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Japan, which already tops the world’s life expectancy list, now has another tool to cement its leading position. The country’s scientists say they have discovered a protein responsible for ageing and learnt to control it.
A group of scientists from Osaka University have | Japan, which already tops the world’s life expectancy list, now has another tool to cement its leading position. The country’s scientists say they have discovered a protein responsible for ageing and learnt to control it.
A group of scientists from Osaka University have found that one of the components of the human complement system is directly responsible for ageing, Russia’s ITAR-TASS quotes Japanese media on Saturday. The C1q protein, the researchers say, is to blame for human cells getting old.
Part of the immune system, the complement system helps or “complements” the body in clearing away germs. The C1q protein was earlier thought to be merely a building block in the system.
Having established the protein’s true role, however, the scientists claim they have also learnt to control it, almost completely blocking cells’ ageing process. The discovery, they claim, could easily become a key to everlasting life.
But there is also a different side to the story.
By casting the protein “into sleep” and slowing the ageing process, scientists also block the body’s entire immune system. So far, a way of stopping the ageing and keeping the immune system working has not been found.
But the researchers say they are hard at work, so who knows? Perhaps one day before too long we m |
to the Washington Post, Electroconvulsive
Therapy Machines (ECT) will soon be required to undergo the same rigorous
testing as other medical equipment currently on the market.
A 1974 law mandating the
close scrutiny of new | to the Washington Post, Electroconvulsive
Therapy Machines (ECT) will soon be required to undergo the same rigorous
testing as other medical equipment currently on the market.
A 1974 law mandating the
close scrutiny of new medical devices allowed ECT to be grandfathered in and
escape scrutiny. Now, this momentous
decision will have far-reaching consequences for ECT use in the future,
particularly when it applies to those with autism.
As a treatment for severe depression and other mental disorders, ECT or ¨Shock Treatment,¨ as it is commonly referred to, delivers an electrical current to the brain, which induces a seizure. This seizure causes the patient to temporarily lose consciousness. Scientists don’t understand why the clinically-induced seizures relieve psychiatric symptoms in some patients, though they think it that it is somehow linked with the brain’s neurotransmitters.
Like chemotherapy, the patient must adhere to a maintenance schedule of further treatments.
Serious memory loss is a big side-effect of ECT. Others report hallucinations and the inability to engage in creative activities they once enjoyed. Proponents describe the therapy as life saving, while others contend it is barbaric and unconscionable, sending medical science back to the Middle Ages.
ECT has been around for seventy years but recently has been used to treat children with autism, particularly those who are self-injurious. Apparently, in some cases, incidents of self-harm by these children are significantly reduced by ECT therapy.
Parents of children who injure themselves most likely turn to ECT treatment as a last resort and are unders |
The tail of C. diff: Dog can detect illness with accuracy, researchers say
Finally, some good news about a Cliff.
After two months of training, a two-year-old beagle named Cliff demonstrated success at being able to detect C. | The tail of C. diff: Dog can detect illness with accuracy, researchers say
Finally, some good news about a Cliff.
After two months of training, a two-year-old beagle named Cliff demonstrated success at being able to detect C. diff in stool samples in a lab environment, researchers in Netherlands have discovered. The dog was tested on 100 C. diff positive and negative stool samples, and it identified all the positive samples and 47 out of 50 negative samples. He was then taken to two hospital wards in the Netherland, where he identified 25 out of 30 cases and 265 out of 270 negative controls.
In addition to his accuracy rate, Cliff was able to screen a hospital ward for C. diff in under 10 minutes, the researchers note, making it a quicker possible option when facilities are trying to screen patients or residents.
"This could have great potential for C. difficile infection screening in healthcare facilities and thus contribute to C. difficile infection outbreak control and prevention," the researchers said.
Results were published in the BMJ- British Medical Journal on Dec. 13. Click play above to see a video of Cliff working. |
Melting and Boiling Points
The melting points and boiling points depend upon the bond strength and structure of the elements.
From Na to Al, the elements are metals.
o The melting points and boiling points increase because:
1. the atoms are | Melting and Boiling Points
The melting points and boiling points depend upon the bond strength and structure of the elements.
From Na to Al, the elements are metals.
o The melting points and boiling points increase because:
1. the atoms are smaller
2. they have increasing effective nuclear charge
3. so the strengths of the metal-metal bonds increase.
Silicon has high melting and boiling points because
o It is macromolecular with a diamond structure.
1. Strong covalent bonds link all the atoms in three dimensions
2. A great deal of energy is required to break these bonds
P, S and Cl are all molecular substances
o Melting point is determined by the strengths of van der Waals’ forces.
o These are determined by the size of the molecules.
o These elements have low melting points because the van der Waals’ forces are weak and easily broken.
The sulphur molecule is the biggest and most polarisable – sulphur has a melting point which is higher than that of phosphorus or chlorine. |
Urbino students train to help preserve Italy’s artistic memories.
URBINO, Italy – Sitting on a short stool in a small, crowded laboratory inside the 15th century Ducal Palace, Daniela Pesca clasps a paintbrush | Urbino students train to help preserve Italy’s artistic memories.
URBINO, Italy – Sitting on a short stool in a small, crowded laboratory inside the 15th century Ducal Palace, Daniela Pesca clasps a paintbrush firmly in her hand as she makes small, delicate strokes on the face of a painted, wooden angel.
Nestled in the heart of Raffaello’s hometown, the lab is where Pesca, an art restoration student at the University of Urbino, spends eight to nine hours a day working to restore priceless pieces of art from many different masters in her quest to earn a degree in a profession with an uncertain financial future.
“Passion,” said Pesca. “Only passion, and a bit of madness.”
With great artists such as Raffaello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo, Italy is often considered the center of the world, a title Italians consider central to their culture. The works by those great names have lasted through centuries, but they needed help withstanding the blemishes of time.
The University of Urbino has taught generations of Italians to provide that help. Students like Pesca spend five years studying how to bring deteriorated and damaged art back to life.
Michele Papi, head of the program and U of Urbino alum, instructs his students in the same rooms that he received his own education. He teaches three types of restoration: canvas paintings, painted wood, and contemporary art.
According to Papi, preserving paintings and other pieces of art is very important because they “are the historical memory of our country.”
“The fundamental things you have to teach students are, first of all, the love for art, then the respect for art, and for the piece of art,” Papi said. “You must also make the students understand that when you restore a piece of art – it may be a painting, a painting on wood, or a frescoe – the approach that the student has to have is that of never altering the subject.
“Every operation you do on the painting must never alter the actual look of the piece of art.”.
Along with learning the fundamentals of art restoration, students must learn the techniques of individual masters so they know how to restore the work properly. Pesca provided the example of restoring a painting by Michelangelo Merisi Caravaggio.
This Renaissance master emphasized light contrasts and shadows in his paintings, and would use those shadows to enlighten some characters instead of others. He would also use people from the streets to depict some of the scenes he painted of angels, or even the Virgin Mary. According to Pesca, many of his pieces of art were refused by his clients because they were too realistic.
Knowing details like that is crucial to the proper restoration of a piece of art, she said.
“It is important because if you |
Sherwood Anderson (Sept 13, 1876 - March 8, 1941) was an American writer. Like a number of other famous writers (Chekhov, Dickens, Alcott, etc), Sherwood's childhood and | Sherwood Anderson (Sept 13, 1876 - March 8, 1941) was an American writer. Like a number of other famous writers (Chekhov, Dickens, Alcott, etc), Sherwood's childhood and adolescence knew family hardship. When his father's business failed, the family moved around a lot and his mother began to drink heavily. As a result of these hardships, Anderson left school at the age of fourteen in order to help with the family finances.
As a writer he is widely known for his short stories, particularly the collection published as Winesburg, Ohio. While that book is not without critics, it will always be a favorite of mine. I was a willing reader and bought into every character and every sketch narrator George Willard spun. In a tribute to Anderson's talents, I also recall being acutely aware of the author's control as I read through the stories and afterward I may have spent as much time thinking about the man who wrote them as the stories themselves. While there will always be many things we cannot know about a writer like Anderson, we can be certain that he was a man capable of writing with great empathy.
If you have not read Winesburg, Ohio, I encourage you to do so. |
29 March 2013. Reducing activity in the thalamus of mice can give rise to cognitive impairments similar to those seen in schizophrenia, reports a study that came out March 21 in Neuron. Led by Christoph Kellendon | 29 March 2013. Reducing activity in the thalamus of mice can give rise to cognitive impairments similar to those seen in schizophrenia, reports a study that came out March 21 in Neuron. Led by Christoph Kellendonk of Columbia University, New York, the study paired a designer receptor with a designer drug to selectively quiet neuronal activity in the mediodorsal (MD) thalamus, a region with dense, two-way connections with the prefrontal cortex. This manipulation weakened synchronous activity between MD thalamus and prefrontal cortex, and triggered impairments in cognitive flexibility and working memory reminiscent of those found in schizophrenia.
Click image to see a mini-lecture on this paper at the Cell Press YouTube channel.
The findings argue that problems with the thalamus may be sufficient to induce some of the cognitive deficits encountered in schizophrenia. When it comes to sophisticated mental processes like working memory, the thalamus does not figure as prominently as prefrontal cortex does, but its connections with brain regions far and wide makes it plausibly influential. In schizophrenia, brain imaging has turned up abnormalities in the thalamus (see SRF related news story and SRF news story), including reduced activity in the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (Minzenberg et al., 2009), echoing earlier evidence of structural abnormalities in this region (reviewed in Alelú-Paz and Giménez-Amaya, 2008. But it’s hard to know whether these reflect a cause or consequence of schizophrenia symptoms.
To address this question, the researchers modeled the decrease in mediodorsal nucleus activity in mice using the “designer-receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug” (DREADD) system developed by coauthor Bryan Roth (Armbruster et al., 2007). In this system, a receptor is engineered and introduced to specific regions of the brain, then activated at will with a drug. Specifically, the researchers introduced a mutated human muscarinic receptor (hM4D) into the MD thalamus. This receptor was no longer activated by its usual ligand, acetylcholine, or to any other neurotransmitters; instead, its ligand was clozapine-N-oxide (CNO), an otherwise inert chemical. When activated, the hM4D receptors hyperpolarized neurons by turning on potassium channels. Thus, when the researchers wanted to tone down MD thalamus activity, they injected mice with CNO. Unlike a lesion, this provided a graded manipulation of activity.
Flexibility and memory
First authors Sebastien Parnaudeau and Pia-Kelsey O’Neill began by verifying that their DREADD system worked as planned. The hM4D receptor was expressed exclusively in neurons, including those projecting to the prefrontal cortex. Within minutes, a CNO injection suppressed firing in about half the neurons they recorded. The neurons did not go silent, however, but rather decreased their firing rate by an average of 38.7 percent. These changes were not observed when control mice without the hM4D receptor were given CNO.
The researchers then tested the effects of turning down MD thalamus activity on reversal learning, a measure of cognitive flexibility, which is impaired in schizophrenia. In this paradigm, choosing one stimulus earns a reward, and choosing another gives a penalty. After this pairing is learned, the rule changes so that choosing the stimulus previously associated with a reward gives a penalty, and vice versa. With CNO on board, the hM4D mice could learn the first set of pairings as well as did controls, which included three groups: mice without the hM4D receptor given CNO, mice without the hM4D receptor given saline, and mice with the hM4D receptor given saline. When the pairings were reversed, however, the hM4D receptor-CNO mice didn’t adapt as well as the control groups did, and continued to choose the stimulus previously associated with reward.
To probe working memory, also affected in schizophrenia, the researchers tested the mice in a T-maze task. There, the mice explored the maze to discover which of two arms held a reward; after a delay, their memory for this arm was tested by having them choose the arm that did not originally contain the reward. With CNO on board, the hM4D receptor mice struggled to learn the task, taking about two days longer to reach the same level of correct choices attained by the three control groups. CNO also impaired how well a separate group of mice already trained on the task could show what they remembered: hM4D receptor mice chose the correct arm less often than the control group when given CNO. This suggests that decreased MD thalamus activity mucked with working memory, or the ability to keep information online. Other tests indicated that this manipulation did not interfere with attention, locomotion, and the ability to use spatial information.
Trouble in the beta band
Quieting activity in MD thalamus may have interfered with cognitive flexibility and working memory by disrupting its communication with prefrontal cortex, a region crucial for these mental processes. The researchers assessed the state of this connection by measuring the synchronous activity between MD thalamus and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). As mice performed the T-maze working memory task on which they had already been trained, the researchers found enhanced synchrony in the beta-frequency range, which consists of oscillations between 13-20 Hz, but not in gamma or theta frequencies. Upon tr |
Not every major scientific discovery is met with open arms. Throughout history some of the biggest discoveries were met with the highest resistance. So are these huge controversial discoveries still being proposed these days? Listen to the latest Question Your World Radio Report from the Science | Not every major scientific discovery is met with open arms. Throughout history some of the biggest discoveries were met with the highest resistance. So are these huge controversial discoveries still being proposed these days? Listen to the latest Question Your World Radio Report from the Science Museum of Virginia to find out.
Galileo and Copernicus both brought forth seemingly insane ideas about our world. Both were very important in changing the way humanity viewed not only itself, but also the rest of what was out there. Though at this time the idea of a sun-centered solar system seems commonplace, back in the 1500's this was a totally foreign thought. Copernicus was considered a misfit an |
Front Page Groups & Collections Oliver Cromwell
1559 - 1658
About the Author
Cromwell played a very important part in the English revolution, helping to form the New Model Army, conquering Ireland and Scotland, and becoming | Front Page Groups & Collections Oliver Cromwell
1559 - 1658
About the Author
Cromwell played a very important part in the English revolution, helping to form the New Model Army, conquering Ireland and Scotland, and becoming Lord Protector of England from 1654-1658. He knew the Leveller John Lilburne but was no Leveller himself.
In The Library: |
Q: I cringe every time I hear “I am done” instead of “I am finished.” Am I right in thinking the correct terminology here is “finished“?
A: Well, “finished” is correct in that sentence, but | Q: I cringe every time I hear “I am done” instead of “I am finished.” Am I right in thinking the correct terminology here is “finished“?
A: Well, “finished” is correct in that sentence, but so is “done.”
In fact, the adjective “done” has meant finished since well before the adjective “finished” entered the English language.
But you’re not alone in mistakenly thinking that there’s something fishy about the use of “done” to mean finished. Here’s the story.
The adjective “done” (meaning finished, performed, accomplished, etc.) first showed up in writing the early 1400s, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
However, the OED has citations dating from the early 1300s of the past participle “done” used in a similar way.
The slowpoke here, the adjective “finished,” didn’t show up until the late 1500s, according to OED citations.
As we’ve said, “done” has been used steadily since the beginning of the 14th century to mean finished. Here are some examples:
“When the Clerkes have dooen syngyng,” Book of Common Prayer, 1549;
“And having done that, Thou haste done, I have no more,” John Donne, 1623;
“Now the Chime of Poetry is done,” John Dryden, 1697;
“It was a done thing between him and Scrooge’s nephew,” A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens, 1843.
So how did “done” get its bad reputation?
In early examples, “done” is usually accompanied by the verb “have,” as in the citation from the Book of Common Prayer (“have dooen syngyng”). In later examples, it’s usually accompanied by the verb “be,” as in the Dryden example (“is done”).
As far as we know, nobody complained about either usage until the 20th century, when some language mavens got it into their heads that it was OK to use “done” with “have,” but not with “be,” in a sentence like the one in your question.
The first objection to the “be” usage appeared in the Manual of Good English (1917), by H. N. MacCracken and Helen E. Sandison, according to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage.
“ |
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/ Publication Information
Title: Chemical control methods and tools
Author: Manning, Steven; Miller, James.
Source: In: Invasive Plant Management Issues and Challenges in the United States; ACS Symposium Series; American | You are here: Home
/ Publication Information
Title: Chemical control methods and tools
Author: Manning, Steven; Miller, James.
Source: In: Invasive Plant Management Issues and Challenges in the United States; ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC. 207-229.
Description: After determining the best course of action for control of an invasive plant population, it is important to understand the variety of methods available to the integrated pest management professional. A variety of methods are now widely used in managing invasive plants in natural areas, including chemical, mechanical, and cultural control methods. Once the preferred method of control is identified and the appropriate personal protective equipment has been chosen, the next step is to determine the specific types of equipment that should be used to create the most selective, efficient and affect control of the target species. Chemical control is one of the most frequently utilized tools in this industry. Proper use of chemicals is important and the applicator must always remember that the label is the law. No application offers guaranteed success, but proper use of chemicals and associated tools will increase the effectiveness of the treatment. This involves an understanding of the benefits of adjuvants, proper mixing and application protocols, and finally the correct choice and proper use of low volume, high volume or selective spray equipment.
View or Print this Publication (2.6 MB)
- We recommend that y |
The Japanese also suffer from karoshi (death by overwork). Karoshi is a documented ailment in which people develop illnesses and die from high stress and the pressures of overtime work.
The Japanese officially recognized karoshi as a fatal illness in | The Japanese also suffer from karoshi (death by overwork). Karoshi is a documented ailment in which people develop illnesses and die from high stress and the pressures of overtime work.
The Japanese officially recognized karoshi as a fatal illness in 1989. Its symptoms include high blood pressure and asthmatic-like problems. The first person who died of karoshi (officially) was a 48-year-old man who typically worked 15-hour days at an Osaka-based company. The man had worked at least 100 hours of overtime every month for the past year, and had worked 15 hours for three consecutive days just before he died.
The state recognized the cause of his death as overwork, and awarded his widow an allowance of more than $2,000 per month. More recently, a bank teller died of overwork at age 23, after an acute asthma attack. According to newspaper reports, this type of phenomenon isn't unexpected, especially in Japan's banking industry.
Because of intense competition, working conditions have become very pressured. For example, Japanese banks introduced computerized systems to speed up transactions, and simultaneously made dramatic cuts in their number of full-time employees. In 1975, for example, approximately 8,000 women worked at Fuji Bank. Only 4,900 were employed there in 1989.
In 1990, the Labor Ministry received 777 applications for compensation because of karoshi. The problem is becoming more prevalent. Some Japanese doctors say that they're finding more stress among their female patients. The symptoms of stress include fatigue, eating disorders, skin problems and hair loss.
A recent study conducted by the Fukoku Life Insurance Co. in Japan and cited in the Chicago Tribune stated that a majority of Japanese workers in their prime feel mentally fatigued every day, and many workers are afraid of dropping dead from overwork. It draws a picture of workers who drag themselves to work and are afraid to take vacation time.
The survey included 500 employees who had had more than 15 years' experience with their respective companies. It found that:
- 80% of Japanese workers want to sleep more
- 70% feel stressed
- 44% feel constant fatigue
- 42% fear death from overwork
- 28% lack creativity and motivation
- 23% feel a frequent desire to call in sick.
The problem hasn't gone unnoticed. The Bureau of National Affairs Inc. in Washington, D.C., recently reported that Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa has proposed legislation aimed at encouraging the country's citizens to work less.
For now, Japanese workers still work 10% longer than average U.S. employees. That's nothing to be proud of, however. U.S. employees work more than 320 hours a year longer than French and German employees, who have much higher rates of productivity and longer vacation times to boot.
Personnel Journal, June 1993, Vol. 72, No. 6, p. 58. |
Most of the time when we smell something bad, we utter "P.U." at the stink. Where does that come from? In Latin, "puteo" means to stink or smell bad. Many languages contain words referring to bad | Most of the time when we smell something bad, we utter "P.U." at the stink. Where does that come from? In Latin, "puteo" means to stink or smell bad. Many languages contain words referring to bad smells and most start with the letters "pu." English speakers have the word "phew" with a variety of meanings ranging from disgust to impatience to weariness. Linguists don't really know the origins of P.U., and it isn't an abbreviati |
eels are world widespread in warm or tropical seas, where they live mainly in
reefs or other low rocky areas. Their skin does not have scales like other eels, and
their smooth, muscular bodies range up to about 3 | eels are world widespread in warm or tropical seas, where they live mainly in
reefs or other low rocky areas. Their skin does not have scales like other eels, and
their smooth, muscular bodies range up to about 3 m (about 10 ft) long in some
species. They may also be brightly colored. Each of the single pair of gill
openings is small and circular, and the gaping mouth is filled with long, sharp,
slender teeth. (Certain species have teeth modified for crushing hard-shelled
animal forms.) Typically, morays feed at night on other fish and on mollusks.
Despite their appearance, morays usually do not attack unless annoyed; their
bites, however, can be serious.
eel starts its life as a tiny see- through sexless larva in the Coral Sea near
New Guinea. It slowly starts to develop as it moves south with the currents to
New Zealand, Victoria or Tasmania. It takes one to three years for the larvae,
which are about 50 -70 mm. long, to swim 3,000 kilometers down the east coast of
Australia and enter freshwater estuaries. At this stage of their life cycle they
their sex. The larva that travel up stream become females and the ones that stay
in the estuaries become males. After a short period they grow to become elvers
and turn brown in color. They swim to a freshwater dam, creek, stream or lake
and live there for six to thirty-five years. The eel is now fully mature. The
eels grow breeding organs, lose their gut and stop feeding. Before completing
its life cycle the eel starts its long journey back to the coast of New Guinea.
There it spawns and then dies. |
is Cervical Spondylosis ( GRIVA SANDHIGATA VATA )?
It is a specific form of arthritis, which attacks vertebrae and connecting
bony, and ligament structures, is known as Spond | is Cervical Spondylosis ( GRIVA SANDHIGATA VATA )?
It is a specific form of arthritis, which attacks vertebrae and connecting
bony, and ligament structures, is known as Spondylosis. Frequently
it occurs in the cervical vertebrae. The spines of majority of people
above the age of 50 have certain degree of osteo arthritic changes.
But they seldom cause acute symptoms. Certain precipitating factors
like trauma, incorrect posture of the body, pressure while sleeping
and excessive intake of sour food usually precipitate these attacks.
ayurveda this condition is known as Griva Sandhigata Vata
condition is more classically seen in people with sedentary habits
especially those who tend to do a lot of work sitting on a chair in
a bent down posture, or practice a semi erect posture l- half erect
and half lying producing undue strain on the vertebral column.
are the Symptoms?
in the back of neck, shoulder and arms
of the neck and even paraplegia may occur due to this condition.
movement of the spine generally aggravates the pain of the neck.
an aggravated state it may present with nausea, blurred vision,
and may also be associated with induced tendency of vomiting.
is often associated with loss of memory and sleeplessness.
is the treatment?
external massage is not of much use. Violent massage with deep pressure
is very harmful for the patient. Only gentle massage over the muscles
of the neck and shoulder joints should be applied which is directed
outwards that is from the neck towards the shoulders.
gentle massage can be given 2-3 times a day. This is a physiotherapeutic
measure and similar measures are advised even in modern medical system.
Modern sciences advise cervical traction in severe cases which exists
in Ayurveda in the form of yogic exercises which are aimed at keeping
the spine erect eg:, Padma asana, or Shirshasana may be recommended.
In winter season this medicated oil should be gently warmed before
Hot fomentation on the vertebrae of the neck is very useful for this
Diet Sour things particularly curd, are strictly prohibited. Fried
things, pulses and various preparations of pulses are also contra-
indicated in this condition. Bitter vegetables like bitter variety
of drumstick, neem flowers and bitter gourd are very useful. Wheat
is better than rice for the patient.
to cold,cold bath and any violent exercise of the neck muscles, including
pressure, are very bad for the patients. Under the impression that
this pain is being caused by some defects in the muscles, people undertake
different types of neck exercises.
reading and writing, one should maintain a comfortable posture.
walk gives some relief to the patient, but if it is cold outside the
patient should always use a woolen scarf around his neck while going
out of the house.
offer some classical Indian supportive remedies for this disease which
are supposed to be taken strictly under medical supervision. Kindly
Ask a Doctor |
The University of Hertfordshire's groundbreaking work on a child-like robot it developed to help children with autism, has been chosen as one of the most important research projects taking place in universities today, with the publication today (16 June) of | The University of Hertfordshire's groundbreaking work on a child-like robot it developed to help children with autism, has been chosen as one of the most important research projects taking place in universities today, with the publication today (16 June) of the Big Ideas for the Future report.
The report, which is jointly published by Research Councils UK (RCUK) and Universities UK, pulls together the leading research projects currently taking place across UK universities. Research from all fields, including science, social sciences, engineering, the arts and the humanities, were eligible to be included and the University of Hertfordshire's project was selected for inclusion from hundreds of submissions. The report is narrated and backed by high-profile celebrities such as Professor Lord Robert Winston, Dr Alice Roberts and Professor Iain Stewart.
The Hertfordshire team led by Professor Kerstin Dautenhahn at the University of Hertfordshire are using interactive humanoid robots as therapeutic 'toys' to help children with autism. They developed KASPAR (short for Kinesics and Synchronisation in Personal Assistant Robotics), a child-like robot.
KASPAR can be controlled and tailored to an individual child's development needs. While obviously non-human, it has simple human features, minimal expressions and predictable movements. The robot acts as a mediator, encouraging children to communicate with people, at first indirectly and then directly. The research has the potential to transform the social and educational development of children living with autism in the future. |
Unyielding dogmatism is just one of a number of human characteristics, but those who posses it are typically rigid, stubborn and can react aggressively when their belief systems are challenged. Their minds are closed to any possibility of uncertainty, which | Unyielding dogmatism is just one of a number of human characteristics, but those who posses it are typically rigid, stubborn and can react aggressively when their belief systems are challenged. Their minds are closed to any possibility of uncertainty, which in a notoriously uncertain world, they perceive as frightening. It can be quite limiting or destructive in personal relationships and a dogmatist’s fierce determination to be right, can be judged as smug arrogance: it is more likely to be caused by a lack of emotional or social intelligence, or personal insight.
Dogmatists tend to be authoritarian and intolerant to varying degrees and this results in them believing any opposing belief system, be it social, political or religious, possesses the same narrow rigidity. This leads them to believe that life is a constant battle between “us and them”. They are unable to contemplate an alternative point of view. The choice is simply; defend their own dogma against another. Scylla or Charybdis?
Dangers to avoid being labelled as dogmatic:
“You are wrong”
“You are a liberal leftie”
“Look, what you have to understand is…”
“It’s obvious to anyone with anyone with a grain of intelligence…” |
Antigone for Young (American) Audiences: A Protest Parable
This chapter discusses a 2006 production of Antigone at the Children's Theater Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a teenage audience of twelve to eighteen-year-olds | Antigone for Young (American) Audiences: A Protest Parable
This chapter discusses a 2006 production of Antigone at the Children's Theater Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a teenage audience of twelve to eighteen-year-olds. The production invited a critique and discussion of post-9/11 politics and the Iraq War, in a space littered with cultural and political detritus, and stressed the problems of communication between parents and children and leaders and citizens as well as the need for political change. The audience was invited not only to empathize with the rebellious, anti-war Antigone's resistance to a physically powerful and sometimes violent Creon, but to participate directly in the production. Because Antigone was played by an African-America |
What better way to connect children with the natural world than through gardening? Team up with the youngsters in your care on scores of fun outdoor and indoor garden-related activities. Share the joy of watching plants and the animals that live among them grow and flourish | What better way to connect children with the natural world than through gardening? Team up with the youngsters in your care on scores of fun outdoor and indoor garden-related activities. Share the joy of watching plants and the animals that live among them grow and flourish as you guide children in the discovery of nature's cycles and communities.
- Over 40 hands-on activities and ideas for many more
- Wildlife and food gardening projects, nature explorations, science experiments, journal keeping, art and craft activities
- Easy step-by-step instructions
- Colorful illustrations on each page
- Comprehensive glossary and index |
Big quakes more frequent than thought on San Andreas fault
Study finds they’ve occurred every 45 to 144 years, most recently in 1857
Earthquakes have rocked the powerful San Andreas fault that splits California far more often than | Big quakes more frequent than thought on San Andreas fault
Study finds they’ve occurred every 45 to 144 years, most recently in 1857
Earthquakes have rocked the powerful San Andreas fault that splits California far more often than previously thought, according to UC Irvine and Arizona State University researchers who have charted temblors there stretching back 700 years.
The findings, to be published in the Sept. 1 issue of Geology, conclude that large ruptures have occurred on the Carrizo Plain portion of the fault – about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles – as often as every 45 to 144 years. But the last big quake was in 1857, more than 150 years ago.
UCI researchers said that while it’s possible the fault is experiencing a natural lull, they think it’s more likely a major quake could happen soon.
“If you’re waiting for somebody to tell you when we’re close to the next San Andreas earthquake, just look at the data,” said UCI seismologist Lisa Grant Ludwig, principal investigator on the study.
An associate professor of public health, she hopes the findings will serve as a wake-up call to Californians who’ve grown complacent about the risk of major earthquakes. She said the new data “puts the exclamation point” on the need for state residents and policymakers to be prepared.
For individuals, that means having ample water and other supplies on hand, safeguarding possessions in advance, and establishing family emergency plans. For regulators, Ludwig advocates new policies requiring earthquake risk signs on unsafe buildings and forcing inspectors in home-sale transactions to disclose degrees of risk.
Sinan Akciz, UCI assistant project scientist and the study’s lead author, was part of a team that collected charcoal samples from carefully dug trenches in the Carrizo Plain, along with earlier samples that Ludwig had stored for decades in her garage. The charcoal forms naturally after wildfires, then is washed into the plain by rains, building up over the centuries in layers that are fragmented during earthquakes. Akciz dated the samples via recently developed radiocarbon techniques to determine time frames for six major earthquakes, the earliest occurring about 1300 A.D.
The field data confirmed what Ludwig had long suspected: The widely accepted belief that a major earthquake happened on the fault every 250 to 400 years was inaccurate. Not all quakes were as strong as originally thought, either; but they all packed a wallop, ranging between magnitude 6.5 and 7.9.
“What we know is for the last 700 years, earthquakes on the southern San Andreas fault have been much more frequent than everyone thought,” said Akciz. “Data presented here contradict previously published reports.”
“We’ve learned that earthquake recurrence along the San Andreas fault is complex,” agreed co-author Ramon Arrowsmith, a geology professor at Arizona State. “While earthquakes may be more frequent, they may also |
|A refined method could help gay men |
have children, researchers said
Researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Texas used a series of steps to create the mice.
They manipulated stem cells from a male mouse (father A) to create ‘ | |A refined method could help gay men |
have children, researchers said
Researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Texas used a series of steps to create the mice.
They manipulated stem cells from a male mouse (father A) to create ‘”male eggs” without the male Y chromosome. These were then put into embryos and transplanted into surrogate mother mice.
The resulting mice, which were all female, had genetic material from both father A and the donated eggs and sperm from the embryos. Some of the eggs they produced had only genetic material from father A.
They were then mated with another male (father B) and their offspring, both male and female, contained genetic material which came from only father A and father B.
The researchers admitted that the process was complicated but said that if it was refined, “someday two men could produce their own genetic sons and daughters”.
It could also be used for lesbians to have children.
“It may also be possible to generate sperm from a female donor and produce viable male and female progeny with two mothers,” researchers said.
Another use could be to preserve endangered species where no females remain.
The study was published this week in the journal Biology of Reproduction.
In 2008, researchers at the University of Newcastle created primitive sperm cells with female embryonic stem cells. |
The best way to fight breast cancer is to know your body and have a plan that helps you detect the disease in its early stages.
According to the Center for Disease Control, the best way to find breast cancer early is with a mammogram. | The best way to fight breast cancer is to know your body and have a plan that helps you detect the disease in its early stages.
According to the Center for Disease Control, the best way to find breast cancer early is with a mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast and can detect breast cancer up to two years before a tumor can be felt by you or your doctor. The American Cancer Society recommends that you:
- Get regular mammograms. Work with your doctor to set up a schedule that is right for your age and situation. Yearly mammograms are recommended for women age 40 or older who are at average risk of breast cancer. Women at high risk should have yearly mammograms along with an MRI starting at age 30.
- Follow up on your test results. Don’t assume that your results were normal. Call your doctor’s office to |
Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland - Pollboy bog in 1846
Transcribed and submitted by Damian Mac Con Uladh
or Polbuie, a bog in the parishes of Kilclooney and Clontuskert, barony | Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland - Pollboy bog in 1846
Transcribed and submitted by Damian Mac Con Uladh
or Polbuie, a bog in the parishes of Kilclooney and Clontuskert, barony of Clonmacnoon, co. Galway, Connaught. It commences ¾ of a mile south of Ballinasloe, and extends 2½ miles along the right bank of the Suck, and past the hamlet of Polboy. It is bounded on the |
“I’ve known these two individuals — the husband for more than 50 years and the wife for at least 35, 40 — and there’s not a racist hair on their heads or anyplace else on their bodies”....Rush stresses | “I’ve known these two individuals — the husband for more than 50 years and the wife for at least 35, 40 — and there’s not a racist hair on their heads or anyplace else on their bodies”....Rush stresses the image:
... the media is holding Charles Sherrod up as a paragon of virtue. And John Lewis said that there's not a hair of racism on his head or anywhere else on his body. It's the first time I've ever heard anybody say that. There['s] not a shred of racism any hair on his head, or the rest of the body. What's Lewis thinking when he says that?He pauses to let us try to picture all the body hair Lewis has strangely conjured up for us to contemplate the possible racism of.
I can't explain everything about The Sherrod I |
December brings many things: snow, cold weather, people acting horribly at shopping centers, and journalists seeking a new angle on holiday reporting. A favorite in recent years is to talk of the “pagan” origins of the Christmas holiday. These often | December brings many things: snow, cold weather, people acting horribly at shopping centers, and journalists seeking a new angle on holiday reporting. A favorite in recent years is to talk of the “pagan” origins of the Christmas holiday. These often come in the form of editorials rebutting the inane “War on Christmas” prattlings by Bill O’Reilly and his ilk. For example, Pete Langr of the Budgeteer News has this to say.
“It’s ironic that the effort to put Christ back in Christmas is both so profitable and so willing to focus on the Christmas tree and on the word “merry.” The Christmas tree itself “has nothing to do with other religious holidays celebrated in December” says my letter writer. Except that the Christmas tree was apparently co-opted by Christians from a pagan celebration in which evergreen boughs were hung in the home. In effect, the pagans lost an earlier culture war. Perhaps they bartered buttons saying ‘take back our winter solstice celebration.’”
“Despite popular belief, the idea of Christmas trees did not come from Pagan rituals. In fact, the first Christmas trees are believed to have originated in 17th century Germany. It took two centuries for the idea to catch on in the U.S.”
To bad the Bible somewhat refutes that notion.
“Jeremiah 10:2-4: “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.” (KJV).”
The New York Times has its own formula for many beloved Christmas traditions: pagans invented them, Christians appropriated them, Dickens (and 19th century England) synthesized, secularized, and popularized them, and the public embraced the entire culturally tangled mess whole-cloth.
“Standiford, the author of four other nonfiction books, tidily explains the appeal of “A Christmas Carol,” its readership “said at the turn of the 20th century to be second only to the Bible’s.” Replacing the slippery Holy Ghost with anthropomorphized spirits, the infant Christ with a crippled child whose salvation waits on man’s — not God’s — generosity, Dickens laid claim to a religious festival, handing it over to the gathering forces of secular humanism. If a single night’s crash course in man’s power to redress his mistakes and redeem his future without appealing to an invisible and silent deity could rehabilitate even so apparently lost a cause as Ebenezer Scrooge, imagine what it might do for the rest of us!”
So the answer to the “pagan origins” debate is that everyone’s right. A lot of “Christmas-y” stuff is pre-Christian in some form or another, but it is equally true to say that they have been fully absorbed into a Christian context. In turn, both the pagan and Christian contexts for hanging the holly and trimming the tree have morphed into a fully secular affair, complete with a popular mythology that is a mish-mash of pagan, Christian, and pop-culture elements. What the Christmas warriors don’t understand is that their war was lost long ago, and the majority of people who just wanted a reason to find hope, merriment, and camaraderie during the bleak midwinter won out. |
Separation Anxiety in the Extreme
How to know if your child's behavior is too extreme and a list of books that can ease separation anxiety
If your little one bursts into tears when you leave the room, that's normal. But if she | Separation Anxiety in the Extreme
How to know if your child's behavior is too extreme and a list of books that can ease separation anxiety
If your little one bursts into tears when you leave the room, that's normal. But if she sobs for hours and says, "I know you're not going to come back" or "What if you get hit by a car?" she may have separation anxiety disorder, which strikes about 4 percent of children, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (adaa.org). Other symptoms include panic attacks, nightmares, depression, and refusing to go on playdates, to school, or to sleep in his own bed. The child might experience stomachaches, nausea, even vomiting, and say, "I'm so sick, don't leave."
"It can be extremely exhausting for the parents because it starts to interfere with life in other ways," says child psychologist Sara Abbot. "The kids don't want to get involved in activities outside the home, and the parents don't get any privacy."
In the past, pediatricians might have shrugged off these symptoms as a phase kids will grow out of. But research now suggests that anxiety disorders in childhood, if left untreated, can continue into adolescence and beyond. Early treatment can help prevent future problems. For a child to receive a diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder, the symptoms must persist for at least four weeks. But if your child is extremely anxious, tell your pediatrician sooner if you're concerned. He may refer your child for cognitive-behavioral therapy, which teaches children the skills to face their fears and calm themselves. The goals are to reinforce the notion that the world is safe, give themsome sense of control, and improve self-esteem, says Abbot. Treatment is often concentrated within a short period (weeks or months as opposed to years), and play therapy is often used with the youngest kids.
A few great books to ease the pain of goodbyes: |
Mobile phones global health menace, says top brain surgeon
Global epidemic nearing
Prolonged mobile phone use could be more damaging to your health than smoking or asbestos, according to the latest report into the possible risks of handset radiation on human brains | Mobile phones global health menace, says top brain surgeon
Global epidemic nearing
Prolonged mobile phone use could be more damaging to your health than smoking or asbestos, according to the latest report into the possible risks of handset radiation on human brains.
The report was compiled by Dr Vini Khurana, an Australian neurosurgeon, following 14 months of research. This, he says, involved a critical review of many existing medical resources and online information into the possible links between brain tumours and mobile phone use.
Dr Khurana concluded that long term exposure to mobile phone radiation is causing an “emerging global public health concern”. He also forecast that over the next four years the dangers of mobile phones on our brains will become more evident, as stronger evidence come to light linking prolonged mobile phone use to brain tumours.
So, what is Khurana’s solution? Dump all the world’s mobile phones into the Grand Canyon? Make Bluetooth headsets mandatory? Bring back the pager?
No, the doctor has called for the mobile phone industry and governments to take “immediate and decisive steps”. This would see both camps acknowledge there’s a health problem and propose possible solutions, such as yet further studies.
Dr Khurana’s research stands in contrast to the findings of two separate reports published last month, which both concluded that mobile phones don’t increase your risk of developing cancer.
A study by the Tokyo Women’s Medical University failed to find any evidence that mobile phone use leads to brain cancer, following the cross-examination of mobile phone users with and without brain cancer.
An Australian university professor also unveiled his cancer causing product banding system, which placed mobile phones in an unlikely category – the lowest risk band of all. |
The Boston Globe April 28, 2008Link
Casey Dunn has gathered his share of weird animals. He dredged up sea spiders that live around the docks in Waikiki. He dived to the sea floor to scoop up | The Boston Globe April 28, 2008Link
Casey Dunn has gathered his share of weird animals. He dredged up sea spiders that live around the docks in Waikiki. He dived to the sea floor to scoop up mud, in search of bizarre, spiny creatures called kinorhynchs that are smaller than a grain of sand.
Dunn, a biologist at Brown University, hunts for weird animals to get his hands on their DNA. Hidden in their genes is a record of the history of the entire animal kingdom, some 700 million years of evolutionary change.
By analyzing the DNA of dozens of different kinds of animals, he and his colleagues have made some astounding discoveries about animal evolution. For one thing, the common ancestor of all living animals may have been more complicated than once thought.
While scientists have been analyzing DNA for a few decades now, this work is different. Instead of comparing a fragment of a single gene, as a scientist might have done 10 years ago, Dunn and his contemporaries can search through all of the DNA in an animal - its entire genome.
Comparative genomics, as this young science is known, is having a huge impact on biology, helping scientists answer many of science's deepest questions. It promises, for example, to shed light on how our genes make us prone to diseases, and how the genes of pathogens make them deadly.
"It has created a revolution in our ability to understand biology," said Steven Brenner, a computational biologist at the University of California at Berkeley.
Before comparative genomics, some researchers worried that they might never understand early animal evolution well. It's like watching a card game a mile away through a telescope. The details can be blurry.
"You have to look over this long distance to something that was relatively quick," Dunn said. "A lot of people wondered if we could ever find out how the major groups of animals are related to each other."
Dunn and his colleagues have now shown that they can.
The scientists have analyzed the biggest collection of data on animals ever assembled. They combined data on DNA from 77 different species, as varied as sponges, oysters, and humans. Some of the data came from earlier research by other scientists. Dunn and his colleagues also searched for obscure animals to get a wider selection. "It took us a couple years to get everything together," Dunn said.
With that information, they were able to reconfigure the tree of life.
They identified pivotal genes in all 77 species that they thought would provide insight into evolution. They then narrowed down this list of 3,000 or so genes to 150 that would provide the most insight into evolution.
"We needed to run over 100 computers for months on end to even make sense of this data," Dunn said.
"One of the most important results is that we get a result," he said. Instead of being lost in an ancient blur, many of the branches of the animal kingdom came into focus in their study. "It was a bit of a relief."
Some of the results confirmed relationships based on anatomy. The closest relatives to vertebrates, for example, include echinoderms (a group that includes starfish). But other results were surprising.
Two of the most species-rich groups of animals are the insects and nematodes, such as roundworms. For years, many scientists argued that insects were more closely related to us than nematodes. For evidence, they pointed to traits that insects and vertebrates share, such as an inner body cavity, which nematodes lack. But the new study supports a different view of animal evolution: Insects and nematodes are more closely related to each other than either is to us.
This result is not just important for understanding how animals evolved. (In this case, it appears that nematodes lost their body cavity after they branched off from the ancestors of insects.) The better scientists understand how insects and nematodes are related to us, the better they can translate the results of experiments on these animals to human biology.
"The human genome sequence would be nearly worthless without the value added by evolutionary comparisons to other organisms," said Mark Pallen, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Birmingham in England.
The biggest surprise of the new study lies at the very base of the animal tree. Traditionally, scientists have considered sponges to belong to the oldest lineage of living animals. The next oldest lineages produced a group of species that included jellyfish and comb jellies, known as ctenophores. According to this view, the common ancestor of living animals was relatively simple. Only after the ancestors of sponges branched off did a nervous system begin to evolve.
Dunn and his colleagues discovered to their surprise that the comb jelly lineage is the oldest. To test this result, Steven Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium used a remote submersible to catch another species of comb jelly to analyze. It turned out that their original comb jelly had not been a genetic fluke.
Their discovery does not mean that our ancestors looked like comb jellies, Dunn stresses. "That's like sayin |
The technology was developed based on research into the human brain – the central control center for all our interactions and experiences.
The brain is made up of approximately 100 billion nerve cells, which are called neurons. With the billions of active neurons, the | The technology was developed based on research into the human brain – the central control center for all our interactions and experiences.
The brain is made up of approximately 100 billion nerve cells, which are called neurons. With the billions of active neurons, the brain tissue contains a myriad of active current sources that cause the local electrical potential to endlessly fluctuate with a great deal of variability.
Each human brain is unique, both physically and functionally. The folding of the cortex of the human brain is also highly individual, meaning the way in which the external surface of the brain is folded individualizes the potentials, regardless of how functionality is mapped in each brain. Using non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG), it is possible to observe each person’s individual electrical brain activity.
At Mind Technologies, Inc. we believe a revolution of human-computer interaction is finally here. Our Company is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this technology and bring increased value to our shareholders.
More on the Technology:
The scientists at Emotiv have done the impossible: created a brain-wave-reading headset that lets you conjure entire worlds using nothing but your mind — a breakthrough that could be worth billions. Now comes the hard part. See the rest of the article |
The great white shark released Mike Fraser only after it had ripped off his arm.
The 53-year-old was attacked in 1992, while snorkelling off Campbell Island 600 kilometres south of Invercargill, surveying the area | The great white shark released Mike Fraser only after it had ripped off his arm.
The 53-year-old was attacked in 1992, while snorkelling off Campbell Island 600 kilometres south of Invercargill, surveying the area for photographing and filming southern right whales.
"Suddenly I was hit on the right-hand side like a truck, and I was pulled underwater," Fraser said.
"I saw the shark hanging on to my right arm. The arm came off, which is how I got loose."
As well as using their teeth to test out potential prey, sharks will often injure animals and wait for them to bleed to death before eating them. Fraser suspects this was what the shark was doing to him.
Fortunately, with the help of adrenaline and the cold southern waters that stopped the bleeding, Fraser was able to swim to shore.
Despite the frustrations of losing an arm, Fraser still has great respect for the sharks. He had dived with sharks many times and has worked on documentaries about the predators since the attack.
There are more than 60 shark species that come to New Zealand waters. The majority are little-known species that live deep below the ocean surface.
But New Zealand also attracts the big names that induce fear in the hearts of swimmers.
"Great whites are found throughout New Zealand waters. We get newborns through to mature females, more than five-and-a-half metres long," Department of Conservation shark expert Clinton Duffy said.
But the chances of getting attacked by a shark this summer are very small.
On average, there are two shark attacks every year in New Zealand. Since 1837, there have been 15 fatal attacks. The last death was in 2006, when a kayaker was mauled by a great white in the Coromandel - whether he drowned before the shark found him is still disputed. Before that was 1976.
"Sharks definitely get a bad rep," Duffy said.
Each summer the media is filled with screaming headlines about shark sightings and attacks, but the truth is that - scary though they appear - the giant predators are much less likely to cause us harm than countless other things we humans come across.
Every year about 5000 people die from causes related to smoking. This year, three people had drowned in backyard swimming pools before September. Since 2003, there have been three fatalities by dog attack.
"There are fatal shark attacks and non-fatal injurious shark attacks, but they are very rare events - especially when you consider how many people are in the water every year in this country," Duffy said.
Sharks come to New Zealand to feast in our fertile waters, where they dine on baitfish, kingfish, tuna, marine mammals and other sharks.
But one thing that isn't on a shark's menu is people.
"Fortunately, human beings don't form part of the natural diet," Duffy said.
Fraser suspects the shark spat him out rather than let him go.
But attacks become more likely the closer you are to a seal colony. Great whites gather near seal colonies to hunt and are inquisitive animals. Fraser had been body-surfing with sea lions before he was attacked.
"They are in the general area looking for something about the size of a human being swimming at the surface. Occasionally, they mistake people for seals," Duffy said.
But even in Otago, where seals congregate and the majority of New Zealand's shark attacks have occurred, shark nets that fenced three Dunedin beaches for more than 40 years were removed last year. The nearly $40,000 annual maintenance cost was considered superfluous. In fact, this summer the tables are more likely to be turned on the sharks, which are more likely to be bitten by humans.
Rig sharks and school sharks are an important commercial fishing species in New Zealand and are served in fish and chips.
Before the introduction of the quota management scheme in 1986, their stocks were dangerously depleted.
"There are currently no concerns for the sustainability of those species, but their numbers are clearly down," Duffy said.
The low population of sharks has also made them very difficult to study.
Although very little is known about sharks, research is starting to reveal their importance to the marine ecosystem.
By hunting old, weak and diseased prey, sharks work to keep the ecosystem healthy.
"Sharks are helping to maintain strong species by improving the genetic stock of what is left," said Dr Malcolm Fr |
Finding Technical Reports - NACA
- What are Technical Reports?
- Find Technical Reports:
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)
The University of Arizona Library has microfiche copies of most technical reports issued by the National Advisory | Finding Technical Reports - NACA
- What are Technical Reports?
- Find Technical Reports:
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)
The University of Arizona Library has microfiche copies of most technical reports issued by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) from 1915 through mid-1958. There is some overlap in print coverage for NACA technical reports, either due to duplicate print copies or between reports issued by both the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), and/or the Government Printing Office (GPO).
NACA reports available through the UA Library can be found in the following formats:
|Online (Full-text)||NASA Technical Report Server (select NACA under Collection to limit searches to NACA reports from 1915-1958)|
|Copies of reports received in print format can be found by searching the library catalog [Hint: Most print reports are located near the compact shelving on the 5th floor of the Science Library and are arranged by SuDoc number at Y3.N21/5: ]|
|Microfiche||Located in the NACA/NASA microfiche cabinets in the Science Library Current Periodicals Room. NACA Microfiche should be organized by N-accession numbers.|
(For information on reports issued in mid-1958 or later, see NASA.)
Answering the following series of questions will guide you to finding NACA/NASA technical reports in the UA Library.
For reports issued from 1915-1958, if you have a NACA/NASA accession number (e.g. N45-023775) for the technical report:
- Use the report accession number to locate the technical report in the microfiche collection.
- The NASA and NACA microfiche collections are located in the cabinets labeled NACA/NASA located in the Science-Engineering Library Current Periodicals and Microfiche room on the ground floor of the Science-Engineering Library.
If you do not have a NACA accession number for a report (1915-mid-1958):
- In order to locate your document, you will need to find the accession number issued by NACA or NASA. The issuing agency and supporting resources to find the accession number are determined by the date of the document for which you are looking. The following guide should help:
|1915-mid 1958||National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)|
Last modified: April 4, 2012 |
Seven Battles were commissioned before the end of World War II, but only saw action, with the British Pacific Fleet.
With these parameters accepted a sketch design was submitted and approved in the autumn of 1941 and orders for sixteen ships (two fl | Seven Battles were commissioned before the end of World War II, but only saw action, with the British Pacific Fleet.
With these parameters accepted a sketch design was submitted and approved in the autumn of 1941 and orders for sixteen ships (two flotillas) were placed under the 1942 programme. Considerably larger than the standard fleet destroyer, these ships were seen as a replacement for the Tribal class which had already suffered very heavy losses. With an overall length of 379 feet they were two feet longer than the Tribals and with a beam of 40 feet 3 inches were just over three feet wider. It was decided to abandon the usual alphabetical naming of destroyer flotillas and name these ships after famous land and sea battles, thus these ships became known as the 1942 Battle class.
Experiences in the Pacific, in operations against the Japanese, pointed to the limited usefulness of the 4 inch gun abaft the funnel and only the first ships completed, Barfleur, Armada, Trafalgar, Camperdown, Hogue and Lagos were fitted with the gun. In all other ships the gun was replaced by two single 40/60 mm Mk VII giving a total of 14 Bofors, the heaviest light AA armament of any British destroyer and heavier than that carried in many cruisers. In time, all the ships fitted with the 4 inch gun had them removed and replaced with the two single 40/60 mm Mk VII Bofors
All ships were completed with a lattice foremast instead of the pole mast shown in the original plans. This enabled the ships to carry the latest radar and various IFF transponders and receivers on the foremast. Typical radar fit when built was the "cheese" of Radar Type 293 target indication at the masthead, Radar Type 291 air warning on the mainmast and the twin nacelles Radar Type 275 fire control on the Mk. VI director.
It was intended that the first eight ships would form the 19th Destroyer Flotilla with the British Pacific Fleet in the Far East, but only Barfleur made it to the Pacific in time to take part in operations against Japan. Barfleur was in Tokyo Bay during the Japanese surrender ceremony on 3 September 1945. After the end of hostilities she was joined by Armada, Trafalgar, Hogue, Lagos and Camperdown. In 1947 all six ships returned home and went into reserve.
The other two other ships destined for the 19th Flotilla, Solebay and Finisterre were retained in home waters, Finisterre became gunnery training ship for the Portsmouth command and Solebay leader of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet, which consisted of six ships of the second flotilla, Cadiz, Gabbard, St. James, St. Kitts, Saintes (see below) and Sluys. The other two ships of the second flotilla Gravelines and Vigo going straight into reserve upon completion.
The ships of the second flotilla saw a change in the light AA armament. The tri-axially stabilised Dutch "Hazemeyer" mountings with their Radar Type 282 were regarded as unreliable and were replaced by an Admiralty designed Stabilised Tachymetric Anti Aircraft Gun (STAAG). The Hazemeyer's Radar Type 282 was metric and operated through a pair of Yagi antennae, and could therefore only supply target range. The British design utilised the Radar Type 262 centimetric radar with a small spinning dish aerial which gave range and bearing and was capable of "locking on" to a target and could train and elevate the guns as the target moved. The British design was more complicated than the Dutch design and weighed a massive 17 tons each (compared with the Hazemeyer's 7 tons). This meant that only two mountings could be installed in order to keep the top hamper within acceptable limits. These were fitted to the top of the after deckhouse. The middle gundeck, between the torpedo tubes, was left empty. In practice these mountings proved even less reliable than the ones they replaced and led to three ships Saintes, Camperdown and Trafalgar eventually having them replaced by Mk V "utility" mountings, each controlled by a Simple Tachymetric Director (STD) mounted on the top of the gun crew shelter. A further refinement saw the removal of the depth charge equipment and single |
||A Wikibookian has nominated this page for cleanup.
You can help make it better. Please review any relevant discussion.
Array is a collection mainly using similar data types that are stored into a common variable, forming (at least conceptually | ||A Wikibookian has nominated this page for cleanup.
You can help make it better. Please review any relevant discussion.
Array is a collection mainly using similar data types that are stored into a common variable, forming (at least conceptually that may even be replicated into the memory hardware) a linear data structure.
An array is a particular method of storing elements of indexed data. Elements of data are logically stored sequentially in blocks within the array. Each element is referenced by an index, or subscripts.
The index is usually a number used to address an element in the array. For example, if you were storing information about each day in August, you would create an array with an index capable of addressing 31 values -- one for each day of the month. Indexing rules are language dependent, however most languages use either 0 or 1 as the first element of an array.
The concept of an array can be daunting to the uninitiated, but it is really quite simple. Think of a notebook with pages numbered 1 through 12. Each page may or may not contain information on it. The notebook is an array of pages. Each page is an element of the array 'notebook'. Programmatically, you would retrieve information from a page by referring to its number or subscript, i.e., notebook(4) would refer to the contents of page 4 of the array notebook.
The notebook (array) contains 12 pages (elements)
Arrays can also be multidimensional - instead of accessing an element of a one-dimensional list, elements are accessed by two or more indices, as from a matrix or tensor.
Multidimensional arrays are as simple as our notebook example above. To envision a multidimensional array, think of a calendar. Each page of the calendar, 1 through 12, is an element, representing a month, which contains approximately 30 elements, which represent days. Each day may or may not have information in it. Programmatically then, calendar(4,15) would refer to the 4th month, 15th day. Thus we have a two-dimensional array. To envision a three-dimensional array, break each day up into 24 hours. Now calendar(4,15,9) would refer to 4th month, 15th day, 9th hour.
A simple 6 element by 4 element array
Arrays guarantee constant time read and write access,, however many lookup operations (find_min, find_max, find_index) of an instance of an element are linear time,. Arrays are very efficient in most languages, as operations compute the address of an element via a simple formula based on the base address element of the array.
The implementation of arrays differ greatly between languages: some languages allow arrays to be resized automatically, or to even contain elements of differing types (such as Perl). Other languages are very strict and require the type and length information of an array to be known at run time (such as C).
Arrays typically map directly to contiguous storage locations within your computers memory and are therefore the "natural" storage structure for most higher level languages.
Simple linear arrays are the basis for most of the other data structures. Many languages do not allow you to allocate any structure except an array, everything else must be implemented on top of the array. The exception is the linked list, that is typically implemented as individually allocated objects, but it is possible to implement a linked list within an array.
The array index needs to be of some type. Usually, the standard integer type of that language is used, but there are also languages such as Ada and Pascal which allow any discrete type as an array index. Scripting languages often allow any type as an index (associative array).
The array index consists of a range of values with a lower bound and an upper bound.
The third aspect of an array index is the check for valid ranges and what happens when an invalid index is accessed. This is a very important point since the majority of computer worms and computer viruses attack by using invalid array bounds.
There are three options open:
- Most languages (Ada, PL/I, Pascal, Java, C#) will check the bounds and raise some error condition when an element is accessed which does not exist.
- A few languages (C, C++) will not check the bounds and return or set some arbitrary value when an element outside the valid range is accessed.
- Scripting languages often automatically expand the array when data is written to an index which was not valid until then.
Declaring Array TypesEdit
The declaration of array type depends on how many features the array in a particular language has.
The easiest declaration is when the language has a fixed lower bound and fixed index type. If you need an array to store the monthly income you could declare in C
typedef double Income;
This gives you an array with in the range of 0 to 11. For a full description of arrays in C see C Programming/Arrays.
If you use a language where you can choose both the lower bound as well as the index type, the declaration is -- of course -- more complex. Here are two examples in Ada:
type Month is range 1.. 12; type Income is array(Month) of Float;
type Income is array(1.. 12) of Float;
For a full description of arrays in Ada see Ada Programming/Types/array.
We generally write arrays with a name, followed |
What is Paleo Diet?
Our bodies are ideally modified to what our forefathers ate back in the day, in the Paleolithic period. The degree of nutritional value and level that they consumed throughout their time is actually a far cry from the food | What is Paleo Diet?
Our bodies are ideally modified to what our forefathers ate back in the day, in the Paleolithic period. The degree of nutritional value and level that they consumed throughout their time is actually a far cry from the food we eat today. They ate food that’s loaded with lean meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, root vegetables, eggs and nuts. We are metabolically modified to what our Stone Age forefathers consumed. Incredibly small human evolution has taken place in this last 15,000 years. Nonetheless, eating habits have evolved drastically along with simultaneous change in disease behaviors as a result of contagious illnesses and conditions linked to nutritional deficiencies and chronic degenerative illnesses linked to excessive and out of balanced consumption of energy and nutrients.
→ A Brief History About Paleo Diet
Gastroenterologist, Walter L. Voegtlin, first introduced the Paleo Diet concept in the mid-1970s, publishing the book, “Stone Age Diet.” He used the Paleo Diet for decades to treat his patients suffering from colitis, Crohn’s Disease, Irritated Bowel Syndrome, and indigestion. He believed that we, the modern humans, are genetically adapted to a diet that our Paleolithic ancestors followed since at human genetics have barely changed since the dawn of agriculture. The nutritional concept has been promoted and adapted by a number of authors and researchers since Voegtlin published his book. It is also argued that the Paleo Diet or any diets that are similar to the Paleolithic hunter-gatherer diets are largely free of diseases of affluence.
→ According to Dr. Loren Cordain
By far the most extensive analyses of the Paleo Diet was performed by Dr. Loren Cordain. He published the book “The Paleo Diet” and is currently among the world’s prominent experts on the Paleolithic nutrition.
The main component in the Paleo diet is lean meat. Followers of the regimen eat pork, beef, fish, shellfish and various other items that were “hunted” and eaten during prehistoric time. The only fats that the Paleo people ate were those in the fish or meat they hunted. Every kind of oil is avoided in this diet. The diet allows food that is prepared without any kind of artificial flavor. However, natural enhancers such as basil, thyme and other spices are accepted. Also encouraged are vegetables and fruits while grains are kept to a minimum. Leafy vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These help keep diseases at bay and also helps one stay healthy.
Dairy products are also avoided in the diet. These were unheard of in the Stone Age as those people did not engage themselves in farming or domesticating animals. Healthy fats such as omega 3 fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats are accepted in the diet. Salt and sweeteners are generally avoided as these are considered unnatural. Also, recently developed food items such as butter, bread and chocolate are banned in the diet or will have to be kept at a minimum.
By bringing down the food intake of an individual to the most basic, the diet removes the complicated carbohydrates that are present in modern food items that cause weight gain. If you are looking to lose weight, the Paleo diet is the best weight loss program. All the refined, junk and sugary foods that cause us to gain weight are removed and replaced by healthy quantities of vegetables, fruits, eggs, nuts and proteins. These foods have low calorie and do not lead to obesity even when consumed in large quantities.
Apart from modifications in food, the Paleo regimen also includes an exercise program that will help lose weight faster. The other benefits of the diet include reduction in auto-immune and chronic inflammatory diseases, hypothyroidism, diabetes and insulin resistance. Incorporating this best weight loss program in your life would ensure a healthier and happier living. |
1. irregular - noun
· a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment
2. irregular - noun
· merchandise that has imperfections; usually sold at a reduced price without the brand name
3 | 1. irregular - noun
· a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment
2. irregular - noun
· merchandise that has imperfections; usually sold at a reduced price without the brand name
3. irregular - adjective
· contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice; "irregular hiring practices"
4. irregular - adjective
· not occurring at a regular rate or fixed intervals; "an irregular heartbeat"
5. irregular - adjective
· (used of the military) not belonging to or engaged in by regular army forces; "irregular troops"; "irregular warfare"
6. irregular - adjective
· (of solids) not having clear dimensions that can be measured; volume must be determined with the principle of liquid displacement
7. irregular - adjective
· failing to meet a standard of manufacture due to an imperfection; "an irregular pair of jeans"
8. irregular - adjective
· deviating from normal expectations; somewhat odd, strange, or abnormal; "these days large families are atypical"; "atypical clinical findings"; "atypical pneumonia"; "highly irregular behavior"
9. irregular - adjective
· lacking continuity or regularity; "an irregular worker"; "employed on a temporary basis"
10. irregular - adjective
· (of a surface or shape); not level or flat or symmetrical; "walking was difficult on the irregular cobblestoned surface"
11. irregular - adjective
· independent in behavior or thought; "she led a somewhat irregular private life"; "maverick politicians"
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Imagine a proposal to scatter millions of pounds of poisoned meat around the United States, close to human populations. Much of it would be accessible to scavengers including eagles, hawks, coyotes, foxes and badgers, as well as | Imagine a proposal to scatter millions of pounds of poisoned meat around the United States, close to human populations. Much of it would be accessible to scavengers including eagles, hawks, coyotes, foxes and badgers, as well as to dogs and cats. An animal feeding on the poisoned meat would probably die.
This scenario is likely, now that the opponents of slaughtering horses are having their way. For many years, unwanted horses have routinely been sent to slaughter. Some horse meat becomes pet food, but much goes for export to Europe for human consumption. Horse-slaughter opponents tend to think of horses as beloved pets, much like cats or dogs, and in America, the last thing we would do is eat a pet. In Europe, however, horse meat is a staple, and it’s found on many menus.
The opponents of horse slaughter have concentrated their efforts on stopping the export of horse meat for human consumption. Since “filet of filly” is a dish that repels Americans, this argument has generated some sympathy. Exporting American horses to feed foreign palates has also been labeled unpatriotic, with critics calling the practice contrary to American values.
Now, the poison-meat scenario has become the alternative to government-regulated horse slaughter. On March 29, the last U.S. horse-slaughter plant was closed down by order of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. A circuitous path led to shutting the doors—and summarily dismissing 55 employees—at the DeKalb, Ill., plant. Until a few months ago, three plants operated in the United States, and last year they slaughtered about 100,800 horses.
What do slaughter opponents advocate? Their political action committee, aptly called HOOFPAC, says it all in a slogan: “Keep America’s horses in the stable and off the table.” This is a catchy phrase, but it doesn’t address whose stable, and at whose expense. Adoptive homes are not available for all unwanted horses today, and the current horse population is an estimated 9.2 million—more horses living now than in 1900, before the automobile began replacing the animals as transportation.
In the flesh-and-blood world of horse ownership, horses, whether beast of burden or beloved pet, must sometimes be put to death. The animal may be old and infirm, injured or dangerous to people. Slaughter opponents call for “humane euthanasia” by a veterinarian, at a cost of $100 to $300, which is a lot to pay for a horse that might bring as little as $300-$500 at auction, while supporting an unwanted horse for a year costs $3,000 a year in many areas.
Once a horse is dead, what then? The owner is left to dispose of a 1,200-pound carcass that has been saturated with a toxic substance. Most states require burial of euthanized animals at least 2 feet deep, away from water. Many areas also regulate animal burial, so a backyard might not be suitable. Slaughter opponents advocate rendering, boiling the animal and extracting what’s useful, but it is unavailable in most parts of the country, and unsuitable for poisonous remains. A common solution is to pay the veterinarian to haul the carcass to the public landfill.
An Internet search for “horse disposal” brings advice on cremation—expensive where available—and grief counseling. No one addresses the reality or additional expense of disposing of a large contaminated carcass.
Existing federal animal-slaughter regulations require humane handling so a horse does not suffer. Opponents label the process as cruel, but a horse is killed with a handheld machine that fires a bolt into the brain, causing instant death. Inspectors are on-site to ensure the animals are treated humanely, and plants have been designed to minimize stress on the horses. The arguments of slaughter opponents, however, are emotional: No one likes to think about the details of an animal dying.
Like it or not, all animals die. We live in a world of limited resources. American horses, prized for their size and health, convert sunshine, grass and grain into flesh and bone. When it is time for those horses to die, it makes sense that they go on to feed people and pets. Poisoning horses and then dumping them in a landfill makes no sense at all.
Sharon O’Toole is a contributor to Writers on the Range, a service of High Country News (hcn.org). She is a rancher and writer in Savery, Wyo. |
It is difficult to read a newspaper, watch the TV or listen to a conversation without RFID being mentioned. But not everything you see or hear about RFID is based in fact and the are many misconceptions out there.
What is RFID?
Radio Frequency | It is difficult to read a newspaper, watch the TV or listen to a conversation without RFID being mentioned. But not everything you see or hear about RFID is based in fact and the are many misconceptions out there.
What is RFID?
Radio Frequency IDentification is a technology that is in many ways very similar to barcode technology that we have used for the last thirty years. The technology uses radio waves instead of light waves to transmit a number to the reader. Like with barcodes the number is the key to a look-up in a database.
RFID technology is available in many different variations but they can be easily divided into two types:
1. Active tags, like the one you may have on your car windshield for toll collection on the roadway system. This tag has a range of up to 100m, though typically it is operated in the range of 5 – 20m.
2. Passive tags, small, thin, and often look like a label have been around for a long time. You might have first come across them in an ID badge at work or at the parking lot. They are available in several frequencies that have ranges from a few millimeters to about 5 metres.
RFID is readily available today and is being used in many applications to save money and improve efficiency. But RFID is not good for everything and there are many questions that show that RFID is not well understood.
So let's try to answer some of the questions that are being asked:
Who uses RFID today?
There are many applications for RFID but technology is only just beginning to be adopted in large projects. Roadway toll systems are an example of large scale use. Every day we hear about Wal-Mart or Macy's using RFID to track their merchandise. Typically this is done with a "hang tag" that can be removed by the consumer. Payment cards like MasterCard’s PayPass use RFID to make the financial transaction process much faster.
Can the government track me with RFID?
RFID tags contain a number (just like a bar code), so if the government knows the number of the tag, then it can track the tag. However, every tag contains a different number, so it would be necessary for the person tracking you to know the numbers of the items that have been assigned to you to be able to track you, and then only if they own readers (of the correct type) at every location they want to track. You are much more likely to be tracked using your credit card or one of the many store loyalty cards that you own.
Can RFID tags be read from a satellite?
NO. As I mentioned above, RFID tags have a very limited range and they cannot be read from a satellite or from two miles away or any of the other long distance suggestions you may have heard.
Is RFID the mark of the beast?
NO. Although many people have suggested that RFID is the mark of the beast and that this is the first step towards the end of humanity, we have been carrying RFID enabled technology for many years and nothing has happened so far. There is an excellent analysis at http://goo.gl/Z6eMH and we suggest you read this.
Is there RFID in money?
NO. You have probably seen the YouTube video of someone putting money in a microwave and it bursting into flames! They cite this as proof that there are tags in the money. RFID tags include an integrated circuit (chip), a small piece of silicon. Although this is small it has thickness and dimensions. A typical chip is approx. 0.5mm square and has a thickness of about 0.07mm.This is easily seen and felt in a tag and would be even more apparent in paper money. The bills burst into flames in the microwave oven because of the ink technology that is used in printing the money. The inks are heavily metallic based as part of the security. We all know what happens when metallic objects are put in the microwave.
Do I have an RFID tag implanted in me?
NO. Rumors that have suggested that REAL ID and the new healthcare plan in the USA will require implantation of an RFID chip are completely in error. Many of the articles you see on the web today referring to these are dated 2008, long before there were any facts available. For a discussion on this visit http://www.understandrfid.com/529/why-the-healthcare-bill-does-not-require-rfid-and-rfid-is-not-the-mark-of-the-beast/
Is it possible to make chip card or RFID card which will be a secured alternative for currency?
MAYBE. A lot depends on what you mean by this. Today we already have RFID enabled credit cards that work exactly as if they were money. Near Field Communications (NFC) is becoming more popular and is now being enabled in mobile phones. This can act as currency and is very secure.
Is it true that the average person has about 3 to 5 RFID chips in the clothing/shoes they own?
NO. Although companies like Macys and J.C. Penney are using RFID tags in their stores to make the logistics of store management much easier, these tags are all “hang tags”. This is a tag that hangs on the clothing article, like a price tag. The purchaser removes these before they wear the clothing, so no one is walking around today with multiple RFID tags in their clothes.
Can RFID cards cancel each other out?
YES and NO. RFID card cannot reset each other or destroy each other just by putting them close to each other. RFID tags are used in gaming (poker chips) and document management where they are very close to each other. However, the proximity of the tags to each other can be a problem. In gaming and document management, the systems are intentionally setup so that close coupled tags can be read. Most tags cannot be read when they are close to another tag. This means that providing you take your card out of your wallet to read it, there will be no problem.
I hear that RFID is not secure – is this a problem?
NO (or maybe YES). Generic RFID was never designed to be secure. If all you are doing is trying to attach a unique number to an o |
Battles - The Siege of Namur, 1914
As at Liege, the city of Namur had been fortified between 1888 and 1892 under the direction of military engineer Brialmont with the construction of a ring | Battles - The Siege of Namur, 1914
As at Liege, the city of Namur had been fortified between 1888 and 1892 under the direction of military engineer Brialmont with the construction of a ring of forts around the city It was believed that the forts, accompanied by the deployment of infantry, would protect the Sambre and Meuse Rivers against German invasion.
The forts stood some five miles from the centre of the city, nine in total. The forts were linked, as at Liege, by trenches and barbed wire, although the condition of these was not ideal.
With the fall of Liege on 16 August 1914 the German Second and Third Armies, led by von Bulow, turned their attention to Namur. In theory the capture of Namur ought to have been easier than at Liege: the garrison was low on morale, ammunition and, most critically, manpower. At its best Namur was garrisoned with approximately 37,000 men, against which was arrayed at least 107,000 German troops.
Nevertheless, the garrison at Namur, held by the right wing of the Belgian army under 4th Division's Michel, intended to hold out until the arrival of French Fifth Army forces stationed across the River Sambre to the south-west.
Following a day of probing attacks upon Fort de Marchovelette on 20 August, von Bulow's Second Army began firing upon the forts in earnest on 21 August In part to divert the French Fifth Army away from the forts, the bulk of the German Second Army launched an attack at the French at Charleroi. The strategy was successful: only one regiment of infantry from Fifth Army, the 45th Brigade, was dispatched to assist with the defence of Namur.
The Germans decided to repeat their earlier success at Liege by bombarding the forts with heavy artillery, including the powerful Big Bertha gun (a 420mm siege howitzer) Two days after von Bulow had launched his assault, Namur was close to collapse on 23 August.
The decision was taken to evacuate Namur that day, with German forces entered the city in the evening The last of the forts fell soon afterwards Upon hearing news of the fall of Namur, General Lanrezac ordered a general withdrawal from the Sambre at Charleroi.
Click here to view of map charting the progress of the German invasion of Belgium in August 1914.
Photograph courtesy of Photos of the Great War website
The British Army suffered 188,706 gas attack casualties during the war of which 6,062 were fatal. The German Army suffered 200,000 gas casualties, 9,000 of which were fatal.
- Did you know? |
Project Search is a program started 15 years ago in Ohio to help those with disabilities achieve the American dream of independence. The high school transition program is a unique, business-led, one-year, school-to-work program that takes place entirely at the | Project Search is a program started 15 years ago in Ohio to help those with disabilities achieve the American dream of independence. The high school transition program is a unique, business-led, one-year, school-to-work program that takes place entirely at the workplace. “We recognized that people with disabilities want to work and are capable of working but they rarely get the opportunity to practice or learn skills. Our program brings together partners around the community and we ask that partner to allow young adults with disabilities who are in high school to come in as an intern to spend one full school year inside their business where they can rotate through internships where they learn functional skills that can then use to get a job,” explained Project Search co-founder Erin Riehle on a recent visit to Alaska. According to Riehle 60% of people with disabilities end up |
2010-3-24-16 Walker-Warburg syndrome © Chauhan www.TheFetus.net
Binodini M.Chauhan, MD.
Walker-Warburg syndrome is a rare form of autosomal recessive condition characterized | 2010-3-24-16 Walker-Warburg syndrome © Chauhan www.TheFetus.net
Binodini M.Chauhan, MD.
Walker-Warburg syndrome is a rare form of autosomal recessive condition characterized by hydrocephalus, lissencephaly, ocular abnormalities with or without encephalocele. it is often associated with distinct muscular dystrophies. Affected individuals usually die within the first few months of life.
HARD +/-E Syndrome (Hydrocephalus, Agyria, and Retinal Dysplasia, with or without encephalocele)
Hydrocephalus, Agyria, and Retinal Dysplasia
Cerebroocular Dysplasia-Muscular Dystrophy syndrome
Cerebroocular Dysgenesis, COD
This a case of a 26-year-old G1P0 with non-contributive family or personal history. She was referred to our department at 23 weeks of gestation for the ventriculomegaly. The ultrasound scan showed the following findings:
Walker-Warburg syndrome was diagnosed based on the findings of hydrocephalus and ocular abnormalities.
- Hydrocephalus, bilateral massive dilatation of the lateral ventricles
- Hypoplasia of the cerebellum and vermis
- Absent corpus callosum
- Unilateral eye cataract with retinal detachment
Unfortunately we lost a follow-up of the patient because she was from a distant rural area.
Images 1- 4: Images show a hydrocephalus, the lateral ventricles are massively dilated.
Images 5,6: Image 5 shows presence of the middle cerebral artery which rules out Hydranencephaly as a possible differential diagnosis. Image 6 show cataract and retinal detachment indicated by the green arrow.
Images 7-9: Images of the left eye cataract. Note the echogenicity of the lens.
Video: Hydrocephalus and eye cataract is demonstrated on this video. |
Help NOAA expand what we know about the effects of chemical dispersants on both spilled oil and the marine environment: funding for research projects is now available [leaves this blog].
The explosion and subsequent well blowout on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig | Help NOAA expand what we know about the effects of chemical dispersants on both spilled oil and the marine environment: funding for research projects is now available [leaves this blog].
The explosion and subsequent well blowout on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig on April 20, 2010, led to the largest oil spill in United States history.
The unprecedented use of chemical dispersants on and below the ocean’s surface during this oil spill raised scientific, public, and political questions about both their effectiveness and their potential consequences for ecosystems and marine life in the Gulf of Mexico.
To help answer those questions, NOAA is partnering with the Coastal Response Research Center at the University of New Hampshire to fund research on dispersants and dispersed oil. The focus will be in the following areas: 1) dispersants and risk communication; 2) degradation of dispersants and dispersed oi |
The Nodaway River originates near the town of Fontanelle in southwestern Iowa as the Middle Nodaway River. The Middle Nodaway flows southwest to join the West Nodaway just below Villisca, Iowa. The East and | The Nodaway River originates near the town of Fontanelle in southwestern Iowa as the Middle Nodaway River. The Middle Nodaway flows southwest to join the West Nodaway just below Villisca, Iowa. The East and West Nodaway join to form the mainstem Nodaway River four miles north of the Iowa-Missouri border and the river enters Missouri near Clearmont, Missouri. The mainstem river flows in a southerly direction about 60 miles to its confluence with the Missouri River near the town of Nodaway, Missouri (Figure Lo01). Major tributaries of the Nodaway River include Seven Mile Creek, Middle Nodaway River, East Nodaway River, and West Nodaway River in Iowa and Clear Creek, Mill Creek, Elkhorn Creek, and Arapahoe Creek in Missouri. The Nodaway River peak elevation is 1,400 feet mean sea level (M.S.L.) at its headwaters and 800 feet M.S.L. at the mouth.
The Nodaway River basin encompasses parts of 10 counties in southwestern Iowa and northwestern Missouri. Iowa's portion of the basin is located in Adair, Adams, Cass, Montgomery, Page, Taylor, and Union counties while in Missouri the basin covers portions of Andrew, Holt, and Nodaway counties. The population in the Nodaway basin has declined slowly and steadily since the 1950's. In 1970 there were approximately 35,000 people living in the basin. Clarinda, Iowa was the largest city with a population of about 5,500 people (USCOE 1973). Population in the basin as of the 1990 U.S. population census was 28,779 with the largest city in the basin still being Clarinda, Iowa (population 5,104). |
Sponsored by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Center for Continuing and Outreach Education. This activity is supported by an educational grant from NJDHSS Division of HIV/AIDS Services through a MOA titled “Education | Sponsored by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Center for Continuing and Outreach Education. This activity is supported by an educational grant from NJDHSS Division of HIV/AIDS Services through a MOA titled “Education and Training for Physicians and other Healthcare Professionals in the Diagnosis and Treatment of HIV/AIDS.”
This activity is supported by an educational grant from NJDHSS Division of HIV/AIDS Services through a MOA titled “Education and Training for Physicians and other Healthcare Professionals in the Diagnosis and Treatment of HIV/AIDS.
This a |
Georgia Aquarium has partnered with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to save the Arnavon Community Marine Conservation Area (ACMCA) in the Solomon Islands from over-fishing and protect the coral reefs. The Solomon Island villagers have become the | Georgia Aquarium has partnered with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to save the Arnavon Community Marine Conservation Area (ACMCA) in the Solomon Islands from over-fishing and protect the coral reefs. The Solomon Island villagers have become the guardians of these islands, requesting governmental assistance to restore them, protect them from poachers and monitor the recovery of corals, giant clams and native fishes. In only a few years the recovery of depleted fish and invertebrate species has been dramatic. Georgia Aquarium has committed itself to fund the ACMCA program for three years. This work is just one of the ways the Aquarium is fulfilling its mission by taking research from the laboratory to the oceans. |
Bradshaw's Lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii)
Bradshaw’s lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii) is a Federal and State protected Endangered Species. A recovery plan was completed in 1993 | Bradshaw's Lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii)
Bradshaw’s lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii) is a Federal and State protected Endangered Species. A recovery plan was completed in 1993 (USFWS, 2010). The USFWS finalized a multi-species recovery plan for listed plants in the Willamette valley, including Bradshaw’s lomatium in 2010 (USFWS, 2010).
Bradshaw’s lomatium is a perennial wildflower found in seasonally flooded wetland prairies of the Willamette Valley. A L. bradshawii subpopulation is being managed at the Short Mountain Landfill property. This population is annually monitored and tracked with Geosptial Survey in conjunction with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Associated native species include tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), meadow barley (Hordeum brachyantherum), dense sedge (Carex densa), camas (Camassia quamash), death camas (Zigadenus venenosus), northwest cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis), and meadow checkermallow (Sidalcea campestris). In 2007 when Phase V of Short Mountain Landfill was constructed, small clusters of L. bradshawii were transplanted to portions of the property that would not be impacted in the future. This slideshow shows the transplant process. |
Related entry: Canchalagua
Centaury. N. F. IV. Centaurium. Common European Centaury. Herba Centaurii, P. G. Erythraea Centaurium (L.) Pers | Related entry: Canchalagua
Centaury. N. F. IV. Centaurium. Common European Centaury. Herba Centaurii, P. G. Erythraea Centaurium (L.) Pers. Centaurium Centaurium (L.) Wight. (Fam. Gentianaceae.)—This is a small, annual herbaceous plant which grows wild in most parts of Europe. The dried flowering plant is found in commerce. It is described in the N. F. as "the dried flowering plant of Erythraea Centaurium (Linne) Persoon (Fam. Gentianaceae). Glabrous, from 1.5 to 5 dm. in height, much branched from the base, but little branched, if at all, from above; stems slender, sharply angled or narrowly winged, sparsely leafy; leaves opposite, entire, mostly three-nerved, sessile, those at the base obovate and obtuse, from 2 to 5 cm. in length, their base narrowed and petiole-like, those of above gradually changing to oval, then ovate or even lance-linear, acute; flowers in a terminal and at length compound cyme, rose-colored; calyx from 5 to 7 mm. in length, deeply five-parted, the tube short, sharply angled, lobes linear-attenuate with a sharp midrib; corolla tube nearly twice the length of the calyx, slender, the limb from 10 to 15 mm. in breadth, its lobes broadly oblong or oval; stamens five, exserted, bright-yellow, their anthers twisted when old; pistil two carpelled. Odor faint but characteristic; taste persistently bitter. Centaury yields not more than 5 per cent. of ash." N. F. The fresh, bitter, odorless herb yields an odorous, pungent distillate in which Mehu (J. P. C., 1862, xliii, 38) has found valeric acid, also a peculiar, colorless, crystalline, non-nitrogenous substance, erythrocentaurin, C27H24O8. Erythrocentaurin occurs in needle-shaped crystals, fusing at 136° C. (276.8° F.), and crystallizing easily on cooling again. They are strongly reddened by exposure to solar light, and reacquire their colorless character upon being again dissolved and crystallized, or by mere heating to 130° C. (266° F.). They are almost insoluble in cold water, more readily soluble in boiling water, alcohol, ether, and chloroform. Carbon disulphide, benzene, volatile and fatty oils dissolve them easily. J. F. Huneker believes that er |
Exploring and manipulating matter and energy on the nanometer, molecular, and atomic scales are critical elements for basic energy science and technology and for ORNL research strategies in energy, materials, and biology. As famously stated by Richard Feynman, | Exploring and manipulating matter and energy on the nanometer, molecular, and atomic scales are critical elements for basic energy science and technology and for ORNL research strategies in energy, materials, and biology. As famously stated by Richard Feynman, “there is plenty of room at the bottom,” - but it is the capability to see and manipulate in this space that makes it truly useful.
The Scanning Probe Microscopy effort at ORNL is aimed at fundamental understanding of physical, chemical and electrochemical phenomena, imaged in real space and real time. For example, understanding the power densities and life times of energy storage and conversion devices requires probing electrochemical processes and ionic transport at the nanometer scale of individual grain or extended defect. Similarly, optimization of photovoltaic technologies, magnetic data storage, and beyond-CMOS neuromorphic electronics alike require probing energy transformation pathways and dissipation on the nanometer level. Ultimately, building comprehensive pictures of physical and chemical behavior at surfaces requires information surface structure, bond length and bond angles – visualized at the level of a single atom and molecule.
These and other advances are made possible through comprehensive strategy including design and construction of new generations of high-stability, low-noise SPMs for atomic- and molecular imaging and manipulation, development of multi-modal tools addressing multiple functionalities in space and time simultaneously, and establishing the framework to link these behaviors to predictiv |
Our neighbor says that we affect to be surprised that he should endorse President Lincoln’s message. No we are not, but we should be greatly surprised if he maintained that position for any length of time. That message is a very carefully worded document | Our neighbor says that we affect to be surprised that he should endorse President Lincoln’s message. No we are not, but we should be greatly surprised if he maintained that position for any length of time. That message is a very carefully worded document and susceptible of being construed to suit the ideas of men who do not hold the same opinion upon the subject of slavery that the President entertains. We are glad that our contemporary and the pro-slavery press generally make no opposition to this message of the President. It is the strongest evidence we have had that this war is lessening the hold of slavery upon the nation.
Formerly every deference was shown to this subject, and the most obsequious humiliation was exhibited in Congress at the bare mention of slavery. The word was pronounced sotto voce, and when it became necessary to allude to it in public, it was sugared over with some such figurative appellation as “peculiar institution.” But now, for the first time in the history of the country, a President of the United States has formally communicated to Congress his opinion that legislation looking to the extinction of American Sl |
June 9, 1999 EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, June 8, 1999 4:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time
PHILADELPHIA-Buckling up is not enough | June 9, 1999 EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, June 8, 1999 4:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time
PHILADELPHIA-Buckling up is not enough to protect children from serious injuries in automobile accidents; safety restraints such as child safety seats and seat belts must also be used properly. "The number of child passengers dying in auto crashes has dramatically declined in the past 20 years," said Flaura K. Winston, M.D., Ph.D., of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Far more children now ride in seat belts and child safety seats. But the next level of protection is to concentrate on the correct fit and most appropriate use of child restraint devices." Dr. Winston and Dennis R. Durbin, M.D., of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, wrote about child passenger safety in the July 9 Journal of the American Medical Association.
While the majority of children who die in motor vehicle crashes are not using car seats or restraint devices, 37% of children killed in 1997 were restrained, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Misusing child safety restraints reduces their effectiveness, said the authors, who stress that the best safety practices take a child's age and weight into account.
For instance, infants should ride in a rear-facing child safety seat until they reach one year and 20 pounds. Children aged one to four, between 20 and 40 pounds, should ride in a forward-facing car seat, not in a seat belt. "Premature graduation to safety belts raises the risk of'seat belt syndrome,' injuries to the abdomen and spinal cord from an improperly positioned seat belt," said Dr. Durbin. Children over 4 years and 40 pounds should use a booster seat until about age 8, when they can properly use a seat belt without a booster seat |
Stephen Kellert recently gave the keynote lecture at a symposium hosted by the Chicago Botanic Garden. During his talk, titled Biophilia, Biophilic Design, and Healing, Kellert described six biophilic design elements:
- | Stephen Kellert recently gave the keynote lecture at a symposium hosted by the Chicago Botanic Garden. During his talk, titled Biophilia, Biophilic Design, and Healing, Kellert described six biophilic design elements:
- Environmental features
- Natural shapes and forms
- Natural patterns and processes
- Light and space
- Place-based relationships
- Evolved human-nature relationships
The idea of biophilic design is that our (built) environment is critical to people's health, productivity, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being. Buildings and landscape can support human health or they can be detrimental. The so-called sustainability movement (embodied most prominently by LEED standards) is more concerned with how people (through our buildings and landscape) affect nature than how nature affects people. It'd be good to shift the emphasis of our development to how we can make our built environments better for human health. |
NASA OKs Va. rocket test launch
Published: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 8:28 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 8:28 a.m.
AT | NASA OKs Va. rocket test launch
Published: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 8:28 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 8:28 a.m.
ATLANTIC, Va. - NASA gave the green light on Tuesday for a private company to proceed with a test launch of an unmanned rocket that would eventually help carry supplies to the International Space Station, but the weather forecast could cause delays.
NASA said there's only a 45 percent chance weather conditions will allow Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles to launch its Antares rocket from Wallops Island, Va. as planned Wednesday.
The potential obstacles are low-cloud cover and a slight chance of thunderstorms, said John Dickerson, NASA's Wallops Flight Facility test director.
Anatres would be the largest rocket to ever lift off from Wallops Island and could be visible in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York during the evening commute. The company plans to launch the 131-foot-tall rocket with a gross weight of more than 617,000 pounds sometime between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Orbital will try again Thursday if the weather doesn't cooperate. NASA is also prepared to extend the launch window for several more days if necessary.
The ability to have a large launch window is one of the reasons the Dulles-based company chose to launch its rocket from Virginia instead of Florida, which has a busier rocket-launch schedule. The goal of the test launch is to send a practice payload into orbit and see if can safely separate from the rocket. That payload won't dock with the International Space Station, but it will go into orbit and then burn up upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere in about two weeks, according to Orbital officials.
The test launch is considered a watershed event for Orbital, the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority and NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. More than 16,000 rockets have been launched from Wallops Island since 1945, but most of them have been small suborbital research rockets.
The Virginia Commercial Space Flight authority built a launch pad at the NASA facility specifically for Orbital in hopes of cashing in on growth in the commercial space industry. In addition to ferrying supplies to the International Space Station, Orbital plans to use its Antares rocket to send commercial and government satellites into orbit.
Orbital is one of two companies NASA has contracted with to deliver supplies to the International Space Station following the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011.
California-based SpaceX has already docked with the International Space Station three times and Orbital officials said Tuesday they are almost caught up and ready to start delivering supplies as well, despite getting its contract two years after SpaceX in 2008. Orbital is under contract to make eight deliveries to the space station over five years.
If the Antares test launch goes as planned, Orbital plans to send its unmanned Cygnus cargo ship on a test run to the International Space Station this summer. The test launch scheduled for Wednesday will carry a practice payload that matches the weight and dimensions of Cygnus, but it will only carry instruments that will keep tabs on the flight. After about two weeks, company officials expect that unit to burn up in the atmosphere as it returns to earth. The real cargo ship will also burn up in the atmosphere after it drops off its supplies to the International Space Station and is loaded up with trash.
SpaceX, which also hopes to ferry astronauts to the space station, fills up its cargo unit with supplies and splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.
If Orbital's summer demonstration flight goes well, the company would make its first cargo delivery under the $1.9 billion contract in the fall.
Frank Culbertson, |
Revision as of 09:46, 5 October 2011 by 184.108.40.206
A ring is (usually) a jewel worn on one's finger. It can refer to:
- The One Ring, forged | Revision as of 09:46, 5 October 2011 by 184.108.40.206
A ring is (usually) a jewel worn on one's finger. It can refer to:
- The One Ring, forged by Sauron.
- The Ring-inscription, the Tengwar inscription around the One Ring.
- The Lord of the Ring, a title of Sauron.
- The War of the Ring, a great war which resulted in the destruction of the One Ring and Sauron.
- The Fellowship of the Ring, nine members who were tasked with destroying the One Ring.
- The Ring-finder and the Ring-bearers.
- The Rings of Power, forged by Celebrimbor.
- The Three for the Elves:
- The Nine for Men, given to what would become the Nazgûl.
- The Seven for Dwarves, of which only one is known:
- The lesser rings, forged by the Elves.
- The Ring of Saruman, a lesser ring forged by Saruman in his attempt to forge a ring of power.
- The Ring of Barahir, a heirloom of the Dúnedain.
- Morgoth's Ring, the tenth book in The History of Middle-earth series.
- The Ring goes Sout |
Everything you need to understand or teach Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway.
Thomas Hudson lives in a strongly built house on the island of Bimini off the coast of Florida, the most western island in the Caribbean. The house sits | Everything you need to understand or teach Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway.
Thomas Hudson lives in a strongly built house on the island of Bimini off the coast of Florida, the most western island in the Caribbean. The house sits on the highest point of land between the harbor and the open sea. Clear green phosphorescent water fills the view, and beneath that off-white sand, with palm trees near the house.
An artist who paints island scenes for a living, Thomas welcomes his three sons—Tom, David, and Andrew—when they come to visit for five weeks during the summer. Tom is the firstborn whose mother, Ginny Watson, is Thomas's first wife. His second former wife gave birth to the other two boys.
Shortly before the boys arrive, Roger Davis gets into a fight with an unsavory rich tourist. A former boxer, Roger easily beats the man to a pulp. The man later threatens Roger with a shotgun...
Islands in the Stream Lesson Plans contain 134 pages of teaching material, including: |
Doctors use many tests to diagnose cancer and find out if it has metastasized (spread). Some tests may also determine which treatments may be the most effective. For most types of cancer, a biopsy is the only way to make a definitive diagnosis | Doctors use many tests to diagnose cancer and find out if it has metastasized (spread). Some tests may also determine which treatments may be the most effective. For most types of cancer, a biopsy is the only way to make a definitive diagnosis of cancer. If a biopsy is not possible, the doctor may suggest other tests that will help make a diagnosis. Imaging tests may be used to find out whether the cancer has metastasized. As with all types of cancer, early detection and treatment is important. Your doctor may consider these factors when choosing a diagnostic test:
- Age and medical condition
- Type of cancer suspected
- Severity of symptoms
- Previous test results
Pelvic examination. The doctor feels the uterus, vagina, ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, and rectum to check for any unusual changes. A Pap test, often done with a pelvic examination, usually neither finds nor diagnoses uterine cancer. However, a Pap test may occasionally find abnormal glandular cells which are often caused by uterine cancer.
In addition to a physical examination, the following imaging tests may be used to diagnose uterine cancer:
Transvaginal ultrasound. An ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of internal organs. In a transvaginal ultrasound, an ultrasound wand is inserted into the vagina and aimed at the uterus to obtain the pictures. If the endometrium looks too thick, the doctor may decide to perform a biopsy.
X-ray. An x-ray is a way to create a picture of the structures inside of the body using a small amount of radiation.
Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan. A CT scan creates a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body with an x-ray machine. A computer then combines these images into a detailed, cross-sectional view that shows any abnormalities or tumors. Sometimes, a contrast medium (a special dye) is injected into a vein to provide better detail.
Doctors also use the following surgical tests to establish a diagnosis:
Endometrial biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a definite diagnosis. The sample removed during the biopsy is analyzed by a pathologist (a doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose disease).
For an endometrial biopsy, the doctor removes a small sample of tissue with a very thin tube. The tube is inserted into the uterus through the cervix, and the tissue is removed with suction. This process takes about one minute. Afterward, the woman may have cramps and vaginal bleeding. These symptoms will go away and can be reduced by taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) as directed by the doctor. Endometrial biopsy is often a very accurate way to diagnose uterine cancer. However, patients who have abnormal vaginal bleeding may still need a dilation & curettage (D&C; see below) even if no abnormal cells are found during the biopsy.
D&C. A D&C is a procedure to remove tissue samples from the uterus. A woman is given anesthesia during the procedure. A D&C is often done in combination with a hysteroscopy so the doctor can view the lining of the uterus during the procedure. During a hysteroscopy, the doctor inserts a thin, lighted flexible tube in the vagina, through the cervix, and into the uterus.
Once endometrial tissue has been removed either during a biopsy or D&C, the sample is checked for cancer cells, endometrial hyperplasia, and other conditions. In the past, there was concern that a D&C would push cancer cells out of the uterus into other reproductive organs. However, research studies have shown that this has no effect on pati |
HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation
OpenVMS User's Manual
14.16.5 Using the GOTO Command
The GOTO command passes control to a labeled line in a command procedure. (For additional information on label usage, refer | HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation
OpenVMS User's Manual
14.16.5 Using the GOTO Command
The GOTO command passes control to a labeled line in a command procedure. (For additional information on label usage, refer to Chapter 13.) The GOTO command is especially useful within a THEN clause to cause a procedure to branch forward or backward. For example, when you use parameters in a command procedure, you can test the parameters at the beginning of the procedure and branch to the appropriate label.
The target label of a GOTO or GOSUB command cannot be inside either a separate IF-THEN-ELSE construct or a separate subroutine.
In the following example, the IF command checks that P1 is not a null string:
If P1 is a null string, the GOTO command is not executed and the INQUIRE command prompts for a parameter value. Otherwise, the GOTO command causes a branch around the INQUIRE command. In either case, the procedure executes the PRINT command following the line labeled OKAY.
In the following example the GOTO command returns an error message because its target (TEST_1) is within an IF-THEN construct:
184.108.40.206 Avoiding Reexecution
You can also |
Dec 13, 2013
Frederic Raphael on ‘The Invention of the Jewish People’
Posted on Feb 19, 2010
The (Jewish) historian Sir Lewis Namier observed that we study history in order | Dec 13, 2013
Frederic Raphael on ‘The Invention of the Jewish People’
Posted on Feb 19, 2010
The (Jewish) historian Sir Lewis Namier observed that we study history in order to see how things don’t happen. What has happened, however, goes to prove men’s inability to arrive at a stable and just accommodation with each other. Plato’s vision of an Ideal Republic, in which stability would be institutionalized, was an ideological response to what he had seen in the recent Peloponnesian War. Athenian democracy had been crushed by the Spartan oligarchy. Plato’s conclusion was that democracy was inherently fractious and that imitation of the victors’ style was the logical answer. Plato was not inhibited from writing “The Republic” by the fact that his uncle, Critias, had already attempted to impose a Spartan-style oligarchy on Athens and had failed.
It could be argued (and has been) that Critias had acted without due subtlety. Ideologists, of whatever stripe, regularly insist that there is nothing wrong with their blueprint, whatever it is, but that men have failed to honor its provisions and spirit. Renovated Marxists make this claim today: It is not Marxism that failed, but “capitalism,” because it lacked the common humanity to concede the argument and so deprived mankind of the medicine that would be good for it, if only it would swallow the stuff. To change the image, ideologists spend their time trying to straighten what Immanuel Kant called “the crooked timber of humanity” to fit their rectilinear theories. Wishing whole races or classes out of the equation would, many still suppose, balance humanity’s books.
Namier (who died in 1953) was a Jew, and a gentleman Zionist, so to speak, who spent years analyzing in detail the personal interests and structure in political life in England at the time of the accession of King George III. As if, incidentally, this work deconstructed the mythology of the English ruling class and its allegedly patriotic solidarity. Namier’s purpose, in “unpacking” the greeds and vanities of ancient Whigs and Tories, was not overtly polemical or tendentious. Like so many academics, he found an unexcavated field and began to dig. In doing so, he uncovered the various motives of antique gentlemen. His own, he might have said, were the pursuit of truth and the vindication of the specific instance against the pious generalization.
Namier’s Jewishness was manifest in his support for Zionism, but when asked why he did not write about the Jews and their past, he retorted that the Jews did not have a history, but only a “martyrology”: They were the victims of what happened to them during most of the last 2,000 years and thus an unrewarding, depressing topic. One of the strongest claims which Zionism has on Jews today is that, thanks almost entirely to the creation of the state of Israel, Jewish pride has been restored and “the Jews” have a positive history, complete, it seems, with the ingredients which made English history so attractive to Namier: triumph against overwhelming odds, military victories, an energetic culture and economic expansion.
If Israel were a neat island, rather than a sliver of land surrounded on three sides by hostile neighbors and containing a substantial minority of second-class citizens, its future might be secure. As things are, another of Namier’s titles, “Vanished Supremacies,” serves as a warning that how things are does not promise how things will be. It is, to some degree at least, in response to the fear that Israel has contrived its own unreliable isolation and may one day lose the protection of the West, on which it has chosen to rely, that Shlomo Sand, an Israeli historian, has written this book.
The fundamental fallacy on which the Zionist myth depends is, he argues, that the “Jewish people” constitute a body of men (and women) whose origins can, and must, be traced back, as directly as may be, to the population of ancient Israel and Judea. “To promote a homogeneous collective in modern times [required] … a connection in time and space between the fathers and the ‘forefathers’ of all members of the present community. The agents of memory worked hard to invent it. … From this surgically improved past emerged the proud and handsome portrait of the nation.” It can be guessed from the straight-faced sarcasm of his introduction that Sand’s book will, in somewhat Namieresque style, investigate in detail the motives, follies and ambitions of historians, beginning with Heinrich Graetz, in the mid-19th century, who interpreted or refashioned what had happened to “the Jews” in order to validate a preconceived notion of how “the Jewish problem” should, or might, be resolved.
Sand’s text has excited virulent denunciation in some quarters. My lack of expertise in its original Hebrew and in the detailed context of many of Sand’s quotations inhibits me from making any reliable judgment. I can say only that common sense supports much of his narrative and that its content, where I am qualified to assess it, is admirably and candidly presented. It may be that this book comes too late to help men arriv |
10.2 The Importance of a Global Mind-Set
A common challenge that many corporations encounter as they move to globalize their operations can be summed up in one word: mind-set. Successful global expansion requires corporate leaders who think proactively, | 10.2 The Importance of a Global Mind-Set
A common challenge that many corporations encounter as they move to globalize their operations can be summed up in one word: mind-set. Successful global expansion requires corporate leaders who think proactively, who sense and foresee emerging trends, and who act upon them in a deliberate, timely manner. To accomplish this, they need a global mind-set and an enthusiasm to embrace new challenges, diversity, and a measure of ambiguity. Simply having the right product and technology is not sufficient; it is the caliber of a company’s global leadership that that makes the difference.
Herbert Paul defines a mind-setThe set of deeply held internal mental images and assumptions, which individuals develop through a continuous process of learning from experience. as “a set of deeply held internal mental images and assumptions, which individuals develop through a continuous process of learning from experience.”Paul (2000). These images exist in the subconscious and determine how an individual perceives a specific situation and his or her reaction to it. In a global context, a global mind-setThe ability to avoid the simplicity of assuming all cultures are the same, and at the same time, not being paralyzed by the complexity of the differences. is “the ability to avoid the simplicity of assuming all cultures are the same, and at the same time, not being paralyzed by the complexity of the differences.”Paul (2000). Thus, rather than being frustrated and intimidated by cultural differences, an individual with a global mind-set enjoys them and seeks them out because they are fascinated by them and understand they present unique business opportunities.
The concept of a mind-set does not just apply to individuals: it can be logically extended to organizations as the aggregated mind-set of all of its members. Naturally, at the organizational level, mind-set also reflects how its members interact as well as such issues as the distribution of power within the organization. Certain individuals, depending on their position in the organizational hierarchy, will have a stronger impact on the company’s mind-set than others. In fact, the personal mind-set of the CEO is sometimes the single most important factor in shaping the organization’s mind-set.
A corporate mind-setThe aggregated mind-set of all of the firm’s members. shapes the perceptions of individual and corporate challenges, opportunities, capabilities, and limitations. It also frames how goals and expectations are set and therefore has a significant impact on what strategies are considered and ultimately selected and how they are implemented. Recognizing the diversity of local markets and seeing them as a source of opportunity and strength, while at the same time pushing for strategic consistency across countries, lies at the heart of global strategy development. To become truly global, therefore, requires a company to develop two key capabilities. First, the company must have the capability to enter any market in the world it wishes to compete in. This requires that the company constantly looks for market opportunities worldwide, processes information on a global basis, and is respected as a real or potential threat by competitors, even in countries or markets it has not yet entered. Second, the company must have the capability to leverage its worldwide resources. Making a switch to a lower cost position by globalizing the supply chain is a good example. Leveraging a company’s global know-how is another.
To understand the importance of a corporate mind-set to the development of these capabilities, consider two often quoted corporate mantras: “think global and act local” and its opposite, “think local and act global.” The “think global and act local” mind-setThe assumption that a powerful brand name with a standard product, package, and advertising concept serves as a dominating platform across global markets. is indicative of a global approach in which management operates under the assumption that a powerful brand name with a standard product, package, and advertising concept serves as a platform to conquer global markets. The starting point is a globalization strategy focused on standard products, optimal global sourcing, and the ability to react globally to competitors’ moves. While sometimes effective, this approach can discourage diversity, and it puts a lot of emphasis on uniformity. Contrast this with a “think local and act global” mind-setThe assumption that global expansion is best served by a firm adopting a bottom-up approach in adapting its products, services, and practices to local needs and preferences., which is based on the assumption that global expansion is best served by adaptation to local needs and preferences. In this mind-set, diversity is looked upon as a source of opportunity, whereas strategic cohesion plays a secondary role. Such a “bottom-up” approach can offer greater possibilities for revenue generation, particularly for companies wanting to rapidly grow abroad. However, it may require greater investment in infrastructure necessary to serve each market and can produce global strategic inconsistency and inefficiencies.
C. K. Prahalad and Kenneth Lieberthal first exposed the Western (which they refer to as “imperialist”) bias that many multinationals have brought to their global strategies, particularly in developing countries. They note that they would perform better—and learn more—if they more effectively tailored their operations to the unique conditions of emerging markets. Arguing that literally hundreds of millions of people in China, India, Indonesia, and Brazil are ready to enter the marketplace, they observe that multinational companies typically target only a tiny segment of affluent buyers in these emerging markets: those who most resemble Westerners. This kind of myopia—thinking of developing countries simply as new places to |
But we are, Dorothy.
There’s a section in Manhattan with winding, quiet streets, country villas, and gently sloping hills a lifetime away from the traffic choked gridiron and honking horns usually characterized with Manhattan.
It’s not Greenwich | But we are, Dorothy.
There’s a section in Manhattan with winding, quiet streets, country villas, and gently sloping hills a lifetime away from the traffic choked gridiron and honking horns usually characterized with Manhattan.
It’s not Greenwich Village, not on Roosevelt Island and certainly not Central Park.
In fact, it’s not on the island of Manhattan at all and still, it’s in New York County, otherwise known as Manhattan.
In a little-known quirk of geography, a small piece of the borough of Manhattan, known as Marble Hill, is on the mainland. It is surrounded on three sides by the Bronx and on the south by the Harlem River.
It shares its character with the neighborhoods of Kingsbridge and Kingsbridge Heights on its north and east. It is protected from Spuyten Duyvil, on the west, by a steep hill.
Additionally, the Marble Hill station on the Metro North is the only Manhattan Metro North station on the mainland; the Hudson Line starts at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, enters the Bronx by crossing the Harlem River, reenters Manhattan here, and then reenters the Bronx and travels along the Hudson River for the remainder of its route.
So why is there a piece of Manhattan on the mainland?
Once it was a part of Manhattan Island and surrounded by the Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek. In 1895 it was separated from the island by the Harlem River Ship Canal, leaving Marble Hill as an island itself. When, in about 1917, the creek was filled, Marble Hill became a part of the mainland! No one cared much until the el was built through Marble Hill and apartment buildings were constructed in the 1920s, joining the few frame houses (see below) that were already there.
Marble Hill never changed its designation as part of Manhattan, and so a part of Manhattan it stays.
House at intersection of Jacobus, Fort Charles and Corlear Places.
The original Fort Charles was a fort in the area named for Prince Charles, the brother -in-law of George III. It was captured by the British in 1777.
Dwelling on Terrace View Avenue.
Despite its name, the view from Terrace View Avenue isn’t much–only over to Spuyten Duyvil.
It’s rare, though, to see unattached homes in the borough of Manhattan. Usually such houses are historic dwellings or have been converted to museums.
This scene on Van Corlear Place, which looks like a leafy side street in any other borough but Manhattan, is actually in Manhattan.
Bet you thought the only winding roads in Manhattan were in the concrete choked canyons in the Wall Street area.
This cupola-festooned house is at the curve of a bend on Van Corlear Place in Marble Hill.
Even though the Broadway Bridge crosses the Harlem River, supporting the IRT elevated carrying the #1 train, it is entirely contained in Manhattan, the only bridge carrying motor traffic and crossing a body of water to do so.
As long as there are odd quirks of geography to be ferreted out in the five boroughs, there will always be…
Encyclopedia Of NYC, edited by Kenneth T. Jackson, Yale University Press 1995 |
Using Google Apps
- Getting Started
- Using Gmail
- Using Google Drive
- Using Google Calendar
- Using Google+
- Using Google Groups
- Using Google Sites
With Google Drive, you can create and share word processing documents, | Using Google Apps
- Getting Started
- Using Gmail
- Using Google Drive
- Using Google Calendar
- Using Google+
- Using Google Groups
- Using Google Sites
With Google Drive, you can create and share word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online, and collaborate with others on group projects. Students and teachers can create documents using these state-of-the-art tools, then communicate and collaborate with each other in real time right inside a web browser window.
Some of the things you can do with Google Drive:
Check out the Google documents Getting Started Guide.
Check out the Google spreadsheets Getting Started Guide.
For more information about or for help using Google Drive, visit the U of M Google Collaborative Learning Space. Information about accessing and using Google Apps also is available from the Google Help Center.
Currently Google offers a feature that will notify users when collaborators make changes to or edit shared documents only for spreadsheets. To receive an email notification of changes to spreadsheets that you either have created or that have been shared with you, in your spreadsheet, click Tools>Notification Rules or Share>Set Notification Rules.
Collect survey data quickly and easily with Google Forms
If you use Google Drive and need an easy and convenient way to gather data, Google Forms makes it easy to capture, collect and organize information from numerous people. Used as surveys, Google Forms lets you or to collect any type of information such as reports and data, and also will capture the email addresses of those who complete your form, if you choose.
You can create a form from your list of docs list or from any spreadsheet. You may send the form or survey to anyone you want, and it's not necessary for the recipient to have a Google account. Recipients can respond to the survey questions right inside their email, or by clicking on a link in the email and responding online. Form responses are collected automatically in the creator's Google spreadsheet.
As a Google Apps user, you also can choose to capture and record the email addresses of people who fill out your form. To do this, select the checkbox next to Automatically Collect Respondent's <yourdomain.com> Username while you create the form. Survey recipients will see a message at the top of the form explaining that their username will be collected automatically.
You also can embed your form into a website or blog. |
White on Black - Pieterse, Jan Nederveen - Yale University Press
- Related Categories
- Social Science
Art and Architecture
Published in association with Cosmic Illusion Productions, Amsterdam
White on Black
Images of Africa and Blacks | White on Black - Pieterse, Jan Nederveen - Yale University Press
- Related Categories
- Social Science
Art and Architecture
Published in association with Cosmic Illusion Productions, Amsterdam
White on Black
Images of Africa and Blacks in Western Popular Culture
White on Black is a compelling visual history of the development of European and American stereotypes of black people over the last two hundred years. Its purpose is to show the pervasiveness of prejudice against blacks throughout the western world as expressed in stock-in-trade racist imagery and caricature. Reproducing a wide range of illustrations—from engravings and lithographs to advertisements, candy wrappings, biscuit tins, dolls, posters, and comic strips—the book challenges the hidden assumptions of even those who view themselves as unprejudiced.
Jan Nederveen Pieterse sets Western images of Africa and blacks in a chronological framework, including representations from medieval times, from the colonial period with its explorers, settlers, and missionaries, from the era of slavery and abolition, and from the multicultural societies of the present day. Pieterse shows that blacks have been routinely depicted throughout the West as servants, entertainers, and athletes, and that particular countries have developed their own comforting black stereotypes about blacks: Sambo and Uncle Tom in the United States, Golliwog in Britain, B |
Where am I?
Without an understanding of the past, the present doesn’t make much sense. A degree in history helps you to know, understand and interpret the past and its implications for today. History majors have an appreciation of how cultures and countries | Where am I?
Without an understanding of the past, the present doesn’t make much sense. A degree in history helps you to know, understand and interpret the past and its implications for today. History majors have an appreciation of how cultures and countries have developed. They possess the tools for dealing with many of the complex problems and issues of modern society.
At Fontbonne, you’ll look at events, ideas, religions and laws to gain a better understanding of the values and beliefs that people have adopted throughout time. Just look at today’s headlines — conflict, technological advances, elections — and you’ll see examples of how history can shine a very revealing light.
And, according to The American Historical Association, studying history builds identity, contributes to moral understanding, and is useful in creating well-rounded business people, professionals and political leaders. Our students are explorers and teachers who delve into the excitement and challenges of the past and relate them to the present.
Fontbonne provides a broad background in both Western and non-Western history as well as geography, government, sociology, psychology and American economy.
And our students have choices. You can either earn a degree in history or choose a degree in history with a secondary teaching certification in social studies, which allows you to teach at the high school level. If you decide to earn your teacher certification, you must complete required professional education courses including fun and challenging pre-student teaching experiences. Plus, we’ll help you find internships with real-world experience that not only give you an edge in the job market, but also help you discover your career path.
What Can I Do With My History Degree?
The history program provides a strong foundation for any number of careers or graduate programs. In addition to teaching, our students can find work as museum curators, researchers, journalists, archivists, government professionals, public relations specialists, foreign service officers, attorneys or business people. One of our history graduates is currently in Africa with the Peace Corps. And if you want to continue on to graduate school, history is a perfect foundation for a variety of disciplines, including law and public policy.
Fontbonne University is dedicated to providing students with a strong foundation in the liberal arts. Through our core curriculum, students learn how to think critically, solve problems and communicate effectively. No matter what career path you choose, an education from Fontbonne will give you the tools to succeed in both work and life.
How Can I Find Out More?
Fill out a contact form to request more information about this degree.
(314) 889-1400 or 1-800-205-5862 |
Individuals suffering from prehypertension are more likely to have an increased risk of stroke, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have recently found.
According to the research, a person who has prehypertension – that is syst | Individuals suffering from prehypertension are more likely to have an increased risk of stroke, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have recently found.
According to the research, a person who has prehypertension – that is systolic blood pressure between 120 and 139 or a diastolic blood pressure between 80 and 89 – is 55 percent more likely to suffer a stroke compared to a person with normal blood pressure. That risk was measurably higher, 79%, for those whose blood pressure was in the high end of prehypertension.
“[The] Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States,” says Dr. Bruce Ovbiagele, the study’s lead author and a professor of neurosciences at UC-San Diego. “If you fall into the prehypertensive category you should take it very seriously and strongly consider a change in lifestyle to try and reduce your risk of stroke.”
Recommended changes, according to researchers, include losing weight, exercising (for at least 30 minutes per day), and reducing the intake of alcohol and salt. Smoking should also be stopped.
In addition to lowering the risk of a stroke, adopting healthier habits may also reduce risk of heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease, which can result from prolonged elevated blood pressure.
The research reviewed 12 studies covering more than half a million people in cohorts representative of the general population: four from the US, five from Japan, two from China and one from India. The period covered by the studies ranged from 2.7 to 32 years and all incidents of stroke were documented.
Full results of th |
Results - Maps:
- This map shows that the average air temperature was highest at the coast and lowest in the mountains.
- Average evapotranspiration was greatest at the coast and in the piedmont.
- There were only small variations in average | Results - Maps:
- This map shows that the average air temperature was highest at the coast and lowest in the mountains.
- Average evapotranspiration was greatest at the coast and in the piedmont.
- There were only small variations in average relative humidity across all regions. These small differences may be why the correlation with evapotranspiration was small.
- Each region seemed to have very similar average soil temperatures.
- The average wind speed seemed very random throughout each region. The highest value was on a mountain (Franklin) and the lowest value was in a valley (Fletcher). |
Most Active Stories
Wed August 29, 2012
Civics for Citizenship
One goal of our schools is to prepare young people to become informed and engaged citizens. Yet there is growing concern that students are not being prepared to participate | Most Active Stories
Wed August 29, 2012
Civics for Citizenship
One goal of our schools is to prepare young people to become informed and engaged citizens. Yet there is growing concern that students are not being prepared to participate in democracy, to learn from the historical actions of American government, or – critically - to understand the U.S. Constitution. We’ll take a look at efforts to address this here in New Hampshire.
Ron Adams, former social studies teacher and long-time member of the New Hampshire Council for Social Studies. He has also served on a task force of lawyers, judges, college presidents, and teachers, working on behalf of improving civics education in the state.
John Greabe, professor of law at the University of New Hampshire. He is organizing a symposium in November designed to help teachers effectively teach civics and the Constitution -- part of Constitutionally Speaking, a multi-year project. On September 14, Justice David H. Souter will launch the project at the Concord City Auditorium. For more on this event and the project, visit the New Hampshire Humanities Council's website.
We'll also hear from:
Susan Leahy, an attorney and president of the New Hampshire Supreme Court Society. The Society is working to form the New Hampshire Institute for Civic Education, an organization dedicated to improving civics education in the state's public schools by providing professional development and other resources to teachers. |
Prof. Les Norford
In this class, concepts of building technology and experimental methods are studied, in class and in lab assignments. Projects vary yearly and have included design and testing of strategies for daylighting, passive heating and cooling, and improved | Prof. Les Norford
In this class, concepts of building technology and experimental methods are studied, in class and in lab assignments. Projects vary yearly and have included design and testing of strategies for daylighting, passive heating and cooling, and improved indoor air quality via natural ventilation. Experimental methods focus on measurement and analysis of thermally driven and wind-driven airflows, lighting intensity and glare, and heat flow and thermal storage. Experiments are conducted at model and full scale and are often motivated by ongoing field work in developing countries.
Norford, Les. 4.411 Building Technology Laboratory, Spring 2004. (MIT OpenCourseWare: Massachusetts Institute of Technology), http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/architecture/4-411-building-technology-laboratory-spring-2004 (Accessed). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA |
Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson were players that paved the way for future Hall of Famers to be able to take their talents from the Negro Leagues to the Major Leagues. Such HOFs were Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, | Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson were players that paved the way for future Hall of Famers to be able to take their talents from the Negro Leagues to the Major Leagues. Such HOFs were Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron, who was the last Negro league player to hold a regular position in Major League Baseball. With that said, what about other players that were productive in the Negro Leagues? There are players that had wonderful careers, who could have easily made it to the Majors but never had the opportunities. Here is my top ten list of Negro League ball players that have gone UNSUNG.
10. Larry Doby (Inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame Class 1998)
Mr. Doby had a small stint in the Negro Leagues, playing second base for four seasons with the Newark Eagles. He helped the Eagles to a Negro League championship in 1946. Bill Veeck, the owner of the Cleveland Indians, made Larry Doby the first African-American to play in the American League, eleven weeks after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. In the 1948 World Series, he played centerfield for the Cleveland Indians and was the first black player to hit a World Series home run. He also was the first black player to win a World Series title. He is one of only four players to play in both a Negro League World Series and a Major League World Series. Doby was the first black player to lead the league in homers. He came to the Majors and put up productive numbers helping other Negro League players get the opportunity of reaching the dream of playing at the M |
Yet another example of society's underestimation of another species.
'DIDN'T YOU PUMMEL ME?'
Crayfish may be small, but they aren't stupid. After losing a fight they can
remember who beat them | Yet another example of society's underestimation of another species.
'DIDN'T YOU PUMMEL ME?'
Crayfish may be small, but they aren't stupid. After losing a fight they can
remember who beat them, and may use that information to steer clear of another
fight against the same opponent.
Australian researchers studied fights between males of an aggressive species
of freshwater crayfish, Cherax dispar. Like most crayfish, C. dispar fights by
locking claws with its opponent and holding on until one creature gives up and
The crayfish with the stronger claws almost always wins a first fight and, in
subsequent fights with the same crayfish, it keeps winning, The loser often
slinks away without even fighting. The researchers, Frank Seebacher of the
University of Sydney and Robbie S. Wilson of the University of Queensland,
wanted to see whether in those subsequent fights the loser just blindly leaped
into the fray again or recognized that it was up against a superior opponent.
In their experiments, described in Biology Letters, they disabled the claws
of the winner of the first fight by supergluing them shut and let the two
crayf |
- Central and South Asia (3)
- North America (3)
- Europe (2)
- Middle East and North Africa (2)
- Africa (1)
- Latin America and the Caribbean (1)
- Southeast Asia (1)
- | - Central and South Asia (3)
- North America (3)
- Europe (2)
- Middle East and North Africa (2)
- Africa (1)
- Latin America and the Caribbean (1)
- Southeast Asia (1)
- Description and travel (3)
- Politics and government (2)
- Afghan Wars (1)
- Arabian Gulf (1)
- Arabian Peninsula (1)
- Cavagnari, Pierre Louis Napoleon, Sir, 1841-1879 (1)
- Chippewa Indians (1)
- Dole, Sanford B. (Sanford Ballard), 1844-1926 (1)
- East India Company (1)
- Economic conditions (1)
- Ethnic groups (1)
- Habibullah Khan, Mustanfi (1)
- Handbooks and manuals (1)
- Indians of North America (1)
- Indigenous peoples (1)
- Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii, 1838-1917 (1)
- Mohammad Yaqub Khan, Amir of Afghanistan, 1849-1923 (1)
- Ottawa Indians (1)
- Peace (1)
- Peacock (Sloop of war) (1)
- Persian Gulf (1)
- Potawatomi Indians (1)
- Religion (1)
- Trade (1)
- United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 (1)
- Watercolors (1)
- Wyandot Indians (1)
Type of Item
In preparation for the peace conference that was expected to follow World War I, in the spring of 1917 the British Foreign Office established a special section responsible for preparing background information for use by British delegates to the conference. Persian Gulf is Number 76 in the series of more than 160 studies produced by the section, most of which were published after the conclusion of the 1919 Paris Peace Conference. Chapter I discusses physical and political geography, dividing the littoral of the Gulf (also known as the Arabian Gulf...
Political Missions to Bootan, Comprising the Reports of the Hon'ble Ashley Eden,--1864; Capt. R.B. Pemberton, 1837, 1838, with Dr. W. Griffiths's Journal; and the Account by Baboo Kishen Kant Bose
Published in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata) in 1865, this volume contains four narratives relating to the interactions in the 19th century between British India and the Kingdom of Bhutan. The first is the report of Sir Ashley Eden (1831–87), a British administrator who, in 1863, was sent on a mission to conclude a treaty of peace and friendship with Bhutan. Eden’s mission failed and was followed by the outbreak of the Anglo-Bhutan War of 1864–65 (also known as the Dooar or Duār War), in which Bhutan was forced...
Treaty of Paris
This treaty, sent to Congress by the American negotiators John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, formally ended the Revolutionary War. It was one of the most advantageous treaties ever negotiated for the United States. Two crucial provisions were British recognition of U.S. independence and the delineation of boundaries that would allow for American expansion westward to the Mississippi River. Two duplicate originals of the treaty exist in the American Original file of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. They are most easily distinguished from each other...
Treaty Between the Ottawa, Chippewa, Wyandot, and Potawatomi Indians
This document, also known as the Treaty of Detroit, was signed on November 17, 1807, by William Hull, governor of the territory of Michigan, and the chiefs, sachems, and warriors of four Indian tribes, the Ottawa, Chippewa, Wyandot, and Potawatomi. Under its terms, the tribes ceded to the United States a tract of land comprising roughly the southeast quarter of the lower peninsula of Michigan and a small section of Ohio north of the Maumee River. The tribes retained small tracts of land within this territory. Until Congress abolished the...
Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat
In 1832 U.S. president Andrew Jackson, acting on the advice of Secretary of the Navy Levi Woodbury, dispatched Edmund Roberts as a “special agent of the government,” empowered to negotiate treaties of amity and commerce with countries in Asia. The objective was to expand trade between these countries and the United States. Between early 1832 and May 1834, Roberts circumnavigated the globe in the U.S. Navy sloop Peacock. In the course of his journey, he negotiated agreements with the sultan of Muscat (Oman) and the king of Siam...
Foreign Relations of the United States, 1894. Appendix 2: Affairs in Hawaii
Affairs in Hawaii, also known as the Blount Report, is a collection of documents relating to the history of Hawaii, focusing on events leading up to the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarch. The United States recognized Hawaii as an independent kingdom in 1842. In 1845, Hawaii changed its traditional system of land tenure in a way that permitted non-Hawaiians to buy property. By the 1890s foreigners owned 90 percent of the land. In January 1893, after Queen Liliuokalani (1838–1917) proposed a constitution reinstating power stripped from the monarchy by...
Writing out the Treaty of Peace. Suffaid Sung, Gundumuck
In the fall of 1878, The Illustrated London News dispatched the Scottish artist William Simpson (1823–99) to Afghanistan in anticipation of a conflict between Britain and Afghan tribal leaders. The British were concerned about growing Russian influence in the region and a possible Russian threat to British India. Fighting broke out in November 1878, precipitating what became known as the Second Afghan War (1878–80). Simpson documented the conflict, but he was also interested in people he encountered and places he visited. This sketch by Simpson, dated May 26... |
Pregnant women used to be advised against putting anything that was not natural...into their bodies, especially substances which were not tested. The medical system in general, advises against many safe herbs in pregnancy yet it allows and even encourages mercury, s | Pregnant women used to be advised against putting anything that was not natural...into their bodies, especially substances which were not tested. The medical system in general, advises against many safe herbs in pregnancy yet it allows and even encourages mercury, squalene, formaldehyde, among many other questionable substances, to be injected into a pregnant woman's body. We need to demand to see the LONG TERM studies which prove that these vaccines have never caused a miscarriage, still birth, infertility or health consequences to the baby and mother.
The following excerpt from the link below states that if pregnant women have miscarriages after vaccination that we must not correlate it with the vaccine and that the miscarriage would only be coincidence. We know that miscarriages occur in nature but to disregard any miscarriage which occurs after vaccination...as a coincidence.....is utter madness! Is there to be no investigation or study of those who do miscarry after vaccination? Why take this risk in the first place....especially when there isn't any real threat of deadly disease! Where are the short or long term studies which prove that this particular vaccine is safe to give a woman in any trimester of pregnancy? We should also be questioning the age groups being targeted for recent vaccines....and we should be questioning when repeated shots are given in a series as some of the antifertility vaccine literature states that repeated booster shots must be given for the desired goal of infertility to be reached.
"Current Status:Because of the known risks swine flu poses to pregnant women, the CDC advises women to receive flu vaccination during any trimester of pregnancy. The CDC's stance on flu vaccination in pregnancy is that there is no evidence that flu vaccinations cause miscarriages, and that it's important not to assume that miscarriages occurring after H1N1 flu vaccination were directly caused by the vaccine simply because of the correlation in timing. Pregnant women are a high-priority group for vaccination and prenatal care providers are being urged to promote the vaccine." Whole article found at link below http://miscarriage.about.com/od/miscarriagecauses/i/swine-flu-shots-h1n1-safety-
Abstract: Birth control vaccines both would increase the choice of methods open to women and men and additionally would offer specific advantages, including the development of vaccines that are unlikely to disrupt the menstrual cycle or cause the side-effects associated with oral contraceptive (OC) use. For a birth control vaccine to be acceptable for use in human beings, it must meet several criteria: the antigen must be unique to the reproductive target; the antigen must have a fertility-related function that can be blocked by antibody or is susceptible to cell-mediated immunity, and alternatively, the function should be located on a cell that can be lysed by complement; an acceptable level of effectiveness should be achieved by no more than 1 or 2 injections for the primary immunization, with booster injections at intervals of no less than 6-12 months; and the vaccine must undergo sufficient testing in animals to ensure its safety for longterm use.
For the vaccine to be widely acceptable, its effects need to be reversible. Before a fertility-regulating vaccine can be envisaged for widespread use in men or women, animal models must be found for thorough testing of toxicity, teratogenicity, effectiveness, duration, and reversibility of immunity and specificity for the target. Theoretically, the mammalian reproductive system is susceptible to immunological intervention at several points. Many reproductive hormones, as well as several antigens could be isolated from the ovum, sperm, embryonic tissue, and fetal tissue, could be candidate targets. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a major candidate for vaccine development.
The World Health Organization's (WHO) Special Program of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, through its Task Force on Vaccines for Fertility Regulation, has been supporting research on a synthetic vaccine directed against the last 37 amino acids of the C-terminal end of the beta hCG molecule. A 2nd approach, being followed by the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, and the Population Council, New York, involves developing a vaccine against the entire beta chain of the hCG molecule. A prototype vaccine using the beta subunit of ovine luteinizing hormone emulsified with Freund's complete adjuvant has been studied extensively in |
In the entire history of Chinese literature, Tsao Hsueh-chin (also called Tsao Shan) is recognized as being the country's greatest realistic novelist. He was born in 1715 to a Han family, some of whom | In the entire history of Chinese literature, Tsao Hsueh-chin (also called Tsao Shan) is recognized as being the country's greatest realistic novelist. He was born in 1715 to a Han family, some of whom served in the Manchu army. His grandfather Tsao Yin (1658-1712) was one of the most eminent and wealthy men of his time and was in charge of the Nanking Silk Bureau during the reign of Kang Hsi. The Emperor stayed five times in Tsao's residence during his inspection tours in the Yang-tze Valley, and Tsao Yin was present during the last four visits. In addition, two of Tsao Yin's daughters were chosen as the emperor's concubines. Clearly, the Tsao family was quite influential at the time; their relationship with Emperor Kang Hsi was very close.
Like his grandson, Tsao Hsueh-chin, Tsao Yin was fond of literature and won a name for himself as a scholar; more than ten of his texts were printed, and he left behind some additional writings, including five volumes of poems and some plays, before his post at the Silk Bureau was passed to Tsao Hsueh-chin's father.
Tsao Hsueh-chin was born in Nanking at the end of Kang Hsi's reign, and not much is known about his childhood until he was thirteen years old. At that time, his father was dismissed from his post, and Tsao Hsueh-chin accompanied him to Peking. The Tsao family's home and properties were searched and its lands were confiscated because of wrongdoings by some of their relatives. During the reign of Chien Lung, the Tsao family underwent even greater financial reverses, and in Tsao Hsueh-chin's later years, he lived in poverty in a western suburb of Peking, not always having enough to eat. Still, however, he remained a proud scholar, who often drank heavily and composed poems. It was during this period that he began A Dream of Red Mansions (Hung Lou Meng), in which he praised the worthy virtues of the girls around him, using recollections of his family's past prosperity and the vicissitudes of his own life. In 1762, his son died and he himself fell ill of grief, dying in his early forties on February 1,1764. He left behind eighty chapters of an unfinished novel.
Little is known about Kao Ngo (Kao O, Kao I), the author of the last forty chapters of A Dream of Red Mansions. We do know, though, that he too came from a Han family which served in the Manchu army, and, after passing the provincial examination in 1788 and the palace examination in 1795, he entered the Hanlin Academy and became a Reader. In 1801, he was made Assistant Examiner of the Metropolitan Examination.
It is believed that he wrote the last forty chapters of the novel in 1791, or thereabouts, before he passed his final examination. The fact that he had so much leisure time and was slightly bored made him sympathize with Tsao Hsueh-chin's loneliness. However, unlike Tsao Hsueh-chin, "beset by poverty and illness in his old age and sinking into decline," Kao Ngo did not lose hope. Therefore, although an atmosphere of melancholy prevails through the sequel, the Chia family recovers its lost fortune — instead of being left with nothing "but the bare naked earth." This ending, of course, runs counter to Tsao Hsueh-chin's original tragic intent. |
In William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, each character tends to stand out in different ways. Ophelia's character shows the reader that she is weak through the complete male dominance in her thoughts and | In William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, each character tends to stand out in different ways. Ophelia's character shows the reader that she is weak through the complete male dominance in her thoughts and actions. Ophelia's madness is a result of many factors: her inability to stand up for her self, Hamlet's cruel treatment, and the death of her father.
Ophelia is influenced and controlled by those around her. This is evident in Act I when Laertes tells her to be wary of Hamlet and his intentions. When he speaks with Ophelia he warns her "best safety lies in fear (1.3.43.) Ophelia responds to her brother by telling him she will keep his advice "as watchman to my heart (1.3.46.) In this scene Ophelia takes her brother's advice without an argument. When Polonius enters, he begins where Laertes left off. Polonius orders her not to see Hamlet any more, to which Ophelia responds, "I shall, obey my Lord [1.3.135.] It is evident in this scene that Laertes and Polonius command her to do things that she does not agree with, but she does them with no argument. Afraid to stand up for herself, she stands back and wa |
Last week, Kate Raworth of Oxfam International published an Oxfam Discussion Paper, titled "A Safe and Just Space for Humanity: Can We Live Within the Doughnut?" In the video below, Raworth uses illustrations to help explain | Last week, Kate Raworth of Oxfam International published an Oxfam Discussion Paper, titled "A Safe and Just Space for Humanity: Can We Live Within the Doughnut?" In the video below, Raworth uses illustrations to help explain the concepts detailed in her paper. Watch it, then continue reading below about how Heifer's work fits right into the doughnut.
Here's the part that really resonated with me:
Between the social boundaries and the planetary boundaries lies an area shaped like a donut, which is both safe and just space for humanity. And if global economic development is socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable, it would bring humanity into this space and allow it to thrive here.
If you're already familiar with Heifer's work, I imagine you'll agree: This sounds just like Heifer.
Our mission isn't only to end hunger and poverty |
Girls in the Physics Classroom: Review of Research on Girls’ Participation in Physics
This review by Patricia Murphy and Elizabeth Whitelegg of the Open University aims to consolidate current understanding of the problem and to identify from existing research the reasons why girls choose not | Girls in the Physics Classroom: Review of Research on Girls’ Participation in Physics
This review by Patricia Murphy and Elizabeth Whitelegg of the Open University aims to consolidate current understanding of the problem and to identify from existing research the reasons why girls choose not to continue studying physics. It also identifies the strategies that have succeeded in increasing the number of girls studying physics post-16.
The reports reveal some of the important issues that underlie the statistics for examination entries:
- It cannot be assumed that, in the current National Curriculum provision, all students, in particular girls, are gaining meaningful access to physics.
- Students’ interest in science declines as they progress through school and the decline appears to become steeper after age 14, particularly for girls and particularly in physics.
- Girls, more than boys, experience a difference between their personal goals for learning and the learning objectives of the physics curriculum. As a consequence they are less inclined to opt for physics, even if they achieve high grades and enjoy the subject.
- As they go through secondary schooling, students experience physics to be increasingly difficult. This perception is partly due to the mathematical demands of the subject but also to girls’ developing feeling of “not being able to do physics”. The feeling is not borne out by the reality of girls’ performance.
Executive Summary (PDF, 731 KB)
Full Report (PDF, 666 KB)
If you would like a paper copy of the review please email [email protected] |
Modern technologies protect companies communication.
Content protection protects contents on their transmission path within computer networks.
The following mechanisms protect, evaluate and filter contents:
- Virus protection - data and programmes affected by viruses
- Content filtering - objectionable or illegal websites
| Modern technologies protect companies communication.
Content protection protects contents on their transmission path within computer networks.
The following mechanisms protect, evaluate and filter contents:
- Virus protection - data and programmes affected by viruses
- Content filtering - objectionable or illegal websites
- SPAM protection - unsolicited advertising emails
Digital signatures identify communication partners, systems and services. Integrated systems, smart cards or USB tokens are used.
Transmitted data should be encrypted without fail so that it can neither be tapped or modified. There is a choice between
- Encryption of synchronous communication: online banking, file sharing, mobile access
- Encryption of asynchronous communication: email systems, push mail
Encryption solutions are normally based on a digital signature. |
Scientists found that young men who suffered disturbed sleep had sperm counts that were more than a quarter lower than those who slept more.
Those who suffered disturbed sleep with less than six hours a night also had lower sperm quality and smaller testicles.
It is | Scientists found that young men who suffered disturbed sleep had sperm counts that were more than a quarter lower than those who slept more.
Those who suffered disturbed sleep with less than six hours a night also had lower sperm quality and smaller testicles.
It is thought that poor sleep interferes with the body's ability to produce sperm.
Tina Kold Jensen, who led the study at the University of Southern Denmark, said: "Men with a high level of sleep disturbance had a 29% lower adjusted sperm concentration.
"This appears to be the first study to find associations between sleep disturbances and semen quality."
The researchers, whose work is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, added that they hope to examine whether restoring normal sleep patterns helped to improve fertility in men.
They studied 953 young men from Denmark aged around 18-years-old and asked them to fill in questionnaire to assess their sleep.
They then compared their responses to sperm samples taken from the men.
Those who had suffered poor sleep in the past four weeks had lower sperm counts and less mobile sperm. They were also more likely to have deformed sperm.
Sleep loss has in the past been linked with increased risk of |
In this section, you will find information about noodles.
Pho - Pho (pronounced as fuh) is a Vietnamese noodle soup that is usually served with different cuts of beef or chicken. The noodles that are served in Pho | In this section, you will find information about noodles.
Pho - Pho (pronounced as fuh) is a Vietnamese noodle soup that is usually served with different cuts of beef or chicken. The noodles that are served in Pho are usually thin, flat rice noodles. The soup is often served with Asian basil, mint leaves, lime and bean sprouts on the side. The dish is associated with the city of Hanoi in Vietnam, where the first pho restaurant opened in the 1920′s.
Ramen – Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup that consists of wheat noodles served with pork of other types of meat. The broth is usually tonkotsu (pork bone broth), miso (soy bean) or soy sauce. Ramen is of Chinese origin and it is unclear when ramen was introduced to Japan. The noodle soup is always served with various toppings from seaweed, corn, boiled egg, garlic and many others.
Shirataki Noodles – Shirataki Noodles were originally developed in Asia but recently have been popular all around the world because these noodles are a healthier substitute compared to the normal pasta’s and noodles sold in stores. these noodles are very high in fiber and contain almost no “bad” carbohydrates and calories. There are many other healthy benefits in these noodles. Shirataki comes from the root of a plant grown in various parts of Asia. There are two types of Shirataki noodles. The traditional shirataki noodles have zero carbohydrates and no gluten. The other one is Tofu-based shirataki noodles that have a much shorter shelf life that contains minimal amount of carbohydrates. Check out our recipe section for a shiratiki pasta dish that I made.
Soba Noodles – Soba means buckwheat in Japanese. Soba is associated with Soba noodles which is a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour. Soba noodles can be served as cold noodles with dipping sauce or in hot noodle soup or even stir fried. Buckwheat takes at least three months to be ready to harvest in Japan. In Japan, buckwheat is produced mainly on the island of Hokkaido. Soba noodles can be substituted with other noodle dishes in Japanese noodle recipes. In some restaurants, they give you the choice of choosing your type of noodle for your ramen or udon dishes. |
Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010
RESEARCHERS FIND STORIES CAN HELP IMPROVE FOOD SAFETY BEHAVIOR
MANHATTAN -- Food safety advice may fail because it's too prescriptive -- wash your hands | Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010
RESEARCHERS FIND STORIES CAN HELP IMPROVE FOOD SAFETY BEHAVIOR
MANHATTAN -- Food safety advice may fail because it's too prescriptive -- wash your hands, use a thermometer -- and it often doesn't include stories to make such information relevant. Researchers at North Carolina State University, Kansas State University and the University of Guelph have found that using short food safety stories with vibrant graphics can be a better training tool for food service workers.
A new paper by the researchers in the British Food Journal details the concept, creation and distribution of food safety infosheets, like those found at http://www.foodsafetyinfosheets.com. These single-page posters are created around a current food safety issue or outbreak, and are supplemented with graphics and information targeted at the food service industry. The infosheets are used to provide food safety risk-reduction information to generate behavior change and support a food safety culture.
"Food safety infosheets were designed with the goal of communicating risk reduction messages with the objective of changing behavior," said Ben Chapman, assistant professor in the department of 4-H youth development and family and consumer sciences at North Carolina State. "These infosheets differ from much of what is currently used in training, because we focus on the consequences of mishandling food by providing real examples taken from recent events."
A recent food safety infosheet detailed an outbreak of E. coli O157 linked to a festival in Winnipeg, Canada, that sickened 40. Another focused on food preparation and cooling for large crowds, sparked by an outbreak at a church turkey dinner in Kansas that sickened 159.
"Whether it's a waitress, a line cook or the stock boy, people learn through stories," said Doug Powell, an associate professor of food safety at K-State. "We want to reach out to the last person who touched your food and make it safer."
Over the course of two years and using multiple methods, food safety infosheets transformed from a text-heavy memo to compelling, story-laden posters supported with contextual messages on what a food handler could do to reduce food safety risks, according to the researchers
As part of the design phase of the infosheets, Chapman spent 185 hours working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant.
"We felt it was important to really immerse into the culture of a food handler, and get a better understanding of what types of conversations occurred and what the hierarchy was like," Chapman said. "The experience directed us to refocus our messages to be a bit edgier and include references to celebrity and music where possible."
Food safety infosheets at foodsafetyinfosheets.com are created semi-weekly and are posted in restaurants, retail stores and on farms. They also are used in training throughout the world. Since September 2006 more than 150 food safety infosheets have been produced. They are available for download at no cost. The website has been recently redesigned, adding a search function, automatic e-mail alerts and RSS feeds. The new database is also sortable by pathogen, location and ris |
Management courses focuses on the significant organizational, environmental, and human challenges facing today’s managers. Specifically; Modern organizations and their managers are facing tremendous challenges and pressures in dealing with the challenging environment of business. These challenges include: technological growth, shorter product | Management courses focuses on the significant organizational, environmental, and human challenges facing today’s managers. Specifically; Modern organizations and their managers are facing tremendous challenges and pressures in dealing with the challenging environment of business. These challenges include: technological growth, shorter product life cycles, the globalization of markets and consumers, increased domestic and global competition, and increased diversity in the workplace. As a result of these challenges, the work of managers has become increasingly more complex and difficult.
The rationale for management courses is to familiarize students with management as a field of study that is dynamic, challenging and a rewarding activity. These courses are based on the premise that effective and innovative management is the key to organizational success. Management courses are intended to provide students with tools, techniques and insights that will enable them to understand and analyze the characteristics of modern organizations, business environments and people in organizational settings. Management courses exposes students, as future managers, to the changing worker values, workers’ needs and changing organizational structures and designs o meet these changes. The courses deal with the critical issues of how managers set and accomplish organizational goals.
Open the original version of this page. |
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was enacted into law on December 18, 1971. This Act was intended to settle outstanding land claims and establish clear title to Alaska’s land and resources. To do this, the | The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was enacted into law on December 18, 1971. This Act was intended to settle outstanding land claims and establish clear title to Alaska’s land and resources. To do this, the Act established 12 regional corporations and a method of conveying surface estate (land) and subsurface estate (mineral and other resources) to each regional corporation. ANCSA also established village corporations and gave each village corporation, subject to valid existing rights, the right to the surface estate (land) in and around the village, as identified in Section 11 of the Act, as amended. The amount of land to be conveyed was identified in Section 14 (a) and allotted to the Native population of the village as follows:
The regional corporation for the area received title to the subsurface estate of the village corporation land.
The first Alaska land law, the 1884 Organic Act, Section 8, states in part “… the Indians or other persons in said district shall not be disturbed in the possession of any lands actually in their use or occupation or now claimed by them but the terms under which such persons may acquire title to such lands is reserved for future legislation by Congress.” The Act established the difference between Native land policies in Alaska and the lower 48 states. The United States did not move Alaska Natives to reservations.
Congress also adopted the 1862 Homestead Act and the 1906 Native Allotment Act. These acts established land ownership for individual Natives and non-Natives. The Native claims mentioned in the Organic Act remained unsettled.
State land selections and increased use of natural resources, including those initiated by the discovery of oil on the North Slope, followed statehood in 1959. Congress adopted the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) in 1971 to provide clear ownership of the land needed for the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. With the adoption of ANCSA, the land claims of the Alaska Natives, established more that 100 years earlier, were finally settled.
ANCSA provided for the creation of regional Native corporations and individual village corporations within each region. The Act also provided for conveyance of land to the appropriate village entity. Natives, as a group, received ownership or title to lands through transfer of title to regional and village corporations. However, individual village residents still did not have titles to the lands their homes were on, and few village governments owned land used for public purposes.
Congress recognized the need for land title for occupants of village lands. To meet this need, ANCSA provided that village corporations get ownership (interim conveyance or patent) to the available lands. Under ANCSA Section 14(c), the village corporation then reconveys the title for parcels used by qualifying individuals and organizations.
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ANCSA Section 14(c)(1)(2) and (4) provides that the village corporation must make land available to individuals and organizations occupying the land on December 18, 1971 (valid existing rights). ANCSA Subsection 14(c)(3) provides that the village corporation shall convey to any municipal corporation or the state in trust, any lands identified for present and future community needs. Land conveyed in trust is deeded to the state’s Municipal Land Trustee and is managed under the Municipal Land Trustee Program provided for in Alaska State (AS) 44.33.755.
Because the village corporations received title to only the surface estate, a municipal corporation or the state in trust receiving a 14(c) conveyance from the village corporation receives title to only the surface estates.
ANCSA Section 14(c) has five sections. This chapter deals with the four sections described below. These sections identify the individuals and organizations that can receive land from the village corporation under Section 14(c).
ANCSA Subsection 14(c)(3) spells out the land to be re-conveyed to the municipal corporation or state in trust (if the community is unincorporated) for public purposes. It states “…title to the remaining surface estate of the improved land on which the Native village is located and as much additional land as is necessary for community expansion, appropriate rights-of-way for public use, and other foreseeable community needs… further, that any net revenue derived from the sale of resources harvested…shall be paid to the Village Corporation.”
Improved land may be defined as “land conveyed under ANCSA to village corporations which is so changed from its natural state through valuable additions made to the land or through regular use by the residents of the |
Fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation technology
in the world.
Fermented foods are popular throughout the world.
Fermented foods make a significant contribution to the diet of millions
Fermentation is a relatively efficient | Fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation technology
in the world.
Fermented foods are popular throughout the world.
Fermented foods make a significant contribution to the diet of millions
Fermentation is a relatively efficient, low energy preservation process,
which increases the shelf life and decreases the need for refrigeration or
other form of food preservation technology. It is therefore a highly appropriate
technique for use in developing countries and remote areas.
There is tremendous scope and potential for the use of micro-organisms towards
meeting the growing world demand for food, through efficient utilisation of
available natural food and feed stocks and the transformation of waste materials.
There is a danger that the introduction of 'western foods' with their glamorous
image will displace these traditional fermented foods.
It is essential that the knowledge of fermented food production is not lost.
It is essential to increase the knowledge and understanding of the methods
of preparation, in order to improve the efficiency of fermentation, especially
the traditional processes as the yields of traditional fermentation processes
are often low and sometimes the products are unsafe.
For fermented products such as cheese, bread, beer and wine, which are produced
on a commercial scale, a good understanding of the microbial processes has
been developed. However with many of the fermented products in Africa, Asia
and Latin America, knowledge of the process is poor. It is likely that the
basic principles apply across the board, but production conditions vary enormously
from region to region, giving rise to numerous variations of the basic fermented
product. It is not the intention or the desire to standardise the process
and thereby lose this huge diversity, rather it is to harness the tremendous
potential these methods have to contribute to increasing not only the quantity,
but quality of food available to the worlds population.
The collection and preservation of indigenous knowledge is of interest to
governments, historians, anthropologists and scientists, to name but a few.
Several individuals and organisations are actively involved in research in
Most traditional fermented products are made by natural fermentations carried
out in a non-sterile environment. The specific environmental conditions cause
a gradual selection of micro-organisms responsible for the desired final product.
This is appropriate for small-scale production for home consumption. However
the method is difficult to control and there are risks of accompanying micro-flora
causing spoilage and unsafe products.
The art of traditional processes needs to be refined to incorporate objective
methods of process control and to standardise quality of the final product
without losing their desirable attributes such as improved keeping quality,
taste and nutritional qualities.
Once the details of the fermentation process and the microbes involved are
known and understood, it is possible to begin to refine and improve the process.
The areas where the efficiency and yield of food fermentation processes
can be increased are: the selection or development of more productive microbial
strains; the control and manipulation of culture conditions and the improvement
of product purification and concentration.
It is often felt that traditional products made at the small scale are unhygienic
and unsafe. This is sometimes true. However the case is often overstated.
Many fermented foods are inherently safe due to low moisture contents or high
Quality control procedures are essential for the production of safe products
and contribute to the success of small food processing businesses. Appropriate
quality control procedures need to be developed and implemented. These procedures
need to be developed with the processors who must understand and apply them.
Documentation of the traditional methods of food fermentation and research
to identify improved methods of production are meaningless if the results
are not disseminated to those who are likely to put them into practice. There
is a danger of mystifying the fermentation process by enrobing it in scientific
Fermented foods often are considered as poor man's food. As soon as a family
can afford to, they move away from carrying out home fermentation. This is
a pity, because as we have seen earlier, fermented food products have many
nutritional advantages which surpass western-style fast foods and processed
Fermented foods should be recognised as part of each countries heritage
and culture and efforts made to preserve the methods of production. A recognised
body (government or non-government) should take the responsibility for the
collection of details and the promotion of fermented food products.
Consumers need to be made aware of the numerous benefits of fermented foods
and their prejudices against fermented foods, especially those traditionally
produced at the home scale, dispelled. |
Bale walls can be load-bearing (“Nebraska style”), or used as infill for a timber- or stick-frame that carries roof loads. Bales are stacked flat or on edge between framing members (for infill construction) atop a conventional | Bale walls can be load-bearing (“Nebraska style”), or used as infill for a timber- or stick-frame that carries roof loads. Bales are stacked flat or on edge between framing members (for infill construction) atop a conventional concrete stem wall, and then finished with earthen or lime plaster, or cement stucco, to protect the building from the elements. Window and door openings are created with wood frames. For load-bearing walls, bales are typically compressed under a top plate to distribute the weight and help prevent uneven settling. In the original Nebraska straw bale homes, roof loads were evenly distributed around the perimeter of the building with hip roofs, and window sizes were limited. Infill designs are well-suited to complex house shapes. Straw is resistant to rot when protected from rain and snow, and is fire-resistant because its density limits combustion air (likened to trying to burn a telephone book).
Given their thickness, straw bale walls should have higher R-values and less thermal bridging than wood-framed walls insulated with fiberglass or cellulose. In tests at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a 19-inch-thick straw bale wall had an R-value of 27.5, or 1.45 per inch. By comparison, a 2-by-6 wall insulated with standard fiberglass batts (and no exterior insulation) would have an R-value of roughly 20 at the center of the wall (less when thermal bridging is taken into account for a whole-wall measurement).
Straw bale construction is not covered in the International Residential Code, meaning that prospective builders need approval from local code officials.
Building a double-stud wall is an easily understood approach to achieving an energy-efficient envelope, using the same techniques and materials that go into a conventionally built house. Two parallel-framed walls are framed from dimensional lumber—one load-bearing and the other a nonweight-bearing partition. The walls are separated by a gap and studs in the two walls can be staggered—or not. Then the wall is filled with insulation, which could be cellulose, fiberglass batts, or something else, which can result in R-40 or above.
This strategy is simple and effective, and used on many high-performance houses, including a Habitat for Humanity house in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, that was designed by Habitat and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These designers had two goals: create a net zero-energy home, with the house producing as much energy as it used each year, and have Habitat volunteers build it, not professionals.
The designers spaced the two 2-by-4 walls 3 1/2 inches apart. Fiberglass batts were installed vertically in both stud walls, with a third layer of batts placed horizontally in the space between the two walls. Even though fiberglass batts can be one of the least-effective types of insulation when poorly installed in a conventionally framed house, they proved highly effective here.
Other builders might construct the outer, load-bearing wall from 2-by-6s, for example, to give even more room for insulation. The gap between the two walls eliminates the path for thermal bridging, so double-stud walls don’t need a layer of rigid foam insulation over the sheathing, which simplifies construction considerably while holding costs down.
A trade-off is that some floor space is lost to the second framed wall. In houses with very small footprints, this could be an issue. And, since the framing is duplicated, it doubles the amount of time it takes to frame the house. Applying advanced framing techniques reduces the amount of lumber and construction time. Finally, because of the extra wall depth, detailing doors and windows is a little more complicated. Windows set to the outside of the wall require extra-deep jamb extensions, and some builders flare window openings so walls don’t look too thick, which is also an extra step. |
Posted on October 11, 2013 by Cassandra Butts, Senior Advisor
In Burkina Faso, girls will celebrate the second annual International Day of the Girl Child by attending school thanks to a groundbreaking investment by the Millennium Challenge Corporation in | Posted on October 11, 2013 by Cassandra Butts, Senior Advisor
In Burkina Faso, girls will celebrate the second annual International Day of the Girl Child by attending school thanks to a groundbreaking investment by the Millennium Challenge Corporation in the BRIGHT (Burkinabe Response to Improve Girls’ Chances to Succeed) program. The United Nations determined that this year’s day will focus on “Innovating for Girls Education,” and innovation is at the heart of the BRIGHT program.
To improve educational outcomes for all children in rural villages with low school enrollments, particularly girls, the BRIGHT program was implemented in 132 rural villages throughout Burkina Faso. Each village received primary school construction and an innovative suite of complementary interventions for students, parents and teachers to encourage school attendance and enhance educational environments.
For students, the interventions included school meals, take-home rations for girls, school kits, and textbooks. Parental and community interventions included adult literacy training for mothers, community information campaigns on the benefits of education, especially the education of girls, and community capacity building on the importance of sustaining educational assets. Teachers also benefited through better school facilities including teacher housing, the recruitment of additional female teachers and gender sensitivity training.
The evidence shows that the BRIGHT program’s innovation is producing results. A recent analysis of the program published by economists Harounan Kazianga, Dan Levy, Leigh L. Linden, and Matt Sloan in the July 2013 issue of American Economic Journal: Applied Economics found that the BRIGHT program increased enrollment by 19 percentage points and increased test scores by 0.41 after 2.5 years. The findings also identified BRIGHT success in targeting girls for enrollment, with an increase of 5 percentage points more than boys. And when comparing the BRIGHT “girl friendly” interventions to a regular school, the findings identified an increase in enrollment of 13 percentage points above a regular school’s effect.
Achieving results is at the core of MCC’s model, and the results of this independent analysis are consistent with what we see on the ground. The BRIGHT program is changing the lives of communities, families and girl children throughout Burkina Faso.
Aisattou Hamidou Diallo and Fatimata Yanta (pictured) are two such girl children who participated in the BRIGHT program and came to Washington, DC in 2011 to share their stories of challenge and achievement. The many memories of their visit include meeting First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Aisattou and Fatimata have gone on to secondary school, where they continue to achieve and build on their BRIGHT experience.
Results like these should be celebrated every day and particularly on the International Day of the Girl Child. |
|St Andrews Static Language||computing dictionary|
(SASL) A functional programming language designed by Professor David Turner in 1976 whilst at St. Andrews University. SASL is a derivative of ISWIM with infinite data structures. It | |St Andrews Static Language||computing dictionary|
(SASL) A functional programming language designed by Professor David Turner in 1976 whilst at St. Andrews University. SASL is a derivative of ISWIM with infinite data structures. It is fully lazy but weakly typed. It was designed for teaching functional programming, with very simple syntax.
def fac n = n = 0 -> 1 ; n x fac(n-1)
SASL was originally known as "St Andrews Standard Language". Not to be confused with SISAL.
See also: Kamin's interpreters.
["A New Implementation Technique for Applicative Languages", D.A. Turner, Soft Prac & Exp 8:31-49 (1979)].
(01 Jan 2007)
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Quantum mechanics stinks
Our sense of smell has been in the news recently, with some new research published into how our noses detect different substances’ odours. Our other senses – sight, touch, taste and hearing – are well understood, | Quantum mechanics stinks
Our sense of smell has been in the news recently, with some new research published into how our noses detect different substances’ odours. Our other senses – sight, touch, taste and hearing – are well understood, but the mechanism of smell is still a mystery.
Molecules all possess their own shapes: the more atoms in the molecule, the more complex the shapes can become. There are countless different possible shapes of molecules and it has generally been thought that these shapes dictate what substances smell of. We have a patch of receptors in our noses that match certain molecular shapes. When the right shaped molecule fits into the right receptor, like a key in a lock, a signal is sent to the brain to tell us what we are smelling.
However, Dr Luca Turin has published work on a more controversial theory for the mechanism of smell. He takes a different approach, using the vibrations of chemical bonds and quantum effects to describe how our smell receptors detect different molecules.
To test his theory, he took a simple molecule and swapped all the hydrogen atoms for deuterium. This maintained the shape of the molecule, but changes how its chemical bonds vibrate, because deuterium is heavier than hydrogen. Turin was able to show that people could tell the difference between the odours of the molecule containing hydrogen and the molecule containing deuterium, which he believes is strong evidence that the classic ‘lock and key’ theory could be flawed.
Dr Jennifer Brookes is a Sir Henry Wellcome Fellow working on smell detection at University College London and Harvard University. She also works on the quantum mechanics of how we smell, though using theoretical data rather than experimental results. Her theories back up Turin’s work, challenging the ‘lock and key’ model.
For example, sulphurous compounds often have very strong smells, one of the more unpleasant being hydrogen sulphide, which smells of rotten egg. Hydrogen sulphide is a tiny molecule consisting of a central sulphur atom, with two hydrogen atoms sticking out from it in a V-shape. However, it is not the only compound that gives this distinctive smell. Decaborane smells very similar, but it has a basket-like shape of ten boron atoms, completely different to hydrogen sulphide’s shape. The ‘lock and key’ model would struggle to explain this, but the two molecules do vibrate at a similar energy, fitting with the quantum theory proposed by Turin.
Furthermore, Brookes describes two very similarly shaped compounds, ferrocene and nickelocene, which both have a central metal atom (iron in ferrocene and nickel in nickelocene), and identical structures surrounding them. Their shapes and sizes are indistinguishable but ferrocene smells spicy while nickelocene smells oily. Because the central metal atom is different, their vibrations are also different, again fitting with Turin’s theory.
Brookes doesn’t dismiss that shape is important: the molecules need to fit in to the receptor in order for the vibrations to be read, much like a swipe-card: the card must be the right shape to fit into the card reader, but it is the information taken from the card that is important.
Although these examples give some evidence against the ‘lock and key’ model, there is still a lot of scepticism surrounding the ‘swipe-card’ theory. With the existing theory embedded in the scientific community, it is controversial and exciting when new research challenges it. Brookes hopes that now the ‘swipe-card’ model has had some positive press, other researchers in the field may start to look into it more. It may even make people start to question the mechanisms of other biological systems.
Brookes JC, Horsfield AP, & Stoneham AM (2012). The swipe card model of odorant recognition. Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 12 (11), 15709-49 PMID: 23202229
Gane S, Georganakis D, Maniati K, Vamvakias M, Ragoussis N, Skoulakis EM, & Turin L (2013). Molecular vibration-sensing component in human olfaction. PloS One, 8 (1) PMID: 23372854 |
Submitted by: Rachel Zindler
In this lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades 6-12, students use BrainPOP resources to gain familiarity with the U.S. Bill of Rights. Students will determine how the Bill of Rights is | Submitted by: Rachel Zindler
In this lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades 6-12, students use BrainPOP resources to gain familiarity with the U.S. Bill of Rights. Students will determine how the Bill of Rights is relevant to American citizens today and practice their debating skills in authentic contexts.
Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments
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Hawaii is a place clothed in legends, many draped with colorful characters and magical tales that some people hold as true-life stories and others consider truth in living life. Sort of the difference between a biography and a how-to guide.
There is | Hawaii is a place clothed in legends, many draped with colorful characters and magical tales that some people hold as true-life stories and others consider truth in living life. Sort of the difference between a biography and a how-to guide.
There is one man who stands out in Hawaii's history--so much so he was titled, Great. And that is Kamehameha the Great.
Kamehameha was no legend--he was a living, breathing man, who was born in 1758 and died in 1819. But he was legendary--with stories of standing seven feet tall and lifting a 5,000-pound rock (on display outside the Hilo Public Library) to fulfill a prophesy that said whoever lifted it would go on to conquer the Hawaiian Islands. Kamehameha did, establishing the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810.
Yesterday, June 11, shortly before noon, I was on the phone with friend (and author) Darien Gee
who paused in our conversation to explain the sudden outburst of voices in the background. "They just got back from the Kamehameha parade," she said about her three kids.
It clicked into place then. I finally understood why the phone didn't ring at 9:00 a.m. for my weekly conference call and why none of my co-workers in Honolulu had logged on their instant messaging accounts. My work day had been suspiciously quiet.
"Is it Kamehameha Day?" I asked.
"What? You don't know?" Darien said. The holiday isn't new. It was declared in 1871, even before the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and its annexation by the United States in 1898.
"Well, he's your neighbor," I said. "Not mine."
Kamehameha was born in North Kohala on Hawaii, the Big Island--practically down the street from Darien. In his quest to unify the Hawaiian archipelago he conquered--by force--all the islands except Kauai and Niihau. Kamehameha made two attempts to conquer these separate islands--and failed. Undeterred, Kamehameha set to amassing an armada of war canoes and foreign-built schooners with cannons. Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, Kauai's King Kaumualii opted for diplomacy instead of bloodshed and ceded Kauai to Kamehameha.
"And he didn't conquer Kauai," I said.
Kauaians take great pride in that. Even this malihini who after 13 years in Hawaii remembers better the birthday holiday of another great man, this one from her childhood home in the Land of Lincoln, illustrating the deep roots of childhood traditions. |
66. She Does Many Things After School
Use the above tools to listen to the story, search for images of a word, and translate a word or a sentence into your own language.
She is busy after school. She comes home after school | 66. She Does Many Things After School
Use the above tools to listen to the story, search for images of a word, and translate a word or a sentence into your own language.
She is busy after school. She comes home after school. She does her homework. She takes the dog for a walk. She feeds the dog. She eats dinner. She clears the table. She brushes her teeth. She watches TV. She watches for two hours only. Her parents allow her only two hours. She goes to bed.
Copyright © 2013. All rig |
Exposure to laptop computers might adversely affect male fertility by inducing DNA fragmentation and decreasing progressive motility, according to research presented here at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 66th Annual Meeting.
In the first study of its kind to evaluate | Exposure to laptop computers might adversely affect male fertility by inducing DNA fragmentation and decreasing progressive motility, according to research presented here at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 66th Annual Meeting.
In the first study of its kind to evaluate the effect of laptop computers receiving wireless Internet signals on human spermatozoa, researchers evaluated semen samples from 15 men. The samples were separated into 2 incubation groups: one that was exposed to a laptop computer receiving a WiFi signal for 4 hours, and another that was not.
Despite the fact that the 2 groups were kept at a controlled temperature (25 °C) to rule out thermal effects, the results showed significant DNA damage and decreased sperm motility in the laptop-exposed group.
“We controlled and fixed the temperature to avoid thermal effects,” said Conrado Avendano, PhD, lead author of the study and director of research at the Nascentis Reproductive Medical Center in Cordoba, Argentina.
Prior to incubation, the sperm was assessed for parameters such as concentration, motility, morphology, and vitality. Evaluation after incubation showed decreased sperm motility in the laptop-exposed group (73.5 ± 8.2 vs 63.6 ± 7.3; P <.05), increased sperm immotility (18.8 ± 6.9 vs 28.3 ± 7.3; P <.05), and an increase in sperm DNA fragmentation (6.3 ± 8.1 vs 13.1 ± 9.2; P <.05), compared with the nonexposed group.
“After 4 hours of incubation, the sperm motility had decreased significantly in the exposed group, compared with the unexposed group,” Dr. Avendano told Medscape Medical News.
“In addition, we evaluated sperm DNA fragmentation and saw that after incubation under the laptop, the percentage of spermatozoa with DNA damage was increased more than in the unexposed group,” he said.
No significant differences were seen in levels of nonprogressive sperm motility and vitality.
The findings regarding sperm motility and DNA fragmentation raise concerns about the effect of laptops on male fertility, Dr. Avendano said.
“It has been shown that sperm motility and DNA fragmentation quality are necessary for normal fertilization,” he said. “Therefore, we speculate that the use of [WiFi-connected] portable computers... near the testis may decrease sperm quality by a nonthermal effect, and likewise may reduce the chance of pregnancy.”
Previous studies looking at the effects of cell phones have shown that the devices can reduce semen quality, and laptop studies have looked at the thermal effects of laptop computers; however, this is the first study to show the effect of exposure to a laptop computer and to radio frequency electromagnetic waves from its WiFi signal on sperm quality in an in vitro model, Dr. Avendano said.
“Previous work by another research group has shown that the use of laptop computers on the lap may increase scrotal temperature. This point is very important, because it has been shown that increased temperature is detrimental to normal sperm generation (spermatogenesis),” he explained.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the impact of laptops on human spermatozoa and to demonstrat |
Gene Expression Helps Refine Water Monitoring
It’s pretty common for regulators to use the tiny water flea Daphnia magna to monitor freshwater toxicity. The organism is highly sensitive to contaminants in its environment, so counting dead water fleas can give investigators | Gene Expression Helps Refine Water Monitoring
It’s pretty common for regulators to use the tiny water flea Daphnia magna to monitor freshwater toxicity. The organism is highly sensitive to contaminants in its environment, so counting dead water fleas can give investigators a decent sense of water quality.
However, this not-so-subtle “kill ‘em and count ‘em” technique doesn’t explain exactly how a toxicant is affecting the organism. Now researchers from nutritional sciences and toxicology have found a better way: by looking at characteristic changes in the organism’s gene expression. Graduate student Helen Poynton and her mentor, associate professor Chris Vulpe, published their findings last winter in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
“The extra information we get from looking at gene expression could help us make more informed decisions about how harmful a toxicant is,” says Poynton. “It could give regulators a new direction that we should be pursuing in monitoring water quality. For instance, we could find that it’s necessary to regulate toxicant levels at lower levels, so we can act before toxicants get to the level of actually killing a population.”
Toxicogenomics could also be used for chemical screening, the researchers say. “For those in industry, chemicals could be screened for potent |
Barbara J. Campbell, Pastor
Almost half of the 24 chapters of The Gospel According to Luke claim to record the words of Jesus. If you pick up one of those Bibles which print everything Jesus supposedly said in red letters, you | Barbara J. Campbell, Pastor
Almost half of the 24 chapters of The Gospel According to Luke claim to record the words of Jesus. If you pick up one of those Bibles which print everything Jesus supposedly said in red letters, you will find the entire center section of Luke is red and we are well into the “red” section when we come to today’s story.
Luke has recorded conversations which were part of the common oral tradition of Jesus’ teachings. This tradition remembered Jesus telling the crowds again and again, in many different ways, about the kingdom of God. Access to that kingdom, some biblical scholars contend, was not much of an issue for Jesus. Instead of a rabbi who probably used short sayings and brief parables, in Luke’s gospel Jesus speaks in long complicated lessons, so much so, in fact, that readers can often end up lost and confused.
Nearing the end of this long section of teachings from Luke, Jesus tells two parables about small behaviors that have expansive consequences. He tells his listeners how the tiniest of seeds, the mustard seed, grows into an enormous plant that gives shelter to the birds of the air and that when a woman puts just a handful of yeast into three measures of flour that yeast leavens the whole batch! After all the ups and downs, good news/bad news themes, of his many lessons, we are assured that, in the end, even a little faith can go a long way.
Then, as a sort of synopsis of everything that Jesus has said, Luke adds a summary statement that begins with a question from the audience. Finally someone comes to Jesus and asks, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”
Amy Jill Levine, who is one of the few Jewish Professors of New Testament studies, writes that concern over whether only a few would be saved was common in apocalyptic literature, but was not common in rabbinic literature which took a generous view of salvation. This fact and other stories of Jesus leads us to believe that Jesus would not have been very concerned over who would be saved.
Jesus Seminar scholars gave fairly high mark of validity to the initial response of Jesus in this text, which they translate as: “Struggle to get in through the narrow door; I’m |
Raptors come in all shapes and sizes, and most are not a threat to healthy adult waterfowl, even small species like teal. Of the many factors that influence what raptors eat, size is the most important. The sizes of r | Raptors come in all shapes and sizes, and most are not a threat to healthy adult waterfowl, even small species like teal. Of the many factors that influence what raptors eat, size is the most important. The sizes of raptors and their prey are directly related. For example, with a wingspan of seven feet, golden eagles are the largest raptors in North America and can easily take cackling geese, while smaller bald eagles cannot. At the other end of the spectrum, green-winged teal see northern harriers as enough of a threat that they take flight when these medium-size raptors approach. Mallards, which are significantly larger and heavier than greenwings, typically show little concern when harriers pass by.
While it's energetically advantageous for raptors to take large prey, the potential benefits must be balanced with the risk of going after something too big. Researchers in California recounted observing a golden eagle that attempted to grab a Great Basin Canada goose, somewhat larger than the cackling geese these raptors readily prey on. In this instance, after the eagle failed to secure the goose by the back, the goose grabbed the eagle with its bill and gave it several good whacks with its wings. The two birds parted ways with neither showing signs of injury, but if the goose had squarely landed a blow and broken one of the eagle's hollow wing bones, the raptor would have likely perished as a result.
Being hunters ourselves, man has long been in awe of the enviable predatory skills and aerial capabilities of raptors like eagles and falcons. While many children dream of becoming a fighter pilot when they grow up, most of us never realize that ambition. But regardless of our age, we can still live the dream by thoughtfully watching and vicariously flying along with the raptors that we see while visiting wetlands and other wild places.
Raptors, Ducks, and Habitat
While it would be easy to assume that fewer raptors would mean more ducks, no studies have indicated that these birds take enough waterfowl to significantly depress their populations. Waterfowl and raptors have shared the same habitats for hundreds of thousands of years, and in healthy ecosystems both groups of birds thrive in "the balance of nature." Like most predators, raptors tend to take the small and the weak. For example, a study of crippled mallards in Wisconsin found that most of the birds were killed by predators, and raptors including red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, and great horned owls accounted for about half of the predation.
By managing healthy ecosystems, we can help ensure that the balance of nature is maintained. Some specific management practices include:
- Minimizing encroachment by trees on the prairies, where raptor numbers were historically limited by a lack of perching sites.
- Managing healthy prairie uplands and wetlands to provide secure cover for nesting hens and broods.
- Maintaining shrubby vegetation like buttonbush in forested wetlands to provide cover for wood duck ducklings.
- Avoiding habitat loss and wetland drawdowns that concentrate waterfowl and expose them to increased risk from raptors and other predators.
—Scott Yaich, Ph.D., Ducks Unlimited Director of Conservation Operations |
A variety of metrics have been developed over the years to assess research impact for distinct scholarly purposes. They have different foci and their adoption rates vary. As more scholars turn to digital media to discuss research and share resources, new measures have been brought | A variety of metrics have been developed over the years to assess research impact for distinct scholarly purposes. They have different foci and their adoption rates vary. As more scholars turn to digital media to discuss research and share resources, new measures have been brought up to account for the online interactions in hopes that research impact can be assessed more thoroughly.
This guide provides an introduction to commonly used research metrics as well as recently developed ones. As Bollen, Van de Sompel, Chute, and Hagberg note in their study, "the notion of scientific impact is a multi-dimensional construct that can not be adequately measured by any single indicator, although some measures are more suitable than others." Researchers may want to consider the pros and cons of different metrics and use a combination of them as appropriate for assessment.
Discussions of Impact Metrics
Research Impact Assessment: An Overview
This is a brief introduction to different approaches to impact assessment.
Metrics: A Profusion of Measures
This article discusses the "metrics explosion" and provides a field guide to metrics.
The Maze of Impact Metrics
This editorial in Nature points out that research impact assessment "must take into account the effects of emphasizing particular measures — and be open about their methods."
A Principal Component Analysis of 39 Scientific Impact Measures
This is an analysis of how accurately and completeley new mesaures express research impact.
This is a report about the use and misuse of citation data in the assessment of scientific research.
Final Impact: What Factors Really Matter?
Below is the video of a panel discussion about appropriate ways to gauge the importance and influence of scholarly publications. |
Leshan: Exploring Sichuan's Buddhist heritage
China View, March 11, 2008
BEIJING, China -- Listed as a World Heritage site in 1996, Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount E | Leshan: Exploring Sichuan's Buddhist heritage
China View, March 11, 2008
BEIJING, China -- Listed as a World Heritage site in 1996, Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount Emei in Southwest China's Sichuan Province draw tourists and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world.
<< Leshan Giant Buddha (Photo: Shenzhendaily.com)
According to historical records, the first Buddhist temple in China was built in the beautiful surroundings of Mount Emei in the first century, shortly after Buddhism was introduced from India.
The addition of other temples in later centuries turned the 3,099-meter-tall summit into one of China's four most sacred Buddhist mountains. The others are Mount Wutai in Shanxi Province, Mount Jiuhua in Jiangxi Province, and Mount Putuo in Zhejiang Province.
Over the centuries, the cultural treasures in the fertile Sichuan Basin region have grown in number. Among them, the most remarkable is Leshan Giant Buddha.
The Giant Buddha lies to the east of the city of Leshan in Sichuan Province at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. The statue faces the sacred Mount Emei with the rivers flowing below its feet.
The statue depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha. Maitreya is the Buddha of the future, who will appear to preach dharma when the teachings of Gautama Buddha have faded away from public consciousness.
Worshiping Maitreya was especially popular between the 4th and 7th centuries, and Maitreya's images are found throughout Buddhist temples in China, conveying his characteristic air of expectancy and promise. The Leshan statue is the most spectacular of them all.
According to records, it took 90 years to carve the huge Buddha, starting from the first year (713) of the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to the 19th year (803) of Emperor Dezong’s reign.
The huge project is said to be the idea of a Chinese monk named Haitong, who hoped the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued passing boats.
Carved from a side of Lingyun Hill, the head of the gigantic sculpture is level with the top of the cl |
So far the articles in this guide have shown you how to make a Disk Editor boot disk and have discussed the basics of disk clusters and long file names. Now it's time to put all this information together and actually recover a deleted file.
Rest | So far the articles in this guide have shown you how to make a Disk Editor boot disk and have discussed the basics of disk clusters and long file names. Now it's time to put all this information together and actually recover a deleted file.
Restoring deleted files with Disk Editor is a four-step process. The four steps are:
1. Restore the filename (the DOS alias)
2. Locate the clusters used by the file
3. Recreate the necessary file allocation table entries
4. Recover the long file name if necessary
Before you can perform any of these actions, you must configure Disk Editor to work in Read/Write mode (it uses Read Only mode by default). Just remember what I said in an earlier story about working from a copy rather than from your original disk.
Switching Disk Editor into read/write mode is simple. To do so, select the Configuration command from Disk Editor's Tools menu. When the Configuration dialog box opens, deselect the Read Only check box, then click the Save button.
As you may recall, if a file uses a long filename, it is actually stored on the disk using its DOS alias. Therefore, your first step in the data recovery process is to examine the file allocation table through Disk Editor and locate the deleted file. If necessary, you can use Disk Editor's Object menu to switch
Once you've found the deleted file you'd like to recover, place your cursor over the top of the sigma sign (the first character of the filename) and type the letter you want to use as the first character of the filename. If your keyboard is in insert mode, you will have to press the Delete key to get rid of the sigma sign. After correcting the filename, move your cursor down a line and you will notice that the ID column entry for the file will change from Erased to File, indicating that the file has been recovered.
However, keep in mind though that you have not recovered the file, only a directory entry.
How many disk clusters are used when recovering a deleted file?
Figuring out how many disk clusters a file uses is a critical skill for the next step. If you don't fully understand how to calculate cluster usage, you might want to review the article on clusters before continuing.
The next step is to figure out the starting cluster for a file that has been deleted. Fortunately, Disk Editor gives you this information. The number listed for the file in the Disk Editor's Cluster column is the file's starting cluster. Make note of this number.
Once the file that you are attempting to recover has been selected, choose the Cluster Chain command from the Link menu. You will now see a message indicating that changes have been made to a sector. These changes have to do with the filename that you changed. Click the Write button to make your change permanent.
At this point, select the Cluster command from the Object menu. You'll be asked to enter a cluster range. Enter the file's starting cluster into the field provided. You can calculate the ending cluster based on the file size and the length of each allocation unit. Enter the ending cluster number into the ending cluster field and click OK.
Recovering a deleted file: A closer look
Since this step is on the technical side, let's go through an example. In writing this article, I placed a file onto a floppy disk and then deleted it. The file was named DELTREE.EXE and had a file size of 19083 bytes. Since a floppy disk has an allocation unit size of 512 bytes, I divided the file size (19083 bytes) by 512 bytes, which equals 37 and change. Since you can only use whole clusters, I rounded the answer up to 38. The file's starting cluster was 1064, so I add 37 clusters to it (the 38th cluster is the starting cluster) and get an ending cluster of 1101.
Click OK, and the Disk Editor will display the clusters that you have selected. This gives you a chance to scroll through the clusters and see if they appear to be a part of your file. If the file contains binary data, the clusters will usually appear as hieroglyphics. But if the clusters are a part of a Word document or text file, they will often contain some usable text. The last cluster in the chain should contain a bunch of zeros at the end, indicating that only part of the cluster is being used by the file. You can interpret this as an end-of-file marker.
If you are confident that the clusters that you have chosen belong to the deleted file, select the Directory command from the Object menu to return to the directory. Select the file you want to recover, then select the Cluster Chain command from the Link menu. The beginning cluster is already filled in, so move to the next blank space and enter the next cluster number.
For example, in the situation above, the first cluster used by my deleted file was 1064. So I would enter 1065 into the first blank space, then repeat the process until all the file's clusters h |
The word Nevruz is of Persian origin and is a combination of the words “ nev” (new) and “ruz” (day), meaning new day. According to the old Persian calendar, it is the first day of the year and regarded | The word Nevruz is of Persian origin and is a combination of the words “ nev” (new) and “ruz” (day), meaning new day. According to the old Persian calendar, it is the first day of the year and regarded as the start of spring, when the sun enters the house of Aries.
The sun gives more light and heat to the southern hemisphere until March 21, after which this applies to the northern hemisphere instead. That is why March 21 is a day to celebrate for people living in the northern hemisphere as the symbol of awakening and creation.
According to Persian mythology, God created the world, man and the sun on this day. Kiyumers, the legendary Persian ruler, declared this day to be a festival when he ascends the throne. Jemshid, the symbol of magnificence in Persia, also ascended the throne on this day. In addition, Jem, the seventh grandson of the Prophet Adam, came to Azerbaijan on March 21 and declared it to be a day of celebration.
Nevruz, which goes by various names such as Nevruz-i Sultan, Sultan Nevruz, Navrız and Mart dokuzu in Anatolia, is celebrated differently in different regions. It is also a ceremony for abundance in regions where people generally work in agriculture. It also has a faith-related significance in Alawite-Bektashi communities.
In Alawite-Bektashi communities, Nevruz is the birthday of Ali, and also the day when Ali and Fatma married. In addition, it is the day the Prophet Mohammad designated Ali as his caliph after his return from the Farewell Hadj. On the morning of this day, people drink milk after the guide has read prayers. They read poems called Nevruziye, nefes (a poem read by dervishes) and Mevlit (a religious poem and prayer chanted either in memory of a dead person or to mark a special religious occasion) in memory of Ali. They visit graves with pastries that have been prepared earlier and eat these there.
Ottoman sultans paid special attention to Nevruz Day. Poems in the form of the “gazel” and “kasida”, called “Nevruziye”, were presented to them on that day. In these kasidas, the main theme was trees, which put forth leaves, opening flowers, the warming of the weather and similar. It was then related for Adam was created on Nevruz Day, Noah’s Ark reached land and Ali was born and became a caliph. It was said that all creatures prostrated themselves to God on Nevruz night, and that wishes came true. Again on Nevruz Day, the chief astrologer used to present the new calendar to the sultan and rece |
- Special Sections
- Public Notices
There are many gardening tasks that either must be done or are better done in the fall of the year: removing old plant debris, fertilizing trees, shrubs and lawns and protecting tender plants like hybrid | - Special Sections
- Public Notices
There are many gardening tasks that either must be done or are better done in the fall of the year: removing old plant debris, fertilizing trees, shrubs and lawns and protecting tender plants like hybrid tea roses and French hydrangeas.
These chores are all important for good garden maintenance. Taking care of them now can vastly improve the quality of your garden later. And eliminate some of the disease problems that affect us the most.
Fall clean-up in the yard and garden is under-emphasized. Leaves can smother a lawn, plant debris can re-infect next year’s crop, and dead wood can invite insect and disease infestation.
The diseased tomatoes in the vegetable garden, for instance, easily can reinfect next year’s plants if not disposed of properly (send it away with the trash or recycling). Fallen leaf debris from diseased roses is the No. 1 culprit.
Insects and fungal diseases both have the ability to winter over on plant debris. Even healthy plants during the growing season can act as cozy winter protection for pests,so go ahead and cut back herbaceous perennials once they have died back naturally.
After you have removed the undesirable, add the desirable. It is never too late to plant most species of trees and shrubs. As long as the ground is workable (not too wet or frozen hard), you can keep on planting.
It is better to plant during the dormant period because it is less stressful for the tree or shrub. Plus, a woody plant’s root system grows most actively when the soil is cool (but above freezing).
The plant also has a chance to develop a good root system before it has to expend energy for top growth during the spring and summer.
Always remember, however, that new plantings need water throughout the winter if Mother Nature does not supply adequate precipitation. Do not fertilize newly planted trees, save that for year-old plantings and older.
Fertilization of trees, shrubs and lawns is ideal. The recommended time is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Apply a high nitrogen fertilizer to woody ornamentals and trees in the drip-line (the area just below the tip if the canopy). Because the roots are actively growing in the cool soil, the root system will benefit the most from fertilization this time of the year. The same goes for our lawns. There’s still time if you haven’t already done so.
Winter protection can make it or break it for some plants. Floribundas, grandifloras and hybrid tea roses spring to mind. We must protect the fist-like bud union of these hybrids from freezing winter temperatures.
After several hard freezes and dormancy has set in, you can trim the roses up and pile mulch around the base, about 8 to 10 inches high. Our recent mild winters have spoiled me, so I always need to remind myself not to get too complacent on protecting certain plants.
Hard winters often kill back French hydrangeas (hydrangea macrophylla), which have to winter over successfully in order to bloom (they bloom on the previous year’s growth). Once the hydrangeas have gone dormant, you can construct a chicken-wire cage around the plant and fill the space with straw to protect the stems from frigid temperatures. If they are planted in a protected area, this may be enough to successfully winter over the old growth.
For smaller plants, such as the tender herb rosemary, you can use a cloche (a glass or plastic, bell-shaped enclosure) that will act as a mini-greenhouse. Some herbaceous perennials will benefit from some mulch to protect them from frigid weather, but wait until the ground has cooled sufficiently before you mulch.
If you mulch too early, you will keep the soil warm, thus preventing the plant from going dormant. Pre-mature winter mulching can make plants more susceptible to cold damage instead of protecting them.
Check out gardening columnist Jeneen Wiche’s work at www.SwallowRailFarm.com. You can find her columns also at www.SentinelNews.com/agriculture. She answers questions once a month in SentinelNewsPlus. To submit a question, send an E-mail to [email protected] type “Sentinel-News” in the subject field. |
Man of Reason: James Q. Wilson’s thinking about crime and policing saved lives and transformed cities for the better
March 5, 2012
In 1966, a prestigious commission appointed by President Lyndon Johnson issued a lengthy report | Man of Reason: James Q. Wilson’s thinking about crime and policing saved lives and transformed cities for the better
March 5, 2012
In 1966, a prestigious commission appointed by President Lyndon Johnson issued a lengthy report on how the nation should respond to the growing crime wave that was already turning parts of American cities into war zones. What was needed, declared the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, was a massive government effort to eliminate the alleged root causes of crime: poverty and racism. The report relegated policing to a mere after-the-fact response to urban lawlessness; wealth redistribution and social programs would do the real crime-fighting. Unfortunately, the commission established the dominant paradigm for thinking about crime and policing for the next 30 years. Not surprisingly, lawlessness would continue to rise, wreaking havoc on once vibrant cities.
It needn’t have turned out that way. Just a few months after the commission had released its tomes, James Q. Wilson, who died last week at 80, published an article in the Public Interest pointing out some previously unnoticed oddities in this blueprint for crime-fighting. Out of 200 recommendations that the commission made, only six actually addressed public safety, Wilson—then in his sixth year teaching political science at Harvard—observed.
Wilson noted the lack of empirical support for the commission’s agenda: the advisors recommended, for example, that government fund more social services as an antidote to crime, even though no research showed that those social programs had any effect on behavior. The presidential report called for decreasing prison sentences and for diverting criminals to probation, even though nothing demonstrated that alternatives to incarceration better protected the public than incapacitating offenders in prison.
Had Professor Wilson’s message that crime should be fought directly through the police and other criminal justice agencies been acted upon at the time, America’s urban future for the next quarter century would have been quite different and New York wouldn’t have had to wait for Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and New York Police Commissioner William Bratton to demonstrate in the 1990s the extraordinary power of policing to lower crime.
Wilson’s Public Interest article set the pattern for his intellectual career. Over the next 45 years, Wilson would continue patiently to point out when the emperor had no clothes, to exercise skepticism toward conventional wisdom, and to derive his ground-breaking insights from a close attention to the facts on the ground.
In the 1970s, Wilson was one of lone-wolf researchers who studied actual police behavior—above all looking at the all-important problem of how police do and should use their discretion. His 1975 book,Thinking About Crime, rated by criminologists as one of the two most influential books to come out of their profession, argued that criminals make a rational choice to commit crime, based on an assessment of its risks and rewards. Government could lower crime by changing that calculation, above all by increasing the chance that a perpetrator would be caught and punished. The swiftness and certainty of punishment were more important than its severity, Wilson asserted.
The article that would revolutionize how we think about public order appeared in 1982: the famous “broken windows” essay in the Atlanticmagazine, coauthored with Manhattan Institute fellow George Kelling. In 1994 Mayor Giuliani and then-commissioner Bratton made “Broken Windows” a template for the New York policing revolution. The police would no longer ignore allegedly “minor” infractions of the law, such as graffiti, public drinking, and illegal vending, but would intervene to restore a sense of order in troubled neighborhoods. In so doing, they would only be responding to the previously unacknowledged demand in poor communities for the same sense of lawfulness enjoyed in wealthy areas. Left-wing academics and journalists continue to dismiss that desire with their specious claim that broken-windows policing is an unjust assault on the poor. NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, for one, knows better. So seriously does he take the department’s role in order maintenance that he sends photographers throughout the city to take pictures of illegal street conditions; Kelly then emails those photos to precinct commanders to shame them into action… |
Finding the source of pain behind the knee can be tricky due to the knee's complex anatomy that includes bone, tendons, fluid, ligaments, arteries, and veins. Behind the knee, there is a large vein that, when blocked, | Finding the source of pain behind the knee can be tricky due to the knee's complex anatomy that includes bone, tendons, fluid, ligaments, arteries, and veins. Behind the knee, there is a large vein that, when blocked, can cause swelling that is hot to the touch and sometimes painful.
Blood clots tend to form here because the knee sits low in the body and is crimped when the leg is bent, sometimes for hours on end. This prevents the one-way valves in the vein from flowing freely back up to the heart, causing blood to pool and become prone to clots. If these clots should break away and travel in the bloodstream, they can lodge in blood vessels elsewhere - in the brain (causing stroke), lungs (causing lung embolism) and heart (causing heart attack). |
Waldeck (välˈdĕk) [key], former principality, central Germany, now an administrative district (c.420 sq mi/1,090 sq km) of Hesse. Arolsen was the capital | Waldeck (välˈdĕk) [key], former principality, central Germany, now an administrative district (c.420 sq mi/1,090 sq km) of Hesse. Arolsen was the capital. An agricultural region, hilly and forested, it is drained by the Eder and Diemel rivers. A county of the Holy Roman Empire from c.1200, Waldeck was united with the county of Pyrmont in the late 17th cent., and its rulers were later raised (1712) to princely rank. In 1867 the prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont renounced most of his sovereign prerogatives in favor of Prussia; the title, however, continued in the family. Waldeck-Pyrmont became a re |
Holy upside-down wing stroke, Batman! Researchers have pinpointed the forces generated by the flapping of bat wings, including an odd upside-down wing stroke that seems to help the furry fliers hover languidly. The results not only highlight differences | Holy upside-down wing stroke, Batman! Researchers have pinpointed the forces generated by the flapping of bat wings, including an odd upside-down wing stroke that seems to help the furry fliers hover languidly. The results not only highlight differences between bat and bird flight, but may help designers of small flying robots—not to mention caped crusaders.
To get a grip on bat wings, a Swedish-led team blew foggy wind across two small bats as they hovered in midair, lapping from a source of nectar [see image below]. Laser pulses shined into the vapor exposed the size and speed of vortices swirling around the bats' wings, which in turn revealed the forces they produced [see image at right].
At slow wind speeds, the bats whipped their wings back and forth, tracing a horizontal figure 8 with their wingtips. As prior studies had found, the animals rotated their shoulders 180 degrees on the backswing so that the undersides of their membranous wings were turned face up.
The accompanying vortices confirmed that this seemingly awkward motion in fact produces lift, says theoretical biologist Anders Hedenström of Sweden's Lund University, first author of a report published online today in Science. "It actually generates a useful force also on the backswing, which is a very good thing when it hovers," he notes.
At higher wind speeds, the bats tilted their wings up and flapped more vertically [click to watch a brief video of a bat flapping its wings]. The whipped up vortices confirmed yet another prediction—that at the top of the bat's stroke, the outer part of the wing impedes lift by creating a swirl of air that pushes it down. The wing's inner region, however, still generates lift by sweeping air downward.
Bats seem to be adapted for slow speed and high maneuverability in the same way as hummingbirds, Hedenström says, whereas most flying birds are optimized for high speed. As birds swing their wings upward, the feathers separate like window blinds to let air through, which prevents the lift-reducing currents that the bats experienced, the researchers say.
The two creatures also leave different wakes: A bat's stretchy wings churn up two separate vortices—one behind each wing—but a pair of relatively rigid bird wings produces one vortex for the whole bird.
Hedenström is currently talking to researchers who build small flying machines to see if the wind tunnel results can help out. As he says, the study "gives detailed information about how a small autonomous flying system works." |
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