds. Mutual funds are sold by prospectus. Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the investment company, can be obtained from your financial professional. Be sure to read the prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest. Even though you might receive annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), Social Security shouldn’t be counted on to cover all your living expenses in retirement. The average monthly benefit for all retired workers in December 2022 was only $1,825. Source: Social Security Administration, 2023 What Income Sources Will You Have?
401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan Traditional and Roth IRAs (combined limit) Regular annual limit Catch-up contribution for workers age 50 and older Retirement Plan Contribution Limits (2023 tax year) If you are eligible to contribute to an IRA or an employersponsored retirement plan, your annual tax-deductible or pre-tax contributions are capped by federal law. $1,000 $6,500 $22,500 $7,500 $7,500 $30,000
Estate Matters Preserving Wealth Your estate comprises all the wealth you have accumulated over your lifetime, including real estate, stocks, bonds, business interests, retirement plans, personal effects, and anything else you own. Effective estate conservation can provide several benefits: • Select the people and organizations you want to receive your assets, and determine how and when they will receive their inheritance • Choose individuals who will manage your estate, including an executor, a trustee, and others • Choose guardians for minor-age children • Help reduce estate settlement costs, including probate
Important Estate Documents Having certain legal documents in place can provide a roadmap that your heirs can follow. It is important to keep these documents up-to-date and in a secure location that is known to family members and/or trusted professionals. A last will and testament is a good start, but it won’t prevent your estate from going through the probate process, which can be expensive and time-consuming for heirs. Here are some of the documents that typically make up an estate plan. Power of Attorney Gives someone of your choosing the authority to act on your behalf in legal and financial matters. A durable power of attorney designates someone to act on your behalf even in the event that you become disabled or incapacitated. A medical power of attorney gives someone the authority to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to make them yourself. Last Will and Testament Provides instructions detailing how you want your estate to be distributed. Contracts The assets in life insurance policies, pensions, IRAs, and retirement plans will pass directly to the beneficiaries you have designated on the account beneficiary forms, superseding instructions in a will. These assets typically are not subject to probate. Trust Enables you to specify how and when assets in the trust should be distributed after your death. Assets in a trust may avoid probate and possibly estate taxes. A trust can also be used to provide for a dependent with special needs and to make a substantial contribution to your favorite charitable organization. Living Will Differs from a standard will in that it outlines which medical procedures you will allow in the event of a debilitating or chronic illness. It is often used to authorize termination of artificial life support in the event of terminal illness. The use of trusts involves a complex web of tax rules and regulations. You should consider the counsel of an experienced estate planning professional and your legal and tax professionals before implementing such strategies. There are initial costs and ongoing expenses associated with the creation andmaintenance of trusts.
Have you taken the time to list and prioritize your financial objectives? If you start preparing today and resolve to stay focused on your goals, you might accomplish more than you ever imagined. © Prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions. © 2023 Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
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For Ben Franklin, abortion was basic arithmetic
EMILY FENG, HOST:
Bear with me as we go back in time, way back to Philadelphia in 1748. Benjamin Franklin put quill to paper that year, so to speak, adapting a popular British math textbook for the American colonies. He told readers his goal was to update the book with matters, quote, "more immediately useful to Americans." Among those matters, the founding father added a clear and easy-to-follow guide for an at-home abortion drawn from a medical pamphlet written by a doctor in Virginia. So how does that square with a leaked Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, specifically the contention that, quote, "a right to abortion is not deeply rooted in the nation's histories and traditions"?
Molly Farrell studies early American literature as an associate professor at the Ohio State University, which means she knows a lot about the nation's histories and traditions. She wrote about Franklin's abortion how-to for Slate and joins us now. Welcome, Molly.
MOLLY FARRELL: Thanks, Emily. It's great to be here.
FENG: Start by telling us a little bit about the original version of this textbook, which was called "The Instructor." What was in this book, and what was its purpose?
FARRELL: So "The Instructor" was by George Fisher, who is a pseudonym. We don't know who wrote it. It was a really popular catch-all manual published in London. I believe it went through eight or nine editions in London. And you could learn to read on it. It had the alphabet in it. It had basic arithmetic, recipes. And it had a how-to book on farriery, which is the care for horses' hooves.
So books were expensive at the time. And if you just had money to buy one or two books in your home, the Bible and maybe something else, this would be a great reference manual.
FENG: And Franklin saw this as useful for an American audience, but he wanted to make it more relevant for the colonies. What changes did he make to this textbook?
FARRELL: Yes. So he called it "The American Instructor." In the arithmetic section and the word problems, he changed the place names - made them Boston and Jamaica instead of London and Flanders. He added a little section on colonial history. And then the biggest change you can see from the title page is that he swapped out the big section on farriery and a medical textbook that was from London, and he inserted it with a Virginia medical handbook from 1734 called "Every Man His Own Doctor: The Poor Planter's Physician."
FENG: And what was in that section of the book?
FARRELL: So that's what I was most interested in. So I don't know if you grew up with these. You'd have a book around that just had, like, home remedies. You don't need to call your doctor for this. You can take care of it yourself. So I was looking at all the different entries in there, and there was one that was pretty long and pretty obvious. And it was called "For The Suppression Of The Courses." And I was reading this, and it comes right after entries for fever or dropsy. So those are - the entries were listed as problems that need to be solved. So fever, here's how to solve it. Gleet or gout, here's how to solve it. Suppression of the courses, here's how to solve it. And the word courses, from about the 15th to the 19th century - I looked in the dictionary - it means menses. So it means your period. So that's a missed period.
So I thought, OK, how do you solve the problem of a missed period? And it says this is a common complaint among unmarried women that they miss their period. And then it starts to prescribe basically all of the best-known herbal abortifacients and contraceptives that were circulating at the time. It's just sort of a greatest hits of what 18th-century herbalists would have given a woman who wanted to end a pregnancy early in her pregnancy. And that's what, by the way, this abortifacient recipe would really be for was really early. It talks about, like, make sure you start to take it a week before you expect to be out of order. So take it before you've even missed that period, and it will be most effective. So it's very explicit, very detailed, also very accurate for the time in terms of what was known at the time for how to end a pregnancy pretty early on.
And then at the end, it just really comes out swinging and lets you know this is definitely related to sex 'cause it says, you know, also women - you know, in order to prevent this complaint at the end - so prevention for next time - don't long for pretty fellows or any other trash whatsoever.
FENG: You write in your article for Slate that Ben Franklin's instructions for an at-home abortion were actually taken from a medical pamphlet that was written by someone else. That seems to suggest that this knowledge was quite common. How much other documentation out there do we have from this time about abortion?
FARRELL: That's a good question. I mean, so, you know, if you kind of were in the market in Philadelphia and some women were chatting, what were they talking about? And particularly when you think about herbal remedies and herbal remedies for, as it says, female infirmities in the book, that's going to be something that's even less likely to enter into print because we have - midwives are taking care of that. Women's literacy rates were lower. They're not writing medical textbooks, but they have all this knowledge.
So what John Tennant did, this Virginia handbook - he tried to make it a really American herbal. And one way that typically that was done was stealing herbal knowledge from indigenous people in Virginia and from enslaved Africans. A lot of early American scientists, that's where they got their knowledge, and then they put it into print and called it their own.
What's interesting about what Franklin did is that he made sure to find a very American and actually very detailed, very accurate, according to the time, and very explicit herbal remedy and then promote it. You know, he was platforming it, basically. He circulated it loudly. He appended it into a volume that he was saying, this is basically all the knowledge that every American should know. And you should know your reading. And you should know your writing. And you should know home remedies that include how to have an abortion if you need to.
FENG: If this knowledge about the, quote, "suppression of the courses" back then was just as commonplace then as learning how to add or to spell, then how was abortion conceptualized? Was it considered taboo?
FARRELL: Clearly for Benjamin Franklin, one of the architects of our nation, and for the people that bought his book, which went through reprintings all the way throughout the 18th century, "The American Instructor" was hugely popular. It was absolutely not taboo. This was not banned. We don't even have any records of people objecting to this. It didn't really bother anybody that a typical instructional manual could include material like this, could include - address explicitly to a female audience, making sure they had all the herbals available to them that their local midwife might have as well and just putting that right into print. It just wasn't something to be remarked upon. It was just a part of everyday life.
FENG: These days, people who oppose abortion will talk about the rights of the fetus. Was that part of the public conversation at the time Ben Franklin was adapting this textbook?
FARRELL: I really haven't seen much of that at all. I mean, there's certainly concerns about women's sexual behavior. There's certainly concerns about morality and immorality and also whether or not that women would try to conceal what happens.
It's really about regulation of women. And that, I think, we can trace all the way right up to today and really see this attack on abortion rights as completely contiguous with that. It goes under the guise of supposedly protecting embryos and fetuses. But what happens is that it really damages and threatens women's health and constrains the lives of anyone who could become pregnant.
FENG: Molly Farrell is an associate professor of English at the Ohio State University. Thank you.
FARRELL: Thank you so much, Emily.
(SOUNDBITE OF SIMPLY THREE'S "RAIN") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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The story of Ganesha and Ravana is an intriguing tale that showcases the wisdom and power of Lord Ganesha and the arrogance and downfall of the demon king Ravana. It portrays an encounter between these two prominent characters from Hindu mythology.
According to the legend, Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Lanka, was an incredibly powerful and intelligent being. He had amassed great knowledge and performed intense penance to obtain extraordinary boons from the gods. This made him nearly invincible and filled him with pride and ego.
One day, Ravana's arrogance reached its peak. He began to believe that he was superior to all gods and that no one could defeat him. Seeking validation for his belief, Ravana decided to challenge Lord Shiva, the supreme deity, in a display of his power.
Ravana traveled to Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, and began to uproot the mountain itself. Seeing Ravana's audacity, Lord Shiva, in order to teach him a lesson, pressed the mountain down with his toe, trapping Ravana underneath.
As Ravana struggled beneath the weight of Mount Kailash, he realized his mistake and sought forgiveness from Lord Shiva. Realizing the depth of Ravana's remorse, Lord Shiva released him from his predicament. However, he warned Ravana of the consequences of his arrogance and advised him to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha for ultimate protection.
Accepting Lord Shiva's advice, Ravana set out to find Lord Ganesha. He wanted to obtain Ganesha's favor and secure invincibility against any form of harm. Ravana believed that if he appeased Ganesha, he would be unstoppable and could conquer any challenge.
Ravana located Lord Ganesha and began performing a rigorous penance to please him. As the penance grew in intensity, Ravana offered his heads one by one as sacrifice to Ganesha. Pleased by Ravana's unwavering devotion, Ganesha granted him a boon.
Ravana, driven by his desire for invincibility, made an audacious request. He asked Ganesha to grant him immunity from death at the hands of gods, demons, and other celestial beings. Ganesha, knowing the consequences of such a boon, agreed but added a twist to the condition.
Ganesha granted Ravana the requested immunity, but he cleverly excluded humans from the list of beings that could cause Ravana's demise. Ganesha foresaw that it would be a human who would ultimately bring about Ravana's downfall.
Ravana, unaware of the hidden implication, rejoiced in his newfound invincibility and returned to Lanka. However, his arrogance and oppression continued, leading to his ultimate confrontation with Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who was aided by an army of monkeys led by Lord Hanuman.
In the epic battle that followed, Ravana's immortality was put to the test. Lord Rama, a human, fought valiantly and skillfully against Ravana, ultimately slaying him and bringing an end to his reign of tyranny. This demonstrated the significance of Ganesha's clever twist in the boon and the inevitability of the downfall of arrogance.
The story of Ganesha and Ravana serves as a reminder of the consequences of excessive pride and ego. It illustrates that no matter how powerful or invincible one may appear, there is always a force greater than oneself that can bring about a humbling downfall.
Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of humility, devotion, and seeking the blessings of higher powers for guidance and protection. It teaches that true strength lies in acknowledging one's limitations, respecting the powers beyond oneself, and approaching life with humility and gratitude.
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Both in winter and summer, the mountains are a great destination for a healthier body and mind.
Several studies, including one carried out on behalf of Auvergne- Rhône-Alpes Tourisme by SPRIM, a leading agency that specialises in medical and scientific monitoring, have shown that the mountain environment has a noticeable positive impact on human health.
Observed benefits include:
- Stress reduction
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Resistance to obesity
- Strengthened immune system
Together, these factors demonstrate the positive effects of the mountains on life expectancy and the quality of life. Such rewarding virtues can only enhance our relationship with the mountains.
And that’s before we even mention the extraordinary scenery to feast your eyes on.
A holiday in the mountains oxygenates you with a breath of fresh air. It gets you away from city life and closer to nature. It puts you on a high (literally) and lightens your heart. Did you say Les Gets ?
It seems the ideal atmospheric pressure to re-en- ergise you is found at elevations of between 800 and 2 000 metres.
Like top athletes who train at high altitude before major events, we can strengthen our organisms by breathing that fresh mountain air, not to mention the memorable experiences to be had that boost our minds and overall wellbeing.
So YES, we can shout it on the mountain tops. Mountains for health !
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Potassium citrate is a common form of potassium found in a number of foods and an important compound for maintaining the renal system and other bodily functions. You can find potassium citrate in food like fruits.
What Is Potassium Citrate?
Potassium citrate is a salt formed when certain forms of potassium react with citric acid. It is present in a number of fruits and vegetables, especially those high in both potassium and citric acid. According to the National Institutes of Health, "Some research suggests that supplementation with potassium citrate reduces ... the risk of kidney stone formation and growth."
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The fact sheet for health professionals on potassium continues, "Observational studies suggest that increased consumption of potassium from fruits and vegetables is associated with increased bone mineral density. This evidence, combined with evidence from metabolic studies and a few clinical trials, suggests that dietary potassium may improve bone health."
Potassium is an essential dietary nutrient vital to virtually all bodily processes, present in every human cell. The recommended total daily intake of all forms of potassium is 2,600 milligrams for adult women and 3,400 milligrams for men. There are three main forms of potassium citrate in food: potassium phosphate, potassium sulfate and potassium citrate.
Should You Take Potassium Citrate?
The National Institutes of Health fact sheet reports that the best source of potassium for health is dietary, via fresh fruits and vegetables. If you are considering a potassium supplement, consult your doctor about the right potassium citrate dosage for you. Be sure to mention if you use a sodium substitute containing potassium, as this is important when considering your potassium citrate dosage.
Warning: An overdose from a potassium citrate dosage that is too high and potassium supplements can cause nausea and vomiting, fatigue or confusion, tingling or other strange sensations in the extremities, an abnormal heart rhythm or even cardiac arrest. Seek emergency care immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests getting the bulk of your vital nutrients from produce, particularly potassium: "Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure."
Further, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says, "Vegetables and fruits rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may lower blood pressure, and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss." To get the most benefit from potassium citrate, natural sources are the key.
Signs of Low Potassium Levels
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, it is rare to experience a potassium deficiency when eating a standard diet, as it is found in an abundance of foods. Certain conditions that cause fluid loss, as well as a deficiency in magnesium which balances potassium levels, can cause symptoms of potassium deficiency as well.
These symptoms are not entirely dissimilar to the symptoms of potassium overdose, as the systems which malfunction are the same. Once again, these symptoms include:
- Muscle weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pains or irregular heart rate
Contact a doctor before taking potassium supplements, and seek emergency medical care if you experience any of these symptoms. Potassium supplements can be contraindicated with a number of health conditions as well as various medications.
One important factor in potassium levels is the balance between potassium and sodium. A landmark cohort study published July 2011 in the Archives of Internal Medicine found people who ate a diet high in sodium and low in potassium were at a significantly greater risk of early death from a heart attack or, in fact, any other cause.
The study suggests making dietary changes with this in mind: "Because sodium is added to many foods, especially processed foods, while potassium is naturally present in most foods, a low sodium-potassium ratio may be a marker of high intake of plant foods and lower intake of processed foods."
In other words, eat less cheese, aged meats, breads, canned soups, fast foods, pastries and other sugary products. Replace these convenience foods with fruits, vegetables, fresh dairy and hot beverages like tea.
Potassium Citrate in Food
Because potassium citrate in food is produced in the presence of citric acid, it is most common in foods that contain this acid in abundance, the best sources being fruit. Pomegranate juice and orange juice are popular choices, both high in potassium based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as well as citric acid, making them excellent citrate natural sources.
One cup of pomegranate arils (the fruit, with flesh, juice and seed) contains:
- Almost 3 grams of protein
- Just over 2 grams of fat
- 32.5 grams of carbohydrates
- 7 grams of fiber and 23.8 grams of sugar
The bulk of the fiber and fat is present in the pomegranate seeds, while the vitamin and mineral content, along with the sugars come from the juice. One cup of pomegranate juice also has 27 milligrams of calcium and 0.25 milligrams of iron.
A September 2017 literature review in Nutrients found that, "A small number of human clinical trials have highlighted the positive effects of pomegranate juice and extract consumption on cardiovascular health." The authors recommend further research in human trials on the role that pomegranate juice might play in lowering inflammation in the body.
All citrus fruits are sources of citric acid and many are also a good source of potassium. One cup of orange juice contains 496 milligrams of potassium, and as you may suspect, citric acid is the acid which naturally forms inside citrus fruits.
One cup of fresh orange juice also contains:
- 1.74 grams of protein
- 0.5 grams of fat
- Just over 25 grams of carbohydrates
- 0.5 grams of fiber and just over 20 grams of sugars
- 27 milligrams of calcium and 0.5 milligrams of iron
A December 2014 study of dietary therapies for kidney stone prevention published in the Korean Journal of Urology found that lemon, lime, orange and melon had the greatest concentration of citrate for use as a dietary intervention against hypocitraturia, abnormally low citrate excretion.
"Consuming fruit juice prevents stone formation not only because it increases urine volume but also because it is high in potassium and citric acid," the report states. "Citrate prevents stone formation by two mechanisms. First, it binds with urinary calcium, thereby reducing the supersaturation of urine. In addition, it binds calcium oxalate crystals and prevents crystal growth."
One cup of unsweetened passion fruit juice contains a whopping 687 milligrams of potassium. It is another one of the citrate natural sources. While purple passion fruits are sweeter, yellow passion fruits are high in citric acid, and it shows in their sour taste.
Yellow passion fruits contain more than four times as much citric acid as purple, according to a lecture by Prof. Robert J. Lancashire in the Department of Chemistry at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, so it is an even better option for people seeking citrate natural sources.
One cup of unsweetened yellow passion fruit juice also contains:
- 1.65 grams of protein
- less than half a gram of fat
- 35.69 grams of carbohydrates, almost all of which is sugar
- 0.5 grams of dietary fiber
- 10 milligrams of calcium and 0.89 milligrams of iron
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration: "CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21"
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: PubChem: "Citric Acid"
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: "Potassium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals"
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus: "Potassium"
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: ChooseMyPlate: "Nutrients and Health Benefits"
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "Potassium"
- Health.gov: "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015-2020: Appendix 10. Food Sources of Potassium"
- Journal of Food Composition and Analysis: "Organic Acids and Phenolic Compounds in Pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) Grown in Turkey"
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release: "Basic Report: 09286, Pomegranates, Raw"
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release: "Basic Report: 09233, Passion-fruit Juice, Yellow, Raw"
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release: "Basic Report: 09206, Orange Juice, Raw (Includes Foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)"
- Nutrients: "Could Pomegranate Juice Help in the Control of Inflammatory Diseases?"
- Korean Journal of Urology: "Medical and Dietary Therapy for Kidney Stone Prevention"
- University of the West Indies Department of Chemistry: "The Chemistry of Passion Fruit"
- Archives of Internal Medicine: "Sodium and Potassium Intake and Mortality Among US Adults"
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All about Interactive Voice Response: definition and benefits of IVR
More and more companies are using IVR. Why use IVR ? What are the benefits ? Read this article to learn more.
What is IVR ?
First of all, IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response. It is a feature of telephone devices that large companies have developed with perfection. This feature allows you to interact with a person without being present. IVR works a bit like the chatbot that allows you to chat through text messages. The difference is that IVR works via phone calls with programmed oral voice with precise answers. To learn more, click on aircall.
It is important to understand IVR requires programming. It is simple and easy to set up. But, you can’t do it, if you don’t have the required knowledge in the field. The best thing would be to ask an expert in the field to set it up for you. This feature is used by big companies to save more time and to satisfy their customers properly. You need to set up such a system to succeed in your business.
Benefits of IVR
The number of people who want to succeed in growing their business is increasing every day. The competition is growing day by day. The only way to stand out from this competition is to implement a system that works faster and more efficiently than the others, a system like IVR. IVR is a system that allows you to interact with your customers using pre-programmed voice messages. This way of doing things allows you to better manage a large part of your clientele.
It is important to remember that customer management is the key to successfully develop your business. Therefore, you must not neglect your clientele. The IVR has a very particular asset that makes the difference between companies that use it and those that do not. It allows to guide step by step the customers to be able to find a solution to their problem. In case the problem is complicated, it leaves you in charge. So it is a way to go faster and enjoy the time.
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As individuals, we all pass through stages, and adolescence is a critical one. It is a period of significant changes, both mentally and physically. Adolescence is the bridge between childhood and adulthood, and it is characterized by various social, emotional, physical, and cognitive changes. Therefore, understanding adolescent psychology is of utmost importance in life.
The Basics of Adolescent Psychology
Adolescent psychology involves the study of the factors that trigger mental, physical, social, and emotional changes that adolescents undergo. At this stage, individuals are driven by hormones and experience rapid brain development, and their social and emotional intelligence is enhanced. Many concerns come with this period, such as self-esteem, identity development, drug and substance abuse, and romantic relationships, among others.
Physical Changes During Adolescence
Physically, adolescence is marked by the onset of puberty. Puberty leads to several transformations in adolescence, such as primary sexual characteristics such as menstruation, and changes in the voice and body shape. Sexual development can sometimes be a challenge; therefore, it is crucial to handle this with care and offer the right information to adolescents.
Emotional and Social Intelligence
During adolescence, individuals’ social and emotional intelligence is enhanced through experiences and learning. Adolescents want to develop a sense of identity and independence but can also be vulnerable and sensitive when it comes to social validation. It is crucial to monitor these emotional changes keenly to offer guidance and the necessary support to develop healthy relationships.
Cognitive development is another critical aspect of adolescent psychology. During adolescence, individuals develop their critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities, which help to build their cognitive skills. However, adolescents’ decisions can sometimes be influenced by social pressure from peers, and understanding the impact of this can be crucial.
Substance Abuse and Risk-Taking Behaviors
Adolescence is a time when many individuals are experimenting with drugs and alcohol. As a result, it is critical to educate adolescents about the risks involved to prevent any harmful consequences. Additionally, adolescents can exhibit risky behavior, and it is essential to understand the reasons behind the behaviors to provide the necessary support.
As discussed above, adolescence is a complex stage that requires understanding and attention. Parents, teachers, caretakers, and other stakeholders should understand adolescent psychology to provide effective guidance and support. Understanding the physical, emotional, and social changes during this period, as well as the impact of peer pressure, substance abuse, and risky behavior, is critical to ensure adolescents’ wellbeing. Therefore, we should all endeavor to learn about adolescent psychology to better understand and support our youth, who are the leaders of tomorrow.
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‘Civilisation’s going to pieces,’ Tom Buchanan, the Yale-educated millionaire, abruptly informs Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby. ‘I’ve gotten to be a terrible pessimist about things. Have you read The Rise of the Colored Empires by this man Goddard? … The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be – will be utterly submerged.’ ‘Tom’s getting very profound,’ his wife Daisy remarks. Buchanan carries on: ‘This fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things.’ ‘We’ve got to beat them down,’ Daisy whispers with a wink at Nick. But there’s no stopping Buchanan. ‘And we’ve produced all the things that go to make civilisation – oh, science and art, and all that. Do you see?’
‘There was something pathetic in his concentration,’ Carraway, the narrator, observes, ‘as if his complacency, more acute than of old, was not enough to him any more.’ The scene, early in the novel, helps identify Buchanan as a bore – and a boor. It also evokes a deepening panic among America’s Anglophile ruling class. Wary of Jay Gatz, the self-made man with a fake Oxbridge pedigree, Buchanan is nervous about other upstarts rising out of nowhere to challenge the master race.
Scott Fitzgerald based Goddard, at least partly, on Theodore Lothrop Stoddard, the author of the bestseller The Rising Tide of Color against White World Supremacy (1920). Stoddard’s fame was a sign of his times, of the overheated racial climate of the early 20th century, in which the Yellow Peril seemed real, the Ku Klux Klan had re-emerged, and Theodore Roosevelt worried loudly about ‘race-suicide’. In 1917, justifying his reluctance to involve the United States in the European war, Woodrow Wilson told his secretary of state that ‘white civilisation and its domination over the world rested largely on our ability to keep this country intact.’
Hysteria about ‘white civilisation’ gripped America after Europe’s self-mutilation in the First World War had encouraged political assertiveness among subjugated peoples from Egypt to China. Unlike other popular racists, who parsed the differences between Nordic and Latin peoples, Stoddard proposed a straightforward division of the world into white and coloured races. He also invested early in Islamophobia, arguing in The New World of Islam (1921) that Muslims posed a sinister threat to a hopelessly fractious and confused West. Like many respectable eugenicists of his time, Stoddard later found much to like about the Nazis, which marked him out for instant superannuation following the exposure of Nazi crimes in 1945.
The banner of white supremacism has been more warily raised ever since in post-imperial Europe, and very rarely by mainstream politicians and writers. In the United States, racial anxieties have been couched either in such pseudo-scientific tracts about the inferiority of certain races as The Bell Curve, or in big alarmist theories like Samuel Huntington’s ‘clash of civilisations’. It’s not at all surprising that in his last book Huntington fretted about the destruction by Latino immigration of America’s national identity, which is apparently a construct of ‘Anglo-Protestant culture’. As power ostensibly shifts to the East, a counterpoise to dismay over the West’s loss of authority and influence is sought in a periodic ballyhooing of the ‘trans-Atlantic alliance’, as in Philip Bobbitt’s Terror and Consent (2008), which Niall Ferguson in an enthusiastic review claimed will ‘be read with pleasure by men of a certain age, class and education from Manhattan’s Upper East Side to London’s West End’.
Ferguson himself is homo atlanticus redux. In a preface to the UK edition of Civilisation: The West and the Rest, he writes of being seduced away from a stodgy Oxbridge career, early in the 2000s, to the United States, ‘where the money and power actually were’. The author of two previous books about 19th-century banking, Ferguson became known to the general public with The Pity of War (1998), a long polemic, fluent and bristling with scholarly references, that blamed Britain for causing the First World War. According to Ferguson, Prussia wasn’t the threat it was made out to be by Britain’s Liberal cabinet. The miscalculation not only made another war inevitable after 1919, and postponed the creation of an inevitably German-dominated European Union to the closing decades of the 20th century, it also tragically and fatally weakened Britain’s grasp on its overseas possessions.
This wistful vision of an empire on which the sun need never have set had an immediately obvious defect. It grossly underestimated – in fact, ignored altogether – the growing strength of anti-colonial movements across Asia, which, whatever happened in Europe, would have undermined Britain’s dwindling capacity to manage its vast overseas holdings. At the time, however, The Pity of War seemed boyishly and engagingly revisionist, and it established Ferguson’s reputation: he was opinionated, ‘provocative’ and amusing, all things that seem to be more cherished in Britain’s intellectual culture than in any other.
In retrospect, The Pity of War’s Stoddardesque laments about the needless emasculation of Anglo-Saxon power announced a theme that would become more pronounced as Ferguson, setting aside his expertise in economic history, emerged as an evangelist-cum-historian of empire. He was already arguing in The Cash Nexus, published a few months before the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, that ‘the United States should be devoting a larger percentage of its vast resources to making the world safe for capitalism and democracy’ – if necessary by military force. ‘Let me come clean,’ he wrote in the New York Times Magazine in April 2003, a few weeks after the shock-and-awe campaign began in Iraq, ‘I am a fully paid-up member of the neoimperialist gang.’
Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World (2003), Ferguson’s next book, appeared in America with a more didactic subtitle: ‘The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power’. The word ‘empire’ still caused some unease in the US, whose own national myths originated in an early, short-lived and selective anti-imperialism. An exasperated Ferguson – ‘the United States,’ he claimed, ‘is an empire, in short, that dare not speak its name’ – set out to rescue the word from the discredit into which political correctness had apparently cast it. Britain’s 19th-century empire ‘undeniably pioneered free trade, free capital movements and, with the abolition of slavery, free labour. It invested immense sums in developing a global network of modern communications. It spread and enforced the rule of law over vast areas.’ ‘Without the spread of British rule around the world,’ he went on, in a typical counterfactual manoeuvre, colonised peoples, such as Indians, would not have what are now their most valuable ideas and institutions – parliamentary democracy, individual freedom and the English language.
America should now follow Britain’s example, Ferguson argued, neglecting to ask why it needed to make the modern world if Britain had already done such a great job. He agreed with the neocon Max Boot that the United States should re-create across Asia the ‘enlightened foreign administration once provided by self-confident Englishmen in jodhpurs and pith helmets’. ‘The work needs to begin, and swiftly,’ he wrote, ‘to encourage American students at the country’s leading universities to think more seriously about careers overseas.’
Ferguson’s proposed ‘Anglobalisation’ of the world was little more than an updated version of American ‘modernisation theory’, first proposed as an alternative to Communism during the Cold War, and now married to revolutionary violence of the kind for which Communist regimes had been reviled. It makes for melancholy reading in 2011. But in the first heady year of the global war on terror, easy victories over the ragtag army of the Taliban ignited megalomaniacal fantasies about the ‘Rest’ across a broad ideological spectrum in Anglo-America, from Ann Coulter arguing that ‘we should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity’ to the unctuous ‘Empire-Lite’ of Michael Ignatieff and the ‘liberal imperialism’ peddled by Robert Cooper, one of Blair’s fly-by-night gurus. ‘Islamofascism’ seemed as evil as Nazism, Saddam Hussein was another Hitler, a generation-long battle loomed, and invocations of Winston Churchill – ‘the greatest’, according to Ferguson, ‘of all Anglo-Americans’, his resolute defence of English-speaking peoples commemorated by a bust in the Bush White House – seemed to stiffen spines all across the Eastern Seaboard.
The reception a writer receives in a favourable political context can be the making of him. This applies particularly well to Ferguson, whose books are known less for their original scholarly contribution than for containing some provocative counterfactuals. In Britain, his bluster about the white man’s burden, though largely ignored by academic historians, gained substance from a general rightward shift in political and cultural discourse, which made it imperative for such apostles of public opinion as Andrew Marr to treat Ferguson with reverence. But his apotheosis came in the United States, where – backed by the prestige of Oxbridge and, more important, a successful television series – he became a wise Greek counsellor to many aspiring Romans. He did not have to renounce long-held principles to be elevated to a professorship at Harvard, primetime punditry on CNN and Fox, and high-altitude wonkfests at Davos and Aspen. He quickly and frictionlessly became the most conspicuous refugee from post-imperial Britain to cheerlead Washington’s (and New York’s) consensus.
To a reader from the world the British supposedly made, Empire belonged recognisably to the tradition of what the Chinese thinker Tang Tiaoding bluntly described in 1903 as ‘white people’s histories’. Swami Vivekananda, India’s most famous 19th-century thinker, articulated a widespread moral disapproval of the pith-helmeted missionaries of Western civilisation celebrated by Ferguson:
Intoxicated by the heady wine of newly acquired power, fearsome like wild animals who see no difference between good and evil, slaves to women, insane in their lust, drenched in alcohol from head to foot, without any norms of ritual conduct, unclean … dependent on material things, grabbing other people’s land and wealth by hook or crook … the body their self, its appetites their only concern – such is the image of the western demon in Indian eyes.
In 1877, decades before anti-colonial leaders and intellectuals across Asia and Africa developed a systematic political critique of colonialism, the itinerant Muslim activist Jamal al-Din al-Afghani was attacking ‘the trap of duplicity’ in British accounts of India. The British had invested immense sums in developing a global network of modern communications simply in order, al-Afghani wrote, ‘to drain the substance of our wealth and facilitate the means of trade for the inhabitants of the British Isles and extend their sphere of riches’. Two generations of Western historians have essentially confirmed the early Asian and African arguments that the imperatives of ‘free trade’, whether imposed, as on China, by gunboats, or as on India, by outright occupation, had a devastating effect. The Indian Declaration of Independence in 1930 inadvertently summed up the multifarious damage inflicted on a swathe of subjugated countries from Ottoman Turkey and Egypt to Java:
Village industries, such as hand spinning, have been destroyed … and nothing has been substituted, as in other countries, for the crafts thus destroyed.
Customs and currency have been so manipulated as to bring further burdens on the peasantry. British manufactured goods constitute the bulk of our imports. Customs duties betray partiality for British manufacturers, and revenue from them is not used to lessen the burden on the masses but for sustaining a highly extravagant administration. Still more arbitrary has been the manipulation of the exchange ratio, which has resulted in millions being drained away from the country … All administrative talent is killed and the masses have to be satisfied with petty village offices and clerkships … the system of education has torn us from our moorings.
Ferguson did not entirely ignore the more egregious crimes of imperialism: the slave trade, the treatment of Australian aborigines or the famines that killed tens of millions across Asia. But he offered a robust defence of British motives, which apparently were humanitarian as much as economic. Transporting millions of indentured Asian labourers to far-off colonies (Indians to the Malay Peninsula, Chinese to Trinidad) was terrible, but ‘we cannot pretend that this mobilisation of cheap and probably underemployed Asian labour to grow rubber and dig gold had no economic value.’ And he challenged the ‘fashionable’ allegation that ‘the British authorities did nothing to relieve the drought-induced famines of the period.’ In any case, ‘whenever the British were behaving despotically, there was almost always a liberal critique of that behaviour from within British society.’ He sounds like the Europeans described by V.S. Naipaul – the grandson of indentured labourers – in A Bend in the River, who ‘wanted gold and slaves, like everybody else’, but also ‘wanted statues put up to themselves as people who had done good things for the slaves’.
Ferguson’s next book, Colossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire (2004), a selective history of American imperial interventions, showed him to be increasingly concerned with the capability rather than the legitimacy of the American empire. He was convinced that domestic social welfare programmes like Medicare and Medicaid had to be cut drastically in order to build more foreign outposts for jodhpur-clad Americans. But Americans, it turned out, were not rushing to Abercrombie & Fitch to equip themselves for life in the tropics. Some zealous young Republicans in Baghdad’s Green Zone were busy dismantling the Iraqi state, but they clearly did not impress Ferguson. ‘America’s brightest and best,’ he complained, ‘aspire not to govern Mesopotamia but to manage MTV; not to rule the Hejaz but to run a hedge fund.’
‘If one adds together the illegal immigrants, the jobless and the convicts,’ he argued, ‘there is surely ample raw material for a larger American army.’ But by 2006, the worst year of the anti-American insurgency, Ferguson was convinced that America was not up to the ‘labour-intensive’ task of occupying and governing Iraq. Recalling Gibbon for the readers of Vanity Fair, he identified some alarmingly diverse portents of the decline and fall of Western civilisation: they included America’s dependence on ‘Asian central banks and Middle Eastern treasuries’ for its wars; Muslim immigrants (Ferguson was an early exponent of ‘Eurabia’); feminism, which had caused Europe’s demographic decline; and the fact that ‘girls no longer play with dolls; they are themselves the dolls, dressed according to the dictates of the fashion industry.’ Americans were overweight, while Europeans, turning their back on Christianity and warfare and sponging on the welfare state, were degenerate idlers. ‘Endlessly gaming, chatting and chilling with their iPods,’ Ferguson wrote, ‘the next generation already has a more tenuous connection to “Western civilisation” than most parents appreciate.’
It didn’t seem too abrupt when Ferguson abandoned trans-Atlanticism in late 2006, instead investing his intellectual faith and energy in ‘Chimerica’, a necessary and apt alliance, as he saw it, between China and America, a veritable G2. Throughout his forays into ‘provocative’ imperial history, Ferguson had maintained his high reputation as an economic historian. ‘So vast is America’s looming fiscal crisis,’ he had written as early as 2004, ‘that it is tempting to talk about the fiscal equivalent of the perfect storm – or the perfect earthquake.’ But now, awed by the ‘rise of China’, he saw ‘the two halves of Chimerica’ as wonderfully ‘complementary’:
Profligate West Chimericans cannot get enough of the gadgets mass produced in the East; they save not a penny of their income and are happy to borrow against their fancy houses. Parsimonious East Chimericans live more humbly and cautiously. They would rather save a third of their own income and lend it to the West Chimericans to fund their gadget habit – and keep East Chimericans in jobs.
This was ‘the secular summer of Sino-American symbiosis’, Ferguson explained with typical exuberance in early 2007. ‘Chimerica, despite its name, is no chimera.’
Speaking at Chatham House earlier this year, Ferguson claimed that Chimerica had appealed to him because ‘it was a pun,’ adding that it was not ‘true anymore, if it ever was true’. What happened? As he put it, the ‘West has suffered a financial crisis that has damaged not only the wealth of the Western world, but perhaps more importantly the legitimacy, the credibility, even the self-esteem of the West.’ With the ‘Chinese Century’ now imminent, and Muslims knocking yet again at the gates of Europe, the important thing for British and American elites is to prepare themselves for a dramatically altered world. ‘We are,’ as he argues in Civilisation, ‘living through the end of 500 years of Western ascendancy.’
This makes it especially deplorable, in Ferguson’s view, that ‘major universities have ceased to offer the classic “Western Civ” history course to their undergraduates.’ Assaulted by politically correct intellectuals and cultural relativists, who regard ‘all civilisations as somehow equal … the grand narrative of Western ascent has fallen out of fashion’ precisely when it is most needed. ‘Maybe,’ Ferguson proposes, ‘the real threat is posed not by the rise of China, Islam or CO2 emissions, but by our own loss of faith in the civilisation we inherited from our ancestors.’
Ferguson’s recent outbursts against Britain – ‘Get me to the airport,’ he told the Telegraph, ‘I just want to get back to the US’ – may have lost him some of his audience among right-wing broadsheets and tabloids in this country. But the anchors of America’s cable news networks remain deferential. And Michael Gove, one of the Tories’ me-too neocons, has enlisted him to help devise a new history curriculum. For those young men and women willing to swap their iPods for a reassuringly expensive lecture in ‘Western Civ’ he will also be available periodically at A.C. Grayling’s New College of the Humanities. Civilisation gives a fair sample of the intellectual and spiritual tonic he would offer there.
Of the various things Tom Buchanan thinks ‘go to make civilisation – oh, science and art, and all that’, Ferguson is indifferent to the art, mocking Kenneth Clark’s TV series, and his ‘de haut en bas manner’. He aims ‘to be more down and dirty than high and mighty’. For him, civilisation is best measured by the ability to make ‘sustained improvement in the material quality of life’, and in this the West has ‘patently enjoyed a real and sustained edge over the Rest for most of the previous 500 years’. Ferguson names six ‘killer apps’ – property rights, competition, science, medicine, the consumer society and the work ethic – as the operating software of Western civilisation that, beginning around 1500, enabled a few small polities at the western end of the Eurasian landmass ‘to dominate the rest of the world’.
To explain the contingent, short-lived factors that gave a few countries in Western Europe their advantage over the rest of the world requires a sustained and complex analysis, not one hell-bent on establishing that the West was, and is, best. At the very least, it needs the question to be correctly put. To ask, as Ferguson does, why the West broke through to capitalist modernity and became the originator of globalisation is to assume that this was inevitable, and that it resulted basically from the wonderfulness of the West, not to mention the hopelessness of the East.
Needless to say, most contemporary scholars of global history do not hold the West and the Rest in separate compartments. Far from developing endogenous advantages in splendid isolation from the Rest, Western Europe’s ‘industrious revolution’, which preceded the Industrial Revolution, depended, as Jan de Vries and other historians have shown, on artisanal industries in South and East Asia. Contrary to Ferguson’s Hegelian picture of stagnation and decline, China and Japan enjoyed buoyant trade and experienced a consumer boom as late as the 18th century. The pioneering work of the Japanese historian Hamashita Takeshi describes a pre-European Asia organised by China’s trans-state tributary network, demonstrating that there were many other centres of globalisation in the early modern world apart from those created by Western Europe. In The Birth of the Modern World 1780-1914, which synthesises much recent scholarship on the ‘extra-European origins of the modern European and American worlds’, C.A. Bayly shows that longstanding Chinese business clans were as important as bourgeois capitalists in Hamburg and New York in spreading world trade across South-East Asia. Ferguson should know some of this, since he endorsed Bayly’s book when it appeared as ‘a masterpiece’ that renders ‘parochial’ all other histories of the 19th century.
As in Ferguson’s other books, a vast bibliography trails the main text of Civilisation, signalling the diligent scholar rather than the populist simplifier. But he suppresses or ignores facts that complicate his picture of the West’s sui generis efflorescence. Arguing that the Scientific Revolution was ‘wholly Eurocentric’, he disregards contemporary scholarship about Muslim contributions to Western science, most recently summarised in George Saliba’s Islam and the Making of the European Renaissance. He prefers the hoary prejudice that Muslim clerics began to shut down rational thought in their societies at the end of the 11th century. He brusquely dismisses Kenneth Pomeranz’s path-breaking book The Great Divergence, asserting that ‘recent research has demolished the fashionable view that China was economically neck to neck with the West until as recently as 1800.’ But he offers no evidence of this fashion-defying research. Given his focus on the ineptitude and collapse of the Ming dynasty, you might think that their successors, the Qing, had for nearly two centuries desperately clung on in a country in irreversible decline rather than, as is the case, presided over a massive expansion of Chinese territory and commercial interests. Each of Ferguson’s comparisons and analogies between the West and the Rest, reminiscent of college debating clubs, provokes a counter-question. The rational Frederick the Great is compared to the orientally despotic and indolent Ottoman Sultan Osman III. Why not, you wonder, to the energetic Tipu Sultan, another Muslim contemporary, who was as keen on military innovation as on foreign trade?
Foregoing cogent argument, Ferguson collects much quiz-friendly information. But he hasn’t, to use his own unlovely computer jargon, organised his folders well. Reading about the consumer society, the app that apparently killed Communism, you suddenly come across 19th-century nationalisms; the benefits of Western medicine segue into the French Revolution. For long periods in the book, the West as well as the Rest disappear under ex cathedra pronouncements which often turn out to be mind-bending non sequiturs. A triumphalist claim such as ‘even the atheism pioneered in the West is making impressive headway’ reveals an ignorance of the strong atheistic strain in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It is probably best to ignore the assertion that what the 1960s radicals ‘were really after was free love’.
In this gallimaufry, there are useful things. It’s true that pre-modern Europe’s fierce antagonisms engendered technological innovation at a time when the great empires of Asia were unchallenged, even if this is hardly an idea that should be credited to Charles Murray, a co-author of The Bell Curve. Asian leaders and intellectuals, as mute here as in all Ferguson’s books, were the keenest analysts of Europe’s enhanced capacity to kill, as well as of its innovation of nation-statehood. Mirza Abu Taleb Khan, an Indian Muslim traveller to Europe in 1800, was among the first Asians to point out that, required to fight on sea as well as on land, and to protect their slave plantations in the Caribbean, the British had developed the most sophisticated naval technologies. Fukuzawa Yukichi, the political theorist of Japan’s modernisation, lamented in the 1870s that ‘we have had too long a period of peace with no intercourse with outside. In the meantime, other countries, stimulated by occasional wars, have invented many new things such as steam trains, steam ships, big guns and small hand guns etc.’
Ferguson does not discuss how many of his apps, imposed on societies historically unprepared for them, could turn literally into killers. The raising of conscript armies, for instance, which helped protect national sovereignty and the expansion of political freedom in the West, could, and more often than not did, strengthen monarchical despotism in the East. Though essential to the growth of Western capitalist economies, notions of absolute property rights turned millions of communitarian peasants in Asia into cheaply hired hands. Modern medicine in the rising West may have been a boon, but it could only be darkly ambiguous in Asia as populations expanded without corresponding economic growth, pushing many into destitution.
As Bayly points out, European and American dominance over ‘the world’s economies and peoples’ meant that, by the end of the 19th century, ‘a large part of humanity had been converted into long-term losers in the scramble for resources and dignity.’ Some of these truths creep into Ferguson’s narrative, often while he is arguing something else. ‘By 1913,’ he writes, ‘the world … was characterised by a yawning gap between the West and the Rest, which manifested itself in assumptions of white racial superiority and numerous formal and informal impediments to non-white advancement. This was the ultimate global imbalance.’ Indeed, and it decided the fate of the many postcolonial nation-states whose apparent failure today prompts calls for a new western empire.
Still, Ferguson remains defiantly loyal to his neoimperialist vision, scoffing at those who can still ‘work themselves up into a state of high moral indignation over the misdeeds of the European empires’. ‘Misdeeds there certainly were,’ he admits and, as in Empire, he provides a very selective list that excludes the famines in Bengal, and the extermination of ten million people in the Congo. Frequently accused since Empire of underplaying the dark side of imperialism, Ferguson seems to have come up with a rhetorical strategy: to describe vividly one spectacular instance of brutality – he expends some moral indignation of his own on the slave trade – and then to use this exception to the general rule of imperial benevolence to absolve himself from admitting to the role of imperialism’s structural violence in the making of the modern world.
The slave-trading, self-commemorating European conquerors of Asia and Africa, Naipaul writes, ‘could do one thing and say something quite different because they had an idea of what they owed to their civilisation’. Ferguson, a retro rather than revisionist historian, tries to summon up some of that old imperial insouciance here. Consequently, his book is immune to the broadly tragic view – that every document of civilisation is also a document of barbarism – just as it is to humour and irony.
Even as he deplores the West’s decay and dereliction, he sees signs everywhere of its victory: the Resterners are now paying Westerners the ultimate compliment by imitating them. Gratified by the fact that ‘more and more human beings eat a Western diet’ and ‘wear Western clothes’, Ferguson is hardly likely to bemoan the cultural homogeneity, or the other Trojan viruses – uneven development, environmental degradation – built into the West’s operating software. Like his biographical subject, Henry Kissinger, he is mesmerised by the Chinese – in his eyes a thrifty, shrewd people who, in colonising remote African lands and building up massive reserves of capital, seem to borrow from the grand narrative of the West’s own ascent. For Kissinger and Ferguson, China is, simultaneously, a serious threat to Western dominance and an opportunity for self-affirmation as it downloads – some might say, pirates or hacks – the West’s killer apps.
‘The Chinese have got capitalism,’ Ferguson exults towards the end of the book. At this point, one hardly expects him to explain whether this is an adequate description of an economy on whose commanding heights a one-party state perches, controlling the movement of capital and running the biggest banks and companies. Writing in 1920, Stoddard was more insightful: Asian peoples are ‘not merely adopting’, he wrote, ‘but adapting, white ideas and methods’. Today these include, in both China and India, some of the harshest aspects of American-style capitalism: the truncation of public services, deunionisation, the fragmenting and lumpenisation of urban working classes, plus the ruthless suppression of the rural poor. But in populous countries you can always find what you seek and Ferguson can’t be too worried about these killer apps imported from the contemporary West. He must move on quickly to his next intellectual firework. Did we know that there are more practising Christians in China than in Europe? Ferguson has met many Chinese ready to attest to Protestant Christianity’s inexorable rise and its intimate link to China’s economic growth. In Wenzhou, the ‘Asian Manchester’, he comes across a Christian CEO, who strikes him as ‘the living embodiment of the link between the spirit of capitalism and the Protestant ethic’.
The reheated Weberism – a sign of Ferguson’s nostalgia for the intellectual certainties of the summer of 1914 – turns into another lament for Western civilisation, whose decline is proclaimed everywhere by the fact that the churches are empty, taxes on our wealth are high, the ‘thrifty asceticism’ of Protestants of yore has been lost, and ‘empire has become a dirty word.’ ‘All we risk being left with,’ he writes, ‘are a vacuous consumer society and a culture of relativism.’ And it is with some dark pseudo-Gibbonian speculations about the imminent collapse of the West that Civilisation ends.
‘Something,’ Nick Carraway says of Tom Buchanan, ‘was making him nibble at the edge of stale ideas as if his sturdy physical egotism no longer nourished his peremptory heart.’ ‘Western hard power,’ Ferguson blurts out in Civilisation, ‘seems to be struggling’; and the book exemplifies a mood, at once swaggering, frustrated, vengeful and despairing, among men of a certain age, class and education on the Upper East Side and the West End. Western Civilisation is unlikely to go out of business any time soon, but the neoimperialist gang might well face redundancy. In that sense, Ferguson’s metamorphoses in the last decade – from cheerleader, successively, of empire, Anglobalisation and Chimerica to exponent of collapse-theory and retailer of emollient tales about the glorious past – have highlighted broad political and cultural shifts more accurately than his writings. His next move shouldn’t be missed.
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Australian mammal viewing is easier in Tasmania than most other bits of Australia: only some of the Western Shield reserves of south-west Western Australia and Kangaroo Island rank alongside it in my opinion. The highways are peppered with a variety of road-kill – so much so that the best way to see Tasmanian wildlife might be from a glass-bottomed bus. This abundance of mammals is largely due to the absence of Red Foxes (which, not so strangely enough, are also absent from Kangaroo Island and the Western Shield reserves). Foxes appeared on the island in the early 2000s, but appear to have been eradicated by 2011. Most of the information below predates the terrible outbreak of Devil facial tumour disease which has ravaged the Tasmanian Devil population: please read the most recent reports or put an RFI on the Community Forum for the latest information if you want to see Devils.
I’ve looked for mammals on Tasmania several times. Once over Christmas 2000, again in March 2001, April 2010 and Christmas 2018. Many consider Tasmania to be Australia’s most beautiful state. Places like Cradle Mountain are indeed spectacular, though in a European sort of a way (albeit with cleaner air, cleaner water and cheaper petrol).
Hobart: the Waterworks Reserve in Hobart is a good place to look for Tasmanian Bettongs, quite a tricky species to see elsewhere in the State though I did not find them in 2019. There are possum, pademelons and probably other stuff here too. Eastern Barred Bandicoots are also here.
Mount Field is just a couple of hours drive from Hobart, and is a good spot to see a range of mammals. I saw two Eastern Barred Bandicoots, which seem to be rather uncommon in Tasmania (both were just outside the park after sunset – one was running over the bridge into the park). Eastern Quolls (both colour phases) were quite common and approachable in the campsite. Tasmanian Pademelons were abundant near the campsite at dusk. Other mammals there included Common Brushtail Possums, a Southern Brown Bandicoot, Echidnas and a Wombat (in the middle of the day). Long-tailed Mice (Psuedomys higginsi), endemic to Tasmania, are present and supposedly quite numerous in scree slopes, but I didn’t see any.
The road that leads from Mt Field to Lake Pedder cuts into the great wilderness of the south west. Driving it at night produced Eastern Quolls, Tasmanian Devils and Possums.
Cradle Mountain is worth visiting for the scenery alone. But there are also good mammals. Cradle Mountain Lodge, in particular, is worth a visit even if you cannot afford to stay there. It had a resident family of Tasmanian Devils living underneath: they emerged on cue each dusk. The mosaic of ponds and streams in the hotel grounds are worth checking out too: I had my best ever view of a Platypus here while I was spotlighting one evening as it swam right underneath me and the little footbridge on which I was standing. Driving from the lodge up to Dove Lake is a good spotlighting route: Eastern Quolls, Tasmanian Pademelons and Wombats were all quite common.
Loongana near Devonport: Not far north of Cradle Mountain Mountain Valley Wilderness Holidays, is a property near Loongana where Tasmanian Devils and Platypus are common and Spot-tailed Quolls are regular visitors especially in winter. I stayed here for a couple of nights in April 2010 with my kids. Its a great spot. Unfortunately the Quolls were not around (though had been coming every night until a week before I arrived), but it was easy to see the Devils who are fed on the cabin steps, and the kids loved it. Brushtail Possums and Tasmanian Pademelons were plentiful too. Platypus were easy to see in the river 100 metres from the cabins, and we found a Ringtail Possum along the road at night. I saw largely the same species when I returned in 2019.
Birdwatchers know the Forest Glen Tea Gardens as a good spot for some nice species including Swift Parrots. Long-nosed Potoroos are common there, and quite easy to see if you walk quietly and listen for their rustlings early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Coles Bay, on the south east coast has Bennet’s Wallabies (a subspecies of Red-necked Wallaby). I saw my first Tasmanian Devil here.
The north-east of Tasmania, around the Bridport area in particular, has some of the State’s best mammal watching. I spent a long evening around the small town of Scottsdale looking for animals with Craig Williams, a local tour operator. We saw several Eastern Quolls, many Pademelons, Eastern Barred Bandicoots and of course Possums and Echidnas. But I didn’t see either of the two species I was chasing – Tasmanian Bettongs and Tiger (Spotted-tailed) Quolls. Both are reputed to be around in quite good numbers. So I carried on looking on my own and eventually saw a Tiger Quoll on the C832 road and soon after found a colony of Tasmanian Bettongs living in a paddock alongside that road (their short muzzles give the Bettongs a really quite distinctive, sort of mouse like appearance, when compared to the more kangaroo-like Pademelons).
Long-tailed Mice are reasonably common across the island I am told though I haven’t seen them. They are supposed to be on Mt Wellington in Hobart for example and are caught most often in scree slopes. Tasmania is also home to Little Pygmy Possums, which are now much easier to find with a thermal scope. I saw one on Mount Wellington in 2019.
Tasmania has to be the best place in Australia to see Leopard Seals. Juvenile vagrant Leopard Seals regularly haul out in Tasmania during August-November, although I am not sure that they can be guaranteed anywhere (if they could have been I would have gone). They can crop up anywhere. I was once in Hobart for work and the evening news reported one at the city’s shipyards. I spent several cold hours walking around the docks that night. No seal. The next morning, when I read the story in the paper and got the correct name, the Hobart slip-yards were already seal-less. But some seals stay for several weeks.
Tasmania, 2022: Warren Gilson, 9 days & 9 native species including Echidna, Spot-tailed Quoll and Tasmanian Bettong.
Tasmania 2021-22: Brett Taylor, 12 days & 19 species including New Zealand Fur Seal, Eastern-barred Bandicoot and Spot-tailed Quoll.
Victoria & Tasmania, 2020: Alan Dahl, 3 weeks & 24 species including – in Tassie – Tasmanian Devil, Eastern Barred Bandicoot and Water Rat (Rakali).
Melaleuca, 2o19: Michael Johnson’s note of a visit to a remote area featuring a Broad-toothed Mouse, and not much else mammalian.
Tasmania, 2019: Tyler Hicks, 17 days & 10 species including Tasmanian Devil and Eastern Quoll. Some nice video too linked to the report.
Hobart and Loongana, 2019: Jon Hall, 3 nights & 8 species including an Eastern Pygmy Possum.
A Mammalwatching Year, 2018: Jannico Kelk’s account of mammals in WA, Qld and Tas, including Honey Possum, Brush & Red-tailed Phascogales and some nice bats. Wonderful photos.
Tasmania, 2018: Ian Merrill, 2 weeks & 14 species including Tasmanian Devil and Tiger and Eastern Quolls.
Australia, 2018: Valentin Moser’s report of mammals seen over the course of 75 days on several trips. He saw over 100 mammals including Mahogany Glider, both Feathertail Gliders, Proserpine Rock Wallaby, Numbat and Honey Possum.
South- East Tasmania, 2017: Jimmy Lamb, 2 weeks with some nice mammals and pictures including Eastern Quolls, Eastern-barred Bandicoots and a Swamp Rat.
Tasmania, 2017: Jimmy Lamb, 16 nights with species including Tiger and Eastern Quolls, Eastern Barred-bandicoot and Tasmanian Bettong. Great pictures and seemingly very reliable sites for key species listed in this report.
Australia, 2016: Mike Hoit, 5 weeks & many species including – in Tasmania – Tasmanian Long-eared Bat, Eastern-barred Bandicoot and Swamp Rat.
Maria Island National Park, Tasmania, 2015: Dr. Nina Denhard
Tasmania, 2015: Jimmy Lamb, 2 weeks and all of the larger land mammals including Tiger Quolls and Tasmanian Bettongs.
WA, Qld & Tas, 2015: Steve Morgan, 4 weeks & 45 species including Tiger Quoll, Honey Possum and Eastern Long-eared Bat.
Australia and New Zealand, 2014/15: Pieter de Groot Boersma, 10 months & 117 species including Brush-tailed Rabbit Rat, Feathertail Glider, Leadbeater’s Possum, Northern Bettong, Prehensile Tailed Rat and Cape York Rock Wallaby. <<Note: the Nailtail Wallaby was in fact Northern, not Bridled. And expert opinion think the mysterious macropod discussed at the end of the report was a Short-eared Rock Wallaby not a Narbalek.>>
Australia & Hong Kong 2015: Dominique Brugiere, 6 weeks & some nice species including Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat, Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby, Woylie, Koala, Eastern Pygmy Possum, Tiger & Western Quolls and Honey Possum.
Tasmania, Victoria & South Australia, 2014: Juan Luis Ortega, 2.5 weeks & 28 species including Tiger Quoll, Broad-toothed Rat and Giles’ Planigale.
Queensland and Tasmania, 2014: Romain Boquier, 6 weeks & 63 species including Tiger Quolls and Eastern Barred Bandicoots in Tasmania.
Australia & Singapore, 2013: Andrew and Ben Balmford, 2 months & 98 species! Including, in Tas, Tiger Quoll and Tasmanian Devil.
Australia and New Zealand, 2011: Matt and Maureen Steer, 12 weeks & 50 species including a Tiger Quoll in Tasmania.
Tasmania, 2010: Fiona Reid, 2 weeks & 18 species including Tiger Quoll, Tasmanian Bettong and a White-footed Dunnart.
Western Australia, Alice Springs & Tasmania (2008): Don Roberson, 2 weeks and 18 mammals.
Around the World (Australia), 2004: Richard Webb, 6 weeks.
Please email me if you have tips for mammal watching in this area.
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sln source dest sln filelist
The sln program creates symbolic links. Unlike the ln(1) program, it is statically linked. This means that if for some reason the dynamic linker is not working, sln can be used to make symbolic links to dynamic libraries.
The command line has two forms. In the first form, it creates dest as a new symbolic link to source.
In the second form, filelist is a list of space-separated pathname pairs, and the effect is as if sln was executed once for each line of the file, with the two pathnames as the arguments.
The sln program supports no command-line options.
ln(1), ld.so(8), ldconfig(8)
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When restoration procedures such as root canal therapy, crowns, or fillings are not enough to save a tooth, it may need to be pulled, or extracted.
Tooth extraction procedures today are far less painful than ever before, thanks to powerful anesthetics and sedatives. In many cases, a patient who has tooth pulled experiences little or no discomfort, and only minor bleeding.
Before a tooth is extracted, the area surrounding the tooth is numbed with a topical/and or injectable anesthetic such as Novocaine.
Patients with extracted teeth sometimes need to take an antibiotic, and at the very least, take precautions following the procedure to ensure that infection doesn’t occur.
Smoking, vigorous brushing and rinsing, and drinking liquids through straws are discouraged during the post-operative period because they hinder healing and may cause the wound to open. Cold compresses applied to the outside cheek near the extraction area can help reduce any swelling and promote faster healing.
Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that erupt in the back corners of the upper and lower normal adult mouth. Unfortunately, most people experience problems from wisdom teeth; in most cases, this is because the teeth erupt too close to existing permanent teeth, causing crowding, improper bites, and other problems.
If wisdom teeth are causing a problem, this could mean that they are impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth can be extremely painful, as well as harmful to your oral health. Symptoms are easy to spot: severe discomfort, inflammation, and some kinds of infections.
Many people need to have their wisdom teeth extracted to avoid future serious problems. In general, the lack of the four wisdom teeth does not hamper one’s ability to properly bite down, speak or eat.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may have an impacted wisdom tooth:
- Facial swelling
- Gum swelling
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Isolated apraxia is relatively uncommon.
Etiology of Apraxia
Apraxia results from brain damage (eg, by infarct Ischemic Stroke Ischemic stroke is sudden neurologic deficits that result from focal cerebral ischemia associated with permanent brain infarction (eg, positive results on diffusion-weighted MRI). Common causes... read more , tumor Overview of Intracranial Tumors Intracranial tumors may involve the brain or other structures (eg, cranial nerves, meninges). The tumors usually develop during early or middle adulthood but may develop at any age; they are... read more , or trauma Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is physical injury to brain tissue that temporarily or permanently impairs brain function. Diagnosis is suspected clinically and confirmed by imaging (primarily... read more ) or degeneration, usually in the parietal lobes or their connections, where memories of learned movement patterns are retained.
Less commonly, apraxia results from damage to other areas of the brain, such as the premotor cortex (the part of the frontal lobe anterior to the motor cortex), other parts of the frontal lobe, or the corpus callosum, or from diffuse damage related to degenerative dementias.
Symptoms and Signs of Apraxia
Patients with apraxia cannot conceptualize or do learned complex motor tasks despite having intact motor, sensory, and coordination systems and being able to do the individual component movements. Typically, patients do not recognize their deficits.
Common types of apraxias may include
Ideational apraxia: Patients with ideational apraxia cannot perceive the purpose of a previously learned complex task and thus cannot plan or execute the required voluntary movements in the correct sequence. For example, they may put their shoes on before their socks.
Ideomotor apraxia: This type of apraxia is the most common. When asked to perform common motor tasks, patients with ideomotor apraxia cannot do so. For example, they cannot imitate actions such as waving goodbye or showing how a tool (eg, toothbrush, hammer) is used.
Conceptual apraxia: This type of apraxia is similar to ideomotor ataxia but features an impaired ability to use tools correctly. For example, when given a screwdriver, patients may try to write with it as if it were a pen.
Constructional apraxia: Patients with constructional apraxia cannot draw, construct, or copy an object even though they understand the task and have the physical ability to do it. For example, patients may be unable to copy a simple geometric shape despite being able to see and recognize it, hold and use a pen, and understand the task.
Diagnosis of Apraxia
Bedside neurologic testing
Bedside tests include asking patients to do or imitate common learned tasks (eg, saluting, stopping or starting to walk, combing hair, striking and blowing out a match, opening a lock with a key, using a screwdriver or scissors, taking a deep breath and holding it). Strength and range of motion must be assessed to exclude motor weakness and musculoskeletal abnormalities as the cause of symptoms.
Neuropsychologic testing or assessment by a physical or occupational therapist may help identify more subtle apraxias. Neuropsychologic testing is standardized testing that provides information about the brain’s structural and functional integrity. It evaluates intelligence, executive function (eg, planning, abstraction, conceptualization), attention, memory, language, perception, sensorimotor functions, motivation, mood and emotion, quality of life, and personality.
Caregivers should be asked about the patient’s ability to do activities of daily living, especially those that involve household tools (eg, correct and safe use of eating utensils, toothbrush, kitchen utensils to prepare a meal, hammer, and scissors) and writing.
Brain imaging (eg, CT, MRI; with or without angiographic protocols) is required to diagnose and characterize central lesions (eg, infarct, hemorrhage, mass, focal atrophy).
Treatment of Apraxia
Physical and occupational therapy
There is no specific medical treatment for apraxia. Drugs that slow the symptomatic progression of dementia do not appear beneficial.
Physical and occupational therapy may modestly improve functioning but is more often useful for making the environment safer and for providing devices that help patients circumvent the primary deficit.
Prognosis for Apraxia
In general, patients with apraxia become dependent, requiring help with activities of daily living and at least some degree of supervision. Patients with stroke may have a stable course and even improve somewhat.
Patients with apraxia cannot conceptualize or do learned complex motors tasks despite being able to do the individual component movements.
Ask patients to do common tasks, recommend neuropsychologic testing, and do brain imaging.
Recommend supportive physical and occupational therapy as needed.
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Peg teeth, sometimes referred to as “Dracula teeth”, are a type of dental disorder called microdontia. Simply put, microdontia is a condition in which one or more teeth appear smaller than normal. The most common teeth affected are the upper lateral incisors and third molars. In most cases, peg laterals occur on both sides and they have shorter roots than normal.
This dental condition is not as common, hence not many people have heard of it. Dentists use it to describe cone-shaped, pointy teeth and teeth that are considered to be smaller than the average. In an everyday conversation, people call them simply ‘small teeth’ and ‘small tooth’, due to their size in comparison with other teeth. In most cases, this condition doesn’t affect dental health at all, but it does create an aesthetic problem for people who suffer from it - an unattractive smile.
If you happen to have a tooth that is spoiling your smile, read on and learn if you have a peg tooth and how it can be fixed.
Peg teeth are abnormal teeth that develop instead of healthy upper teeth on the front. Small teeth in adults can develop on either side of the jaw and the condition typically affects the single lateral incisors. There are rare cases in which mandibular, lower arch teeth are affected. Although lateral baby teeth, when not extracted on time, resemble peg teeth, they are not to be confused. Peg, Dracula teeth are sharp, often have visible gaps around them, and smaller than the lateral tooth on the other side of the jaw.
When a person reaches adolescence, it is clear that having a lingering baby tooth is unlikely. To confirm whether this is a baby tooth or a peg tooth, call your dentist and schedule an appointment. If you are living in Brisbane or Gold Coast vicinity, visit us at MGA Dental. We will be happy to diagnose your issue and if you wish, correct it with the help of state-of-the-art technology.
Peg lateral incisor are believed to be congenital, although they may remain unnoticed until the adulthood. The fact that you have a peg tooth does not have to mean your current oral and general health are affected. However, the presence of peg teeth can point to an underlying congenital defect or current condition that should be dealt with. A variety of conditions, most of them hereditary, can cause peg teeth. And the most infamous cause of the peg tooth is congenital syphilis. The unusual, abnormal tooth shape is formed if the mother did not start penicillin treatment before the teeth began to develop.
Other hereditary conditions can cause peg teeth, too. Ectodermal dysplasia is one of them. This condition causes abnormalities of skin and hair, not just the peg teeth. An extremely rare condition, incontinentia pigmenti achromians, is a birth defect that results in hypo-pigmented skin, abnormal teeth and sometimes, neurological issues.
Despite the aesthetics and unusual appearance, the peg teeth themselves are nothing to panic about. Due to their size, they can never be fully functional, and they do not cause alignment or bite issues. Although there are gaps around them, the position of nearby teeth won’t shift. Rarely, a condition of a tooth inside the tooth can appear. Yet, this dental malformation is not directly linked to peg teeth.
If the dentist suspects a tooth inside the tooth, he will recommend an X-ray to evaluate the level of structural damage caused by the condition. There are several treatment options, which depend on the level of damage. The worst case scenario is tooth extraction. Patients are also prescribed pain medication if the gums get inflamed due to the condition.
It is not a medical necessity to correct peg teeth, but many people do not feel good about them, being quite self-conscious when smiling. If that is the case with you, you should consider having them corrected. The procedures are not complicated or expensive, and they will improve your self-confidence in a significant way. The most common solutions for peg lateral teeth include resins (dental bonding), veneers, crowns, and implants.
Your dentist will recommend the best one for your particular case. Dental bonding is quicker, cheaper and completely painless. The composite that matches the colour of your teeth is applied to the peg tooth and shaped to look like your other, normal lateral. Veneers are thin coverings of the tooth’s front surface, and they are a more permanent solution. The tooth is first shaped with a drill, and temporary and permanent veneers are placed on the tooth.
Only a dentist can make an accurate diagnosis of peg teeth. As we said above, peg teeth can be mistaken for baby teeth. This is why it can be tricky to diagnose peg teeth in children. However, an expert will be able to distinguish between a baby and a peg tooth. If your child has an unusually-shaped, pointy “Dracula” tooth, consult a dentist.
If it turns out that a child's tooth is peg-shaped, explore the treatment options with your dentist. The dentist will most likely recommend a temporary solution first, cosmetic bondings. The dentist could also recommend braces, to reduce the gaps around the peg tooth. Do not forget that a peg tooth can develop the same problems as “normal” teeth do, so watch for cavities and abscesses.
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Sitting down for dinner with my friend, a fellow anthropology major, we began discussing the topic of human evolution. All was amicable until we reached an impasse. The discussion of Neanderthals (Homo sapiens neanderthalensis) brought us into conflict over the correct pronunciation of the species name. My pronunciation was “Nee-and-er-TAL” while his was “Nee-and-er-THAL.” I pushed back, explaining how my pronunciation was correct given that it is how the scientific community refers to the hominin, but then realized my rebuttal was not based on the intent to educate. Correcting his pronunciation was more about pedantry and was plain rude.
Overcorrecting a person’s speech not only neglects dialectical variation and those with solely written rather than oratorical knowledge, but it also goes against the purpose of linguistic interactions. The primary goal in social interaction is to be understood by fellow conversation participants. If that is accomplished, it should not matter what the exact phonetics and syntax of the speech are.
The syntax and lexicon used by an individual are often out of their control and due to upbringing and early socialization. An individual’s grammar develops quite young — with children learning a variety of complex sentence types at 2 — and is mostly fleshed out by the age of 7. With this in mind, it makes little sense to shame a person for utilizing certain grammatical constructions. It is quite literally out of their control most of the time. Yes, people may learn other forms of syntax and alter their speech accordingly. But that does not take away from the fact that no one should be shamed from speaking with a syntax they were raised to speak. Much of our linguistic style is out of our control. Rather than an assertion of intelligence, correcting minuscule aspects of someone’s style of speech is insolent.
An issue of centering whiteness exists within the American English education system that imbues negative bias toward speakers of non-white English dialects. Dialectal variation within a language is a common phenomenon among the languages of the world. One estimate claims English to have as many as 160 dialects. Still, the U.S. education system privileges the dialect of white people and casts all other dialects as incorrect forms of speech. African American Vernacular English is the dialect of English used by many African-American communities and is often the target of linguistic stigmatization. Word constructions like “ain’t” and uses of the habitual “be,” as in “she be runnin’,” are trademarks of this dialect. Unfortunately, AAVE is often delegitimized as a proper form of English and dismissed as simply grammatically incorrect by language ideologues. AAVE has become associated with ignorance and illiteracy, both of which are faulty claims that don’t stand up against linguistic science. AAVE syntax and phonology are a valid form of language. Yet, these speakers are hyper-corrected and shamed. Claims that these speakers speak incorrectly have no scientific basis and are outright disrespectful. A difference in dialect is not a basis for linguistic pedantry.
Another point to be made is that many people learn new words from reading rather than conversation and therefore have not heard the correct pronunciation. If one is not acquainted with the complex patterns of English phonology, knowledgeable of the International Phonetic Alphabet or have a person to consult, how can one accurately know a word’s pronunciation solely from print? Scrutinizing another person’s pronunciation delegitimizes those whose access to language and novel vocabulary remains sequestered to the literary. English orthography is notoriously convoluted. Without the help of sound, there is no way I personally would have discerned that words such as “wait” and “weight” are phonetically equivalent. Biting criticism of another’s diction is rude and disparages those who choose to increase their vocabulary through print sources.
The point of language, when taking an anthropological viewpoint, is to be understood by others. If that goal is achieved, why does it matter what syntax or phonetics someone uses? Any attempt at imposing rigid linguistic prescriptivism on others has faulty scientific foundations and does not correlate with sociolinguistic data. It is illogical to assert that a pronunciation or grammar construction is the only valid language form that exists. Dialectal variation is an integral part of linguistic diversity and should be celebrated instead of shunned. Whether a person is a speaker of AAVE, “Standard English” or another dialect, all of those Englishes are worthy of respect. You’re not smarter for correcting someone’s speech. You’re just rude.
Ben Davis is an Opinion Columnist and can be reached at [email protected].
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The American military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq during the first decade of the present century allowed the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) industry to flourish and this led to the introduction of many unmanned, remotely-piloted systems. The AeroVironment RQ-14 "Dragon Eye" was one product of the period, a compact, tactical reconnaissance-minded drone first flying in June of 2001. It was introduced a year later and has seen considerable service with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) as development was through the Naval Research Laboratory and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. Some 1,000 units were contracted for.
Outwardly, the Dragon Eye exhibits a conventional aircraft form with a centralized fuselage containing all pertinent mission equipment, a monoplane wing assembly, and vertical tail fin. The aircraft lacks horizontal tailplanes and an integrated undercarriage while its wing mainplanes are broad and straight in their design. The UAV's propulsion comes from a pair of two-bladed electric drive motors arranged ahead of the wing leading edges to either side of the fuselage. Dimensions of this aircraft include a wingspan of 3.75 feet and a length of 3 feet, allowing it to be relatively easily transported on the back of an infantryman. Its overall weight is a manageable six pounds.
The Dragon Eye system is hand-launched, not requiring any complex undercarriage-with-runway arrangement or catapulting system. Forward momentum is enhanced by use of a bungee-style flexible cord which helps to add initial velocity. Once in the air and under its own power, the UAV utilizes a operator-programmed, waypoint-based navigation system through an integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS). The mission endurance window is approximately one hour. The UAV is tied to a Ground Control System (GCS) consisting of a heavy-duty laptop providing real-time color / high reolution InfraRed (IR) video imaging to the ground operator from the Dragon Eye unit. Transmission ranges (line-of-sight) reach out to 6 miles and the UAV holds an operational range out to 3 miles and a service ceiling up to 500 feet at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. Recovery is simply by way of having the Dragon Eye unit land a relatively smooth surface - its frame is purposely designed to break apart and be put back together in short order. Should the unit suffer more catastrophic damage, its major components can easily by replaced from parts pulled from another Dragon Eye kit.
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
AeroVironment, Incorporated / Naval Research Laboratory / Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory - USA Manufacturer(s)
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.
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Central European prehistory was highly dynamic
Frequent cultural, genetic, and social change epitomises the history of central Europe from the Stone Age to the Early Bronze Age
Recent archaeogenetic studies have shown that human movements like migrations and expansions played a major role in driving the spread of cultures and genes in ancient Europe. However, it is only now with detailed regional studies and dense sampling that researchers start to better understand the magnitude, rate and social implications of these changes. In a new study, an international team of researchers from the Max Planck Institutes for the Science of Human History (Jena) and Evolutionary Anthropology (Leipzig), together with colleagues from the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (Prague) and other collaborators analysed the genomes of 271 individuals who lived in Bohemia in today’s Czech Republic between 7,000 and 3,500 years ago and identified at least another three migratory events which shaped central European prehistory.
Centrally located along trade routes and tightly nestled around the important waterways such as the Elbe River, Bohemia attracted many different archaeological cultures, rendering it a key region in understanding the prehistory of Europe. In addition to the expansions associated with the spread of agriculture and “steppe”-related ancestry previously discovered, this new study identifies at least another three migratory events which shaped central European prehistory.
The genetic profiles of people associated with Funnelbeaker and Globular Amphora cultures show evidence of being recent migrants to the region. This finding shows that the period between arrival of agriculture and “steppe”-related ancestry, hitherto thought of as an uneventful period, was more dynamic than previously hypothesised.
Drastic changes to the genetic landscape
The large sample size of the study, particularly concentrated on the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age (~6,000-3,700 years ago), also allowed novel insights into social processes to be made. Individuals associated with the Corded Ware culture expanded from Eastern Europe and then assimilated preferentially central European women into their culture, giving them the same burial ritual as members of the immigrating group. “We were finally able to fill key temporal gaps, especially in the transition period around 5,000 years ago, when we see the genetic landscape changing drastically”, says Max Planck researcher Wolfgang Haak, senior author and principal investigator of the study. “Intriguingly, in this early horizon we find individuals with high amounts of “steppe” ancestry next to others with little or none, all buried according to the same customs.”
Once established, individuals of the Corded Ware culture (4,900-4,400 years ago) changed genetically through time. One important change seems to have been the sharp decline in Y-chromosome lineage diversity. Although initially carrying five different Y-lineages, later Corded Ware males carry almost exclusively only a single lineage, essentially being descended from the same man in the recent past. “This pattern may reflect the emergence of a new social structure or regulation of mating in which only a subset of men fathered the majority of offspring”, says first author Luka Papac, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
This social structure seems to have been even stricter in the following Bell Beaker society (4,500-4,200 years ago) where every single male sampled belonged to a single, newly introduced Y-lineage. Remarkably, this Bell Beaker Y-lineage is never seen before in Bohemia, implying that a new clan arrived in the region and almost immediately replaced all pre-existing Y-lineages with not a single lineage from Corded Ware or previous societies found among Bell Beaker males.
Cultural, biological, and social changes
The Early Bronze Age Unetice culture has traditionally been thought of descending from Bell Beaker individuals, with perhaps limited input from the southeast (Carpathian Basin). However, the new genetic data supports yet another genetic turnover originating from regions northeast of Bohemia. Remarkably, also 80 percent of the early Unetice Y-lineages are new to Bohemia, some of which are previously found in individuals from north-eastern Europe, providing clues to where they originated from. “This finding was very surprising to us archaeologists as we did not expect to see such clear patterns, even though the region has played a critical role, e.g. in the emerging trade of amber from the Baltic and became an important trading hub during the Bronze and Iron Ages”, adds co-author and co-PI Michal Ernée from the Czech Academy of Sciences.
The results paint a highly dynamic picture of the prehistory of central Europe, with many and frequent changes in the cultural, biological, and social make-up of societies, highlighting the power and potential of high-resolution studies at regional scale. Challenges remain in understanding the socio-economic, environmental and/or political reasons and mechanisms behind these changes, which provides ample scope for future cross-disciplinary studies of Europe’s prehistory.
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Bringing culture to the community is at the heart of Fun Palaces
The word “engagement” sometimes feels like it has been hijacked by digital marketers. And while there’s no doubt that capturing an audience’s interest online is important, it’s important that the value of physical human engagement isn’t forgotten about – even if the metrics are harder to capture and analyse.
This is particularly relevant in the context of museums where real-world, in-person engagement is still the core endeavour of any gallery, exhibition and institution. Bringing together individuals from far and wide; encouraging them to engage with artefacts and artworks; that’s what a museum is designed to do. But creating real, tangible engagement isn’t always easy.
Which is why more and more museums are choosing to think outside the box in order to pique the interests of those within their community. One way museums, libraries and theatres alike are finding to truly engage with their visitors is with the introduction of Fun Palaces.
What are Fun Palaces?
The role of a Fun Palace is to support local people, and encourage them to co-create their own cultural and community events. Through this, Fun Palaces aim to promote “sharing and celebrating the genius in everyone.”
Beginning in 2013, Fun Palaces have been part of an ongoing campaign for cultural democracy. The aim is to bring culture to the community, as well as encouraging members of the local community to bring their own culture to the museum space.
As part of this, a weekend of action is run every October, in which Fun Palaces appear in museums, libraries, theatres and community centres. These palaces offer experiences with everything from arts, crafts and heritage, to tech, sports, food and science, and are available to adults and children alike.
Palaces are run by local people, for local people. They give individuals a platform to share “their own passions and skills, as a catalyst for community-led transformation.”
What are the benefits of Fun Palaces?
Since the first ever Fun Palaces weekend, there have been almost 1,800 Fun Palaces created by over 30,000 local people. More than half a million people have taken part over the years, across 15 countries.
As a not-for-profit initiative, Fun Palaces have something to offer for groups, organisations and individuals alike. It’s no wonder that every year, thousands of people make Fun Palaces for their own local community.
In terms of benefitting the local community itself, the evidence is clear. Fun Palaces offer the chance to share skills, meet new people and make connections. Research shows that, after getting involved in a local Fun Palace, 83% of respondents felt more motivated to become more involved in local projects and issues.
What can Fun Palaces offer museums?
Despite Fun Palaces being a hugely popular initiative, in 2018 only 7.46% of Fun Palaces were held within museum and heritage spaces, compared to 54.97% in libraries and 12.71% in community centres.
By engaging with the Fun Palaces initiative, museums themselves can broaden their reach into the community and discover new ways to engage.
Active and hands-on participation from community members is one of the most effective ways of bridging the gap between museum and visitor. By getting involved directly with a project inside the museum, individuals will feel more loyal to the space in the long term.
Museums often talk about the importance of “reaching out” to visitors, but Fun Palaces take this to the next level. Instead of “reaching out” a museum can “hand over” – which in many cases can drive greater inclusivity and engagement.
In 2018, 90% of institutions involved in making a Fun Palace expressed an intent to stay in touch with those who had been involved in them. Jack Morrison, Cornwall Fun Palaces Ambassador, puts it simply, saying:
“Fun Palaces are an attempt to stop the culture that sees people being told what to do and helping people to do what THEY want to do.”
In other words, Palaces encourage visitors to engage in a dialogue. By interacting as they choose, it is possible to not only understand the response to a particular installation but gather important information on the tastes, preferences and interests of the community – a useful tool that can help shape the nature of future museum activities and leave individuals feeling empowered by their experience.
How are Fun Palaces changing cultural engagement?
Fun Palaces may seem like a short-term endeavour, but they can yield long term responses. Speaking about their experience after taking part in the Fun Palace initiative, Jane Petch of South Molton Library said:
“We had a Fun Palace last year, and just about every day since, we’ve had a Fun Palace here. Thank you so much [to the Fun Palace organisers] for kick-starting all of our community involvement.”
Likewise, Emma Rucastle from Lancaster Fun Palace shared her thoughts on the Fun Palace experience, saying:
“There is something about the connections that a Fun Palace brings together and the barriers it breaks down actually, that just feels like something that should be happening and should be happening everywhere.”
In many instances, Fun Palaces give museums a chance to bring people from all backgrounds together within their institution, bridging gaps not only between themselves and their visitors, but between individuals within the community itself.
This is something expressed by Mark Wilkinson of Ware’s the Fun Palace, who commented:
“In one part of the town here we have some of the largest social disadvantage in the country and in the other half we’ve got some of the richest people in the country. We’ve brought them all together.
“It’s just so worthwhile. You’re part of something bigger than yourself.”
Keeping the fun relevant
Museums are constantly being made aware of the importance of engaging with the people around them. For most museums, it isn’t enough to simply put on exhibitions and wait for visitors to arrive. Whether through social media, outreach, exhibition advertisement or marketing stunts, cultural institutions are constantly looking for ways to cement themselves as a relevant and valuable asset to the community.
Fun Palaces allow museums to do just that in a way that’s both tangible and empowering. Hosting a Palace allows museums to benefit from their community while also giving back to it, handing over the reins in a way that creates the closest possible bond between person and place.
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| 0.953313 | 1,372 | 2.578125 | 3 |
More About Functional Foods
Functional Food is a term that refers to a plant or animal product that offers potential physiological benefits for your overall health and wellness. The term itself originated in Japan in the 1980s, where it was used to refer to processed foods containing ingredients that aided specific body functions. Today, this term is still used to reference foods that contain compounds that may offer potential benefits for your health.
Some examples of functional foods include apple cider vinegar and manuka honey, which seek to offer nutritional support while also supporting the immune system and promoting a healthy internal response. Herbal teas also seek to support overall health, and may offer support for the immune system and may offer other potential health benefits (depending on the kinds of herbs and botanical extracts used). All of these foods contain health supportive compounds like antioxidants, carotenoids, minerals, and more.
Other Potential Benefits of Functional Foods
- Supports digestive system health
- Promotes healthy energy levels
- May support healthy blood sugar levels already in the normal range
- Seeks to support detoxification
- Promotes immune system health
- Offers antioxidant support
- And more…
Our selection of functional foods includes nuts, coconut and red palm oil, sugar substitutes like honey, maple syrup, stevia, and xylitol, and other foods to support you on your health journey. We also have a great selection of teas that support detoxification, promote a healthy response to stress, support a healthy sleep, and more.
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| 0.950281 | 306 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Grade 6 Science
The sixth grade curriculum will focus on structure and function through analyzing the macro- and microscopic world. Students will begin by learning Earth’s place in the universe. We will explore the Earth’s relationships in our solar system, galaxy and universe that depend on the forces around us including gravity and energy. Students will then focus on Geologic History and Biological Evolution. This will enable students to develop an understanding of how organisms, environments, and Earth’s surface have all changed over time. Students will discover the basic unit of life: cells. As students learn about the structure and function of the cell, they will transition to the organization of organisms and how body systems interact. Students will continue with the study of matter and its interactions, developing the tools and skills essential for inquiry based learning. Students will end the year with an understanding of the transfer of energy in the form of waves through different mediums.
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| 0.923354 | 187 | 3.78125 | 4 |
"The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
"Leaders have established a culture of vigilance. They know the local safeguarding risks, including child criminal exploitation. Pupils learn about these risks through their personal development programme. Leaders have ensured that pupils know about the support available in cases of self-harm. Pupils say that they feel safe. They know the adults they can talk to if they have any worries. This includes access to a trained counsellor.
"Leaders understand the needs of vulnerable pupils. They take swift action when required to protect them from harm. Record-keeping is thorough. Leaders work with external agencies well, including health services and social care."
- Ofsted, December 2021
The aim is to ensure that every child receives the best education possible by creating and maintaining a safe, secure and positive climate for learning in a calm and purposeful environment based on the premise that all pupils are safeguarded.
To achieve this we:
- Protect children from maltreatment
- Prevent impairment of children health or development
- Ensure children are educated in a learning environment which is consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
- Take action to enable all children to have the best life chances.
All staff must take responsibility and be accountable for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children.
We believe that:
- All children and young people have the right to be protected from harm.
- Children and young people need to be safe and to feel safe in the academy.
- Children and young people need support which matches their individual needs, including those who may have experienced abuse.
- All children and young people have the right to speak freely and voice their values and beliefs.
- All children and young people must be encouraged to respect each other’s values and support each other.
- All children and young people have the right to be supported to meet their emotional and social needs as well as their educational needs – a happy healthy sociable child/young person will achieve better educationally.
- All Staff can contribute to the prevention of abuse, victimisation, bullying, exploitation, extreme behaviours, discriminatory views and risk taking behaviours.
- All staff have an important role to play in safeguarding children and protecting them from abuse.
Safeguarding is everyone’s business and it is amongst the most important things we do. If our pupils do not feel safe, they will not learn.
The name of the academy’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is W Chapman. They can be contacted via the academy office.
We also have the following staff who are involved in the leadership of safeguarding:
The DSL, Deputy DSLs, Assistant DSLs and all remaining members of the SLT have received Designated Safeguarding Lead training within the last 2 years.
|Name||Additional Role Held|
Designated Safeguarding Lead
|R Turner-Ramadan||Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)|
|K Castledine-Casey||Head of Year 7|
Head of Year 8
|R Jordan (Acting)||Head of Year 9|
|B Asher||Head of Year 10|
|A Kotze||Head of Year 11|
|N Griffiths||Head of Sixth Form|
|TBC||SEMH Coordinator, ELSA|
|D Hartshorn||Deputy Head of Year 7|
|C Burton||Deputy Head of Year 8|
|C Taylor (Acting)||Deputy Head of Year 9|
|R Williams||Deputy Head of Year 10|
|H Stead||Deputy Head of Year 11|
|T Johnson||Deputy Head of Sixth Form|
The Greenwood Academies Trustee with oversight for Safeguarding is Claire Knee.
The following links include statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment.
- Children Missing Education (CME) Statutory Guidance
- Children Missing from Education - Nottingham City Guidance
- Keeping Children Safe in Education
- Nottingham City Local Safeguarding Partnership
- Prevent Duty Guidance for England and Wales
- Working Together to Safeguard Children
You can find the trust-wide safeguarding policy here.
Our own safeguarding protocols can be found below:
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| 0.926967 | 896 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Chemical Industry Standards
The chemical industry is central to the global economy because its raw products create numerous other products. Because the sector is very competitive, chemical companies need to work efficiently while meeting legal and environmental requirements.
ISO certifications for the chemical industry allow these businesses to use best practices to stand out in the field. NQA is a certification body with years of experience working with chemical industry clients. We will conduct audits to grant certifications to your chosen standard, which will improve efficiency, customer satisfaction and profits.
About the Chemical Industry
The chemical industry harvests raw materials, including minerals, natural gas, metals, water, air and oil. Through chemical processes and reactions, the raw materials are then converted into:
- Products such as petrochemicals, polymers, explosives, ceramics, oleochemicals, flavors, rubber, elastomers, fragrances and agrochemicals
- Consumer goods
- Inputs for the agriculture, construction, manufacturing, telecommunication, computing and service industries
As a result, the chemical industry creates many manufactured products and goods across numerous sectors.
Chemical manufacturers and processors are located where the raw materials are. Products such as pharmaceuticals, plastics and fertilizers are manufactured nearly anywhere. Many petroleum and natural gas refineries are wherever reserves can be found, usually on the coast or in the ocean.
The chemical industry influences the globe's overall quality of life by impacting:
- Health care
- Safe water supply
- Computer technology
Challenges the Chemical Industry Faces
Some challenges within the chemical industry are:
- Environmental effects: Natural events in the region where your supplies come from can cause an environmental hazard, damaging the environment and your company's employees and brand. Environmental damage requires remediation for the local area and your company's reputation, as consumers negatively receive these incidents.
- Public health: In addition to the environment, chemical manufacturers are pressured to assess how their products and processes affect public health. Special varieties of chemicals may involve dangerous reagents that must be managed, and production may release high volumes of emissions.
- Geographic location: The location of the product's origin can present financial and logistical challenges to your chemical company. The distance may make transportation complicated and expensive. Geopolitical events may interrupt the region's supply chain, affecting your company's product.
- Supplier visibility: Chemical companies need transparency in their suppliers' business practices. This knowledge ensures the raw products are good quality. Supplier practices also need to meet environmental policies, security requirements and good manufacturing practice (GMP) regulations.
- Trade tensions: Complex and numerous trade agreements can lead to disputes that hurt your chemical company's operations. Some causes of these disputes are supply disruptions due to geopolitical events and the unpredictable nature of foreign exchange.
ISO standards for the chemical industry can independently or cohesively target your supply chain. These regulations will help you identify, assess and mitigate your global supply chain processes and risks.
Chemical Industry Standards Supported by NQA
The chemical industry ISO certifications that NQA supports are:
- ISO 9001: ISO 9001 is the international standard for quality management systems. It outlines a framework and set of principles for organizational management. This sensible approach satisfies customers and stakeholders with effective processes and productive employees, which lead to excellent products and services. Quality controls facilitate successful businesses, so certification to ISO 9001 helps make your chemical company outstanding.
- ISO 13485: ISO 13485 is the leading medical device standard. It uses a quality management system to ensure medical devices meet compliance laws and customer expectations in manufacturing, installing and servicing. This standard's goal is to coordinate the various medical device regulatory requirements in the industry. Chemical companies will be seen as trustworthy and reputable when certified to this standard.
- ISO 50001: ISO 50001 is the standard for energy management systems. It provides a framework companies can use to optimize their energy efficiency. Chemical enterprises certified to this standard demonstrate a commitment to improving their energy management. Energy management results in compliance to regulatory and legislative requirements and a reduced environmental impact. Because ISO 14001 is the basic framework of ISO 50001, achieving this standard first will make certification to ISO 50001 easier to obtain.
- ISO 27001: ISO 27001 is the international standard for information security management systems. It provides a framework that boosts your information's legal compliance, confidentiality, integrity and availability. As a result, sensitive data like employee and client information is protected from cyberattacks, theft, vandalism and fire. ISO 27001 does not cover General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It is compatible with other management systems standards, such as ISO 9001.
- ISO 45001: ISO 45001 is an international occupational health and safety standard. It protects employees, customers and the general public from injuries, diseases, accidents and other harm from the job site or facility. Certification to this standard helps you identify and mitigate harmful factors, keeping your personnel safe physically and mentally. It is based on the system management approaches of ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 and the health and safety standards of OHSAS 18001.
- ISO 14001: ISO 14001 is the international standard for environmental management systems. It outlines principles that specify how to form and maintain an environmental management system. This regulation controls the environmental aspects of your chemical work to reduce your impact on the Earth's resources and ensure legal compliance. You can use this standard to identify opportunities to become more environmentally friendly.
- PAS 2060: PAS 2060 is the only international standard for carbon neutrality. Many companies strive to become carbon neutral, and certification to PAS 2060 will help your company prove this through measurement, reduction, offsetting and documentation. This standard builds upon the principles of ISO 14001.
- ISO 55001: ISO 55001 is a standard for asset management. Companies with significantly high assets in cost or number will benefit from the management principles outlined in this standard. It provides an asset management system to mitigate risk and record performance to identify growth opportunities.
- ISO 37001: ISO 37001 is the international standard for anti-bribery management systems. Your company can prevent, identify and resolve bribery conducted by and against your company. It builds upon management system standards like ISO 9001 by introducing certain measures.
- ISO 22301: ISO 22301 is the international standard for business continuity management systems. It helps businesses move forward after emergency events. Its framework aids preparation, response and recovery from incidents that disrupt usual business. It also establishes measures to prevent these interruptions.
Benefits of Chemical Industry ISO Certifications
ISO certifications for the chemical industry will help your chemical company overcome common challenges and stand out in a competitive field. These regulations will benefit your chemical company by:
- Reducing operating costs: Running your manufacturing plant efficiently will cost less. You can use these funds to invest in essential areas of your business or future growth opportunities.
- Increasing product quality: A comprehensive management system with several quality checks will produce better end products. Quality also creates consistency from day to day and product to product.
- Improving supplier and customer relationships: High-quality products will encourage your suppliers to work with you and motivate customers to purchase from you. ISO standards are internationally recognized, so certification to your chosen regulation will encourage other companies to do business with you, boosting your enterprise and economies.
- Meeting regulatory requirements: Chemical companies have to demonstrate their compliance to local and federal regulations. ISO standards for the chemical industry will help your business follow these regulations and stand out in the industry as a reputable source.
- Lowering environmental impact: Certification to environmental standards such as ISO 14001 means your company will follow ecological guidelines and manage its environmental aspects. Eco-friendly operations will reduce your waste, make energy consumption efficient and improve your brand image.
- Fostering a safe work environment: Compliance to occupational health and safety standards such as ISO 45001 ensures your conformity to federal laws. It will help you identify and reduce the harmful aspects of your work to keep employees healthy.
Why Work with NQA for Chemical Industry Standards?
NQA is a certification body that conducts tests, inspections and certification audits. We believe our clients deserve top services, so we strive to provide certification services to ensure your compliance to your chosen standard and facilitate business improvements.
We partner with clients from numerous industries, including many from the chemical sector. As the leading independent provider of certification and auditing services, we have issued over 50,000 certificates in 90 countries.
- Comprehensive services: NQA has various certification services available, so you can use your certifications to promote efficiency within your chemical company. These certifications have global coverage for streamlined operations.
- Worldwide expert network: Our team of experts knows the latest technical updates as participants in technical communities and standards-writing committees. We use this knowledge to help you adapt to changes and developments.
- Professional expertise: NQA will explain the technical requirements of your chosen standard and the certification process. We'll help you understand your requirements to become certified.
- Value for the cost: NQA offers premier services and technical support at a competitive rate with no hidden fees. You'll gain certification to chemical industry standards for a great value.
- Improvement opportunities: When we conduct your compliance assessment, we'll identify opportunities for improvement. Your chemical company can use this information to make your processes cost-efficient and streamlined.
- Training options: We know there are many ways to learn new technical skills, so we offer in-house, online and classroom courses to let each client pick the method best for them.
Start on your Chemical Industry ISO Certifications Today
ISO standards for the chemical industry are essential for any chemical businesses that want efficient, safe and ecological processes and results. NQA provides certification audits for product, process and personnel improvements. Our approach is supportive to meet the technical requirements of certification, reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction, win more partnerships, achieve legal compliance, enhance risk management skills and more.
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| 0.914717 | 2,045 | 3.1875 | 3 |
“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”
Alan Kay is one of the earliest pioneers of object-oriented programming, personal computing, and graphical user interfaces. His contributions have been recognized with the Charles Stark Draper Prize of the National Academy of Engineering1 “for the vision, conception, and development of the first practical networked personal computers”, the Alan. M. Turing Award from the Association of Computing Machinery “for pioneering many of the ideas at the root of contemporary object-oriented programming languages, leading the team that developed Smalltalk, and for fundamental contributions to personal computing”, and the Kyoto Prize from the Inamori Foundation “for creation of the concept of modern personal computing and contribution to its realization”. This work was done in the rich context of ARPA and Xerox PARC with many talented colleagues.
While at the ARPA project at the University of Utah in the late 60s, he invented dynamic object-oriented programming, was part of the original team that developed continuous tone 3D graphics, was the co-designer of the FLEX Machine, an early desktop computer with graphical user interface and object-oriented operating system, participated in the design of the ARPAnet, and inspired by children, conceived the Dynabook, a laptop personal computer for children of all ages.
At Xerox PARC he invented Smalltalk, the first completely object-oriented programming, authoring and operating system (which included the now ubiquitous overlapping window interface), instigated the bit-map screen, screen painting and animation, participated in desk-top publishing, other desktop media, and the development of the Alto, the first modern networked personal computer. This was part of the larger process at PARC that created an entire genre of personal computing including: the GUI, Ethernet, Laserprinting, modern word processing, client-servers and peer-peer networking.
He has been a Xerox Fellow, Chief Scientist of Atari, Apple Fellow, Disney Fellow, and HP Senior Fellow. In 2001 he founded Viewpoints Research Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to children and learning. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at UCLA, a Visiting Professor at Kyoto University, and an Adjunct Professor at MIT.
He has been elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Arts, and the Computer History Museum.
He has a BA in Mathematics and Biology with minor concentrations in English and Anthropology from the University of Colorado, 1966. MS and PhD in Computer Science (1968 and 1969, both with distinction) from the University of Utah, and Honorary Doctorates from the Kungl Tekniska Hoegskolan in Stockholm, Columbia College in Chicago, and Georgia Tech.
Other honors include: J-D Warnier Prix d’Informatique, ACM Systems Software Award1, NEC Computers & Communication Foundation Prize, Funai Foundation Prize, Lewis Branscomb Technology Award, and the ACM SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contributions to Computer Science Education.
He entered show business in the 50s as a professional jazz guitarist. Much of his subsequent work combined music and theatrical production. Today he is an avid amateur classical pipe organist.
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| 0.928933 | 678 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Daytona - Healthy Retina, RG, AF
The retina is composed of the inner neural or sensory layers and the outer pigment epithelium. The neural retina has nine layers; from inner to outer they are the internal limiting membrane, nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, outer nu-clear layer, external limiting membrane, and photoreceptors. The normal retina is essential transparent (except for the pigment in the blood), although it does absorb a quantity of light passing through it. The sensory retina in the periphery is thin and relatively weak and thus is susceptible to full thickness breaks.
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| 0.890052 | 138 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Silverstone - Central Serous Retinopathy
The exact cause of central serous chorioretinopathy is unknown but it has been suggested that it is due to intense vasospasm in the choriocapillaris beneath the macular area. The vasospasm results in local ischemia that produces defects in the overlying pigment epithelium. The focal defect in the pigment epithelium causes a breakdown in the zonular occludes tight junctions around the pigment epithelial cells. Loss of the tight junctions permits fluid from the choroid to pass through the pigment epithelial layer and produce a serous detachment of the neuro retina.
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| 0.880346 | 136 | 2.515625 | 3 |
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