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Our Health Library information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Please be advised that this information is made available to assist our patients to learn more about their health. Our providers may not see and/or treat all topics found herein.
We all lose some bone mass as we age. Bones naturally become thinner as you grow older. This is because existing bone tissue is broken down faster than new bone is made. As this occurs, our bones lose calcium and other minerals. They also become lighter and less dense. This makes the bones weaker and makes them more likely to break (fracture).
With further bone loss, low bone density (sometimes called osteopenia) can lead to osteoporosis. So the thicker your bones are, the longer it takes to get osteoporosis. Although osteoporosis can occur in men, it is most common in women older than age 65.
If your bone density is lower than normal, you can increase it and your strength. You can do things like exercising, lifting weights or using weight machines. You can also make sure to get enough calcium and vitamin D. And you may need to take certain medicines.
There are several different ways to measure bone density.
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). This is the most accurate way to measure bone density. It uses two different X-ray beams to estimate bone density in your spine and hip. Strong, dense bones allow less of the X-ray beam to pass through them. The amounts of each X-ray beam that are blocked by bone and soft tissue are compared to each other. DXA can measure as little as 2% of bone loss per year. It is fast and uses very low doses of radiation. Single-energy X-ray absorptiometry (SXA) may be used to measure bone density in the heel and forearm. But SXA is not used as often as DXA.
- Peripheral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (P-DXA). P-DXA is a type of DXA test. It measures the density of bones in the arms or legs, such as the wrist. It can't measure the density of the bones most likely to break, such as the hip and spine. P-DXA machines are portable units that can be used in a doctor's office. P-DXA also uses very low doses of radiation. The results are ready faster than standard DXA measurements. P-DXA is not as useful as DXA for finding out how well medicine used to treat osteoporosis is working.
- Dual photon absorptiometry (DPA). This test uses a radioactive substance to measure bone density. It can measure bone density in your hip and spine. DPA also uses very low doses of radiation. But the scan takes longer than the other methods.
Ultrasound is a screening test that is sometimes offered at events such as health fairs. If results from an ultrasound test find low bone density, DXA is advised to confirm the results. Ultrasound uses sound waves to measure bone density, usually in your heel. It is quick and painless. And it does not use potentially harmful radiation like X-rays. One downside of ultrasound is that it can't measure the density of the bones in the hip and spine. These are the bones most likely to fracture from osteoporosis. Ultrasound is not used to keep track of how well medicine for osteoporosis is working.
Before you are screened for osteoporosis, you may want to think about what you will do if the tests show that you have a high chance of getting osteoporosis.
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Why It Is Done
- All women who are age 65 or older.
- Women younger than 65 who are at higher risk for broken bones caused by osteoporosis.
- Certain men at higher risk for osteoporosis.
- Follow-up of how well treatment for osteoporosis is working for men and women being treated for 2 years or longer.
How To Prepare
Avoid wearing clothes with metal buttons or buckles. You also may want to remove any jewelry that might cause a problem with the scan. For instance, don't wear a bracelet if you are having the scan done on your wrist.
How It Is Done
In most cases, a bone density scan is done in a radiology department or clinic by a technologist. Peripheral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (P-DXA) machines are portable units that can be used in a doctor's office.
You will need to lie on your back on a padded table. You probably can leave your clothes on. You may need to lie with your legs straight. Or you may lie with your lower legs resting on a platform built into the table.
The machine will scan your bones and measure the amount of radiation they absorb. The DXA scan, which scans the hip and lower spine, takes about 20 minutes. Other kinds of scans may take 30 to 45 minutes.
Portable machines (P-DXA) can measure bone density in the wrist or forearm.
Testing at least two different bones each time is the most reliable way of measuring bone density. The hip and spine bones are preferred. It is best to test the same bones each time. The same type of scan and bone density equipment should also be used.
How It Feels
A bone density test does not cause pain. But if you have back pain, it may bother you to lie still on a table during the scan.
During a bone density scan, you are exposed to a very low dose of radiation. A bone density scan is not advised for pregnant women because it exposes the unborn baby to radiation.
A bone density test is a kind of X-ray test. It measures the density of minerals (such as calcium) in your bones. Results are usually ready in 2 to 3 days.
Results of bone density tests can be reported in several ways.
Your T-score is your bone density compared to the average score of a healthy 30-year-old. (This is called the young adult reference range). It is expressed as a standard deviation (SD).
- A negative (–) value means that you have thinner bones (lower bone density) than an average 30-year-old. The more negative the number is, the less bone density you have compared with an average 30-year-old.
- A positive (+) value means that your bones are thicker and stronger than an average 30-year-old's.
The following table contains the World Health Organization's definitions of osteoporosis based on bone density T-scores.
Less than 1 standard deviation (SD) below the young adult reference range (more than –1)
Low bone density (osteopenia):
1 to 2.5 SDs below the young adult reference range (–1 to –2.5)
More than 2.5 SDs below the young adult reference range (–2.5 or less)
If your bone density test result is low:
- You may have osteoporosis. Doctors usually use the lowest T-score to diagnose osteoporosis. For example, if your T-score at your spine is –3 and your T-score at your hip is –2, the spine T-score would be used to diagnosis osteoporosis.
- Your chance of breaking a bone is higher than average. The more negative your T-score, the greater your chances of breaking a bone during a fall or from a minor injury. Every change of 1 SD means you have double the chance of a break at that site. For example, if you have a T-score of –1, your chances of having a broken bone are 2 times greater than if your T-score was 0.
Low bone density values may be caused by other problems, such as:
- Taking certain medicines.
- Cancer, such as multiple myeloma.
- Cushing's syndrome, hyperthyroidism, and hyperparathyroidism.
- Diseases of the spine, such as ankylosing spondylitis.
- Early menopause.
- Low levels of vitamin D.
- Heavy alcohol use.
Your bone density value may also be compared to other people of your age, sex, and race. This is called your Z-score. It is given in standard deviations (SD) from the average value for your age group.
- A negative (–) value means that your bones are thinner (lower bone density) and weaker than most people in your age group. The more negative the number is, the less bone density you have compared with others in your age group.
- A positive (+) value means that your bones are thicker and stronger than most people in your age group.
What Affects the Test
You may not be able to have the test, or the results may not be helpful, if:
- You aren't able to be put in the correct position during the test.
- You had a broken bone in the past. This can cause falsely high bone density results.
- You have arthritis of your spine. The changes caused by arthritis in the spine may not make the spine the best place to measure for osteoporosis.
- You have metal implants from hip replacement surgery or hip fracture.
- You had an X-ray test that uses barium within 10 days of the bone density test.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, et al. (2018). Screening for osteoporosis to prevent fractures: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA, 319(24): 2521–2531. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2018.7498. Accessed October 29, 2018.
- National Osteoporosis Foundation (2014). Clinician's guide to prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. National Osteoporosis Foundation. http://nof.org/hcp/clinicians-guide. Accessed October 22, 2014.
- Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2009). Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Current as of: September 25, 2023
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Mahabharata, (Sanskrit: महाभारत, Bengali: মহাভারত “Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty”) one of the two Sanskrit great epic poems of ancient India.
In this article our topic is Swami Vivekananda‘s quotes and comments on Mahabharata. This article will be divided into multiple sub-articles.
The story of Mahabharata, as told by Swami VivekanandaIn a lecture delivered at the Shakespeare Club, Pasadena, California on 1 February 1900, Vivekananda told this summarized story of Mahabharata—[Source]
“The other epic about which I am going to speak to you this evening, is called the Mahâbhârata. It contains the story of a race descended from King Bharata, who was the son of Dushyanta and Shakuntalâ. Mahâ means great, and Bhârata means the descendants of Bharata, from whom India has derived its name, Bhârata. Mahabharata means Great India, or the story of the great descendants of Bharata. The scene of this epic is the ancient kingdom of the Kurus, and the story is based on the great war which took place between the Kurus and the Panchâlas. So the region of the quarrel is not very big. This epic is the most popular one in India; and it exercises the same authority in India as Homer’s poems did over the Greeks. As ages went on, more and more matter was added to it, until it has become a huge book of about a hundred thousand couplets. All sorts of tales, legends and myths, philosophical treatises, scraps of history, and various discussions have been added to it from time to time, until it is a vast, gigantic mass of literature; and through it all runs the old, original story. The central story of the Mahabharata is of a war between two families of cousins, one family, called the Kauravas, the other the Pândavas — for the empire of India.
The Aryans came into India in small companies. Gradually, these tribes began to extend, until, at last, they became the undisputed rulers of India and then arose this fight to gain the mastery, between two branches of the same family. Those of you who have studied the Gitâ know how the book opens with a description of the battlefield, with two armies arrayed one against the other. That is the war of the Mahabharata.
There were two brothers, sons of the emperor. The elder one was called Dhritarâshtra, and the other was called Pându. Dhritarashtra, the elder one, was born blind. According to Indian law, no blind, halt, maimed, consumptive, or any other constitutionally diseased person, can inherit. He can only get a maintenance. So, Dhritarashtra could not ascend the throne, though he was the elder son, and Pandu became the emperor.
Dhritarashtra had a hundred sons, and Pandu had only five. After the death of Pandu at an early age, Dhritarashtra became king of the Kurus and brought up the sons of Pandu along with his own children. When they grew up they were placed under the tutorship of the great priestwarrior, Drona, and were well trained in the various material arts and sciences befitting princes. The education of the princes being finished, Dhritarashtra put Yudhishthira, the eldest of the sons of Pandu, on the throne of his father. The sterling virtues of Yudhishthira and the valour and devotion of his other brothers aroused jealousies in the hearts of the sons of the blind king, and at the instigation of Duryodhana, the eldest of them, the five Pandava brothers were prevailed upon to visit Vâranâvata, on the plea of a religious festival that was being held there. There they were accommodated in a palace made under Duryodhana’s instructions, of hemp, resin, and lac, and other inflammable materials, which were subsequently set fire to secretly. But the good Vidura, the step-brother of Dhritarashtra, having become cognisant of the evil intentions of Duryodhana and his party, had warned the Pandavas of the plot, and they managed to escape without anyone’s knowledge. When the Kurus saw the house was reduced to ashes, they heaved a sigh of relief and thought all obstacles were now removed out of their path. Then the children of Dhritarashtra got hold of the kingdom. The five Pandava brothers had fled to the forest with their mother, Kunti. They lived there by begging, and went about in disguise giving themselves out as Brâhmana students. Many were the hardships and adventures they encountered in the wild forests, but their fortitude of mind, and strength, and valour made them conquer all dangers. So things went on until they came to hear of the approaching marriage of the princess of a neighbouring country.
I told you last night of the peculiar form of the ancient Indian marriage. It was called Svayamvara, that is, the choosing of the husband by the princess. A great gathering of princes and nobles assembled, amongst whom the princess would choose her husband. Preceded by her trumpeters and heralds she would approach, carrying a garland of flowers in her hand. At the throne of each candidate for her hand, the praises of that prince and all his great deeds in battle would be declared by the heralds. And when the princess decided which prince she desired to have for a husband, she would signify the fact by throwing the marriage-garland round his neck. Then the ceremony would turn into a wedding. King Drupada was a great king, king of the Panchalas, and his daughter, Draupadi, famed far and wide for her beauty and accomplishments, was going to choose a hero.
At a Svayamvara there was always a great feat of arms or something of the kind. On this occasion, a mark in the form of a fish was set up high in the sky; under that fish was a wheel with a hole in the centre, continually turning round, and beneath was a tub of water. A man looking at the reflection of the fish in the tub of water was asked to send an arrow and hit the eye of the fish through the Chakra or wheel, and he who succeeded would be married to the princess. Now, there came kings and princes from different parts of India, all anxious to win the hand of the princess, and one after another they tried their skill, and every one of them failed to hit the mark.
You know, there are four castes in India: the highest caste is that of the hereditary priest, the Brâhmana; next is the caste of the Kshatriya, composed of kings and fighters; next, the Vaishyas, the traders or businessmen, and then Shudras, the servants. Now, this princess was, of course, a Kshatriya, one of the second caste.
When all those princes failed in hitting the mark, then the son of King Drupada rose up in the midst of the court and said: “The Kshatriya, the king caste has failed; now the contest is open to the other castes. Let a Brahmana, even a Shudra, take part in it; whosoever hits the mark, marries Draupadi.”
Among the Brahmanas were seated the five Pandava brothers. Arjuna, the third brother, was the hero of the bow. He arose and stepped forward. Now, Brahmanas as a caste are very quiet and rather timid people. According to the law, they must not touch a warlike weapon, they must not wield a sword, they must not go into any enterprise that is dangerous. Their life is one of contemplation, study, and control of the inner nature. Judge, therefore, how quiet and peaceable a people they are. When the Brahmanas saw this man get up, they thought this man was going to bring the wrath of the Kshatriyas upon them, and that they would all be killed. So they tried to dissuade him, but Arjuna did not listen to them, because he was a soldier. He lifted the bow in his hand, strung it without any effort, and drawing it, sent the arrow right through the wheel and hit the eye of the fish.
Then there was great jubilation. Draupadi, the princess, approached Arjuna and threw the beautiful garland of flowers over his head. But there arose a great cry among the princes, who could not bear the idea that this beautiful princess who was a Kshatriya should be won by a poor Brahmana, from among this huge assembly of kings and princes. So, they wanted to fight Arjuna and snatch her from him by force. The brothers had a tremendous fight with the warriors, but held their own, and carried off the bride in triumph.
The five brothers now returned home to Kunti with the princess. Brahmanas have to live by begging. So they, who lived as Brahmanas, used to go out, and what they got by begging they brought home and the mother divided it among them. Thus the five brothers, with the princess, came to the cottage where the mother lived. They shouted out to her jocosely, “Mother, we have brought home a most wonderful alms today.” The mother replied, “Enjoy it in common, all of you, my children.” Then the mother seeing the princess, exclaimed, “Oh! what have I said! It is a girl!” But what could be done! The mother’s word was spoken once for all. It must not be disregarded. The mother’s words must be fulfilled. She could not be made to utter an untruth, as she never had done so. So Draupadi became the common wife of all the five brothers.
Now, you know, in every society there are stages of development. Behind this epic there is a wonderful glimpse of the ancient historic times. The author of the poem mentions the fact of the five brothers marrying the same woman, but he tries to gloss it over, to find an excuse and a cause for such an act: it was the mother’s command, the mother sanctioned this strange betrothal, and so on. You know, in every nation there has been a certain stage in society that allowed polyandry — all the brothers of a family would marry one wife in common. Now, this was evidently a glimpse of the past polyandrous stage.
In the meantime, the brother of the princess was perplexed in his mind and thought: “Who are these people? Who is this man whom my sister is going to marry? They have not any chariots, horses, or anything. Why, they go on foot!” So he had followed them at a distance, and at night overheard their conversation and became fully convinced that they were really Kshatriyas. Then King Drupada came to know who they were and was greatly delighted.
Though at first much objection was raised, it was declared by Vyâsa that such a marriage was allowable for these princes, and it was permitted. So the king Drupada had to yield to this polyandrous marriage, and the princess was married to the five sons of Pandu.
Then the Pandavas lived in peace and prosperity and became more powerful every day. Though Duryodhana and his party conceived of fresh plots to destroy them, King Dhritarashtra was prevailed upon by the wise counsels of the elders to make peace with the Pandavas; and so he invited them home amidst the rejoicings of the people and gave them half of the kingdom. Then, the five brothers built for themselves a beautiful city, called Indraprastha, and extended their dominions, laying all the people under tribute to them. Then the eldest, Yudhishthira, in order to declare himself emperor over all the kings of ancient India, decided to perform a Râjasuya Yajna or Imperial Sacrifice, in which the conquered kings would have to come with tribute and swear allegiance, and help the performance of the sacrifice by personal services. Shri Krishna, who had become their friend and a relative, came to them and approved of the idea. But there alas one obstacle to its performance. A king, Jarâsandha by name, who intended to offer a sacrifice of a hundred kings, had eighty-six of them kept as captives with him. Shri Krishna counselled an attack on Jarasandha. So he, Bhima, and Arjuna challenged the king, who accepted the challenge and was finally conquered by Bhima after fourteen days, continuous wrestling. The captive kings were then set free.
Then the four younger brothers went out with armies on a conquering expedition, each in a different direction, and brought all the kings under subjection to Yudhishthira. Returning, they laid all the vast wealth they secured at the feet of the eldest brother to meet the expenses of the great sacrifice.
So, to this Rajasuya sacrifice all the liberated kings came, along with those conquered by the brothers, and rendered homage to Yudhishthira. King Dhritarashtra and his sons were also invited to come and take a share in the performance of the sacrifice. At the conclusion of the sacrifice, Yudhishthira was crowned emperor, and declared as lord paramount. This was the sowing of the future feud. Duryodhana came back from the sacrifice filled with jealousy against Yudhishthira, as their sovereignty and vast splendour and wealth were more than he could bear; and so he devised plans to effect their fall by guile, as he knew that to overcome them by force was beyond his power. This king, Yudhishthira, had the love of gambling, and he was challenged at an evil hour to play dice with Shakuni, the crafty gambler and the evil genius of Duryodhana. In ancient India, if a man of the military caste was challenged to fight, he must at any price accept the challenge to uphold his honour. And if he was challenged to play dice, it was a point of honour to play, and dishonourable to decline the challenge. King Yudhishthira, says the Epic, was the incarnation of all virtues. Even he, the great sage-king, had to accept the challenge. Shakuni and his party had made false dice. So Yudhishthira lost game after game, and stung with his losses, he went on with the fatal game, staking everything he had, and losing all, until all his possessions, his kingdom and everything, were lost. The last stage came when, under further challenge, he had no other resources left but to stake his brothers, and then himself, and last of all, the fair Draupadi, and lost all. Now they were completely at the mercy of the Kauravas, who cast all sorts of insults upon them, and subjected Draupadi to most inhuman treatment. At last through the intervention of the blind king, they got their liberty, and were asked to return home and rule their kingdom. But Duryodhana saw the danger and forced his father to allow one more throw of the dice in which the party which would lose, should retire to the forests for twelve years, and then live unrecognised in a city for one year; but if they were found out, the same term of exile should have to be undergone once again and then only the kingdom was to be restored to the exiled. This last game also Yudhishthira lost, and the five Pandava brothers retired to the forests with Draupadi, as homeless exiles. They lived in the forests and mountains for twelve years. There they performed many deeds of virtue and valour, and would go out now and then on a long round of pilgrimages, visiting many holy places. That part of the poem is very interesting and instructive, and various are the incidents, tales, and legends with which this part of the book is replete. There are in it beautiful and sublime stories of ancient India, religious and philosophical. Great sages came to see the brothers in their exile and narrated to them many telling stories of ancient India, so as to make them bear lightly the burden of their exile. One only I will relate to you here.
There was a king called Ashvapati. The king had a daughter, who was so good and beautiful that she was called Sâvitri, which is the name of a sacred prayer of the Hindus. When Savitri grew old enough, her father asked her to choose a husband for herself. These ancient Indian princesses were very independent, you see, and chose their own princely suitors.
Savitri consented and travelled in distant regions, mounted in a golden chariot, with her guards and aged courtiers to whom her father entrusted her, stopping at different courts, and seeing different princes, but not one of them could win the heart of Savitri. They came at last to a holy hermitage in one of those forests that in ancient India were reserved for animals, and where no animals were allowed to be killed. The animals lost the fear of man — even the fish in the lakes came and took food out of the hand. For thousands of years no one had killed anything therein. The sages and the aged went there to live among the deer and the birds. Even criminals were safe there. When a man got tired of life, he would go to the forest; and in the company of sages, talking of religion and meditating thereon, he passed the remainder of his life.
Now it happened that there was a king, Dyumatsena, who was defeated by his enemies and was deprived of his kingdom when he was struck with age and had lost his sight. This poor, old, blind king, with his queen and his son, took refuge in the forest and passed his life in rigid penance. His boy’s name was Satyavân.
It came to pass that after having visited all the different royal courts, Savitri at last came to this hermitage, or holy place. Not even the greatest king could pass by the hermitages, or Âshramas as they were called, without going to pay homage to the sages, for such honour and respect was felt for these holy men. The greatest emperor of India would be only too glad to trace his descent to some sage who lived in a forest, subsisting on roots and fruits, and clad in rags. We are all children of sages. That is the respect that is paid to religion. So, even kings, when they pass by the hermitages, feel honoured to go in and pay their respects to the sages. If they approach on horseback, they descend and walk as they advance towards them. If they arrive in a chariot, chariot and armour must be left outside when they enter. No fighting man can enter unless he comes in the manner of a religious man, quiet and gentle.
So Savitri came to this hermitage and saw there Satyavan, the hermit’s son, and her heart was conquered. She had escaped all the princes of the palaces and the courts, but here in the forest-refuge of King Dyumatsena, his son, Satyavan, stole her heart.
When Savitri returned to her father’s house, he asked her, “Savitri, dear daughter, speak. Did you see anybody whom you would like to marry ” Then softly with blushes, said Savitri, “Yes, father.” “What is the name of the prince?” “He is no prince, but the son of King Dyumatsena who has lost his kingdom — a prince without a patrimony, who lives a monastic life, the life of a Sannyasin in a forest, collecting roots and herbs, helping and feeding his old father and mother, who live in a cottage.”
On hearing this the father consulted the Sage Nârada, who happened to be then present there, and he declared it was the most ill-omened choice that was ever made. The king then asked him to explain why it was so. And Narada said, “Within twelve months from this time the young man will die.” Then the king started with terror, and spoke, “Savitri, this young man is going to die in twelve months, and you will become a widow: think of that! Desist from your choice, my child, you shall never be married to a short-lived and fated bridegroom.” “Never mind, father; do not ask me to marry another person and sacrifice the chastity of mind, for I love and have accepted in my mind that good and brave Satyavan only as my husband. A maiden chooses only once, and she never departs from her troth.” When the king found that Savitri was resolute in mind and heart, he complied. Then Savitri married prince Satyavan, and she quietly went from the palace of her father into the forest, to live with her chosen husband and help her husband’s parents. Now, though Savitri knew the exact date when Satyavan was to die, she kept it hidden from him. Daily he went into the depths of the forest, collected fruits and flowers, gathered faggots, and then came back to the cottage, and she cooked the meals and helped the old people. Thus their lives went on until the fatal day came near, and three short days remained only. She took a severe vow of three nights’ penance and holy fasts, and kept her hard vigils. Savitri spent sorrowful and sleepless nights with fervent prayers and unseen tears, till the dreaded morning dawned. That day Savitri could not bear him out of her sight, even for a moment. She begged permission from his parents to accompany her husband, when he went to gather the usual herbs and fuel, and gaining their consent she went. Suddenly, in faltering accents, he complained to his wife of feeling faint, “My head is dizzy, and my senses reel, dear Savitri, I feel sleep stealing over me; let me rest beside thee for a while.” In fear and trembling she replied, “Come, lay your head upon my lap, my dearest lord.” And he laid his burning head in the lap of his wife, and ere long sighed and expired. Clasping him to her, her eyes flowing with tears, there she sat in the lonesome forest, until the emissaries of Death approached to take away the soul of Satyavan. But they could not come near to the place where Savitri sat with the dead body of her husband, his head resting in her lap. There was a zone of fire surrounding her, and not one of the emissaries of Death could come within it. They all fled back from it, returned to King Yama, the God of Death, and told him why they could not obtain the soul of this man.
Then came Yama, the God of Death, the Judge of the dead. He was the first man that died — the first man that died on earth — and he had become the presiding deity over all those that die. He judges whether, after a man has died, he is to be punished or rewarded. So he came himself. Of course, he could go inside that charmed circle as he was a god. When he came to Savitri, he said, “Daughter, give up this dead body, for know, death is the fate of mortals, and I am the first of mortals who died. Since then, everyone has had to die. Death is the fate of man.” Thus told, Savitri walked off, and Yama drew the soul out. Yama having possessed himself of the soul of the young man proceeded on his way. Before he had gone far, he heard footfalls upon the dry leaves. He turned back. “Savitri, daughter, why are you following me? This is the fate of all mortals.” “I am not following thee, Father,” replied Savitri, “but this is, also, the fate of woman, she follows where her love takes her, and the Eternal Law separates not loving man and faithful wife.” Then said the God of Death, “Ask for any boon, except the life of your husband.” “If thou art pleased to grant a boon, O Lord of Death, I ask that my father-in-law may be cured of his blindness and made happy.” “Let thy pious wish be granted, duteous daughter.” And then the King of Death travelled on with the soul of Satyavan. Again the same footfall was heard from behind. He looked round. “Savitri, my daughter, you are still following me?” “Yes my Father; I cannot help doing so; I am trying all the time to go back, but the mind goes after my husband and the body follows. The soul has already gone, for in that soul is also mine; and when you take the soul, the body follows, does it not?” “Pleased am I with your words, fair Savitri. Ask yet another boon of me, but it must not be the life of your husband.” “Let my father-in-law regain his lost wealth and kingdom, Father, if thou art pleased to grant another supplication.” “Loving daughter,” Yama answered, “this boon I now bestow; but return home, for living mortal cannot go with King Yama.” And then Yama pursued his way. But Savitri, meek and faithful still followed her departed husband. Yama again turned back. “Noble Savitri, follow not in hopeless woe.” “I cannot choose but follow where thou takest my beloved one.” “Then suppose, Savitri, that your husband was a sinner and has to go to hell. In that case goes Savitri with the one she loves?” “Glad am I to follow where he goes be it life or death, heaven or hell,” said the loving wife. “Blessed are your words, my child, pleased am I with you, ask yet another boon, but the dead come not to life again.” “Since you so permit me, then, let the imperial line of my father-in-law be not destroyed; let his kingdom descend to Satyavan’s sons.” And then the God of Death smiled. “My daughter, thou shalt have thy desire now: here is the soul of thy husband, he shall live again. He shall live to be a father and thy children also shall reign in due course. Return home. Love has conquered Death! Woman never loved like thee, and thou art the proof that even I, the God of Death, am powerless against the power of the true love that abideth!”
This is the story of Savitri, and every girl in India must aspire to be like Savitri, whose love could not be conquered by death, and who through this tremendous love snatched back from even Yama, the soul of her husband.
The book is full of hundreds of beautiful episodes like this. I began by telling you that the Mahabharata is one of the greatest books in the world and consists of about a hundred thousand verses in eighteen Parvans, or volumes.
To return to our main story. We left the Pandava brothers in exile. Even there they were not allowed to remain unmolested from the evil plots of Duryodhana; but all of them were futile.
A story of their forest life, I shall tell you here. One day the brothers became thirsty in the forest. Yudhishthira bade his brother, Nakula, go and fetch water. He quickly proceeded towards the place where there was water and soon came to a crystal lake, and was about to drink of it, when he heard a voice utter these words: “Stop, O child. First answer my questions and then drink of this water.” But Nakula, who was exceedingly thirsty, disregarded these words, drank of the water, and having drunk of it, dropped down dead. As Nakula did not return, King Yudhishthira told Sahadeva to seek his brother and bring back water with him. So Sahadeva proceeded to the lake and beheld his brother lying dead. Afflicted at the death of his brother and suffering severely from thirst, he went towards the water, when the same words were heard by him: “O child, first answer my questions and then drink of the water.” He also disregarded these words, and having satisfied his thirst, dropped down dead. Subsequently, Arjuna and Bhima were sent, one after the other, on a similar quest; but neither returned, having drunk of the lake and dropped down dead. Then Yudhishthira rose up to go in search of his brothers. At length, he came to the beautiful lake and saw his brothers lying dead. His heart was full of grief at the sight, and he began to lament. Suddenly he heard the same voice saying, “Do not, O child, act rashly. I am a Yaksha living as a crane on tiny fish. It is by me that thy younger brothers have been brought under the sway of the Lord of departed spirits. If thou, O Prince, answer not the questions put by me even thou shalt number the fifth corpse. Having answered my questions first, do thou, O Kunti’s son, drink and carry away as much as thou requires”.” Yudhishthira replied, “I shall answer thy questions according to my intelligence. Do thou ask met” The Yaksha then asked him several questions, all of which Yudhishthira answered satisfactorily. One of the questions asked was: “What is the most wonderful fact in this world?” “We see our fellow-beings every moment falling off around us; but those that are left behind think that they will never die. This is the most curious fact: in face of death, none believes that he will die! ” Another question asked was: “What is the path of knowing the secret of religion?” And Yudhishthira answered, “By argument nothing can be settled; doctrines there are many; various are the scriptures, one part contradicting the other. There are not two sages who do not differ in their opinions. The secret of religion is buried deep, as it were, in dark caves. So the path to be followed is that which the great ones have trodden.” Then the Yaksha said, “I am pleased. I am Dharma, he God of Justice in the form of the crane. I came to test you. Now, your brothers, see, not one of them is dead. It is all my magic. Since abstention from injury is regarded by thee as higher than both profit and pleasure, therefore, let all thy brothers live, O Bull of the Bharata race.” And at these words of the Yaksha, the Pandavas rose up.
Here is a glimpse of the nature of King Yudhishthira. We find by his answers that he was more of a philosopher, more of a Yogi, than a king.
Now, as the thirteenth year of the exile was drawing nigh, the Yaksha bade them go to Virâta’s kingdom and live there in such disguises as they would think best.
So, after the term of the twelve years’ exile had expired, they went to the kingdom of Virata in different disguises to spend the remaining one year in concealment, and entered into menial service in the king’s household. Thus Yudhishthira became a Brâhmana courtier of the king, as one skilled in dice; Bhima was appointed a cook; Arjuna, dressed as a eunuch, was made a teacher of dancing and music to Uttarâ, the princess, and remained in the inner apartments of the king; Nakula became the keeper of the king’s horses; and Sahadeva got the charge of the cows; and Draupadi, disguised as a waiting-woman, was also admitted into the queen’s household. Thus concealing their identity the Pandava brothers safely spent a year, and the search of Duryodhana to find them out was of no avail. They were only discovered just when the year was out.
Then Yudhishthira sent an ambassador to Dhritarashtra and demanded that half of the kingdom should, as their share, be restored to them. But Duryodhana hated his cousins and would not consent to their legitimate demands. They were even willing to accept a single province, nay, even five villages. But the headstrong Duryodhana declared that he would not yield without fight even as much land as a needle’s point would hold. Dhritarashtra pleaded again and again for peace, but all in vain. Krishna also went and tried to avert the impending war and death of kinsmen, so did the wise elders of the royal court; but all negotiations for a peaceful partition of the kingdom were futile. So, at last, preparations were made on both sides for war, and all the warlike nations took part in it.
The old Indian customs of the Kshatriyas were observed in it. Duryodhana took one side, Yudhishthira the other. From Yudhishthira messengers were at once sent to all the surrounding kings, entreating their alliance, since honourable men would grant the request that first reached them. So, warriors from all parts assembled to espouse the cause of either the Pandavas or the Kurus according to the precedence of their requests; and thus one brother joined this side, and the other that side, the father on one side, and the son on the other. The most curious thing was the code of war of those days; as soon as the battle for the day ceased and evening came, the opposing parties were good friends, even going to each other’s tents; however, when the morning came, again they proceeded to fight each other. That was the strange trait that the Hindus carried down to the time of the Mohammedan invasion. Then again, a man on horseback must not strike one on foot; must not poison the weapon; must not vanquish the enemy in any unequal fight, or by dishonesty; and must never take undue advantage of another, and so on. If any deviated from these rules he would be covered with dishonour and shunned. The Kshatriyas were trained in that way. And when the foreign invasion came from Central Asia, the Hindus treated the invaders in the selfsame way. They defeated them several times, and on as many occasions sent them back to their homes with presents etc. The code laid down was that they must not usurp anybody’s country; and when a man was beaten, he must be sent back to his country with due regard to his position. The Mohammedan conquerors treated the Hindu kings differently, and when they got them once, they destroyed them without remorse.
Mind you, in those days — in the times of our story, the poem says — the science of arms was not the mere use of bows and arrows at all; it was magic archery in which the use of Mantras, concentration, etc., played a prominent part. One man could fight millions of men and burn them at will. He could send one arrow, and it would rain thousands of arrows and thunder; he could make anything burn, and so on — it was all divine magic. One fact is most curious in both these poems — the Ramayana and the Mahabharata — along with these magic arrows and all these things going on, you see the cannon already in use. The cannon is an old, old thing, used by the Chinese and the Hindus. Upon the walls of the cities were hundreds of curious weapons made of hollow iron tubes, which filled with powder and ball would kill hundreds of men. The people believed that the Chinese, by magic, put the devil inside a hollow iron tube, and when they applied a little fire to a hole, the devil came out with a terrific noise and killed many people.
So in those old days, they used to fight with magic arrows. One man would be able to fight millions of others. They had their military arrangements and tactics: there were the foot soldiers, termed the Pâda; then the cavalry, Turaga; and two other divisions which the moderns have lost and given up — there was the elephant corps — hundreds and hundreds of elephants, with men on their backs, formed into regiments and protected with huge sheets of iron mail; and these elephants would bear down upon a mass of the enemy — then, there were the chariots, of course (you have all seen pictures of those old chariots, they were used in every country). These were the four divisions of the army in those old days.
Now, both parties alike wished to secure the alliance of Krishna. But he declined to take an active part and fight in this war, but offered himself as charioteer to Arjuna, and as the friend and counsellor of the Pandavas while to Duryodhana he gave his army of mighty soldiers.
Then was fought on the vast plain of Kurukshetra the great battle in which Bhisma, Drona, Karna, and the brothers of Duryodhana with the kinsmen on both sides and thousands of other heroes fell. The war lasted eighteen days. Indeed, out of the eighteen Akshauhinis of soldiers very few men were left. The death of Duryodhana ended the war in favour of the Pandavas. It was followed by the lament of Gândhâri, the queen and the widowed women, and the funerals of the deceased warriors.
The greatest incident of the war was the marvellous and immortal poem of the Gitâ, the Song Celestial. It is the popular scripture of India and the loftiest of all teachings. It consists of a dialogue held by Arjuna with Krishna, just before the commencement of the fight on the battle-field of Kurukshetra. I would advise those of you who have not read that book to read it. If you only knew how much it has influenced your own country even! If you want to know the source of Emerson’s inspiration, it is this book, the Gita. He went to see Carlyle, and Carlyle made him a present of the Gita; and that little book is responsible for the Concord Movement. All the broad movements in America, in one way or other, are indebted to the Concord party.
The central figure of the Gita is Krishna. As you worship Jesus of Nazareth as God come down as man so the Hindus worship many Incarnations of God. They believe in not one or two only, but in many, who have come down from time to time, according to the needs of the world, for the preservation of Dharma and destruction of wickedness. Each sect has one, and Krishna is one of them. Krishna, perhaps, has a larger number of followers in India than any other Incarnation of God. His followers hold that he was the most perfect of those Incarnations. Why? “Because,” they say, “look at Buddha and other Incarnations: they were only monks, and they had no sympathy for married people. How could they have? But look at Krishna: he was great as a son, as a king, as a father, and all through his life he practiced the marvellous teachings which he preached.” “He who in the midst of the greatest activity finds the sweetest peace, and in the midst of the greatest calmness is most active, he has known the secret of life.” Krishna shows the way how to do this — by being non-attached: do everything but do not get identified with anything. You are the soul, the pure, the free, all the time; you are the Witness. Our misery comes, not from work, but by our getting attached to something. Take for instance, money: money is a great thing to have, earn it, says Krishna; struggle hard to get money, but don’t get attached to it. So with children, with wife, husband, relatives, fame, everything; you have no need to shun them, only don’t get attached. There is only one attachment and that belongs to the Lord, and to none other. Work for them, love them, do good to them, sacrifice a hundred lives, if need be, for them, but never be attached. His own life was the exact exemplification of that.
Remember that the book which delineates the life of Krishna is several thousand years old, and some parts of his life are very similar to those of Jesus of Nazareth. Krishna was of royal birth; there was a tyrant king, called Kamsa, and there was a prophecy that one would be born of such and such a family, who would be king. So Kamsa ordered all the male children to be massacred. The father and mother of Krishna were cast by King Kamsa into prison, where the child was born. A light suddenly shone in the prison and the child spoke saying, “I am the Light of the world, born for the good of the world.” You find Krishna again symbolically represented with cows — “The Great Cowherd,” as he is called. Sages affirmed that God Himself was born, and they went to pay him homage. In other parts of the story, the similarity between the two does not continue.
Shri Krishna conquered this tyrant Kamsa, but he never thought of accepting or occupying the throne himself. He had nothing to do with that. He had done his duty and there it ended.
After the conclusion of the Kurukshetra War, the great warrior and venerable grandsire, Bhishma, who fought ten days out of the eighteen days’ battle, still lay on his deathbed and gave instructions to Yudhishthira on various subjects, such as the duties of the king, the duties of the four castes, the four stages of life, the laws of marriage, the bestowing of gifts, etc., basing them on the teachings of the ancient sages. He explained Sânkhya philosophy and Yoga philosophy and narrated numerous tales and traditions about saints and gods and kings. These teachings occupy nearly one-fourth of the entire work and form an invaluable storehouse of Hindu laws and moral codes. Yudhishthira had in the meantime been crowned king. But the awful bloodshed and extinction of superiors and relatives weighed heavily on his mind; and then, under the advice of Vyasa, he performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice.
After the war, for fifteen years Dhritarashtra dwelt in peace and honour, obeyed by Yudhishthira and his brothers. Then the aged monarch leaving Yudhishthira on the throne, retired to the forest with his devoted wife and Kunti, the mother of the Pandava brothers, to pass his last days in asceticism.
Thirty-six years had now passed since Yudhishthira regained his empire. Then came to him the news that Krishna had left his mortal body. Krishna, the sage, his friend, his prophet, his counsellor, had departed. Arjuna hastened to Dwârâka and came back only to confirm the sad news that Krishna and the Yâdavas were all dead. Then the king and the other brothers, overcome with sorrow, declared that the time for them to go, too, had arrived. So they cast off the burden of royalty, placed Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna, on the throne, and retired to the Himalayas, on the Great Journey, the Mahâprasthâna. This was a peculiar form of Sannyâsa. It was a custom for old kings to become Sannyasins. In ancient India, when men became very old, they would give up everything. So did the kings. When a man did not want to live any more, then he went towards the Himalayas, without eating or drinking and walked on and on till the body failed. All the time thinking of God, be just marched on till the body gave way.
Then came the gods, the sages, and they told King Yudhishthira that he should go and reach heaven. To go to heaven one has to cross the highest peaks of the Himalayas. Beyond the Himalayas is Mount Meru. On the top of Mount Meru is heaven. None ever went there in this body. There the gods reside. And Yudhishthira was called upon by the gods to go there.
So the five brothers and their wife clad themselves in robes of bark, and set out on their journey. On the way, they were followed by a dog. On and on they went, and they turned their weary feet northward to where the Himalayas lifts his lofty peaks, and they saw the mighty Mount Meru in front of them. Silently they walked on in the snow, until suddenly the queen fell, to rise no more. To Yudhishthira who was leading the way, Bhima, one of the brothers, said, “Behold, O King, the queen has fallen.” The king shed tears, but he did not look back. “We are going to meet Krishna,” he says. “No time to look back. March on.” After a while, again Bhima said, “Behold, our brother, Sahadeva has fallen.” The king shed tears; but paused not. “March on,” he cried.
One after the other, in the cold and snow, all the four brothers dropped down, but unshaken, though alone, the king advanced onward. Looking behind, he saw the faithful dog was still following him. And so the king and the dog went on, through snow and ice, over hill and dale, climbing higher and higher, till they reached Mount Meru; and there they began to hear the chimes of heaven, and celestial flowers were showered upon the virtuous king by the gods. Then descended the chariot of the gods, and Indra prayed him, “Ascend in this chariot, greatest of mortals: thou that alone art given to enter heaven without changing the mortal body.” But no, that Yudhishthira would not do without his devoted brothers and his queen; then Indra explained to him that the brothers had already gone thither before him.
And Yudhishthira looked around and said to his dog, “Get into the chariot, child.” The god stood aghast. “What! the dog?” he cried. “Do thou cast off this dog! The dog goeth not to heaven I Great King, what dost thou mean? Art thou mad? Thou, the most virtuous of the human race, thou only canst go to heaven in thy body.” “But he has been my devoted companion through snow and ice. When all my brothers were dead, my queen dead, he alone never left me. How can I leave him now?” “There is no place in heaven for men with dogs. He has to be left behind. There is nothing unrighteous in this.” “I do not go to heaven,” replied the king, “without the dog. I shall never give up such a one who has taken refuge with me, until my own life is at an end. I shall never swerve from righteousness, nay, not even for the joys of heaven or the urging of a god.” “Then,” said Indra, “on one condition the dog goes to heaven. You have been the most virtuous of mortals and he has been a dog, killing and eating animals; he is sinful, hunting, and taking other lives. You can exchange heaven with him. “Agreed,” says the king. “Let the dog go to heaven.”
At once, the scene changed. Hearing these noble words of Yudhishthira, the dog revealed himself as Dharma; the dog was no other than Yama, the Lord of Death and Justice. And Dharma exclaimed, “Behold, O King, no man was ever so unselfish as thou, willing to exchange heaven with a little dog, and for his sake disclaiming all his virtues and ready to go to hell even for him. Thou art well born, O King of kings. Thou hast compassion for all creatures, O Bhârata, of which this is a bright example. Hence, regions of undying felicity are thine! Thou hast won them, O King, and shine is a celestial and high goal.”
Then Yudhishthira, with Indra, Dharma, and other gods, proceeds to heaven in a celestial car. He undergoes some trials, bathes in the celestial Ganga, and assumes a celestial body. He meets his brothers who are now immortals, and all at last is bliss.
Thus ends the story of the Mahabharata, setting forth in a sublime poem the triumph of virtue and defeat of vice.
In speaking of the Mahabharata to you, it is simply impossible for me to present the unending array of the grand and majestic characters of the mighty heroes depicted by the genius and master-mind of Vyasa. The internal conflicts between righteousness and filial affection in the mind of the god-fearing, yet feeble, old, blind King Dhritarashtra; the majestic character of the grandsire Bhishma; the noble and virtuous nature of the royal Yudhishthira, and of the other four brothers, as mighty in valour as in devotion and loyalty; the peerless character of Krishna, unsurpassed in human wisdom; and not less brilliant, the characters of the women — the stately queen Gandhari, the loving mother Kunti, the ever-devoted and all-suffering Draupadi — these and hundreds of other characters of this Epic and those of the Ramayana have been the cherished heritage of the whole Hindu world for the last several thousands of years and form the basis of their thoughts and of their moral and ethical ideas. In fact, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two encyclopaedias of the ancient Aryan life and wisdom, portraying an ideal civilisation which humanity has yet to aspire after.”
Swami Vivekananda’s quotes on MahabharataSwamiji told—
- In the great Sanskrit epic, the Mahâbhârata, the story is told how the hero, Yudhishthira, when asked by Dharma to tell what was the most wonderful thing in the world, replied, that it was the persistent belief of man kind in their own deathlessness in spite of their witnessing death everywhere around them almost every moment of their lives. And, in fact, this is the most stupendous wonder in human life. In spite of all arguments to the contrary urged in different times by different schools, in spite of the inability of reason to penetrate the veil of mystery which will ever hang between the sensuous and the supersensuous worlds, man is thoroughly persuaded that he cannot die.[Source]
- Many are of opinion that the Gita was not written at the time of the Mahâbhârata, but was subsequently added to it. This is not correct. The special teachings of the Gita are to be found in every part of the Mahabharata, and if the Gita is to be expunged, as forming no part of it, every other portion of it which embodies the same teachings should be similarly treated.[Source]
- Praise be to Vyâsa, the great author of the Mahâbhârata, that in this Kali Yuga there is one great work.[Source]
- The glory of Hinduism lies in the fact that while it has defined ideals, it has never dared to say that any one of these alone was the one true way. In this it differs from Buddhism, which exalts monasticism above all others as the path that must be taken by all souls to reach perfection. The story given in the Mahâbhârata of the young saint who was made to seek enlightenment, first from a married woman and then from a butcher, is sufficient to show this. ‘By doing my duty’, said each one of these when asked, ‘by doing my duty in my own station, have I attained this knowledge’. There is no career then which might not be the path to God. The question of attainment depends only, in the last resort, on the thirst of the soul.[Source]
- The great epic Mahâbhârata tells us of the war of the Kurus and Panchalas for supremacy over the nation, in which they destroyed each other. The spiritual supremacy veered round and centred in the East among the Magadhas and Maithilas, and after the Kuru-Panchala war a sort of supremacy was obtained by the kings of Magadha.[Source]
- The only explanation is to be found in the Mahâbhârata, which says that in the beginning of the Satya Yuga there was one caste, the Brahmins, and then by difference of occupations they went on dividing themselves into different castes, and that is the only true and rational explanation that has been given. And in the coming Satya Yuga all the other castes will have to go back to the same condition.[Source]
- We earnestly entreat the Brahmins of the South not to forget the ideal of India — the production of a universe of Brahmins, pure as purity, good as God Himself: this was at the beginning, says the Mahâbhârata, and so will it be in the end.[Source]
- We read in the Mahâbhârata that the whole world was in the beginning peopled with Brahmins, and that as they began to degenerate, they became divided into different castes, and that when the cycle turns round, they will all go back to that Brahminical origin. This cycle is turning round now, and I draw your attention to this fact.[Source] | <urn:uuid:c0db3735-e43c-4187-91cc-61a9c650b024> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://vivekavani.com/swami-vivekananda-quotes-mahabharata/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.981762 | 11,681 | 3.390625 | 3 |
The Importance of Gardens in Japanese Culture
Japanese gardens have long been revered for their serene beauty and meticulous design. These gardens are an integral part of Japanese culture, reflecting the ideals of harmony, tranquility, and balance. The gardens of Kyoto, in particular, hold a special place in the hearts of the Japanese people and attract visitors from all over the world. Let’s explore the importance of these gardens and what makes them so unique. Learn more about the subject discussed in this article by visiting the recommended external website. Inside, you’ll encounter more information and an alternative perspective on the subject. Free Walking Tour Kyoto.
A Brief History of the Gardens of Kyoto
The gardens of Kyoto have a rich history that dates back centuries. Kyoto, once the imperial capital of Japan, has been a center for art, culture, and spirituality for over a thousand years. Emperors, nobles, and Zen monks all contributed to the creation of these gardens, which were designed as places of meditation, relaxation, and spiritual contemplation.
The earliest gardens in Kyoto were influenced by Chinese garden design, with an emphasis on natural elements such as rocks, water, and plants. As time went on, Japanese gardeners developed their own distinctive style, characterized by the use of local materials and a focus on simplicity and asymmetry.
The Elements of a Japanese Garden
Japanese gardens are carefully designed to create a sense of harmony and balance. They typically feature several key elements:
The Zen Influence
Zen Buddhism has had a profound influence on Japanese garden design, particularly in Kyoto. Zen is a school of Buddhism that emphasizes meditation and mindfulness. Zen monks played a significant role in shaping the gardens of Kyoto, seeking to create spaces that would aid in meditation and spiritual awakening.
Zen gardens, also known as dry gardens or rock gardens, are minimalist in nature. They often consist of raked gravel or sand representing water, with carefully placed rocks symbolizing islands or mountains. These gardens are intended to be contemplative spaces, encouraging visitors to quiet their minds and focus on the present moment.
Visiting the Gardens of Kyoto
The gardens of Kyoto are open to the public and offer a tranquil escape from the bustling city. Each garden has its own unique character and charm, with meticulously maintained landscapes and stunning seasonal displays.
Some of the most famous gardens in Kyoto include:
When visiting the gardens of Kyoto, it is important to respect the cultural significance of these spaces. Follow the rules and regulations, be mindful of your actions, and take the time to appreciate the beauty and tranquility that surrounds you. Dive deeper into the topic and reveal additional insights within this expertly chosen external source. Explore this detailed guide, explore new details and perspectives about the subject covered in the article.
The gardens of Kyoto are not just beautiful landscapes; they are a reflection of Japanese culture and spirituality. These meticulously designed spaces offer a sense of serenity and peace, inviting visitors to connect with nature and find inner harmony. Whether you are a nature enthusiast, a history buff, or simply seeking a moment of tranquility, a visit to the gardens of Kyoto is a truly unforgettable experience.
Complete your reading by visiting the related posts to enhance your understanding: | <urn:uuid:2c913897-c849-44e7-96b0-70d1d6f8193c> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://vizzemille.com/24246-the-gardens-of-kyoto-serenity-and-beauty-11/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.940544 | 650 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Pulmonic stenosis, affectionately known as PS, is the third most common congenital heart disease in dogs. It can be accompanied by additional heart defects to create a constellation of disaster or it can be mild enough to be no more than a surprising incidental finding. Occasionally cats are affected as well.
Pulmonic stenosis refers to a constriction of the pulmonic heart valve through which blood must pass on its way from the heart to the lung.
Normal anatomy of a dog's heart. Illustration by Tamara Rees of VIN.
In order to understand what pulmonic stenosis is, it is necessary to understand some normal heart anatomy. The heart sits more or less centrally in the chest and is divided into a left side, which receives oxygen-rich blood from the lung and pumps it to the rest of the body, and a right side, which receives “used” blood from the body and pumps it to the lung to pick up fresh oxygen. Because the left side of the heart must supply blood to the whole body, its muscle is especially thick and strong, while the right side, which only pumps to one nearby area (the lungs) tends to be thinner.
When the ventricles pump, the blood from the left shoots through a valve called the aortic valve, and the blood from the right side shoots through the pulmonic valve (also called the pulmonary valve). These valves snap sharply closed after the pumping is done. The area where the blood exits the right ventricle is called the right ventricular outflow tract and consists of the exit area of the ventricle, the pulmonic valve, and the main pulmonary artery.
In pulmonic stenosis, the right ventricular outflow tract is narrowed either at the valve, just before it, or just after it. The most common form of pulmonic stenosis involves a deformed pulmonary valve in which the valve leaflets are too thick, the opening is too narrow, or the valve cusps are fused. The heart must pump extra hard to get the blood through this unusually narrow, stiff little valve. The right side of the heart eventually becomes thick from all this extra work and a post-stenotic dilation (a large bulging area on the far side of the narrowed valve) results from the high-pressure squirt the heart must generate to get blood through the stenosis. As the heart muscle builds up to become strong enough to pump through the stenosis, electrical conduction through the changed muscle tissue may not be normal. The rhythm of the heart’s filling and pumping cycle can be disturbed as the muscle becomes abnormal.
Predisposed breeds for this condition include Labrador retrievers, terrier breeds, miniature schnauzers, Samoyeds, English bulldogs, boxers, chow chows, beagles, cocker spaniels, basset hounds, and mastiffs.
What Does this all Mean for your Pet?
A mild pulmonic stenosis is of little concern and usually does not affect life expectancy. Luckily, most cases are mild and do not require treatment; fairly severe disease is needed for clinical signs to appear.
Approximately 35% of dogs with severe pulmonic stenosis will show some or all of the following signs:
- Tiring easily
- Fainting spells (from the abnormal electrical heart rhythm)
- Fluid accumulation in the belly
- Blue-tinge to the gums, especially with exertion
In one study, 30% of dogs with severe disease experienced sudden death.
How is a Diagnosis Made?
The turbulent blood flow resulting from the heart attempting to pump blood through the narrow pulmonic valve generates a sound called a murmur. (A murmur is not specific for pulmonic stenosis; anytime there is turbulent blood flow, it may be audible as a murmur.) If the electrical conduction of the heart is affected, the rhythm will sound irregular as well.
A murmur and abnormal rhythm picked up during a puppy's initial examination is the classic time to find the disease, but it may not become evident until later when signs of heart failure are seen. Possibly, the disease might not be detected until there are more obvious signs of heart failure present, such as fluid in the belly.
Once physical findings suggest heart disease, radiographs and, ideally, an echocardiogram follow.
puppy with pulmonic stenosis
Chest radiograph of a puppy with pulmonic stenosis. Post stenotic dilation is conspicuous. (Photo by marvistavet.com)
After the diagnosis of pulmonic stenosis is made, the next most important issue is to grade its severity. This is done with a type of ultrasound called continuous wave Doppler echocardiography. A pressure gradient across the pulmonic valve can be measured in units called millimeters of mercury (mm of Hg.) A pressure gradient of less than 40 mm of Hg generally requires no treatment at all. A gradient greater than 80 mm of Hg has a significant risk of sudden death, and therapy should be pursued (generally balloon valvuloplasty). The benefits of valvuloplasty in dogs with gradients between 40 and 80 are not as predictable. The diagnosis is clinched with the echocardiogram, where ultrasound is used to measure the diameter and thickness of the heart’s chambers. It is then easy to see the thick right ventricle and actually measure its thickness. If there is tricuspid valve disease and backward flow of blood, this can also be seen in a real-time image. A patent foramen ovale, if there is one, can also be seen (see below).
Treatment: Balloon Valvuloplasty
Clearly, if the obstruction at the pulmonic valve could be relieved, much of the problem would be solved. Severe pulmonic stenosis cases can be treated by doing just that. A balloon is inserted into the pulmonic valve where it is inflated, breaking down the obstruction. The size of the balloon catheter is determined by echocardiography as described above. Dogs that have pressure gradients of greater than 80 mm Hg across the pulmonic valve should have this procedure regardless of whether or not they are showing clinical signs. Some experts feel 60 mm Hg is a high enough gradient to warrant valvuloplasty. Dogs with concurrent tricuspid valve dysplasia benefit from this procedure regardless of their pressure gradient.
Performing this procedure reduces the risk of sudden death by 53% and improves quality of life as well. Certain types of valve deformity are not amenable to this treatment and dogs with the type of pulmonic stenosis that has a coronary artery wrapped around the pulmonary artery (the R2A anomaly - see below) are similarly not amenable to this treatment. For these dogs, unfortunately, there is no treatment that can be recommended. Balloon valvuloplasty will tear the abnormal coronary artery and alternative therapy has not been successfully developed. For these dogs, the prognosis is better without attempted therapy.
What are Possible Valvulplasty Complications/What is Suicide Right Ventricle?
If the right ventricle and its outflow tract become too thickened, a pressure gradient problem can persist after the stenosis is relieved by valvuloplasty. Suicide right ventricle is a phenomenon that occurs in a severely stenosed valve immediately after pressure is relieved by valvuloplasty. The heart muscle has grown so stiff after pumping against the stenosis valve that a new obstruction occurs. Medication and fluid therapy can help prevent this complication of valvuloplasty. Other complications of valvuloplasty include heart arrhythmias, rupture of the valve, or even puncture of the heart itself. Valvuloplasty is an advanced procedure and must be respected as such. Fortunately, serious complications are rare but it is important to be informed of potential problems, and most patients are released to go home the day of their procedure. Pressure gradients continue to drop for several months after the procedure and medication is generally needed throughout this time. It takes a good three to six months before the success of the valvuloplasty can be judged.
Dogs for whom the stenosis is just before the valve rather than at the valve itself may benefit from surgery. Several techniques can be used to widen the pulmonary valve or to bypass it. These procedures require an experienced surgeon and bear significant risk. The balloon valvuloplasty is the preferred treatment for cases where treatment is recommended and where balloon valvuloplasty is applicable.
Unfortunately, medication is not very helpful for pulmonic stenosis except to manage any right-sided heart failure. In some cases, medications called beta blockers can be used in an attempt to relax the muscles of the heart and dilate the stenosis. This will not relieve the constriction but could ease it.
Pulmonic stenosis is a condition that not all veterinarians are comfortable treating. Discuss with your veterinarian whether referral to a veterinary cardiologist would be best for you and your pet.
Possible Complicating Concurrent Anatomical Problems
Concurrent Coronary Artery Constriction
Boxers and bulldogs have a type of pulmonic stenosis where a coronary artery actually wraps around the pulmonary artery exiting the heart, thus constricting it. This is called the R2A anomaly. This anomaly is of clinical importance because the coronary artery can tear if balloon valvuloplasty (see above) is attempted as a treatment.
Concurrent Tricuspid Insufficiency
Another form of pulmonic stenosis that is especially harmful involves an accompanying tricuspid valve dysplasia. The tricuspid valve is the three-leafed valve that separates the right atrium (blood-accepting chamber) from the right ventricle (the pumping chamber). Normally this valve is closed when the ventricle pumps, ensuring that all its blood pumps forward. If this valve is leaky then some of the blood, perhaps even most of it, pumps backward. If the pulmonic valve is extra tight, as in pulmonic stenosis, and the tricuspid valve is extra loose, as in tricuspid dysplasia, it is easy to see that the right ventricle must become extra strong (thick) to pump enough blood through the tight pulmonic valve, and extra large (wide) to accommodate enough blood to send an adequate amount forward, considering that most will go backward. Right heart failure is not far behind as the right side of the heart simply cannot keep up with such a double whammy of circumstances.
Concurrent Patent Foramen Ovale
Another congenital problem that can complicate pulmonic stenosis is called a patent foramen ovale. Before birth, one's oxygen comes from the mom's bloodstream (obviously, there is no breathing of air going on in the womb). The unborn heart is developing a right side (pump to the lung to pick up oxygen) and a left side (send the oxygen to the rest of the body) but during the actual development, the right and left blood mix together as there is no need for separation.
The foramen ovale is a hole in the septum of the developing heart allowing for right and left blood to mix together. Shortly after birth, when the lungs formally come into play, the foramen ovale closes up and the right and left sides of the heart are completely separated.
If the patient has pulmonic stenosis, the pressures in the right side of the heart are so high that blood is pushed from the right atrium into the left atrium with every beat of the heart, thus preventing the closure of the foramen. This allows unoxygenated blood to mix into the circuit reserved for oxygenated blood. If enough oxygen-poor blood is allowed into this circuit, the patient’s tissues may not receive enough oxygen, but generally, this is merely a mild phenomenon noticed on the echocardiogram. | <urn:uuid:0d27c949-0494-4844-b0b9-1b955e98cf45> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://vspn.vin.com/covid/default.aspx?pid=25078&catId=102903&id=4952783&ind=736&objTypeID=1007 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.934525 | 2,512 | 3.234375 | 3 |
DWR has released the draft funding awards for the Proposition 84 San Joaquin River Water Quality Grants. Three projects are recommended for funding to receive a total of $36.6 million of available funds.
We’re hearing this question frequently, and it’s not surprising given California’s dry winter to date. We’d like to know the answer, too. The National Weather Service’s routine forecasts can only look out about two weeks ahead, and beyond that, there is little reliable skill in predicting precipitation for California.
Today, DWR debuts a new digital look. Our website redesign is but one of many changes that the department is and has been undergoing. In order to meet the evolving challenges we face managing California’s precious water resources, change is essential.
The wildfires of 2017 have charred hillsides across the state leaving communities downslope vulnerable to catastrophic mud and debris flows.
Climate change staff shares an approach to climate change planning with the Dutch...in the Netherlands.
Rainfall in California was far above average in November. Then came December, one of the state’s driest months on record.
Since 1977, DWR’s water education program has helped California’s teachers educate their students about one of our most essential resources – water. In 2017, we reached an estimated 1,000 teachers and 150,000 students by providing classroom materials and professional development for teachers.
DWR's 2017 salmon spawning restoration project in the Feather River led to a successful fall run, with several hundred Chinook salmon spawning in the restored habitat.
DWR staff travel to Humboldt County to interview and film Blue Lake Rancheria for climate change video.
As we begin water year 2018, our reservoirs are in good shape. After a drought-busting water year, most of California’s major reservoirs are storing more than their historical averages for this time of year, and slightly more than 50 percent of their total capacity. | <urn:uuid:bf5865ff-edcd-4902-9816-799387a423fb> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://water.ca.gov/News/Blog?year=2019&month=1&e793fdb2-6f0c-4578-a3ba-7d7d4d597bf2page=59 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.94288 | 409 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Find an Activity
These online activity types are made up of interactive websites and services that were evaluated for accessibility between 2009 - 2016 by students and colleagues. The evaluations are out of date, but they may be of interest when looking at how much has been achieved over the intervening years and for comparisons.
Aggregators / Data feeds / RSSProducts and Ratings
These systems offer the user the chance to collect specific information from the web. Collections can be set up to appear as email or via a reader or on specific web pages. The range in data is enormous from academic references to books, latest videos or music and sites that aggregate news and blog such as Feedly.
Analysing data and surveysProducts and Ratings
These applications and services allow users to analyse data from tests, evaluation, surveys and assessment applications and web services. Examples would be Hot Potatoes for making tests and Survey Monkey - results can be exported to other file formats. Online provision of data analytics is another aspect e.g. Google Analytics for web visitor traffic.
Annotating MultimediaProducts and Ratings
This activity does not include tagging. It is more concerned with the annotation or captioning of slideshows and videos.
Audio / Video Conferencing / Streamed presentationsProducts and Ratings
This method of communication is immediate with or without video - synchronous with the use of broadband (the internet) via computer, tablet or phone. Voice over the Internet Protocol (VOIP) is one term used to describe talking over the internet using Skype or Google Hangouts etc.
Audio and Video ToolsProducts and Ratings
Products that support podcasting and other means of editing, sharing or distributing audio and video.
Blogging and MicrobloggingProducts and Ratings
A way of keeping a journal, publishing and sharing ideas as a series of articles or short sentences of text (Microblogging) over time. The entries can contain text, videos, audio and images with comments coming from the readership. Articles on services such as Wordpress can be tagged, categorised and dated and with Microblogs such as Twitter, items are automatically dated and can have hashtags as way of following topics or be set up as a notification or personal message.
Calculations, Conversions, Vocabulary and TranslationProducts and Ratings
These services or applications offer users the chance to perform calculations both off and online. Conversions may occur on the fly or be stored and shared such as miles to kilometres with Google Calculator and unit converter. Conversions of file formats are also possible on and off line with programs such as Zamzar . The same applies for meanings of words like dictionary.com and translations whether via dictionaries or online services such as Google Translate.
Collaborative Writing / Creating documentsProducts and Ratings
Sites that allow users to work with others on documents, or provide a shared workspace such as Google docs and Microsoft Office Live or Zoho.
Conversion ToolsProducts and Ratings
Sites and services that are used to change the format of files or other information on the web so they are more accessible or more suited to a purpose. e.g. recording blog posts into mp3, putting bookmarks into a slideshow.
Creativity Requiring Niche SkillsProducts and Ratings
Products that require a level of creativity possessed by a niche. Examples include flickr "Tell a story in 5 frames" - requires minor photographic skills, but creative skills to construct the photo-story.
Data StorageProducts and Ratings
Creating a local or remote copy/copies of a folder of data or files. The content of the folders and files may or may not be synchronised with the original data. A well known service is dropbox but there are now many other iCloud services for data that can also be shared with others.
Discussion Forums / Questions and Answers (Q&A)Products and Ratings
This is where individuals can come together in an online area to discuss topics of interest. Questions can be asked and there is the option for multiple replies to a single thread. The user has to go to the forum for the news rather than on a mailing list where the discussion may be received via email. Discussion forums tend to be set up by companies and are often used for answering queries so Answer.com might be considered a Q&A discussion forum and it is possible to set up your own discussion forum on a service like Google Groups.
Embeddable Content GenerationProducts and Ratings
Services which offer items that can be embedded in other webpages. For instance, YouTube videos can be placed on any webpage. These sites may also offer embeddable widgets such as calendars, guestbooks and the like.
eReaders / Browsers / PlayersProducts and Ratings
Applications and online services that allow users to read web pages, documents, journals and books such as Mozilla Firefox web browser, Kobo reader or Youtube for video playing.
Extend Existing ServiceProducts and Ratings
These items provide functionality that is currently unavailable on another Web2 service. The function is the key; items that source content from other services for their own specific use are not eligible. For instance, there are a number of sites that generate embeddable slideshows from Flickr albums. Seems like a rather short-lived business unless they innovate.
Instructional (how-to) InformationProducts and Ratings
Covers sites that provide instructional information on any topic. Example: VideoJug.
Map / Geographical Location toolsProducts and Ratings
Covers services that facilitate the publication of information cartographically, such as geotagged photos, waypoints, paths, tours and lines on maps. These services may allow the user to make and annotate their own maps, provide directions and share travels such as Google Maps.
Map Annotation and DirectionsProducts and Ratings
Products that provide directions to locations and/or show points of interest.
Messaging, email and chatProducts and Ratings
Asynchronous communication allows a user to send a message to someone who may not be online or is required to answer immediately. Email is a good example of this type of communication. It is possible to also leave messages on synchronous communication programs such as Skype and Google Hangout or other chat programs that can be read later. Discussion boards, social networks and forums would also come under this activity.
Mindmapping, Chart and Graphical VisualisationProducts and Ratings
Applications or services that allow users to create, edit, display and/or share concept maps, charts and graphical representations that offer idea generation and visualisation of elements with multimedia and text. Users can send or embed the maps within documents online such as the feature offered by Mindmeister.
Multimedia Editing and Annotation ToolsProducts and Ratings
Online multimedia editing and annotation services and apps. These tools may also allow you to add captioning and transcriptions to the content making it more accessible.
Multimedia PresentationsProducts and Ratings
Presentations can be created offline and online. Saved and then shared. Diagrams, graphics, embedded audio and video and different types of text can be used.
References - Storing or FetchingProducts and Ratings
On-line store for references that can be shared with others and produce a bibliography.
Search Engines - web and blogsProducts and Ratings
These are web based services that tend to use key words for collecting information from across the internet such as Google and Bing. They may be specialist services such as those offered by libraries or blog searches e.g. Technorati
Sharing ToolsProducts and Ratings
Collaborate and share images, videos and audio - save them and embed them in other Web 2.0 applications or documents and send them on to others. There are many tools that offer these services and more but some are specific to a type such as Flickr for photos or Dropbox for any files.
Simulating Tools / Virtual WorldsProducts and Ratings
Products that allow users to develop visualisations of fantasy or real situations, collaborate and share experiences moving about within the applications such as SecondLife and Active Worlds. Simulation tools can also be used to teach activities such as flying and driving.
Social NetworksProducts and Ratings
Social networks are web services and sites that offer users the chance to share photos, images, messages and other activities that make up an online presence. Timelines and instant chat may also be available on such services as Facebook. They can also offer users the chance to build groups based on common interests and to set up forums with threaded topics.
Text ToolsProducts and Ratings
Products which allow the user to take notes, either by writing them from scratch or capturing data from the web and annotating it. Creating documents from notes and generally manipulating text such as Lino sticky notes which can be rearranged on a board with added photos etc.
Text-based Editable InformationProducts and Ratings
Sharing information on any subjects that can be edited and viewed by others. These pages tend to be in wiki format.
Time Management / SchedulingProducts and Ratings
Allowing groups and individuals to share meeting times, events and calendars. Organise time and plan projects with notes, reminders and even messaging systems or links to email etc
Virtual Learning Environments / Learning Management SystemsProducts and Ratings
Products that may be used by students as part of their studies or by teachers to create and publish pedagogical resources. Virtual classrooms that can also include specific tools useful for students such as discussion forums, file uploads and timetables etc They can also provide developers with ways to author a learning environment such as Moodle which is open source or ATutor. | <urn:uuid:695d9305-c7ce-45a4-ac4a-2304acdbf6c7> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://web2access.org/activities | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.923076 | 1,948 | 2.953125 | 3 |
to read Domain names?
The domain names
are always organized from right to left as is the case in any name (the family names to the right and the personal names to the left.).
These descriptors are actually called 'Domains'.
The TLD or the Top Level Domain, also
called the parent domain is mentioned to the far right of a domain
name; the mid-level domains are obviously in the middle while the
machine name is to the far left. It is often "www". The different
levels of domains are separated by dots or periods.
Some facts about the Domain Name Systems
The main function of the Domain Name System
or the DNS is to store the names and the addresses of the servers of
the public internet. Here are some interesting facts about it:
Domain Name Systems is around 30 years old before which a public
system was only identifiable with its host name. The addresses of
all the host names were maintained in one big file. The process
became difficult and complicated in the later years when computer
network grew. It was then that support domains were added and the
single level naming system was changed to the multi level naming
DNS was first implemented in 1980, it originally defined only 6
original Top Level Domains that were .com, .edu, .mil, .net, .org
and .gov while there are more than 700 TLDs today on the internet.
The wide expansion for domain names only happened post 2011 with
the basic aim of better classification of the web sites, based on
there are more than 100 million domains that are registered under
.com solely. While there are a few that are specifically affiliated
to certain kinds of businesses, there are others that are registered
by individuals for their personal purposes.
works both in forward and the reverse direction, i.e. the host names
of the web sites and the other internet servers can be converted to
the IP addresses (called the forward DNS look ups) or translating
the addresses to the names (called the reverse DNS look ups). The
reverse DNS lookups are not too common but they are often used in
troubleshooting by the network administrators.
remains the prime target when it comes to hacking the websites.
Hacking happens when a hacker gets access to the DNS server records
for the website he targets to hack. The hacker access the DNS
records of the website, modifies them in such a way that the
visitors are redirected to some other site. Every time a user visits
a website that is hacked, the DNS instructs the browser to locate
data from a bogus location. It is however, not necessary that the
hackers have to hack into the DNS every time. They can also
compromise with the hosting service of the domain by acting as the
What is WHOIS and WHOIS lookup?
If you are wondering what
is WHOIS? WHOIS is simply read as "who is?"
and is a utility protocol that is used to gain any information on
domain names. The information included is related to the contract and
other technical information on domain name server like the IP address
block and autonomous system which is one of the most crucial roles of
the service. The database content is stored as well as delivered in a
human readable format. Apart from these, there is other additional
information that is related to the status, for instance, if the
domain is locked. To be able to use it, the user needs to enter the
domain in the form and then start with the WHOIS
look up. There might be several events when
the user is not given all the information that is available or even
worse, maybe they are not provided with any information at all. In
such instances, it is important to check if there is any other
alternative to the WHOIS lookup for the domain that is not
responding. There are different levels of the WHOIS lookup protocol
that explain a number of things about the domain name in great
detail. It also decodes several status codes for the user. | <urn:uuid:fc585001-3612-4a24-aa3a-2444946095cc> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://whoislookupdb.com/whois-51.66.154.168 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.948145 | 852 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Spanish engineering has generally perhaps the most lovely and critical styles of engineering on the planet with its splendidly cut and mind boggling plans, the outlining of the entire design, the rooftops with the wonderful red tile thus numerous different elements that has given it the remaining at the actual top of the universe of engineering. With the approach of the Spanish to the American shores to extend their settlements, came their style of design and with time, got consolidated with the ordinarily pioneer American style and mixed in with it to frame an extremely novel style of engineering that is referred to us as the Spanish Revival style of design.
For the most part the southern and southwestern conditions of the United States of America that to some degree have a Spanish talking populace, utilize this style of engineering despite the fact that it tends to be found in different pieces of the country too. The most splendid thing about this kind of design is the utilization of sections that are generally adjusted and are intensely cut. The carvings of the segments bring forth probably the most lovely carvings on the planet, some portraying the beginning of the Spanish culture; some others portray the life and passing of Jesus Christ thus significantly more. The Spanish Revival style of design keeps the pith of the first Spanish style of engineering alive through these carvings and different parts of Spanish design that are available in the modernized version of the Spanish design are the tremendous entryways and windows that have fashioned iron equipment and the highest point of the entryways and the windows are adjusted that are ordinary of the early Spanish style of engineering which acquired this style structure the Italians in the early pieces of the fourteenth or fifteenth hundred years.
The earthenware flooring is exceptionally ordinary of the Spanish Revival homes and a portion of these homes likewise utilize other designed tiles for the ground surface. The rooftops are average of the Mediterranean style of engineering on the grounds that the vast majority of the houses have rooftops that are level rather low-pitched, produced using red mud and shades a tad. There are likewise white plaster dividers that lie behind the block. The front doesn’t be guaranteed to should be exceptionally balanced and this is profoundly clear in the windows in the front that are sporadically positioned.
The entryways are as a general rule exceptionally weighty with carvings that are utilized as an improving and it is normal in the windows too. The railings of the gallery ordinarily contain exceptionally complicated plans that are likewise ordinary of this kind of structural style. The entrances to the homes for the most part contain curves that add to the magnificence of the spot, and the pinnacles are additionally low-round and square. | <urn:uuid:e8e080e3-ad54-4c94-b15c-9faeec8bbe5c> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://wonderhomeinteriors.com/elements-of-spanish-revival-architecture.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.95716 | 538 | 3.046875 | 3 |
It is no secret that our national infrastructure is in need of some TLC. From coast-to-coast, roads and bridges are showing signs of neglect to the astonishment of a new generation of leaders. Many of these new leaders are looking for innovative solutions, including shoring up our infrastructure with carbon fiber.
One such project is currently being undertaken in North Carolina. Researchers from N.C. State are apparently working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) on new technology that they hope will extend the lives of crumbling bridges by at least 3 to 5 years. The extra time will give the state more opportunity to fund eventual bridge replacements.
Adding Structural Integrity
A local CBS news report of the North Carolina project explains that researchers and DOT personnel are looking to shore up neglected bridges with carbon fiber supports. The report does not detail exactly what the supports look like or how they would be installed, but it is clear that adding them to weakened bridges will provide the structural integrity necessary to keep the bridges in full operation.
The idea is to keep the bridges open without having to reduce their weight limits. If the carbon fiber supports can keep the bridges open for a few years longer, that would give the state time to come up with the money to start replacing those bridges.
Assuming the plan works, it’s a good one. But it does create another potential problem. Will North Carolina leaders, satisfied with the performance of the carbon fiber upgrades, then kick the can further down the road? Will they put off replacing the bridges? There is always that possibility.
A Strong and Lightweight Material
Politics aside, shoring up failing bridges with carbon fiber makes a lot of sense. Why? Because of the properties carbon fiber brings to the table.
Salt Lake City-based Rock West Composites explains the benefits of carbon fiber as a construction material in a number of ways. First, carbon fiber has a stronger strength-to-weight ratio than both aluminum and steel. The simplest way to explain it is to say that carbon fiber is stronger and lighter than both materials.
Next, carbon fiber is not susceptible to environmental conditions that cause steel and aluminum to rust. It handles temperature changes better; it isn’t subject to damage by extreme temperatures; it holds up very well against the wind, rain, snow, and ice.
Finally, it’s easy to work with. Depending on the design of the structural supports, they can be attached to existing bridges without requiring a major reconstruction project. Carbon fiber support structures can shore up a weakened bridge with comparatively little effort required by engineering crews.
Paving the Way to All Carbon Fiber
No doubt that all eyes will be on North Carolina over the next couple years. Any success they enjoy by shoring up bridges with carbon fiber structural supports is likely to motivate other states to do something similar. Could this be a precursor to going all carbon fiber down the road?
All carbon fiber is not completely out of the question, according to Rock West. There are already some states looking at replacing old bridges with new structures made completely of the composite. Whether that actually becomes reality remains to be seen. But some pretty smart minds are already thinking about it.
In the meantime, drivers in North Carolina can thank the composites industry for providing the carbon fiber materials that will make their bridges stronger. That same material that makes airplanes lighter and boat hulls stronger will be keeping North Carolina bridges open for years to come. | <urn:uuid:abbae417-3071-49f5-8e4e-6229d46f79b4> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.7thhome.com/shoring-up-infrastructure-with-carbon-fiber/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.943064 | 705 | 3.109375 | 3 |
Do you think your Google Sheets table will do better if you switch columns and rows? Well, you've come to the right place then :) Today, we'll transpose!
Transpose in Google Sheets means converting your vertical table into a horizontal one (as well as horizontal into vertical). In other words, it's when you switch rows and columns in Google Sheets.
There are two ways to convert rows to columns in Google Sheets (and columns to rows as well).
Use Google Sheets menus to transpose rows to columns & vice versa
- Select the data you want to transpose in Google Sheets (I mean, switch rows and columns) and copy it to the clipboard.
Note. Make sure to select headers as well.
Tip. You can copy the data by pressing Ctrl+C on your keyboard or using the related option from the context menu:
- Create a new sheet (or pick any other place for your future new table) and select its leftmost cell.
- Right-click that leftmost cell and choose Paste special > Transposed from the context menu:
The range you copied will be inserted but you'll see that Google Sheets transposed columns into rows:
Tip. If your Google Sheets table is of rows that you need to rotate to columns, the way above will work the same way. In both cases, Google Sheets rotates rows to columns & columns to rows at the same time.
Google Sheets TRANSPOSE function
You won't be surprised if I tell you there's a Google Sheets function specifically for this purpose, will you? It's called TRANSPOSE and it takes just the data you need to convert :)
Here, I put the cursor into a cell where my future table will start — A9 — and enter the following formula there:
A1:E7 is a range with my original table.
A9 — the cell with the Google Sheets TRANSPOSE — becomes the leftmost cell of my new table where rows and columns switch places:
The main advantage of this method is that once you alter the data in your original table, the values will change in the transposed table as well.
The first method, on the other hand, kind of creates a "photo" of the original table in its one state.
No matter the way you choose, both of them deliver you from manual copy-pasting of rows/columns one by one. So feel free to use the one you like the most.
I hope now you know a little bit more about how to easily switch rows and columns in Google Sheets. BTW, which method do you prefer? | <urn:uuid:7b431eea-234b-4079-9655-16a317494ab7> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/google-sheets-transpose/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.86522 | 550 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Machine Learning App Development: Benefits & Tech Stack
Machine learning apps have been gaining traction in all industries worldwide for several years.
The global machine learning market valued at $15.44 billion in 2021 is already $21.17 billion in 2022. The market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 38,8% by 2029 and suppress $209.91 billion. With this in mind, machine learning technology has all the chances to become one of the most profitable shares for investment.
One of the most benefits of machine learning is mobile application development. The use of machine learning has become so widely spread that you might not even suspect that an app relies on it.
If you’ve ever wondered how to build a machine learning app, this article will answer your question.
Here’s what you will learn:
- What is machine learning;
- Machine learning app examples;
- Industries that can benefit from machine learning;
- How to build a machine learning app;
- Technology stack for machine learning app development.
Let’s dive into the specifics of machine learning technology in software development.
What is Machine Learning?
Machine learning is one of the subsections of science dedicated to the development and study of AI. It is focused on building systems that learn and evolve through data analysis. Machine learning (ML) is closely associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Machine learning allows AI-powered applications to learn from collected data and improve their accuracy over time without manual programming.
Machine learning algorithms find patterns in massive amounts of data to make data-based predictions and decisions. The more data ML processes, the better algorithms become and the more accurate predictions and decisions they make.
Today, three main types of machine learning are defined:
- Supervised machine learning – the algorithm is trained with predefined training examples. It is used for the ML to learn how to reach the correct conclusions when new data is fed to it.
- Unsupervised machine learning – the algorithm is trained on data without predefined rules. It must find patterns and relationships to make predictions in the future.
- Reinforced machine learning – the technology is trained to create a sequence of decisions. The agent learns how to achieve the goal in an uncertain and potentially complex environment.
Below, you can see a visualization of machine learning paradigm basics.
Machine Learning App Examples
The implementation of machine learning technology in app development is a widespread practice today. A lot of solutions that you use every day rely on ML. Let’s review some of the most famous machine learning implementation examples.
Netflix is one of the best examples of machine learning technology in software development.
Have you noticed that Netflix offers you the most content that is more likely to be exciting and best match your preferences?
That’s because machine learning, together with artificial intelligence, is learning and analyzing your content preferences all the time. They are lying behind its robust recommendation system.
For example, if you watched a movie yesterday, Netflix would recommend similar content for you the next day. And if you started watching a movie, abandoned it, and gave a bad review, machine learning algorithms would understand that you don’t like such content and won’t offer similar recommendations.
Tinder is another excellent example of a machine learning technology in mobile apps. Unlike what it might seem to end-users, the solution doesn’t use spells to find their perfect match. Instead, machine learning analyzes how users swipe right and left and provides them with more relevant recommendations based on the collected data.
Snapchat is an example of a powerful combination of machine learning and artificial intelligence. The application uses AI and ML to identify users’ faces, while augmented reality works on creating a 3D mesh and deforming it to apply different filters.
Even though many users don’t even think of technologies, this platform does use machine learning and relies on the technology when offering pictures. The company uses this technology for a number of tasks, such as content discovery, spam moderation, advertising, etc.
Examples of machine learning applications are numerous. You can also find such solutions as Google Maps, Twitter, Yelp, etc. Check them out to understand how ML works in real life and get a few inspiring machine learning app ideas.
Industries that Can Benefit from Machine Learning Application Development
Machine learning is the solution that is gradually finding its way into various industries. Use cases are numerous, and, in this part, we will talk about the spheres and spheres where machine learning can bring the highest value.
Smart and self-driving cars have already entered our lives. Artificial intelligence enforced with machine learning algorithms is used to monitor the traffic and predict changes. The combination of these technologies allows cars to drive without human assistance.
Machine learning has found its widest implementation in developing critical processes like disease discovery and treatment in the healthcare industry. Such solutions collect and analyze patient data to diagnose and advise possible treatment methods. Predictive healthcare is gaining traction.
The finance industry has a huge amount of data that needs to be analyzed and automated to predict future data collection, management, investment, and transactions. Machine learning and artificial intelligence are used in the industry for fraud detection and fraud prediction. For this purpose, the technology is also used in other industries.
Cybersecurity is another industry benefiting from machine learning. The technology can analyze data about incident reports, alerts, and more to identify potential threats and improve security analysis or even advise response.
Machine learning offers vast opportunities for manufacturing. Companies with assembly lines can use ML algorithms together with sensors and artificial intelligence to predict the need for maintenance. The implementation of the technology can hedge companies from unplanned downtown and drops in production.
As it turns out, machine learning is widely used for smart and data-driven predictions. The eCommerce industry already benefits from this technology. Personalized product recommendations increase the average order value and revenue.
It’s another industry that can benefit from machine learning. This technology can be applied in the ads industry to improve the efficiency of ad campaigns by targeting users with highly personalized ads tailored to their specific interests and needs.
As you can see, machine learning and artificial intelligence can fit into any industry. Automation adoption is revolutionizing different aspects of our life, sharing decision-making among humans and the technologies and reducing the risks of human errors and delays, leading to wrong decisions.
You can also watch this Machine Learning tutorial video.
How to Build a Machine Learning App: Step-by-Step Process
Machine learning application development is a process consisting of a few consecutive steps.
You can make an app using machine learning by following the plan:
- Frame a problem
- Collect and clean the data
- Prepare data for ML application
- Feature engineering
- Train a model
- Evaluate and improve model accuracy
- Serve in a model in production
Let’s review each of the steps in more detail.
Frame a Problem
Start machine learning app development by identifying the main implementation objective and the problem you will address with the technology. You need to understand the problem and how machine learning should approach it.
Answering the following questions will help you move on with this step:
- What are you trying to predict with ML? What is the main objective of its use?
- What are the target features?
- What will be used as input data? Do you have it? Are you facing a binary classification, clustering, or regression?
- What do you expect to improve?
- What status does the target feature have?
- How are you going to measure the target feature?
When dealing with this part of machine learning application development, you need to remember that machine learning can recognize only the patterns it has seen before. Therefore, the data is crucial for your objectives.
Collect and Clean the Data
After you have framed the problems, it’s time to start one of the most critical steps of machine learning development – data collection. You can either collect data from your own historical database or use open data sources.
After the data is collected, you might clean it from irrelevant data inputs. It will directly affect the accuracy of your machine learning algorithms and the accuracy of predictions in the future.
Prepare Data for Machine Learning Application
The most important thing to understand is that machine learning can only analyze numbers. You need to convert all the data into a format that your ML will understand, such as text or images. You will also need to create a data pipeline to consolidate data from multiple resources to make it suited for analysis.
In some cases, row data doesn’t have specific characteristics needed for machine learning algorithms to work properly. That’s why you need to start feature engineering, a technique that creates additional features combining two or more data features in an arithmetic operation that is more relevant and sensible. As statistics show, data preparation is the most time-consuming part of machine learning app development.
Train a Model
The next step is model training, during which your machine learning algorithm will become better in data analysis.
Before the training starts, you need to split the data into two parts: training and evaluation. The second batch of data will help you understand how well the model generalizes to unseen data.
After starting the training, the algorithms will learn the patterns and mapping between the feature and the label.
You can approach model training in different ways and control its learning rate, regularization, number of passes, and much more.
Evaluate and Optimize Model Accuracy
It’s time to evaluate how well your machine learning algorithm is doing its job. You can use different accuracy metrics, such as over-fitting or under-fitting, etc. Depending on the results you get, you need to optimize the algorithms and training data to improve its accuracy.
Serve in a Model in Production
This is the last step of machine learning app development. After the algorithm training is over, it is ready to be deployed into production. In simple words, you need to integrate it into your software to make predictions based on accurate data and for practical use.
It is the most challenging part of the development and requires deep technical expertise.
Data Privacy in Machine Learning App Development
Machine learning involves working with large sets of data. The specifics of it create a quite challenging situation when you need to develop machine learning with data privacy in mind.
Let’s overview some of the principles that will help build a solution compliant with modern data security requirements.
One of the main concerns of machine learning is the use of information that identified a person. Most privacy lows list data anonymization as one of the key requirements. When you decide to build machine learning, you will need to decide on the technique to anonymize the data used.
One of the possible ways is to apply one-way hashing when data is converted into a number that the original data can’t be derived from the single number.
Aside from data that identifies an individual, you will also need to anonymize personally identifiable data. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) clearly states that you can’t store such information without infringing the regulations. There are also other local regulations, such as The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) that you will need to abide by to avoid any problems with the law and possible lawsuits against your company.
The Right to be Forgotten
According to GDPR and CCPA, users need to provide their consent for data usage by a company. If a business doesn’t have such consent, it can’t use the data.
However, you will also need to meet the requirements of the rule named the right to be forgotten. Users need to be able to withdraw their consent already given to a company and require you to erase all the data you have on them.
Machine learning algorithms make it quite challenging to erase the data already added into the system. Thus, it’s important to design the whole machine learning system with the “right to erase” requirement in mind.
Machine learning processes a lot of data creating a number of challenges for businesses that decide to pursue the idea of ML development. Machine learning algorithms should be designed with data privacy in mind, allowing you to avoid any problems with local regulations in the future.
Technology Stack Used for Machine Learning App Development
The availability of different frameworks, libraries, and APIs allows for building machine learning apps faster. You don’t have to worry about building algorithms from scratch. Today, you can choose from a variety of machine learning solutions to build powerful software to facilitate business needs.
Let’s review some of the most popular machine learning frameworks.
TensorFlow is a popular framework from Google that is particularly suitable for building deep learning models. Such models use artificial neural networks to enable progressive learning and system improvements. The framework is based on a computational graph consisting of a network of nodes. Each now is an operation that performs some complex or simple function.
PyTorch is a direct competitor of TensorFlow as it provides huge capabilities for building deep learning models. It’s also a part of a bigger Torch deep learning framework developers use to build deep neural networks and perform complex computations.
If you want to know how to build a machine learning app for educational and research purposes, Shogun is a great solution. The framework can process large data sets and supports vector machines for regression and classification.
- Apache Mahout
Apache Mahout targets mathematicians, data scientists, and statisticians who need help with algorithm execution. This framework has built-in algorithms for distributed linear algebra and concentrates on such tasks as collaborative data grouping, classification, and filtering.
Konstanz Information Miner (KNIME) is a great software used for data visualization, modeling, and analysis without complex coding. The framework uses a modular data pipeline concept combining different components for machine learning, and data mining is a single solution.
Weka comprises several machine learning algorithms used mainly for data mining. You can perform different functions with it, such as regression, classification, clustering, data preparation, and visualization. If you are just starting up in machine learning, it’s a great tool to explore.
RapidMiner is a comprehensive environment where you can perform different tasks, such as data preparation, machine learning, deep learning, text mining, and predictive analytics. This solution is widely used for education, research, and development purposes.
Below you can see a table comparing the most popular machine learning frameworks mentioned above.
|Cost||Platform||Written in||Software license||Algorithms & Features||Solutions & companies using|
|TensorFlow||Free||MacOS, Linux, Windows||Python, C++, CUDA||Apache 2.0||Library for dataflow programming||Snapchat, Dropbox, Deepmind, Twitter, Uber|
|PyTorch||Free||Linux, MacOS, Windows||Python, C++, CUDA||BSD|
|Facebook, Google, Twitter, NYU, IDIAP, Purdue|
|Shogun||Free||Windows, Linux, UNIX, MacOS||C++||BSD3 with optional GNU GPLv3|
Support Vector Machines
Hidden Markov Models
Linear Discriminant Analysis
|Universities for educational courses|
|Apache License 2.0|
Distributed Linear Algebra
|AOL, Foursquare, Drupal, Intel, Twitter, Yahoo!, LinkedIn|
Works with large data volume
Text mining (plugins)
Image mining (plugins)
|Planned Systems International, Inc., Whole Foods Market Inc|
|Weka||Free||Linux, MacOS, Windows||Java||GPL 2.0, GPL 3.0|
Association rules mining
|Monkeylearn, Sclera, Skymind, Trust Sourcing, Rubygems|
Small: $2500 per year.
Medium: $5000 per year.
Large: $10000 per year.
|FirstEnergy, Ameritrade, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, |
Sum Up on Machine Learning Application Development
Machine learning app development is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of this technology. If you are not sure you can handle it yourself, it’s better to hire a professional app development team that knows how to build a machine learning app.
Since there are numerous companies available on the market, you need to choose the best one. The below list of questions will help you make the right choice:
- Does a company have a profile on Clutch, Manifest, ITFirms, and other similar platforms?
- Does a company have positive reviews on Clutch and other platforms?
- Does a company have experience in machine learning application development?
- Where is the company located?
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Machine learning can be used across different industries, such as healthcare, transportation, maintenance, insurance, marketing, cybersecurity, finance, and many more.
There are numerous solutions that you can use for machine learning applications, including TensorFlow, PyTorch, Shogun, KNIME, Apache Mahout, RapidMiner, etc.
You can find numerous applications using machine learning today. The list of famous examples consists of Netflix, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and others. | <urn:uuid:430065c0-9111-4833-9174-e18480b2f1dc> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.addevice.io/blog/machine-learning-app-development | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.903963 | 3,657 | 2.546875 | 3 |
People with diabetes need to control their blood sugar. Using a diabetes glucose kit is a way to measure your blood sugar and make changes as needed. Find out how to choose a glucose meter for better diabetes management.
What is a Blood Glucose Meter?
Blood glucose meters are used to measure and display the amount of sugar found in your blood. Factors can cause your numbers to vary, such as food, medications, stress, illness and exercise. A diabetes meter can help you detect these fluctuations and is an easy way to improve your overall diabetes management.
How Does a Meter Work
Most diabetes meter kits require the user to insert a test strip into the device before testing. Then a clean fingertip is pricked with a special needle called a lancet to get a drop of blood. The user touches the test strip (while inserted into the meter) to the blood to get a reading. The number usually appears on the screen, or is audibly announced if the glucose kit has audio capabilities, within 5 seconds. Some meters offer alternative site options for those who might test frequently, but an alternative site test may give a delayed or inaccurate reading. Talk to your health care provider before using an alternate test site. If your physician suggests an alternative site, blood samples are usually taken from your forearm, palm, or thigh. A continuous glucose monitor [CGM], another type of glucose meter, uses a sensor placed under the skin in the interstitial fluid to measure your blood sugar levels at frequent intervals. The readings are sent to a small recording device worn on the body. An alarm sounds if your blood sugar is too high or low. This device generally tracks trends and is not used to replace regular glucose meters. Review the various options with your doctor to see if you are a candidate for a CGM.
Diabetes Meters to Fit Your Lifestyle
When shopping for a meter look for one that will best suit your needs. Find one that is comfortable for you to use and easy to manage. For your convenience, choose a size that is easy to handle. If you have to take it to work or school each day, you will want a size that is portable and easy to store. If purchasing for a child, you will want to get a meter that is both easy for them to use and to read. If you have health insurance, then check with your insurance company to see which meter you are entitled to. If you are under Medicare age you will have co-pay for the strips and lancets. If you are of Medicare age, you are entitled to strips and lancets when your physician writes a prescription.
Basic Diabetic Meter Features
There are different features in each diabetes meter. Most show a digital reading of the glucose level. Talking meters also announce the number on the screen which is good for people with low or limited vision. If you have arthritis, find one that is easy to manipulate including using the lancet device.
Simple or Feature Rich
One important thing to look for when purchasing a blood glucose meter is the simplicity of use. Many have simple procedures that are only two or three steps from start to finish. Others are more advanced and may provide you with more information. These can be helpful for those who have the technological skills and want a graph or download (with blue tooth capabilities) to share with their physician. Larger buttons can also be helpful for those with arthritic hands. Using a multiple click device with several lancets can also be easier for those with muscle, arthritic or orthopedic issues.
There are some meters that store the last reading and others that contain enough memory to store hundreds of readings. Some diabetes monitoring devices give an instant reading while others require more time. Some batteries may be hard to find or expensive to replace. If English is not your first language you may be able to find a brand that offers other languages.
Ease of Use
Another factor to keep in mind is ease of use. Since you will be using the meter each day it should be user-friendly. Find out the testing procedures for various meters. Some involve more effort and time than others. Inquire about how much blood the test strip requires. If you are testing several times each day, a few extra seconds can add up to quite a bit of time. Find out about meter maintenance. It should be easy to clean and calibrate or require no calibration when you get new test strips. Some meters offer support, such as a toll-free number you can call if you have questions.
Keeping Track of Your Progress
A glucose kit helps people with diabetes keep track of their progress. By determining their blood sugar levels at various times of the day they can figure out when they experience highs and lows. These times may include before and after meals, before and after exercising, or other recommendations by your health care provider. The right meter may help you keep track of your progress.
Maintain a Record
Records of your blood sugar levels should be shared with your physician during routine exams. This helps your health care team make necessary adjustments to your diabetes management plan including medications. Some people write their numbers down in a logbook. Others find it difficult to manually keep track of their numbers. Many meters have memory options. Some have logs you can look up at a later date. Others create a downloadable file than can sync to your computer or Smartphone to be emailed or printed for your health care team. Consider a blood sugar monitor with more memory if you want to track your results for months rather than weeks.
From a doctor’s recommendation to insurance coverage, there are also medical aspects to consider when choosing a glucose meter. Ask your doctor or diabetes nurse educator about the meters they recommend and why. It helps to discuss this device with people who have experience. Remember that insurance companies usually have pre-approved meters, except for Medicare. Make sure your insurance will cover diabetes supplies, such as testing strips, which can become costly with ongoing use or you may want to find a meter that is cheaper and pay out of pocket. Health.com articles on home blood glucose monitoring reminds people with diabetes to use a lancet once and dispose of it properly. This is another expense to keep in mind as reusing lancets can cause a dull finger stick and more unnecessary pain.
Convenience Makes a Difference
Beyond the basic features a meter typically has there is a full range of options that can make a difference in your life. Size also matters; on-the-go people may prefer a smaller meter. People of all ages and health backgrounds can find a meter customized to suit their unique needs. Those with vision impairments can choose a screen with large numbers and a back-lit screen to improve visibility in low lighting. Children may prefer a colorful meter or a designed meter. Handling capabilities also provide greater convenience, such as a USB meter and ones that have a place to store the test strips in the meter. There are also meters that read carbohydrate grams and insulin doses as well as ones that can test ketone levels. Some meters help you focus on a predetermined range of numbers and alert you when not in range. These are handy features to further improve your diabetes management routine. A quality meter and test strips tend to provide the highest level of accuracy. It is also essential to read the instructions and know how to properly operate the meter to get more accurate results.
Consider using the testing solution that is included with all meters to check for strip accuracy. It should be used on the first strip of a new vial or when you think your numbers are not accurate. A blood glucose meter is an essential part of your diabetes management plan. Find a kit that is affordable, easy to use, and accurate. Consult with your health care team and or insurance plan to get the best recommendations. | <urn:uuid:5e687344-2ff5-44a1-b59c-5102054024d5> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.adwdiabetes.com/articles/choosing-glucose-meter-kit | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.947533 | 1,587 | 2.96875 | 3 |
The Fusion of Shapes and Structures: Abstract Architectural Artwork
In art and architecture, a mesmerizing fusion of shapes and structures has given birth to a captivating genre known as abstract architectural artwork. This intriguing marriage of creativity and engineering has produced masterpieces that challenge our perceptions, evoke emotions, and leave us in awe of the limitless possibilities at the intersection of art and architecture.
Abstract architectural artwork is a form of expression transcending the conventional boundaries of art and architecture. It blurs the lines between the tangible and the abstract, the functional and the purely aesthetic. Here, we explore the fascinating world of abstract architectural artwork and how it has enriched our artistic landscape.
Breaking Free from Conformity
Traditionally, architecture has been associated with functionality and practicality. Buildings are designed to serve specific purposes: homes, offices, or public spaces. However, abstract architectural artwork challenges this conformity by placing artistic expression at the forefront.
The rigid rules of functionality do not confine architects, and artists in this genre can explore a vast spectrum of shapes, forms, and structures, allowing their imaginations to run wild. The result is a visual feast of unconventional buildings that defy categorization.
Shapes That Mesmerize
Shapes are the building blocks of abstract architectural artwork. These creations often feature geometric shapes, curves, and asymmetrical forms that captivate the viewer’s eye. The use of unexpected shapes creates a sense of wonder and intrigue, making us question the boundaries of what is possible in architecture.
Imagine walking through a cityscape dominated by buildings that resemble giant puzzle pieces or structures that twist and turn like abstract sculptures. These shapes challenge our preconceived notions of what a building should look like and open up new avenues of artistic exploration.
Structures as Artistic Statements
Structures in abstract architectural artwork are not just functional supports but powerful artistic statements in their own right. Architects employ innovative construction techniques and materials to bring their visions to life. The result is a harmonious blend of form and function where the structure becomes a work of art.
From cantilevered designs that seem to defy gravity to buildings that mimic the fluidity of nature, abstract architectural artwork celebrates the limitless potential of structural design. These structures serve as a testament to human creativity and the ability to push the boundaries of what is achievable in architecture.
One of the most intriguing aspects of abstract architectural artwork is its ability to evoke emotions. These creations often provoke wonder, awe, and even contemplation. The juxtaposition of unconventional shapes and striking structures creates a visual experience that resonates with viewers on a deep emotional level.
Walking through an abstract architectural masterpiece can be a transformative experience. It encourages us to see the world differently, question norms, and appreciate the beauty of the unexpected. Abstract architectural artwork elicits a powerful emotional response, whether it’s a building that appears to be in a perpetual state of motion or one that plays with light and shadow in mesmerizing ways.
Abstract architectural artwork represents the fusion of shapes and structures in a way that challenges our perceptions and inspires our imaginations. It breaks free from the constraints of traditional architecture and embraces the boundless possibilities of artistic expression. As we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in architecture, abstract architectural artwork serves as a reminder of the transformative power of creativity and the enduring beauty of shapes and structures that captivate our hearts and minds. | <urn:uuid:0eb41753-f17b-4bf7-a699-b485623c54f0> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.allthegagefaces.com/the-fusion-of-shapes-and-structures-abstract-architectural-artwork/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.929374 | 690 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Before presenting the Act 1 video, ask students to consider the following questions as they watch:
“What do you notice? What do you wonder?”
“Is there anything that sticks out?”
“Is there anything that reminds you of something else?”
“What are you curious to know?”
Present the Act 1 video.
After presenting the Act 1 video, allow students to share their initial thoughts.
Replay the Act 1 video and continue with the following questions:
“What do you think is the solution to the puzzle?”
“Are there any predictions you’d automatically rule out? Why or why not?”
“What additional information would help you make a more confident prediction?”
After allowing students to share their initial predictions, proceed to Act 2.
Before presenting the Act 2 video, ask students to be on the lookout for new information that will help them refine their predictions.
Present the Act 2 video.
After presenting the Act 2 video, prompt students to consider the following questions:
“How does this new information affect your initial prediction?”
“Are there any changes you’d like to make? Why or why not?”
Give students time to finalize their predictions.
Continue with the following questions:
“What is your final prediction?”
“What is the reasoning behind your prediction?”
“How does your prediction and reasoning compare to others in the class?”
After allowing students to share their final predictions, proceed to Act 3.
Illuminating Teacher Moves
Before presenting the Act 3 video, celebrate the process! 🥳
Remind students that regardless of whether or not their prediction turns out to be correct, everyone has already successfully completed the activity by putting their existing knowledge to work and engaging in critical thinking.
Present the Act 3 video.
After presenting the Act 3 video, take some time to validate students’ reactions.
Irrespective of whether or not their prediction is correct, students may experience a variety of emotions including, but not limited to:
Encouragement, joy, curiosity, excitement
Discouragement, frustration, confusion, and apathy
Take some time to reflect on who your students are and how you can leverage their unique personalities to guide their emotions to a place of awareness and appreciation for the learning that is taking place. | <urn:uuid:7b983189-ac62-432c-bada-678ee8d59d15> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.almostfun.org/lessons/unit-conversions/lesson-guide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.933937 | 509 | 3.84375 | 4 |
Instructional Shifts for
Common Core Math
Common Core Math
1. Focus strongly where the standards focus
The Standards call for a greater focus in mathematics. Rather than racing to cover topics in a mile-wide, inch-deep curriculum, the Standards require us to significantly narrow and deepen the way time and energy is spent in the math classroom. We focus deeply on the major work* of each grade so that students can gain strong foundations: solid conceptual understanding, a high degree of procedural skill and fluency, and the ability to apply the math they know to solve problems inside and outside the math classroom.
2. Coherence - Think across grades, and link to major topics within grades
Thinking across grades: The Standards are designed around coherent progressions from grade to grade. Learning is carefully connected
across grades so that students can build new understanding onto foundations built in previous years. Each standard is not a new event, but an extension of previous learning.
Linking to major topics: Instead of allowing additional or supporting topics to detract from the focus of the grade, these concepts serve the grade level focus. For example, instead of data displays as an end in themselves, they are an opportunity to do grade-level word problems.
3. Rigor in major topics and pursue:
- conceptual understanding,
- procedural skill and fluency, and
- application with equal intensity
Conceptual understanding: The Standards call for conceptual understanding of key concepts, such as place value and ratios. Students must be able to access concepts from a number of perspectives so that they are able to see math as more than a set of mnemonics or discrete procedures.
Procedural skill and fluency: The Standards call for speed and accuracy in calculation. Students are given opportunities to practice core functions such as single-digit multiplication so that they have access to more complex concepts and procedures.
Application: The Standards call for students to use math flexibly for applications in problem-solving contexts. In content areas outside of math, particularly science, students are given the opportunity to use math to make meaning of and access content.
* Summary of Major Work in Grades K–8
- K–2 Addition and subtraction—concepts, skills, and problem solving; place value
- 3–5 Multiplication and division of whole numbers and fractions—concepts, skills, and problem solving
- 6 Ratios and proportional relationships; early expressions and equations
- 7 Ratios and proportional relationships; arithmetic of rational numbers
- 8 Linear algebra and linear functions | <urn:uuid:9e49c9bc-625f-415d-8062-cb94d052ebed> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.alvordschools.org/Page/4799 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.928769 | 526 | 4.4375 | 4 |
What is an occupational disease?
An employee who is or has been exposed to hazards while doing their job can contract a disease. This disease can be recognised as an occupational disease and give rise to compensation provided that it is identified as such by a social security scheme. Unlike for work accidents, there is no regulatory definition of occupational diseases.
Employees are exposed to a wide variety of hazards: toxic chemicals, mould, bacteria, extreme heat, loud noise, heavy loads, night work, and irregular working hours.
How are occupational diseases recognised in France?
Occupational disease tables
In France, the recognition of occupational diseases is mainly based on a table system created in 1919 (French Act of 25 October 1919, extension of the French Act of 1898 on work accidents).
For each disease, these tables specify conditions of recognition, including:
- a description of the disease, i.e. the symptoms or lesions occurring as a result of work activity: cardiovascular disease, bone disease, skin or mucous membrane disease, etc.;
- the time limit for compensation: this is the maximum possible period between the end of exposure and the first medical diagnosis of the disease. In some cases, a minimum period of exposure may be mentioned;
- activities or occupations likely to cause the condition.
If a worker meets all these conditions, they can benefit from "automatic" recognition and do not have to provide proof of the link between their disease and their job: they benefit from the presumption of occupational origin.
There are currently 121 tables for the general social security scheme and 66 for the agricultural scheme. They are organised according to the disease or the responsible pathogen and include, for example, lead-related diseases, disorders related to asbestos dust, hearing impairment caused by noise, etc
Stakeholders in charge of occupational disease tables
Occupational disease tables are created or revised by decree in the Council of State after consultation of the Steering Committee on Working Conditions (COCT) for tables under the general scheme and the High Commission on Occupational Diseases in Agriculture (COSMAP) for those under the agricultural scheme.
Within the COCT, Special Commission No. 4 (CS4) is competent for issues relating to knowledge of the occupational origin of diseases and the link between compensation and prevention in the area of occupational diseases. In addition to the various relevant ministerial departments, the CS4's members include various social partners, representing employees on the one hand and employers on the other, as well as associations representing victims, health insurance funds, prevention organisations, and qualified individuals.
For the agricultural scheme, COSMAP carries out these tasks. Just like the CS4, COSMAP is made up of various stakeholders: farmers, employers, trade unions, associations representing victims, the Agricultural Mutual Insurance Scheme (MSA), prevention organisations, and qualified individuals.
Regional Committees for the Recognition of Occupational Diseases (CRRMPs)
In the event that there is no table for a disease, or when the person does not meet all the conditions in the table, the disease can still be recognised as an occupational disease after consultation of a Regional Committee for the Recognition of Occupational Diseases (CRRMP) (Article L461-1 of the French Social Security Code (CSS)).
There are two possible situations in this complementary system:
- under paragraph 6 of the CSS: if the disease is listed in an occupational disease table but one or more conditions in the table are not met, the disease as it is listed in the table can still be recognised as being of occupational origin when it is established that it has been directly caused by the regular work of the individual worker;
- under paragraph 7 of the CSS: if the disease is not listed in an occupational disease table, it can be recognised as being of occupational origin when it is established that it has been essentially and directly caused by the individual's regular work activities and that it has led to their death or to permanent disability of at least 25%.
The CRRMP is then responsible for carrying out an individual expert appraisal and issuing a reasoned opinion on the link between the victim's regular work and the disease. The appraisal is conducted by three doctors: a regional medical adviser for social security, a regional medical inspector for occupational medicine, and a university professor/hospital practitioner or a hospital practitioner highly qualified in the area of occupational diseases.
Did you know?
It is the responsibility of the victim or their beneficiaries to declare the occupational disease. The time limit is two years from the date on which they are informed, by means of a medical certificate, of the possible link between their disease and their occupational activity.
What do ANSES's expert appraisals involve?
Noting that occupational diseases are under-recognised, the French government and social partners decided to review the methods of the expert appraisal stage enabling, among other things, a causal link to be established between occupational exposure to a hazard and one or more diseases. This reorganisation is one of the measures identified to restore the public authorities' ability to revise the list of occupational disease tables based on advances in scientific knowledge and professional practices. It provides for the implementation of independent, multidisciplinary, collective expert appraisals, which it entrusts to ANSES.
With the support of a multidisciplinary working group created following a public call for applications, the Agency has developed a methodology and a framework for identifying and characterising links between occupational exposure or working conditions and health problems. Its primary aim is to inform various stakeholders:
- the government and the various ministries responsible for creating occupational disease tables under the current regulations;
- the committees consulted by the government prior to the creation or modification of any occupational disease table: COCT, COSMAP;
- social security institutions in charge of implementing the regulations on compensation for occupational diseases and recommendations made to CRRMPs. | <urn:uuid:d4b139bf-d96c-4fd4-bdfe-29527a45a20a> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.anses.fr/en/content/how-are-scientific-expert-appraisals-occupational-diseases-conducted | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.949354 | 1,192 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Cleaning is necessary even though most people don’t enjoy doing it. The process is tiring but vital as it aids in eradicating microorganisms that can be detrimental to our health. Al-Sayah (2020) noted that the process aids a chemical disinfectant in eliminating pathogens because cleaning alone is not enough to kill pathogens. Even though cleaning is not always strong enough to kill these pathogens, it is essential to remove the debris and dirt that can otherwise prevent a disinfectant from reaching microorganisms, therefore rendering it ineffective. Disinfectants can have a hard time getting the target because they aren’t good at cleaning surfaces, meaning, for effective elimination of viruses, bacteria, and fungi, cleaning, and disinfection must be done in that order.
Bleach is one of the most commonly used disinfectants in the world. That function can be attributed to its strength and effectiveness in cleaning and disinfection processes. Also, not to mention the fact that it’s very affordable and safe to use even in the household setting. The active agent in bleach is a chemical compound known as sodium hypochlorite or liquid chlorine. For household use, the World Health Organization recommend that the formulation usually contains 5% or less of sodium hypochlorite.
Does it disinfect or sterilize?
Even though bleach is mostly and commonly used in household cleaning and disinfection, its uses are not limited. It is also used in industrial settings but at a much higher concentration. Moody et al. (2019) mentioned it is also used in health care settings because bleach is effective against many microorganisms, including bacterial spores resistant to some disinfectants. For that reason, bleach can be used as a disinfectant and a sterilizer. The difference is in the concentration. It can be used to disinfect surfaces at the hospital at the same concentration as that used at home and to sterilize medical equipment at a higher concentration.
Safety precaution when using bleach
When handling bleach, you should take necessary precautions to prevent your body from getting in direct contact with the chemical. Cheng, Jiang, and Cheng (2018) mentioned that you should use rubber hand gloves and safety glasses to protect your eyes from potential splash hazards. You’ll also need a long-sleeved cloth to cover your skin and a chemical protective apron for additional protection if there is a spillage. But disposable protective suits are mostly recommended as they offer maximum protection. In case there is direct contact with the skin, be sure to rinse with adequate water. And if there is close contact with the eye, you’ll need to seek medical attention but before that, make sure you rinse your eyes with a lot of clean water.
Another thing that is important to pay attention to when using bleach is ventilation. According to the WHO guidelines, you must ensure that the room in question is well ventilated before you commence the cleaning process. The instruction on how to handle bleach is usually written on the product label. After disinfection or sterilization, you should ensure that you take a shower whether you came into direct contact with a chemical or not. And finally, bleach is too strong to be used around children, so see that they are at a safe distance. When you are done with cleaning and disinfection, ensure that you lock the chemical away from the reach of children.
Al-Sayah, M. H. (2020). Chemical disinfectants of COVID-19: an overview. Journal of water and health, 18(5), 843-848.
Cheng, C., Jiang, A., & Cheng, C. (2018). Effect Comparison of Double-stranded Quaternary Disinfectant Wipes and Chlorine Disinfectant of Sterilizing the Surface of the Operating Room.
Moody, L. V., Miyamoto, Y., Ang, J., Richter, P. J., & Eckmann, L. (2019). Evaluation of Peroxides and Chlorine Oxides as Disinfectants for Chemical Sterilization of Gnotobiotic Rodent Isolators. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, 58(5), 558-568.
World Health Organization: Coronovireses disease, 2019. Available from: (http://www.int/emergencies/disease/novel-coronavirus-2019). | <urn:uuid:d836f94a-0163-4a71-9d5b-33a564cf7df1> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.bactakleen.ae/is-bleach-a-disinfectant-or-a-sterilizer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.914688 | 893 | 3.40625 | 3 |
The principle focuses on distributing different sugar concentrations in layers of gelatin within a food product, which could lead to a range of reduced-sugar food products like desserts, jellies, and dairy products, according to findings published in Food Hydrocolloids.
The issue of health is no longer a marginal topic for the food industry but wholly mainstream, and it finds confectioners, biscuit and cake makers seeking to juxtapose today's consumer desire for indulgence with their desire for foods with a healthy profile.
According to a recent study from the US, only 5 per cent of American children between 6 and 11 were overweight before 1980, but 25 years later this number had risen to 19 per cent. Similar increases have been reported in Europe, with the International Association for the Study of Obesity estimating in 2006 that the number of obese school age children in Europe increased by almost 50 per cents since the late 1990s.
The new study, led by Anne-Marie Hermansson from the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, indicates that reduced sugar foods may be achievable by distributing sugar in a structure.
“It is plausible that, when eating and chewing these gels, the receptors initially met different amounts of sugar, which gave higher sweetness intensities for the samples with sugar-rich layers,” wrote the researchers. “As the structures broke down, the sugar distribution evened out; all samples got the same sugar concentration and the differences disappeared.”
Sugar and salt
A similar approach was recently reported by Dutch scientists from the Top Institute Food and Nutrition (TIFN) who developed a technique to reduce salt without adding sodium substitutes, or taste or aroma additives.
Speaking to FoodNavigator.com, Professor Rob Hamer, TIFN’s scientific director explained that the ‘smart salt distribution’ technology works by blending a high salt fraction with a low salt fraction. This creates different layers with different salt content.
Along a similar principle, Hermansson and her co-workers produced layered gelatin gels with the sugar concentration varied throughout the structure. According to their findings, sweetness was detected earlier in a seven-layered sample with the same sugar concentration as a single homogeneous gel.
“The higher sweetness intensity in the seven-layered sample was probably because more sugar met the receptors at biting through this gel,” wrote the researchers.
“It is plausible to believe from our results that gels with the sugar unevenly distributed can give similar sweetness as a homogenous sample, but with a lower sugar concentration,” they added.
Source: Food Hydrocolloids
Volume 23, Issue 8, Pages 2388-2393
“Sweetness and texture perceptions in structured gelatin gels with embedded sugar rich domains”
Authors: K.Holm, K. Wendin, A.-M. Hermansson | <urn:uuid:b0b1cb90-a45a-4a55-855b-ea02e56d9558> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2010/02/09/Layered-gels-may-help-sugar-reduction | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.946416 | 592 | 3.109375 | 3 |
The tears your eyes produce are necessary for overall eye health and clear vision. Dry eye means that your eyes do not produce enough tears or that you produce tears which do not have the proper chemical composition. Often, dry eye is part of the natural aging process. It can also be caused by blinking or eyelid problems, medications like antihistamines, oral contraceptives and antidepressants, a dry climate, wind and dust, general health problems like arthritis or Sjogren’s syndrome and chemical or thermal burns to your eyes.
If you have dry eye, your symptoms may include irritated, scratchy, dry, uncomfortable or red eyes, a burning sensation or feeling of something foreign in your eyes and blurred vision. Excessive dry eyes may damage eye tissue, scar your cornea (the front covering of your eyes) and impair vision and make contact lens wear difficult.
If you have symptoms of dry eye, see your optometrist for a comprehensive examination. Dry eye cannot be cured, but your optometrist can prescribe treatment so your eyes remain healthy and your vision is unaffected. Some treatments that your optometrist might prescribe include blinking more frequently, increasing humidity at home or work, using artificial tears and using a moisturizing ointment, especially at bedtime. In some cases, small plugs are inserted in the corner of the eyes to slow tear drainage. Sometimes, surgical closure of the drainage ducts may be recommended. | <urn:uuid:02117f76-66c5-403d-a658-93cf4c996a4e> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.barenburgeye.com/dry-eye/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.908779 | 289 | 3.015625 | 3 |
Ten Tips for Sustainability Professionals in the Fashion & Textiles Industry
Increased focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship is changing the legal and regulatory landscape affecting the fashion and textiles industry, providing new challenges for textile and garment manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. This article provides ten tips for sustainability professionals to navigate compliance issues throughout their supply chains. At a minimum, it is critical to know the materials used in your products and the details of your supply chain to effectively identify applicable environmental rules, regulations, and requirements—as well as track changes as they occur. Particularly for the fashion and textiles industry, with its significant environmental footprint, a clear understanding of product components and corresponding legal requirements form the necessary foundation to ensure compliance and minimize environmental enforcement risk.
1. Identify All the Materials Used in Your Product.
It is important for textile manufacturers to have a thorough understanding of the materials used in the manufacture and construction of their products. Chemical composition laws and regulations, responsible sourcing requirements, and recycled content mandates impose restrictions on textile manufacturers, distributors, and retailers that use or sell articles containing certain minerals or compounds. For example, the European Union (EU) restricts several chemicals that may be included in textile articles. The EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) law, the EU’s primary chemical regulation, limits the use of phosphates, phosphinoxides, biphenyls, and several other compounds applied in the development of textile articles, with heightened restrictions for chemicals that come into contact with skin. EU REACH also restricts the use of the widely found Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) chemical and its salts in articles with certain exemptions. In addition, the United States (U.S.) and the EU have conflict mineral disclosure obligations for certain minerals that are used by the fashion industry in finishing details, embellishments, and jewelry, such as gold, diamonds, and mica. On top of these restrictions, recycled content mandates and labeling requirements are becoming increasingly common both in the U.S. and globally.
2. Conduct Due Diligence to Minimize Supply Chain Risks.
Responsible sourcing is a growing focus for both U.S. and international regulators. For example, alleged human rights abuses within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in China have recently prompted enforcement actions concerning products imported into the U.S. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency issued Withhold Release Orders for a number of goods coming from the XUAR on human rights grounds, such as cotton and cotton products, prohibiting their release from U.S. ports. Other countries have enacted or are seriously considering due diligence and modern slavery laws to try to address human rights abuses within supply chains. Accordingly, it is important for companies with complex supply chains to conduct due diligence to identify and eliminate human rights and modern slavery risks. Such due diligence also provides companies with documentation to present to regulators in the event that regulators bring an enforcement action.
3. Track Changing Environmental Laws and Regulations in all Jurisdictions Where Your Business Operates.
Environmental laws and regulations can vary greatly between countries and even between regions within countries. To reduce risk exposure, it is critical to understand the environmental legal regimes in the countries and regions in which you operate. Further, with increasing global attention on climate change and sustainability, many countries and governing bodies are adopting or are in the process of adopting new domestic environmental laws and regulations, as well as international treaties and agreements. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), advanced recycling, microplastics, and microfibers are all emerging areas in which the industry is likely to see relevant, new environmental laws and regulations in the near future. To reduce enforcement risks, it is important to review periodically the environmental laws and regulations impacting your operations in key jurisdictions to proactively adapt to any changes.
4. Know and Follow Reporting Requirements.
Reporting requirements have recently come center stage both within the U.S. and internationally. The Securities Exchange Commission has revisited the need for climate-related disclosures and is dedicating enforcement efforts to addressing consistency across filings. Many companies, including those in the technology and financial investment sectors, have expressed support for such requirements and already do so voluntarily. Internationally, countries such as the United Kingdom and the EU have implemented or are seeking to implement disclosure requirements modeled after voluntary reporting requirements, such as the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. Given the number of different reporting obligations, potential unification efforts for voluntary standards, and growing requirements for mandatory disclosures, it is important to understand the reporting requirements in your key areas of operation, as well as ensure accuracy and consistency of disclosures.
5. Satisfy Applicable Extended Producer Responsibility Requirements.
Recently, a handful of states introduced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation for plastic packaging that has implications for the fashion and textiles industry. California, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, and Washington have all proposed some type of EPR legislation related to packaging. As an example, the Oregon legislature introduced a bill designed to restructure Oregon’s recycling system by, among other things, increasing producers’ responsibility of products and requiring producers to pay a fee for any covered product it sells in Oregon. As different states consider EPR legislation, it is important to understand the breadth of the legislation and requirements within each jurisdiction in which your company operates. Similarly, companies with international operations could be impacted by textile disposal laws, such as France’s Anti-Waste law, which bans companies from destroying unsold inventory, such as clothing, shoes, and other products.
6. Review Eco-Friendly Marketing Campaigns to Ensure Compliance with Green Marketing Rules.
Companies that seek to make environmental claims regarding their products must be sure that such claims are accurate and can be substantiated with data. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has brought suit against textile manufacturers and retailers for making false or misleading claims relating to the environmental impact of their products, inconsistent with the FTC Green Guides, which shed light on the FTC’s interpretation of green marketing requirements. For example, claims about a textile’s biodegradability, recycled content, and organic nature are subject to scrutiny by the FTC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with harsh penalties for false or misleading statements. These requirements can be extremely specific. For instance, to lawfully make an unqualified biodegradable claim in the U.S., marketers must be able to prove that the entire product or package will completely break down and return to nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal. The FTC has defined a reasonably short period of time as one year. For compostable claims, marketers must have competent and reliable scientific evidence that all materials in the product or package will break down into—or become a part of—usable compost safely and in about the same time as the materials with which it is composted. Accordingly, the Green Guides should be reviewed before external issuance of any specific environmental claim on a given product.
7. Integrate Sustainability Company-Wide.
Sustainability affects all aspects of a company at all levels, and so sustainability principles should be integrated company-wide in order to have a real effect. The potential for success is improved when sustainability is promoted and supported throughout the company rather than limited to a “project” or a “division.” Putting together the right team can help significantly to implement sustainability throughout a company. The right team will vary depending on the culture and structure of your company, but it is important to have the right people in the right positions to make decisions and to carry them out. All levels within your company should be represented to help ensure company-wide integration.
8. Get Buy-In from the Top.
To assist in integrating sustainability company-wide in an effective and efficient manner, ensure that even the top levels of your company are on board and visible to others—internally and externally. For most companies, integrating sustainability effectively requires a culture shift and dedicated efforts. Given the significant changes that might be necessary to increase overall sustainability, a clear commitment to sustainability from leadership is often a wise first step, especially alongside a policy, statement, or program.
9. Consider Investing in Sustainability.
There are many ways to integrate sustainability into your company’s operations. Invest in initiatives that make sense for your company. There are a number of legitimate sustainability initiatives that capitalize on existing corporate practices to achieve sustainable ends. The key is treating sustainability just like any other business priority: develop realistic metrics to assess and measure your company’s success at achieving sustainability goals, while also considering the company’s overall return on investment.
10. Expect Increased Enforcement.
Heightened focus on environmental compliance in the U.S., alongside the significant environmental footprint of the fashion and textiles industry, suggests that it may face greater regulatory controls and enforcement in 2021 and 2022. U.S. fashion and textiles industry participants should continue to track legislative, regulatory, and policy developments to proactively manage and mitigate any enforcement risk in domestically based operations.
Beveridge & Diamond’s Textiles & Fashion and Sustainability, ESG groups advise companies in the textiles and fashion industry on the many global environmental and sustainability issues at play. We combine our experience in the field and insights from advising adjacent industries—such as retail, consumer products, forest products, and agriculture—to offer comprehensive environmental, health, and safety support to our clients. For more information, please contact the authors. Join our Textiles & Fashion email list to receive updates and event invitations. | <urn:uuid:9d8c3e43-5324-433c-a9b0-236c58678fb6> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.bdlaw.com/audits-risk-and-compliance-program-assessments/publications/ten-tips-for-sustainability-professionals-in-the-fashion-textiles-industry/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.941037 | 1,984 | 2.625 | 3 |
Approximately 40% of Americans have the genetic potential to become gluten intolerant. More than 1% of Americans have celiac disease. In fact, this percentage may be a low estimate because most physicians are unfamiliar with the signs and symptoms of celiac disease, which can be a "great masquerader". Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are closely related. After repeated exposure to gluten, a person who is gluten intolerant may develop celiac disease. Gluten is a complex of proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley. The human digestive tract cannot break down gluten into its component amino acids, so gluten proteins persist in the gastrointestinal tract until they are excreted.
In susceptible individuals, the gluten proteins may be identified as "foreign" and their immune systems may launch a reaction against these non-self proteins. In such persons, including infants, children, teenagers, and adults, continued exposure to gluten may cause development of signs and symptoms of celiac disease.1-2
Wheat, rye, and barley comprise significant components of the Western diet. Almost all breads are made from one or more of these three grains. Cookies, cakes, bagels, muffins, pizza, and pasta are all gluten-containing foods. Additionally, gluten is found in vitamin pills, shampoo, toothpaste, household cleansers, and even prescription drugs. Wheat-based binders are often used in the manufacturing process of these articles. So gluten is literally everywhere.
A susceptible person's initial immune reaction to gluten persists with continued exposure. Eventually the immune reaction may damage the lining of the person's small intestine, leading to the classic symptoms of celiac disease - abdominal pain, constipation and/or diarrhea, and abdominal bloating. Intestinal damage causes these very unpleasant and debilitating symptoms and may also lead to additional serious diseases. Malnutrition is one of the major consequences of celiac disease.
Importantly, gluten intolerance may be related to a variety of serious disorders. Neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and schizophrenia may be associated with underlying gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), and psoriatic arthritis may be related to gluten intolerance. Endocrine conditions including diabetes, hyper- and hypothryroidism, and Addison's disease are often related to gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Infertility and frequent miscarriages may also be related to an underlying condition of gluten intolerance.
The takeaway is this. Gluten intolerance and celiac disease may be an underlying cause of serious medical conditions that have not been treated successfully. The key is considering gluten intolerance as an underlying cause and taking appropriate action. Patient knowledge and increased physician knowledge and awareness are crucial to correctly identifying a hidden problem.3
Your family chiropractor is an expert in nutrition and is trained to identify underlying causes of health problems. In addition, chiropractic treatment may help restore more normal and more effective immune system functioning. In cases requiring a holistic, multidisciplinary approach, chiropractic treatment is a crucial component.
1Selimolu MA, Karabiber H: Celiac disease. Prevention and treatment. J Clin Gastroenterol 44(1):4-8, 2010
2Setty M, et al: Celiac disease: risk assessment, diagnosis, and monitoring. Mol Diagn Ther 12(5):289-298, 2008
3Schuppan D, et al: Celiac disease: from pathogenesis to novel therapies. Gastroenterology 137(6):1912-1933, 2009 | <urn:uuid:9f9875a6-32b1-4639-b583-bee47c7deecb> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.bishopchiropractic.com/articles/general/418482-gluten-intolerance-what-do-i-need-to-know | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.925654 | 746 | 3.5 | 4 |
Diabetes prohibits the body from properly using and storing sugar, leaving excessive amounts of sugar in the bloodstream which can cause damage to blood vessels and various parts of the body- including the eyes and visual system. Diabetic retinopathy is when this condition results in progressive damage to the retina at the back of the eye. The retina is a light-sensitive tissue that is essential for vision, so if left untreated, diabetic retinopathy will eventually cause blindness. Sadly, despite the fact that proper monitoring and treatment can successfully halt the progression of the diabetic eye disease, it is still the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults in North America.
Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy progressively damages the blood vessels of the retina to the point that they begin to leak blood and fluids. This leakage causes swelling in the retinal tissue which can impact your ability to focus causing vision loss and if left untreated, eventually will cause blindness. Retinopathy typically affects both eyes and often will have no symptoms in the early stages – making regular eye exams essential for anyone with diabetes. The longer an individual has had diabetes, the more likely it is that they will have some degree of retinopathy.
- Blurred or cloudy vision
- Seeing floaters or spots
- Difficulty reading or seeing close objects
- Double Vision
- Poor Night Vision
Untreated diabetic retinopathy can also lead to a detached retina. This can happen if the disease has progressed to proliferative retinopathy in which new, fragile blood vessels grow in the retina and the vitreous at the back of the eye. The blood vessels can break, leaking fluid and causing the growth of scar tissue which can cause the retina to detach. If left untreated this can cause blindness as well.
Many of the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, particular in the early stages of vision loss, can be reversed with proper treatment and control of blood sugar levels. Diabetics with or without retinopathy must see an eye doctor at least once a year for a comprehensive eye exam to monitor any changes and ensure that proper treatment is prescribed. | <urn:uuid:3e673c65-19e7-49b4-9a3d-691a20f34946> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.boulderfamilyvision.com/eye-care-services-in-boulder-co/your-eye-health/eye-diseases/diabetes-and-eyesight/signs-and-symptoms-of-diabetic-retinopathy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.928427 | 431 | 3.3125 | 3 |
Fatty acid oxidation Flashcards
What type of fatty acid cannot enter the mitochondria?
Long chain fatty acid
How do medium and short chain fatty acids enter the mitochondria?
How are fatty acids actiated in the mitochondria?
transformed into Acyl-CoAs
Carnitine transport system
Transports acyl-CoAs across the inner mitochondria membrane by turning into acylcarnitine (CPT1) then transferring back to carnitine (CPT2)
What does beta-oxidation produce?
1 Acetyl-CoA, 1 FADH2, 1 NADH, an acyl-CoA reduced by 2 carbons
Makes FADH2 (1st step beta oxidation)
makes NADH (3rd step beta oxidation)
Adds HSCoA to make Acetyl Co-A and acyl-CoA
How many ATP are formed from FADH2?
How many ATP are formed from NADH?
Very long chain acyl-CoA DH prefers how many carbon?
12 to 24
Long-chain acyl CoA DH prefers how many carbons?
12 to 16
Medium chain Acyl-CoA DH prefers how many carbons?
6 to 8
Short chain acyl-CoA DH prefers how many carbons? | <urn:uuid:28d2cfe6-dc8b-4195-98e4-7c5b5e75b74f> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.brainscape.com/flashcards/fatty-acid-oxidation-5452804/packs/7901636 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.810031 | 283 | 3.078125 | 3 |
Updated: Apr 23
The presentation I gave at the March 2023 BIAZA ZSL LiveFood Conference.
Hosted by Ross Hickles, it explains why LiveFood is important for many of our birds across our section at ZSL London Zoo, and how having a supply of this on our doorstep is not only convenient but hugely beneficial to our team.
Preparation for Breeding
Since egg production is energetically costly, our breeding females require a high proportion of protein during the breeding season. In fact, this is why reproduction in wild birds coincides when food is most plentiful.
Thus, here, at ZSL London Zoo, Livefood is fed in increasing amounts as the breeding season approaches to provide extra animal protein to stimulate:
The enlargement of reproductive organs
And The nesting of our breeding birds.
Not only is it important to increase the amount of Livefood being fed, but it is vital that breeding birds are fed correctly, to get them physiologically into good breeding condition.
Because Healthy birds = healthy eggs = healthy embryos and strong hatchlings.
In addition to ensuring the parents are well nourished, it is also important that the Livefood being fed to the chicks have the proper nutrient balance, because providing the parents with proper food to pass to their young is the keystone to successful chick rearing.
Thus, by having on-site Livefood, we can be certain that the Livefood we feed to all our birds and chicks, has been well cared for, and has had a good diet.
Additionally, we make sure that all our Livefood is gut loaded with Arcadia’s InsectFuel, 24-hours prior to being fed, and that the Livefood offered to the birds with chicks are dusted with AviMix for their first feed of the day. This is a powered vitamin and mineral supplement especially made for birds.
Range in the size of LiveFood
Because birds come in all shapes and sizes, it is important that we are able to provide them all with different sized Livefood.
Fortunately, thanks to our on-site LiveFood supply, we can get live food in a variety of sizes to appeal to almost any species of bird we keep at any stage of their life, and most importantly, acquire any quantity of these sizes we need, whenever we need it.
Moreover, having this flexibility is also convenient since many birds have individual preferences on LiveFood, and we can adapt to those preferences immediately!
Diet / Enrichment
Variety of Live Diets
Once upon a time, all that we really had to offer our captive birds were house crickets, standard locusts, waxworms and mealworms. However, thanks to our in-house Livefood supply, not only are we able to provide our birds with LiveFood in a range of sizes, like I just said, but the choice of live diets that we can offer our captive birds is growing rapidly!
By providing our captive birds with a variety of LiveFood, not only are we are providing them with environmental enrichment, but we are meeting the species-specific dietary needs of our birds.
Because Livefood is seen as a high-value food by many of our birds here, individuals will often go above and beyond the minimum effort required to gain them. Therefore, our team is able to use our on-site LiveFood to train our birds to the station, in order to facilitate better husbandry routines (for example, regular weight checks) without the need for physical restraint.
Having trained birds as well as encouraging a positive association with keepers is likely to result in greater cooperation between the keepers and birds, which will have welfare benefits for the birds.
To conclude, as you can see, clearly having a Livefood company on our doorstep is very beneficial and hugely convenient for the tropical birds’ team! | <urn:uuid:d6c5bce4-2394-419f-8921-6c264175402b> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.camillemunday.com/post/biaza-zsl-livefood-conference | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.964562 | 789 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Cipro, also known as ciprofloxacin, is an antibiotic medication used to eradicate bacterial infections in various parts of the body. It belongs to the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics and works by interfering with the DNA synthesis of the bacterial cells. Cipro has broad-spectrum activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, making it effective for treating a wide range of infections. It was first approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1987. This medication can be taken orally or administered through injections in severe cases. Cipro is a potent medication that can be lifesaving when used appropriately, but it should only be used as prescribed and under the guidance of a healthcare provider.
How Does Cipro Work?
How Does Cipro Work? Cipro, also known as ciprofloxacin, is an antibiotic that belongs to the fluoroquinolone class. It works by interfering with the enzymes necessary for bacterial DNA replication and cell division, ultimately preventing further growth and multiplication of the bacteria. This broad-spectrum antibiotic is effective against a wide range of bacterial infections and is often prescribed for respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary tract infections, and skin and soft tissue infections. Cipro can be taken orally or administered intravenously depending on the severity and location of the infection. However, due to potential risks and side effects, Cipro should only be taken with a valid prescription and following a doctor's instructions.
What Infections Can Cipro Treat?
Cipro is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of infections caused by bacteria. It can be used to treat respiratory, urinary tract, and skin infections. In addition, Cipro is also effective in treating bone and joint infections, as well as sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. The medication works by interfering with the DNA formation of the bacteria, preventing the bacteria from reproducing and spreading. Cipro is especially effective in treating infections that are caused by bacteria that are resistant to other antibiotics. However, it is important to note that Cipro should only be used when prescribed by a physician, as it can have serious side effects and may interact with other medications.
Risks and Side Effects of Cipro
Risks and Side Effects of Cipro: Cipro is a potent antibiotic that comes with potential risks and side effects. Some of the common side effects of Cipro include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. In some cases, the drug may cause serious adverse reactions, such as tendinitis, tendon rupture, and nerve damage. Cipro use may also lead to an increased risk of developing Clostridium difficile infection, which can cause severe diarrhea and colitis. Other risks associated with Cipro use include an increased risk of seizures and low blood sugar levels. It is essential to discuss the potential risks and benefits of Cipro with your doctor before starting the treatment. Make sure to report any adverse reactions promptly to prevent complications.
Cipro and Drug Interactions
Cipro is an antibiotic medication used to treat various bacterial infections. It belongs to a class of drugs called fluoroquinolones and works by stopping bacterial growth. However, it is important to note that Cipro can interact with other medications, which can affect its effectiveness and increase the risk of side effects. For example, taking Cipro with antacids or multivitamins that contain magnesium, aluminum, or calcium can reduce the absorption of the drug. Additionally, Cipro should not be taken with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen as this can increase the risk of seizures. It is therefore essential to inform your doctor or pharmacist of all medications and supplements you are taking before taking Cipro.
Conclusion: Is Cipro Right for You?
Cipro is an antibiotic medication commonly used to treat bacterial infections such as urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and skin infections. It belongs to the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics and works by inhibiting the bacteria's ability to replicate and grow. However, it's important to note that cipro can interact with other medications, including blood thinners, corticosteroids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These interactions can cause a range of side effects, including increased risk of bleeding, tendon damage, and seizures. It's important to talk to your doctor about any medications you are taking before starting a course of cipro, and to report any adverse reactions or symptoms that may occur during treatment.
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Citizens Count's core values are a set of ideals that reflect what is centrally important to the organization and its members. These values are integrated into our organization's policies, actions and activities, affecting all aspects of what we undertake.
Civic education: Information is essential to the development of an informed, effective, and responsible citizenry. We foster efforts to effectively educate citizens of all ages in civic history, contemporary civics, and civic responsibility.
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Do you share these values? Take a stand by becoming a member today. | <urn:uuid:a6932b04-0b7f-4d98-b4dc-ac7e107f6cbe> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.citizenscount.org/core-values | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.955618 | 487 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Rick Scott, a Republican senator from Florida, recently caused controversy with a sentence buried in a policy manifesto that declared, “All Americans should pay some income tax to have skin in the game”—which he suggested might help shrink the federal government. President Biden pounced on the line, which Scott acknowledged had been poorly worded, to accuse Republicans of having a secret plan “to raise taxes on 75 million American families.”
Biden’s accusation may be farfetched, but Scott is also mistaken. Government spending has not grown because voters lack skin in the game, but because funds have become more readily available for politicians to spend.
Voters everywhere, political scientist Sven Steinmo observes, “like public spending and hate taxes.” To these “conflicting incentives, political elites in all democracies have responded similarly,” Steinmo continues. “They have ratcheted up both tax rates and tax bases during times of crisis, relied on economic growth and inflation to push up revenues, and attempted to hide tax hikes via indirect, or hidden, taxes.” When “political elites are able to override initial public resistance to taxes,” he says, “they will have much greater scope for expanding welfare state programs.”
World War II transformed the role of the state by legitimizing mass income taxation for the first time. From 1939 to 1945, the proportion of American households paying income taxes soared from 6 percent to 72 percent. A November 1942 New York Times editorial warned: “Taxes of the magnitude now provided for call for violent readjustment in living standards.” Over the course of the war, federal tax revenue surged from 7 percent to 20 percent of GDP.
There was no rollback of taxes following the Second World War as there had been after the First. The era’s Republicans, led by President Eisenhower, opposed broad-based tax cuts in order to maintain revenues for the Cold War and to minimize budget deficits. Yet, as defense spending plummeted from 37 percent of GDP in 1945 to 7 percent in 1965 and postwar economic growth fueled a surge in revenues, Democrats eagerly repurposed funds for domestic spending, powering the party to unbroken control of Congress from 1955 to 1981.
From 1945 to 1980, federal spending on social-welfare programs rose steadily, from 1 percent to 11 percent of GDP, but only 1.6 percent of GDP went to programs reserved for the poor, such as Medicaid, food stamps, or Supplemental Security Income. For all the fuss over Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty, the Office of Economic Opportunity (which encompassed Head Start and community-action, urban-development, and job-training programs) spent only 0.2 percent of GDP at its height, and shrunk thereafter. As eligibility for welfare expanded, states often reacted to rising costs by cutting benefit levels.
President Johnson’s chief economic advisor, Walter Heller, justified the lack of concern for distributive impact and cost-effectiveness by arguing that, when the “social pie grows bigger, there is less reason to quarrel over who gets the biggest slices.”
However, while the bulk of postwar domestic spending increases went to middle-class Medicare and Social Security beneficiaries, the associated tax increases weighed heaviest on the poor. From 1950 to 1980, payroll taxes had grown from 0.4 percent to 2.3 percent of the incomes of the highest-earning 5 percent of Americans, but for Americans with below-median incomes they had surged from 2.9 percent to 8.8 percent. Legislators also quietly welcomed additional revenue as rising inflation pushed Americans with modest incomes into higher tax brackets.
Taxes consumed 34 percent of the incomes of the richest 10 percent of Americans in 1980, just as they had in 1944 (when the top marginal tax rate was 94 percent). But over that same period, Americans with below-median incomes saw their taxes rise from 16 percent to 25 percent of their pay. As voters caught on, a tax revolt, driven in part by blue-collar workers, swept Ronald Reagan into the White House.
Reagan pledged to turn Republican strategy on its head. Denouncing legislators “who told us that taxes couldn’t be cut until spending was reduced,” he proposed to “cure their extravagance by simply reducing their allowance.” The crux of Reagan’s agenda was the 1981 Economic Recovery Tax Act, which deprived the federal government of stealth tax increases to which it had become accustomed by indexing tax brackets for inflation. As political scientist Paul Pierson noted, “If the government wished to spend more, it would now have to vote openly for higher taxes.”
The tightening of fiscal constraints forced legislators to prioritize. They reined in eligibility for entitlements so that benefits became better targeted at those in need. Expansions of benefits for the poor, such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, were subsequently funded with cuts to the scheduled growth of existing programs, such as Medicare—which cost only 3.1 percent of GDP in 2021, rather than the 4.1 percent predicted 20 years earlier. Though federal spending on entitlements reserved for the poor increased from 1.6 percent of GDP in 1981 to 3.5 percent in 2019, overall federal expenditure declined slightly from 21.6 percent of GDP to 21 percent.
Senator Scott is right to be wary of welfare dependency, but rising entitlement costs are far more the result of health and retirement benefits for the middle class than of aid for the poor. Indeed, Medicare and Social Security are the main reason that federal spending is projected to surge from 20 percent to 30 percent of GDP over the next 25 years. These programs have grown on autopilot because they enjoy guaranteed access to dedicated payroll tax revenues, which have insulated their expenditures from pertinent questions about needs and priorities. Voters certainly have no shortage of skin in the game: 85 percent of Americans pay more in payroll taxes than in income taxes. But it is only because these revenues will soon fall short of the programs’ expected costs that policymakers will possess any ability to advance reform. | <urn:uuid:8526ff34-fcc5-47d2-9766-f02297fdc329> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.city-journal.org/article/feeding-the-beast | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.966307 | 1,253 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Environmentally-friendly dimmable technology reduces energy consumption
At a press conference on 18 April, Professor Ron Hui and Dr Henry Chung of CityU’s Department of Electronic Engineering demonstrated how the dimmable technology works in lamps and how it contributes to the reduction of environmental pollution. Both Professor Hui and Dr Chung pointed out that, in lighting systems, having dimming ability does not necessarily mean energy-saving, and energy-saving technology does not necessarily mean that it is environmentally-friendly. However, CityU’s novel dimmable lighting technology is both energy-saving and environmentally-friendly.
“Striking a balance between development and harmony of the ecosystem has become an issue of common concern for mankind,” said CityU President Professor H K Chang while kicking off the press conference. “The novel dimmable technology introduced by Professor Hui and Dr Chung not only reduce energy consumption, it also helps reduce damages to the ecosystem.”
In electric lighting systems for discharge lamps such as fluorescent lamps and high-intensity-discharge lamps, a device known as “ballast” is used to control and limit the current in the lamp. The mainstream product, “electromagnetic ballast”, consists of a choke which is made of metal core and copper winding. It is highly reliable and has a typical lifetime of 15-20 years, with little maintenance required. The metallic choke is recyclable and is therefore environmentally friendly.
There is a recent trend of replacing the “electromagnetic ballasts” with “electronic ballasts”, because the latter consume about 10 to 15% less electricity. However, the increasing use of energy-saving electronic ballasts leads to an environmental problem – accumulation of toxic electronic waste. Electronic ballasts have a relatively short lifetime ranging from one to five years. Each piece of electronic ballast can only control up to one to three lamps. Therefore, widespread use of electronic ballasts will lead to massive accumulation of toxic electronic waste.
Professor Hui and Dr Chung developed a central dimming technology that can turn “non-dimmable” electromagnetic ballasts into “dimmable” ones. It is compatible with all electromagnetic ballasts and no major rewiring is required. Its dimming capability allows users to use lighting energy when and where it is necessary and to the appropriate lighting level. Each central dimming system can control up to 150-200 discharge lamps, so substantial reduction in electronic waste can be achieved. It has a “self-recovery” feature, that is, if the central dimming system fails, the lighting system will continue to work. “The novel technology is suitable for extreme weather conditions and requires very low maintenance cost,” said Professor Hui.
Through the support of a CityU associated company, e. Energy Technology, this central dimming technology (patent-pending) has been successfully applied to road lighting systems. It is suitable for applications both in indoor and outdoor large lighting systems such as roads and highways, parks and gardens, multi-storey car parks, public housing estates, industrial and commercial buildings, airports, hotels, universities and sports stadiums.
Lighting systems consume about 15 to 18% of global electricity. If the new technology is widely applied, it could reduce power consumption in electric lighting systems by 1/15 (or 6.7% in the lighting energy sector), thus reducing 1% of global electrical energy consumption annually. The central dimming control system has been tested in | <urn:uuid:fe5d2e12-7de9-4a84-8ac1-4c48dd9c31f5> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.cityu.edu.hk/media/news/2005/04/18/environmentally-friendly-dimmable-technology-reduces-energy-consumption | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.941054 | 727 | 2.765625 | 3 |
For philosophers, the matter is not simply objectivity. It is also the first expression of cosmic Thought, the first step of externalization of this Thought as nature. Such a way of speaking looks pretty odd today. However, we must remind ourselves that at this ontological level, metaphorical language is unavoidable.
The archetype of every such ontological and metaphorical understanding is Plato’s myth of the Demiurge. This is the everlasting model of the active entity that creates the concrete, material world by copying the ideal pure Forms into every concrete thing in this world.
The Demiurge is similar to an artist who – while creating his work of art – brings to the light, by means of his artistic work, his internal vision of beauty. That vision would have disappeared forever if the artist had not been able to externalize it through the work of art.
God Himself is, in every religion, the supreme Demiurge that makes reality what it is. Religion is the emotional attitude of man toward this necessary metaphor of human understanding. Without this metaphor, the world cannot be thought of as a unity.
Nietzsche, in his way of speaking, said once in this respect that everything becomes a tragedy around the hero, whereas, around God, everything transforms into a world.
Philosophers like Hegel thought of the relationship between God and the world, similar to the relationship between an artist and his work of art: God has His own eternal understanding and vision. The Creation is His work of art; it is the externalization into concrete matter of God’s thoughts which would have remained eternally unknown without that materialization.
Thus when Hegel says, in his philosophy of nature, that matter is the first form of externalization of the Notion he means that matter is the simplest expression of the eternal thought of God. If we were to use the metaphor of a painter, we could compare matter, in this understanding, with the color of the background in a painting.
This color is very simple compared to everything else contained in that painting because it has no form. It is only a background color that makes everything else possible in the realm of visibility. In the same way, matter, as the first moment of externalization of the Notion, is the background that allows everything else to embody into more and more complex material shapes.
Now, indeed, such metaphorical language seems to be inadequate because it has features that are lacking in the ‘Grand Design.’ The artist has a canvas on which the painter unfolds his internal vision. The artistic work has a starting moment and an ending one. And so forth.
By contrast, God’s artistic, creative work is infinite. In order to use metaphorical language with respect to God, you need a shortcut; you must raise yourself to the bird’s-eye-view of infinity (indeed a true salto mortale when you confront critical spirits who smile sarcastically at talk of explaining the unfolding of infinity) and tell the story as if you were yourself the artist.
But you must take into consideration that you must create a world out of nothing. Thus, matter as the first externalization of the Notion appears in the snap of a finger: it is an externalization that is suddenly there, without any mediation of previously visible activity. God said, ‘Let there be matter!’ and the Matter – of course, magically – was there.
However, the matter is not pure passivity. If it were that way, the matter could not develop or transform into something else. The matter is carrying within itself the features of the Idea, in the same way in which the painting carries within itself the artist’s personality.
The universal matter as the first externalization of the Notion is an expression of that power that keeps everything together, i.e., of the divine providence.
A philosopher sees everything in the world as being connected to everything else and also as lying under the power of an iron necessity. The natural laws connecting things together are the expressions of this iron necessity from which nothing can detach itself.
For example, we constantly see that the positive pole of the magnet attracts the negative pole and rejects another positive pole. This happens consistently, and we have never seen any violation of this law in nature.
It is as if someone decided with absolute power that poles behave that way and that they cannot escape that decision. Or, take any individual causal relationship: if you do not let any other causal influence interfere with an existing causal relationship, the original causal relationship will endlessly keep its form and power.
But connections happen at all levels of reality: not only are such inanimate things connected but organic beings also. Within the bodies of the organic beings, there are connections between all kinds of organs, as well as chemical reactions (which are the connections between the chemical substances).
Then there exists a connection between living beings too, either between the living beings of the same species – in reproduction, for example – or between living beings of different species.
In this regard, it is enough to say that animals eat each other and cannot survive without food. Living beings have a constant exchange with their environment while they eat, drink, or just breathe the surrounding air.
Let’s climb higher in the hierarchy of living beings, reaching now the human level. We see that the human being, in order to become a human being, needs the care of other human beings. Then all its activity means participating in others’ activity. And every community strives to preserve itself, therefore rejecting any influence threatening its identity.
Providence, if you are willing to see it, has thus countless forms. It is the style of this world, the mark of Creation. However, it is not so easily acceptable to identify material magnetism with the loving care of humans for their peers.
You could counter-argue that material magnetism acts necessarily and inevitably, whereas human care can exist or be lacking. And, what is more, care implies consciousness and feeling, and it would be nonsense to attribute such traits to a magnet.
Still, the core feature of attraction is there in both cases. The participating entities are drawn to each other. Be it a metaphor or not, we simply cannot understand those circumstances without that concept of attraction. In whatever way we explain the interaction between the positive charge of the atomic nucleus and the positive charge of the electronic layers, the image of attraction is there, and we cannot avoid it.
The atom is a unity, and unities cannot be comprehended otherwise than as unifying actions. They happen either through a spontaneous attraction between things or by putting things together and then grasping them as known unities.
Knowledge is, for Hegel, such an act of bringing things together. It is the conceptual expression of natural attraction. What deters us from recognizing this is that, in our minds, schemes have no active force or real energy. When we draw the blueprint of a future house, apparently the pieces simply stick together.
However, they stay there in an order based on how we think of each piece’s place. Our thought plays here the role of the attractive force, but it does not display it to make us see how things move towards each other, as happens with real magnetism. Things are drawn to each other only in reality; in knowledge, they only point or allude to each other.
This is why for Hegel, the matter must already manifest this cosmic feature of providence. And it does this through gravitation, which is the basic property of matter, the property which enables matter to build all kinds of bodies able to keep the unity of the parts from which they result. | <urn:uuid:cf9214a6-4c3e-4682-bebc-d8f767e3f78f> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.claudiubaciu.com/does-the-world-have-a-style/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.963016 | 1,577 | 3.0625 | 3 |
Global support for one of the cheapest and most powerful climate actions is accelerating — and it couldn’t come at a more urgent time.
Countries are starting to get more serious about slashing avoidable methane emissions from fossil fuel production, as the rapidly warming planet forces leaders to double down on solutions that can reign in scorching temperatures within decades.
Last month Bloomberg Green reported that U.S. officials are discussing with their Turkmenistan counterparts ways to help the central Asian nation cap some of the world’s worst methane emissions that spew from its aging oil and gas operations. Separately, European Union rules could pave the way for cuts to the greenhouse gas seeping out from the continent’s coal mines
If all the gas that’s leaked or vented by Turkmenistan’s energy sector was salvaged and burned instead and the EU rules take effect, the combined measures would have roughly the same short-term climate effect as wiping out roughly 290 million tons of CO2 each year, according to calculations by Bloomberg and energy think tank Ember. That’s like canceling the emissions of Taiwan — the world’s leading chip-maker and its 21st worst polluter. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency also is expected to outline its plan in coming weeks for implementing a new fee on methane emissions mandated by the sweeping climate law enacted last year.
Although massive emissions reductions of the gas from the energy sector are still needed from many more countries globally, including from major emitters like China and Russia, the measures may mark a shift toward concrete climate action.
“The potential U.S.-Turkmenistan deal and the new EU legislation show demonstrable progress in reducing global methane pollution, demonstrating that the 2021 Global Methane Pledge is more than just a promise,’’ said Alice C. Hill, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Halting methane that is intentionally released or accidentally leaked from coal mines or natural gas and oil production is some of the lowest hanging fruit in the fight against climate change because minimizing those emissions is often as simple as upgrading infrastructure and making it more efficient.
Those refurbishments can generate more product operators can sell. The International Energy Agency estimates that around 40% of oil and gas emissions could be implemented at no net cost. There is also significant potential to curb methane releases from large, porous underground coal mines, according to the agency. Although burning methane, the primary component of natural gas, still produces carbon dioxide, the warming impact is significantly less than if the uncombusted gas escapes directly into the atmosphere.
In Europe, coal mines already control or capture much of the methane spewing from their mines, but often fail to combust or process it and ship it to markets, according to Ember methane analyst Sabina Assan, who estimates the new EU rules could slash the bloc’s coal mine methane emissions nearly 40% by 2040. The regulations must still pass through final negotiations with the bloc’s member states and could change.
“This is basically just asking mines to improve the systems they already have in place,’’ said Assan. “It’s really something that they should already be doing, and it won’t necessarily cost much.’’
Although some climate activist groups expressed disappointment the EU rules aren’t more ambitious, the rules focus on measuring and mitigating emissions from both active and abandoned mines, which is an important because so many shafts continue leaking methane long after they stop production, according to Assan.
Although sparsely populated and rarely in the international news, Turkmenistan is a crucial piece of the global climate puzzle because it sits atop the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves and spews more methane per unit of oil and gas output than any other major oil- or gas-producing country. The majority of the world’s 500 most intense global methane releases since 2019 that have been traced back to the oil and gas sector were in Turkmenistan, according to analysis of satellite data by Kayrros SAS.
President Serdar Berdymukhamedov approved a roadmap that includes measures to study how the country could potentially join the Global Methane Pledge, a U.S. and EU-led initiative committed to slashing global emissions of the gas 30% by the end of the decade. About 7% of Turkmenistan’s gas is currently believed to be wasted through deliberate venting or flaring and accidental leaks.
The U.S. could potentially provide financial assistance possibly through the Export-Import Bank with oil service providers like Halliburton Co. and SLB, formerly named Schlumberger, working to track down leaks and replace equipment in Turkmenistan, people familiar with the discussions said.
“It is very encouraging that Turkmenistan is stepping up efforts to mitigate its methane emissions, and that international partners are ready to support Turkmenistan in this journey,” said Manfredi Caltagirone, head of the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO), an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme.
The U.S. government also is moving on several fronts to attack methane emissions from the oilfield. A marquee plan the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to finalize late this year would mandate routine monitoring for leaks at even small wells, require company blueprints for plugging them and curtail the use of flaring, when natural gas at oil wells is burned off as less-potent carbon dioxide.
U.S. regulators say oil and gas operators stand to claim over 80% of the revenue from the sale of natural gas that would be newly captured under the requirements. The expected methane emissions reductions from the EPA’s proposed mandates aren’t linear and the agency didn’t give an annual breakdown. However, averaging the estimated cuts over the 12-year timeframe provided by the agency shows the rules would block roughly 2.7 million metric tons of methane from entering the atmosphere annually. Because methane is a potent greenhouse gas, the short term climate impact would be equivalent to eliminating 225 million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year or canceling Pakistan’s emissions.
The U.S. and EU made methane a top issue ahead of COP26 in 2021, ultimately rallying some 150 nations behind the global pledge. Nearly two years after that pact was unveiled, focus has moved beyond enrolling more countries in the initiative to taking action on the ground.
The goal for 30% reduction in global methane emissions by 2030 isn’t likely to be met, according to David Oxley, head of climate economics at research group Capital Economics. However, Oxley wrote in a recent note that efforts to tackle methane emissions “give us confidence” that releases will start to decline this decade. | <urn:uuid:3360357d-3e59-4f06-ada6-33334f78023c> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/jun/25/a-cheap-fix-to-global-warming-is-finally-gaining-support/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.944832 | 1,398 | 2.984375 | 3 |
This Nonbinary pendant is for people who don't identify within the gender binary. The nonbinary pride flag was created in 2014 by Kye Rowan. Yellow represents people whose gender exists outside the binary, purple represents those whose gender is a mixture of—or between—male and female, black represents people who have no gender, and white represents those who embrace many or all genders. Folks who identify as nonbinary may also use terms such as genderqueer, genderful, gender expansive, or genderless.
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When a company is sharing its technology or other proprietary information with a potential strategic or commercial partner, it will want to ensure that the information is kept secret and not being used for an unauthorized purpose. This is where a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is relevant.
Put simply, an NDA is a legally binding document that sets out the obligations of the person receiving confidential, non-public information to the person disclosing it. An NDA may be one-way (in other words, it only obligates the receiving party to protect the confidential information of the disclosing party) or it may be mutual (it obligates each party to protect the other party’s confidential information). It is also known as a confidential disclosure agreement or confidentiality agreement, but the name of the document and the scope of what the document covers could vary depending on the context, type of transaction and the industry you are in.
NDAs are meant to provide assurance that a defined universe of information that is shared between parties will be confidential and not used for any purpose other than the purposes permitted in the NDA. That said, please be aware that in some contexts, NDAs are not the norm. For example, most VC’s (other than perhaps those in the life sciences space) will not sign an NDA with an entrepreneur looking for funding in the US.
When you use your counterparty’s form of NDA or receive a heavy markup to your form, here are a few important questions to think about:
Which individuals will have access to your confidential information?
You may want to limit the receiving party’s disclosure of your confidential information to employees or outside advisors (such as the receiving party’s attorneys) with a “need to know” and that are themselves obligated to maintain the confidentiality of your information.
How is “confidential information” defined?
As the party disclosing confidential information, review the definition closely to make sure it really covers everything you need to keep confidential. Dispassionately evaluate and identify what is truly sensitive to preserve confidentiality.
If you anticipate disclosing potentially patentable inventions, make sure they are covered by the NDA. For example, under US patent law, not doing so will trigger the beginning of the grace period which requires you to file for a patent within 12 months of a public disclosure; other jurisdictions may have similar requirements. Under UK and European law, there is no such grace period and any disclosure you make that is not covered by an NDA could prejudice your rights in any future UK or European patent application.
Do you need an export control provision?
Please keep in mind that if a country has export control laws, such as the US and the UK, these laws may cover not only the export of goods, but other transactions you might not expect; for example disclosing technical information to a foreign entity or foreign national may implicate export control laws.
Penalties for violating export controls can be significant. Ask your lawyers to give you some guidance on what they see in that specific industry or transaction context.
What is the purpose of sharing the confidential information?
Stating the purpose of signing the NDA will provide a direction to the relationship you wish to have with the counterparty and will ensure that the receiving party does not use your information in ways that may be detrimental. Any use beyond the stated purpose should require the disclosing party’s consent.
How long should the recipient of confidential information keep it a secret?
Your NDA may state that this obligation survives in perpetuity (that is, with no fixed termination date), but the markup you receive caps the period to the term of the agreement, or to several years after disclosure of the information.
Before you insist on perpetual secrecy, think about whether what the information you are sharing will become publicly available in the future. For example, if you are sharing the fact that you have an exclusive supply agreement, the terms of which are confidential, but you intend to reveal this partnership on your website within a few months after your fundraising round, there would be no reason to negotiate hard for a perpetual term. On the other hand, if you are disclosing information that you believe to be trade secrets, you may need to insist on a perpetual secrecy term since trade secret protection extends for as long as the information remains a trade secret.
Remember that the “term” of an NDA can refer to either the duration of the confidentiality obligations or the duration of your information-sharing relationship with the counterparty. Be careful to keep these two different timelines in mind when you are negotiating your NDA.
Is there a “residuals” clause in the NDA?
This clause allows the receiving party to use, without restriction, some “residual” information that is received during the course of the relationship between the parties, usually covering information that a party’s personnel recollects from its “unaided memory.” A “residuals” clause can raise concerns for the disclosing party, since it potentially allows the receiving party to use confidential information for any purpose without violating the NDA.
If there is a residuals clause, and you are a disclosing party, consider including a provision making clear that the NDA does not grant the other party a license to your intellectual property rights.
Should you sign a one-way or mutual NDA?
In a one-way NDA, only one of the parties is receiving confidential information and is therefore subject to confidentiality obligations. In contrast, in a mutual NDA, both parties to the agreement are receiving confidential information and are therefore subject to the same standards of confidentiality. Deciding which format to use depends on who is actually going to receive confidential information.
If you do not expect to receive (or do not want to receive) any confidential information, then you should be cautious about strapping yourself to legally enforceable obligations, especially if the party disclosing information to you is, or may in the future be, a competitor. On the flip side, if a potential privately held acquiror presents you with a one-way NDA that protects only your confidential information, you may want to consider a mutual NDA to facilitate your assessment of the acquirer (in the acquisition context, check out this article for things to keep in mind before sharing information with a potential buyer).
You can sign an NDA in a number of different situations – when you are discussing a potential strategic relationship or a key customer relationship or in the context of a merger or other reorganization. Whatever may be the reason, you must strike a balance between being judicious about what you concede, in order to move the deal forward and standing firm on points that are non-negotiable (such as protecting your trade secrets). Therefore, having the broader end goal in sight and the above list of questions handy will lead to a more meaningful discussion with your counterparty.
Last reviewed: March 18, 2022 | <urn:uuid:f9b8f4d4-5994-4417-a11d-975603c6efbf> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.cooleygo.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-nda/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.938802 | 1,425 | 2.65625 | 3 |
It is not uncommon to feel body pains or aches. It’s normal to feel some ache from a part of your body from time to time, and it is just a normal phenomenon. Even the most healthy person can feel some pain at any time of the week.
The back is one of the most common areas for aching. This applies to both active people and those who stay put for too long.
For those who follow an active routine, this pain can be caused by fatigue in the body part. It can also be caused by excessive stretching or other similar factors. Strenuous activities can increase your risk of injury.
Meanwhile, those who live a more sedentary lifestyle are not exempt from having pain. They are actually more likely to experience back pain than their more active counterparts. The reason is that they are less active and have weaker muscles.
Living a sedentary life can cause some muscles to become weaker and others to grow more. This will all depend on how the person stands. This can lead to numerous body pains.
Poor posture is a major cause of back pain. More often than not, this resulting posture makes most of the back muscles imbalanced and overdeveloped. However, some of these milder back pain can still be cured should the person want to do it.
Some back pain is more difficult to treat. Whenever you or someone you know experience these types of back pain, it would be wise to get medical attention.
Seek professional help when the back pain is:
- Sharp Pain Rather than a dull ache – This is a sign of torn muscle or ligament. This could also be a problem with an internal organ in the back or on the side. Consult a doctor before it gets worse.
- Radiating or moving pain – If the pain appears to radiate or shoot to the legs or glutes, it could be a sign of nerve compression.
- Affecting your legs and suddenly weakening them – When the pain affects the legs and weakens them, it might be caused by compressed nerves in the spines. This could be caused by spinal stenosis or sciatica. A stroke could be the cause of sudden leg weakness.
- Making you Incontinent – Some back pain comes with the inability to control the bowels or bladder. This might be a sign of serious nerve compression. This could also be a sign of serious nerve compression.
- Numbness or pins and needles in the groin or glutes – This condition is also known as saddle anesthesia. This is a sign of a serious nerve or spine condition and must be treated immediately before it is too late.
For those who like a visual experience, this video review is from Reviews For Life’s YouTube channel. You can still read our article to get a complete overview of Back Pain Breakthrough.
Alleviating Non-Serious Back Pain Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
Some back pain is not serious. Some are just minor discomfort and can be remedied in the safety of your own home. Some ways to alleviate back pain include:
- Get Better Sleep
One of the best ways to stop back pain is as simple as getting proper sleep. It might not be simple to say, but it can be difficult to get good sleep when you have back pain.
But that’s the thing; You may get back pain because you are not sleeping properly. Because of back pain, you may not be sleeping well.
This could be due to poor sleeping habits. Trying out an alternate or more comfortable sleep position might do the trick. This can be done by lying on the side. Keeping your spine aligned with your whole back also does seem to do the trick.
A comfortable mattress can make a world of difference in providing better sleep and relief from body pains.
- Maintaining Good Posture
Now that you are older and feeling multiple pains around your body, the words ring out to you “slouching is bad for you.” Poor posture can worsen back pain, especially when you have to sit for long periods.
This is bad news when all your work has to be done in that position. So to prevent making your back pain worse, you must avoid slumping over your keyboard and sitting upright.
Try to keep your shoulders relaxed and your body supported against the back of your chair. You can also place a pillow, a towel, or something similar between your lower back and the chair. Keep your feet flat on a hard surface such as the ground. Maintain this posture, and you might slowly alleviate your back pain.
- Getting Medication
Over-the-counter pain relief medications can also be used to ease back pain. These come in two forms: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and acetaminophen. These drugs may not be for everyone and can cause side effects.
Before taking any medication, it is always a good practice to consult a doctor. Also, medication is not the end-all-be-all solution to back pain problems. Research has shown that medicine should not be used alone to achieve the best results.
- Prescription Pain Relief
Depending on the severity of the pain and the doctor’s advice, some might have to take prescription-strength NSAIDS or opioids. Talking to the doctor or pharmacist is essential before starting any treatment with this as it carries the risk of overdosing on certain active ingredients.
- Antidepressant medication
Don’t be surprised if you got prescribed antidepressant medication when you were just inquiring about your back pain, especially for chronic low pain.
While the connection between back pain and antidepressants is unclear, what is clear is that, somehow, an antidepressant can help ease back pain. This is believed to be due to chemical messengers carried by antidepressants to the body, according to studies and beliefs.
- Physical Therapy
As an alternative treatment to taking medication, physical therapy can also be an option. By taking a physical therapy course, one can learn how to sit, stand and move properly while keeping the spine aligned.
Specialized exercises are also offered in physical therapy to strengthen the core muscles, which serve as back support. This is because it’s believed that back pain can be reduced by being more flexible and stronger.
- Do not rest your back
This might seem like the opposite of the first one, but closer inspection reveals that it is. The first one only talks about getting proper sleep. This one talks about not resting your back excessively.
According to doctors, too much bed rest can cause back pain and make it worse. A few days is sufficient. From then on, getting up and slowly starting to move again can help your back. Some exercises to help with your back pain include swimming, walking, and yoga.
- Use Ice and Heat
Regularly icing your back can reduce inflammation and pain from injuries. You can do this several times per day, for 20 minutes each. You can wrap the ice pack in a thin towel or cloth to avoid hurting the skin.
Switch to heat after a few days. You can use a heating pad or a warm pack to help relax your muscles. This will increase the blood flow in the affected area. Warm baths can be used to relax if you are able. Of course, remember to avoid burns and tissue damage.
Back Pain Breakthrough Overview
Back Pain Breakthrough is a program that treats chronic back pain naturally and safely. This program uses the Targeted Spinal Release method, which is highly effective.
Back Pain Breakthrough was created by Dr. Steve Young. This guide is unique and promises to get rid of all your backaches permanently. The program targets the root cause of back problems. It gives users appropriate techniques for permanent relief.
Unlike most purported back pain reliefs, Back Pain Breakthrough is not medication or an ointment. Back Pain Breakthrough is a training program that helps you overcome back pain.
This digital program is focused on spinal release formulas that target specific movements to relieve back pain. All the training techniques presented by Back Pain Breakthrough were approved by experts and were made sure to provide better spinal health.
The following techniques have been proven to have greater results for users who have used them. For one, they feel less pain daily (back pain breakthrough does not cure heartaches). Their muscle tissues have been strengthened, improving overall body feeling.
The pain-relief methods have also been known to help reduce inflammation, improve posture and even add energy to the user’s body.. When the guide is followed properly, you get nothing but benefits from the Back Pain Breakthrough Program.
The Back Pain Breakthrough Program was designed and manufactured by the same people who invented it. They claim there are no risks when using the spinal release techniques. The methods can be practiced for 5-10 minutes per day, and users will see amazing results.
The program is also helpful for all ages to promote health and well-being. It is recommended that you only perform the exercises if you are healthy, not injured, and have enough movement to do them.
How Back Pain Breakthrough Works
Back Pain Breakthrough uses the aforementioned Targeted Spinal Release that was developed by Dr. Steve Young.
We must first look at the pain that Targeted Spinal Release can cause.
Our spine comprises vertebrae, discs, and the spinal nerve. The gap between the spine nerve and the vertebrae is necessary for a healthy back. But most people don’t have a healthy back, so this space does not exist. The spinal nerve and the vertebrae collide, thus the vertebrae begin to meet.
Now, this spinal nerve is very sensitive (which is the case with every other nerve found in our body). It causes pain through your back when it is hit by the vertebrae. These nerves are more sensitive to strong forces than you might think.
This and the iliacus muscle is the main reason for your back pain. The iliacus is a lower back muscle that connects our spine to our legs. It is also the main muscle used to support the spine when we sit.
Now, like all muscles, the Iliacus muscle is stimulated every time it is used. Since our contemporary lifestyle involves a lot of sitting around, this muscle becomes overstimulated. Resulting in it becoming tighter and tighter. In turn, it causes the vertebrae to push the nerve, causing more pain.
Target Spinal Release focuses on these muscles. The exercise aims to straighten out these iliacus muscles and loosen them. If the exercise is done correctly, users will notice that the pain disappears almost instantly.
Now, Back Pain Breakthrough targets the three main pressure points. This includes the right body and muscle movements to realign your spine. The program uses certain movements to do this. Most exercises only take five to ten minutes to restore spinal health.
These techniques reduce sciatic pain and target the bulging or plunged discs. These movements help to reduce inflammation in the muscles that bind the spine or legs. It will strengthen and repair muscle tissue.
The movement techniques introduced in the exercise can boost cognitive health, fitness, sleep quality, focus, and memory. It also helps release muscle tension without much effort and equipment.
Who Needs the Back Pain Breakthrough
The program is available to anyone suffering from back pain. The program is suitable for anyone who has mild to moderate back pain.
Many people ignore their lower back pain, which can lead to other illnesses. Back pain can also get more severe and stronger sometimes. This can cause problems at work and in daily life. Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
This is why the program is a good fit for everyone, no matter how painful their backs are.
Features of Back Pain Breakthrough
Back Pain Breakthrough customers get a 6-video series and 2 manual bonus guides. These guides contain all the instructions, tips, and steps needed to understand and apply the pain-relief techniques.
This masterclass is recorded by Dr. Steve Young. He goes through each step in great detail. So you will learn to do all the movements and even the duration for each. These can be seen as photos, videos, or diagrams to make it easy for you to use.
The 6-video masterclass includes the following topics:
- The real Cause of your Back Pain
- The Target Spinal Relief
- How to Fix the Pain Instantly
- The Warrior Method
- Life Hacks for a Pain-free Life
- Muscular Imbalances, Easy Solutions
Back Pain Breakthrough also has plenty of bonuses you get with the main package that includes:
The Back Pain Extinguisher
This is a movement that could be used at any time whenever the back feels stiff. This exercise takes only 2 minutes and can also be done anywhere you are. Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
The Sciatica Soother
The Sciatica Soother is another basic exercise that provides everlasting relief from sciatic pain. This requirement is even shorter and only requires merely 30 seconds. The exercise will automatically align your spine.
Back Pain Breakthrough can also be downloaded as an e-book. Besides recording a masterclass, the creators of Back Pain Breakthrough also wrote down detailed instructions on how to do the exercise.
The E-book version of the exercise is “The Targeted Spinal Release: the Manual” it is full of pictorial representations of the steps needed to follow the exercise. This makes understanding the steps easier, especially for those who prefer reading.
Other E-books are also included in the package. One includes a simple stretch you must perform every morning and before sleep. By releasing pressure from the spine nerve, the morning stretch can help stop pain throughout the day.
Before you fall asleep, the evening stretch will help to loosen your spine. This can help you sleep better, freeing you from back pain in just a few seconds. For those who have difficulty sleeping due to back pain, this evening exercise can be a blessing. Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
There is also another ebook included as another bonus. The bonus ebook is “Advanced healing techniques: Bonus guide”. This guide is for people who need to quickly heal their back pain.
Advanced Healing Techniques include techniques that can accelerate healing and tailor the Targeted Spinal Release to your pain. Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
You will also find additional tips to help with different types of pain. The book also contains helpful tips for correcting bad postures. These tips are included to ensure that the pain never returns.
Customers will not have to repeat Targeted Spinal Release if they do it correctly.
Overall, Back Pain Breakthrough includes everything needed to get back pain relief. Provided that users who avail of the package follow the step-by-step instructions correctly and consistently.
Back Pain Breakthrough Benefits
- Permanent back pain treatment
Targeted Spinal Release is a new approach to back pain relief. Targeted spine release releases undue stress in the spine and realigns your body back to its original alignment. This reduces the risk of severe back injuries as well.
- Improves sleep
The program’s primary goal, however, is to relieve back pain. However, the secondary goal is for your body to feel more at ease. Sleep is one of the most vulnerable to back pain.
Back Pain Breakthrough offers steps that can relieve pressure from three points within the body. The body can get deep sleep by releasing pressure points. This further activates the healing stage of the body
- Get Hip Flexors
Back pain can be caused by tight hip flexors. Targeted Spinal Release exercises help to loosen and improve mobility. Even better, it is a 15-minute exercise that can be done daily. It can get rid of stiff flexors.
- Better Blood Circulation
Those suffering from chronic back pain have a high chance of getting circulatory issues. Because blood flow is restricted to certain body parts, this is very common.
This increases your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. This problem can be solved by the Targeted Spinal Release Methods. It will help improve your sleep by reducing pain.
This, in turn, leads to a boost in energy and an increase in mobility. Some users even report that their blood circulation improved because of the exercise.
Of course, there are also minor benefits that Back Pain Breakthrough brings to its users. These include
- It erases back pain without using medication or surgery
- The program is used to heal all types of back pain
- Exercises increase blood circulation by increasing blood flow.
- This program will help you live an active life and create an active, thriving body.
- People will be able to sleep better without back pain
- The pain relief techniques help improve posture and mobility to perform physical activities
- The program has also the added benefit of losing weight
- It can immediately relieve back discomfort in as little as a few seconds
- Back Pain Breakthrough can help you realign your spine
- Training can help increase energy levels.
How to Breakthrough Your Back Pain
To gain the benefits of Back Pain Breakthrough, it must be followed religiously and consistently.
This simple routine is part of the Back Pain Breakthrough program. These are also very short routines and will only take five to 10 minutes of your time per day. It is important to use the program daily to reap the benefits.
The program also does not need any equipment. Users only need a comfortable area to lie down or do non-obstructive movements. You can actually do some exercises while you are lying on your back.
Each movie series is meant to relieve stress from contracted spinal and back muscles. It is possible to see significant changes in the first week of the program. To get the best results, it is recommended that you continue the program for at least three months.
Back Pain Breakthrough Pricing
Dr. Steve Young was the creator of Back Pain Breakthrough and wanted it to be affordable for all. As a result, the program’s price range is less than that of a back pain specialist who will charge you for only one session.
Back Pain Breakthrough often offers discounts and promotions, so make sure to check their website before you purchase the product. Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
Back Pain Breakthrough’s price at the time of this review was:
|The Breakthrough in Back Pain|
|6-Part Video MasterClass||$37|
|3-Step Targeted Spinal Release Process||$47|
|Step-by-Step Video Instructions||$27|
|Bonus# 1 – Advanced Healing Techniques||$19|
|Bonus #2 – The Back Pain Manual||$27|
|Bonus #3 – 60-Day Return Period||No cost|
Back Pain Breakthrough is completely digital. The program is delivered free of charge.
Back Pain Breakthrough can only be purchased from the main website. You can’t find it anywhere else in the world.
Back Pain Breakthrough Refund Policy
Back Pain Breakthrough also has its own refund policy. You can request a refund if you are unhappy with the program, or if you feel it is not right for you within 60 days. Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
Back Pain Breakthrough Pros and Cons
- Even at its low price, the program offers multiple bonuses for free
- All the methods included in the program are one hundred percent natural and safe
- The Back Pain Breakthrough is affordable and even still has bonuses to make it even cheaper
- Back Pain Breakthrough is not time-consuming to practice
- The Back Pain Breakthrough program is open to all.
- The Program is legal worldwide and widely accepted
- The Back Pain Breakthrough works for anyone of any age, gender, or fitness level.
- The program is safe and is approved by doctors
- Unsatisfied customers can get a 60-day guarantee from The Back Pain Breakthrough
- It’s easy to use a smartphone, tablet or computer to access it.
- The Back Pain Breakthrough program can be downloaded so that you can access it from anywhere.
- Back Pain Breakthrough is only available online and on its official site. It can be pretty hard to access it without access to these things.
- The Back Pain Breakthrough program is not a physical product. There is no tangible product you can purchase. Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
- Different people may experience different outcomes.
- The program does not replace doctor and expert diagnosis or medical consultations.
Back Pain Breakthrough Verdict
Back Pain Breakthrough is a great product for back pain. The exercises are very simple, and it does not at all distract from my daily routine.
Chronic back pain has been a problem for me for quite some time. It is very distracting. This is made worse by the fact that my work involves a lot of sitting. With Back Pain Breakthrough, I have felt a lot of improvement over time.
Two weeks have passed since I started the program, and each day is getting better. I am looking forward to seeing how my back responds to the treatment.
I hope my back can break through this pain (pun intended) at the end of it all.
Commonly Asked Questions: Back Pain Breakthrough Well Now Your Backs Gonna Hurt
When I pay for the program, will I have to wait for it in my email?
No, Back Pain Breakthrough can be accessed immediately after buying it.
It will be offered as an instant digital download of the whole masterclass and E-Books.
Is there any side effect to the Back Pain Breakthrough Program Will my other body parts feel pain?
No, The whole process is entirely painless.
The movements that must be executed in the program are pretty simple and painless. These movements can be completed in a very short time. The program does not require any surgery or medication.
Do you need to do the program several times per day?
The program can be used once per day.
As stated above, the program does not take much time at all. It just takes a few minutes, and you are done for that day’s session. | <urn:uuid:ba7d68cf-0b3b-4e22-952e-c6a7e564016c> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.courtsplusnb.com/well-now-your-backs-gonna-hurt/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.941078 | 4,594 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Find the right place for your child:
YOUNG TODDLER CLASS
(12-17 months by September 1)
Playing, meeting new friends, and learning to be away from home for a little while is what children ages 12 to 17 months experience in this class. The main focus each day is to just have FUN while hearing stories, moving to music, or creating in art! Socialization and stimulated language development is also a big part of these active toddlers' morning at school.
OLDER TODDLER CLASS
(18-23 months by September 1)
This special class is for active toddlers ages 18 to 23 months. Children will spend time listening to stories, socializing with friends, being introduced to different textures through art while developing fine motor skills, and enhancing gross motor skills through music and movement. Free and directed play as well as stimulated language development are also part of this class' busy morning.
TWO YEAR OLD CLASS
(must be 2 by September 1)
This exciting class is geared toward introducing the curious two year olds to their environment through creative thinking, problem solving, language and hands- on activities. Socialization and play are two main components we consider when planning activities and lessons for this age group. Enhancing gross and fine motor skills through art, music, and movement are a part of this class as well as introducing and reinforcing colors, numbers, letters, and shapes.
Four year old Pre-Kindergarten
This phonics-based program lays the foundation for the lifelong habits of learning. It fosters independence and meets the individual needs of each child. The curriculum offers varied experiences that engage a child's interest and enthusiasm. Each child will be challenged to grow spiritually, as well as academically. The children will learn, play, explore, practice language and numbers, socialize, develop self discipline, confidence and construct meaning from their action within the school environment. This exciting and enriching program prepares children for five-year-old kindergarten. Children bring a sack lunch from home on Lunch Bunch days.
Monday thru Friday $185.00/ month
THREE YEAR OLD KINDERGARTEN
(must be 3 by September 1 and potty-trained)
This important class begins to prepare children for the next step in learning through a more structured environment. Children learn to follow a series of instructions while studying letters, numbers, and scientific concepts. Additional time is spent on phonics and beginning handwriting skills. Communication, social, and fine and gross motor skills are developed through group and individual activities. Emphasis is also placed on listening, following directions, and understanding/ demonstrating self-control.
FOUR YEAR OLD KINDERGARTEN
(must be 4 by September 1)
This phonics-based program lays the foundation for the lifelong habits of learning. It fosters independence and meets the individual needs of each child. The curriculum offers varied experiences that engage a curriculum offers varied experiences that engage a child’s interest and enthusiasm. Each child will be challenged to grow spiritually, as well as academically. The children will learn, play ,explore, practice language and numbers, socialize, develop self-discipline and confidence, and construct meaning from their actions within the school environment. This exciting and enriching program prepares children for five-year- old kindergarten.
PLAYSCHOOL CLASS SCHEDULE
All students have the choice of a 3 HOUR/Day program or a 4 HOUR/Day program AND a choice of the number of days a week they can attend: 3 DAYS/WEEK, 4 DAYS/WEEK, or 5 DAYS/WEEK.
Early Bird Program
This optional program runs five mornings a week (Monday-Friday). You may choose to arrive as early as 7:45 AM or 8:00 AM. Students are billed monthly for Early Bird. Time is spent playing and socializing with friends before the school day begins.
Extended Day Program
This optional program is offered five days a week (Monday-Friday). You may choose to attend ED one, two, three, or all the days your child attends school. Payment for ED is calculated into your monthly tuition. The program is planned to include Lunch Bunch (sack lunch brought from home), a nap option, snack, and organized as well as free play activities. Students at ED will be divided into two groups based on age with two Staff members leading them. Hours of ED are 12:15-3:15pm; however you may pick-up anytime between 1:00 and 3:15pm. The Extended Day program can also be utilized as a “Drop-Off” program. | <urn:uuid:4aff41f7-d6c6-49a6-b0fd-434bbf1fc024> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.crawfordstreetplayschool.com/classes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.953704 | 958 | 2.6875 | 3 |
It’s a well known dictum: “Economies have moved from the industrial age into the information age” — this was obviously most strikingly represented by the advanced in internet technology and the emergence of the world-wide web way back in 1989. Since then we’ve traversed Web 1.0, global recession and Web 2.0, and now more than ever, professionals are not only turning to the internet for information, but deep and specific career enhancing knowledge as well. Enter the knowledge entrepreneur.
It is easier than ever today to access simple to use online platforms, that help the specialist, enthusiast, academic or professional package what they know, make it accessible to the world, and make money. Let’s explore what factors are driving this growth.
Young people entering the workplace are increasingly discovering that, for a range of rather complex reasons, higher education is not quite keeping step with what the job marketplace requires.
Last year the Mayo Clinic completed a study that showed a competency-based medical training was a far better “fit” for the Millennial generation, than traditional medical teaching practices. The study went on to conclude that Millennials tend to do well in learning environments saturated with collaboration, feedback, technology and mentorship — the hallmarks in fact of online learning.
There is now also a generational push back against the post-recession trend of “degree inflation” and many companies are reviewing what some commentators claim is an overemphasis on degrees, rather than selecting candidates based on skills or experience.
Finally, Millennials grew up learning differently:
- Many grew up in self-service education environments such as home schools and alternative classrooms;
- They are familiar with using, sifting and selecting digital information resources;
- There is no real “divide” for Millenials between online and elsewhere; they are comfortable and familiar with interacting online and need very little familiarization training with new technologies and platforms.
As Millennials age and breach middle and upper career paths, the ongoing knowledge revolution — how people gain skills, where they find knowledge and how they train — will become increasingly digital, global and specific.
Failure of Higher Education
This is a massive topic, but in terms of the knowledge entrepreneurship it is important to describe the gap being left by higher education that knowledge entrepreneurs and other digital learning alternatives are racing to fill.
Let’s focus for now on the US higher education system. The biggest barrier to higher education for Millenials is the crushing cost, and attendant debt. With the best will in the world, many youngsters with great grades are unable to advance their learning without a digital alternative. Millennials, even those that can afford higher education, or qualify for a loan, continue to “crave fast, flexible and affordable education” creating a dynamic market for knowledge entrepreneurs who are willing to use best-in-class online platforms to package what they know into accessible, far reaching and affordable lessons.
Higher education institutions, while adapting somewhat to student demands for greater digital connect, better feedback loops and improved collaboration with both students and professors, are making incremental steps. however many do still hold onto old models of instruction, which are not only resource heavy, but ultimately no longer fit for purpose.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
RPL is an emergent trend in technology training, adult learning, lifelong learning and career advancement. RPL is the process of giving academic recognition to formal learning via recognized awards, informal learning via previous experience and non-formal learning for uncertified, but conscientious/planned learning.
More and more employers are recognizing that skilled and ideal candidates are slipping through the net because academic recognition is oftentimes too narrow. In countries such as Australia, UK and Europe RPL is advanced through government policy that aims to broaden and deepen access to education, broader inclusion in the economy, as well as rewarding individuals for lifelong, and life-wide learning.
There can be no doubt that e-learning (and I specifically don’t use the word “education”), the production and consumption of life and career enhancing knowledge via digital tools is already revolutionizing the way we contemplate what we know, and what we need or want to know. It’s also creating a dynamic community of interconnected learners and teachers, dislodged from any central academic paradigm, that are exploring, learning and creating new knowledge entirely online. | <urn:uuid:9e27faaf-4c2f-4f8b-890b-a088315e1095> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.cypherlearning.com/blog/entrepreneurs/the-rise-of-the-knowledge-entrepreneur | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.948597 | 905 | 2.546875 | 3 |
The Kimberley Process started when Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, in May 2000, to discuss ways to stop the trade in ‘conflict diamonds' and ensure that diamond purchases were not financing violence by rebel movements and their allies seeking to undermine legitimate governments.
In December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution supporting the creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. By November 2002, negotiations between governments, the international diamond industry and civil society organisations resulted in the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) . The KPCS document sets out the requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade. The KPCS entered into force in 2003, when participating countries started to implement its rules. | <urn:uuid:c34f8219-98e8-441b-9c6e-575e98902734> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.davidlevydiamonds.com/info-block/kimberley-process-0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.911271 | 154 | 3.21875 | 3 |
What Is Real Time? Real time is a level of computer responsiveness that a user senses as sufficiently immediate or that enables the computer to keep up with some external process (for example, to present visualizations of the weather as it constantly changes).
What is real-time explain? Real time is a level of computer responsiveness that a user senses as sufficiently immediate or that enables the computer to keep up with some external process (for example, to present visualizations of the weather as it constantly changes).
What is real-time with example? The definition of real time is something happening now or something that is being broadcast over the exact number of minutes, seconds or hours the event is taking. An example of real time is when journalists show live footage from an accident scene.
Why is it called real-time? History. The term real-time derives from its use in early simulation, in which a real-world process is simulated at a rate that matched that of the real process (now called real-time simulation to avoid ambiguity).
What is real-time called?
Real-time text (RTT) lets you use text to communicate during a phone call. RTT works with TTY and doesn’t require any additional accessories.
What is real-time in internet?
The real-time web is a network web using technologies and practices that enable users to receive information as soon as it is published by its authors, rather than requiring that they or their software check a source periodically for updates.
What are real-time skills?
What is real-time learning? If you need certain knowledge, you often need it instantly. Real-time learning is knowledge acquisition based on immediate needs. You don’t have to wait for the next training session or go through a lengthy online course to find the skill that you need at that particular time.
What does the term real-time mean unity?
At its simplest, using a real-time engine means your project is ‘live’ as soon as you start production. You can experiment by making changes to things like characters, lighting, and camera positions as you work, and you don’t need to wait for any render farm to see what your content looks like.
Is it realtime or real-time?
The word is increasingly spelled realtime, and this may eventually become the standard spelling if people continue to find the adjective useful. For now, though, the hyphenated form is preferred. Real time is two words where the phrase functions as a noun, usually embedded in the adverbial phrase in real time.
What is real-time in telecommunication?
Real-time communications (RTC) is any mode of telecommunications in which all users can exchange information instantly or with negligible latency or transmission delays. In this context, the term real-time is synonymous with live. In RTC, there is always a direct path between the source and the destination.
How does real time processing work?
Real-time data processing is the execution of data in a short time period, providing near-instantaneous output. The processing is done as the data is inputted, so it needs a continuous stream of input data in order to provide a continuous output.
What is real time machine learning?
Real-Time Machine Learning is the process of training a machine learning model by running live data through it, to continuously improve the model. This is in contrast to “traditional” machine learning, in which a data scientist builds the model with a batch of historical testing data in an offline mode.
What is real time classroom?
WHAT IS REAL TIME VIRTUAL LEARNING? The Real Time Virtual Learning format ( RTV) combines In-Seat classrooms with synchronous (real time) online technology. Classes are held at a scheduled time and are designed to give students a convenient option when they might not be able to find the course on a local campus.
What is real time training?
Real-time training begins with the work processes around a real project to help workers solve real work problems. No training-delivery specialists arrive on site armed with a detailed curriculum to teach skills that are seldom performed. Real-time training stays in the trenches with the workers.
What is real time in game art?
To say something takes place in real-time is the same as saying it is happening “live” or “on-the-fly.” For example, the graphics in a 3D action game are rendered in real-time by the computer’s video card. … This means the graphics are updated so quickly, there is no noticeable delay experienced by the user.
What is real time in animation?
What is Real-Time Animation? Real-Time Animation, also called “Live Animation,” or “Real-Time Performance Capture,” is the process of using a motion capture system to puppet a 3D character live and in real-time.
What is real time cinematography?
“Real-time cinemagraphy is quite analogous to traditional cinematography, where you have actors, actresses and cameras. You film the scene and then end up with different camera angles and shots that you can then edit into a sequence. That’s the way you’d do it in the normal world,” explains Libreri.
What is the opposite of real time analysis?
Offline Mode or Batch Processing- The data is updated via files to the database, exact definition depends on SLA between the involved parties. In general time delay is in hours (in every ~6 to 12 hrs). Offline or batch processing is answer to your question.
What is a synonym for asynchronous?
Synonyms & Near Synonyms for asynchronous. noncontemporary, nonsimultaneous, nonsynchronous.
What is the opposite live?
Opposite of to be alive at a specified time. die. depart. expire.
Why is real-time communication important?
It enables employees from across the world to communicate with each other 24×7 and share ideas or solve problems quickly. It is a cost-effective way of getting several people from different locations to attend meetings and conferences – without having to spend time or money on travel, and accommodation.
Is chat real-time communication?
Chat, also known as online chat or internet chat, is a way of communication and interaction in real time on the Internet. This communication is based on text messages. Two or more people can communicate and also send pictures, videos or audio files.
What is machine learning with example?
For example, an algorithm would be trained with pictures of dogs and other things, all labeled by humans, and the machine would learn ways to identify pictures of dogs on its own. Supervised machine learning is the most common type used today. | <urn:uuid:4bcdd5e5-fe14-4f9c-a8e6-1272791af863> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.dfoffer.com/what-is-real-time.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.94764 | 1,405 | 3.15625 | 3 |
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When you're buying compostable bags, look for the certified compostable logos on the box.
Some examples of retailers who would have certified compostable bags would be grocery stores, hardware stores, drugstores, and pet stores.
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The majority of household waste is made up of recyclables and organics. Recycling and composting are important to reduce the impact on our environment and to extend the life of our landfill.
Green & blue carts have proven to be effective in diverting waste from the landfill. On a Town-wide basis, that would translate into thousands of tonnes of annual waste being turned into useful recycled materials & rich compost for farms instead of taking up valuable space in the landfill.
Waste diversion creates many advantages for the environment; that is why many municipalities in Alberta have or are implementing a green and blue cart program.
By using your new blue and green carts, you can:
• Reduce dependence on and extend the life of our landfill.
• Reduce greenhouse gases, helping our environment now and for future generations.
• Turn food and yard waste into useful compost.
Garbage pickup remains on Tuesdays in the community of Turner Valley and Thursdays in Black Diamond.
Organics and recycling are picked up on Wednesdays in both Black Diamond and Turner Valley communities.
In the winter months (November - March) organics collection is every two weeks (alternating communities).
Black garbage and blue recycling carts are collected weekly year-round.
Green organics carts are picked up:
Some exceptions occur on statutory holidays.
Carts must be placed in the pickup location on the designated day by 7a.m.
The green cart is collected weekly from April to October when the weather is warmer and there is also yard waste included in the cart.
The green cart is collected bi-weekly from November to March throughout the winter season when it is colder outside and the carts will have little to no yard waste.
Fees have increased to reflect the increased service level.
Fees per month:
Garbage - $10.40
Recycling - $6.05
Organics (Compost) - $6.10
Program Fee - $1.00
Total - $23.55 / month
Utilities are currently billed bi-monthly (Waste services are billed $47.10 / two months)
The cost of green and blue carts is built into the utility billing structure and will not be charged separately.
There is no opportunity to opt out of the municipal waste collection program. These fees are automatically applied to the utility bills for all residences.
Once recycling services begin, any private residential recycling services currently being provided will be addressed by your service provider. Commercial and apartment waste services will remain private.
For more information, please contact your curbside recycling service provider.
The route and cart placement for blue and green carts will be the same as for the black carts.
Municipalities encourage residents living on a smaller street or cul-de-sac to not park on the street for collection day to allow room for the carts.
Some households place their carts in their driveway strategically so that there is room for one car to pull in and out without having to move the carts. Alternatively, some neighbours have worked together logistically to place their carts in areas with more space.
No, additional bags beside your cart will not be collected.
If your cart is damaged or missing, please fill out the online Report a Missed/Damaged Cart form. Please allow a maximum of five business days to complete your request.
If you have any questions please contact Waste Services at email@example.com or 403-938-8054.
If your cart was missed, please fill out the online Report a Missed/Damaged Cart form.
Waste collection occurs as usual on most stat holiday’s that fall Tuesday through Friday. The only exceptions are Christmas Day (December 25) and New Year’s Day (January 1).
If carts are not placed out on the stat holiday, households will need to wait until their next scheduled collection for pick up.
A brochure listing what items are accepted in each cart has been provided to each household and can also be found on the Town website.
What goes inside your black garbage cart?
What goes inside your green organics cart?
What goes inside your blue recycle cart?
Due to the equipment used at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), glass and soft plastics such as plastic bags and cling wrap will not be accepted in the municipal program.
T&T Disposal Services is responsible for picking up the blue and green bin materials. Material from the blue bin is taken to Capital Paper Recycling, and material from the green bin is taken to GFL.
Green cart (Organics)
Contents can be placed loose inside the cart without using a bag or liner. A paper bag or compostable bag designed for municipal organics collection programs is optional.
Animal waste and bedding are the exceptions: they must be placed in a paper/compostable bag inside the green cart.
Blue cart (recyclables)
Do NOT use a bag or liner. Contents must be loose, not bagged or bundled.
The following item is an exception:
The material needs to be loose to be sorted by the machines. For the safety of workers, tied bags are assumed to be garbage and are never opened.
Over half of household garbage is actually food and yard waste.
In the landfill, organics do not break down like they do in nature, because the oxygen requirements are not met. This process can take decades. As it slowly breaks down, the food and yard materials release methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
The green cart accepts a wider range of food and yard waste - materials such as meat, bones, fish, shellfish, dairy products, pasta, breads, branches and weeds.
All of the material collected from the green carts is brought to a private composting facility and could be sold to a bagging operation and then sold in local stores.
Tips on reducing smell from your compost / green bin:
Lining your kitchen catcher with newspaper or a compostable bag and emptying it frequently into your green cart will reduce pests and odours.
Keep in mind that the organic material now placed in the green cart was previously being placed in your garbage bin, so there should be no additional attraction of pests or creation of odours.
Rinse your kitchen pail with hot water or place inside your dishwasher after emptying it into the green bin.
Rinse your cart and pour the dirty water onto grass/gravel, not down the storm drain.
Use a compostable bag, paper bag or newspaper liner in your kitchen pail and green cart.
Layer your green cart to keep material from sticking. Place crumpled newspaper on the bottom of your cart and alternate layers of kitchen waste/grass clippings with soiled newspaper or leaves.
Yes, our program accepts pet waste and kitty litter in the green cart.
Animal waste must be in a paper bag or certified compostable bag before placing it in the green cart.
Please do not use plastic or biodegradable bags because these bags do not break down during the composting process and will reduce the quality of the finished compost.
During the composting process, the material is heated to temperatures at which any harmful bacteria is killed. Strict testing is conducted to ensure the compost is safe to use.
If you have more yard waste than will fit in the cart, leave the extra for the following week. Only material in the green cart will be collected.
Leaves and yard waste ONLY can always be taken to the Transfer site, located at 168 St. W & 402 Ave (north of former Black Diamond) or the regional Landfill.
The maximum length and size of branches allowed is:
Length: 1m or 3ft.
Diameter: 7cm or 2.8 in.
No, construction, renovation or demolition materials are NOT collected at the curb and must be taken the Landfill for disposal.
Popsicle sticks, chopsticks, waxed paper and parchment paper are compostable and are allowed in the green carts.
Remove food residue (which may be placed in the green cart) and recycle pizza boxes in the blue cart.
Grease and oils are allowed in the green cart. Once they have cooled down, pour directly into the lined kitchen pail or freeze and place in the pail or cart.
The Recycling Centre in Turner Valley closed as of June 25, 2022. | <urn:uuid:912a1f49-ef98-48fc-9f12-3ff3c81ae561> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.diamondvalley.town/FAQ.aspx?QID=135 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.924213 | 1,808 | 2.59375 | 3 |
We know that global demand for future COVID-19 vaccines will quickly outstrip the available supply.
It’s not enough to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine. We must ensure there are enough doses for everyone who needs the vaccine, and that people can afford it. That means advocating for policies that advance equitable access even before these vaccines enter the market. It also means holding the pharmaceutical industry accountable.
1. Attach conditions to COVID-19 research funding
Governments and philanthropies have given more than $5.4 billion to pharmaceutical corporations for research and development of a COVID-19 vaccine—without attaching many conditions. Without conditions attached, millions of dollars in public funding could be spent on a vaccine that never makes it to market, or is not accessible to the world’s most vulnerable communities.
2. Sell COVID-19 vaccines at cost
Governments and Gavi, the vaccine alliance, must require pharmaceutical corporations to sell COVID-19 vaccines at the cost of production immediately. We must ensure these corporations prioritize lives over profits, especially during a pandemic that has killed more than one million people. If COVID-19 vaccines are too expensive, millions of people will be left behind.
3. Increase transparency into vaccine research and production
It’s not enough for some pharmaceutical corporations to promise to sell vaccines at ‘not-for-profit’ prices. They must show the public, which has contributed billions of dollars to research and development, the true cost of vaccine production. Governments and Gavi have so far have required little transparency from these corporations, including about how they plan to price COVID-19 vaccines.
4. Ensure equitable vaccine distribution among all countries
Gavi recently launched the COVAX Facility, a new global purchasing initiative that will also finance COVID-19 vaccines for low- and middle-income countries. But the COVAX Facility has a two-tiered system of access based upon countries’ economic standing, which may widen global inequity. The world’s wealthiest countries shouldn’t be the only ones that have options to access these vaccines.
This pandemic will not be over until it’s over for everyone. That’s why Doctors Without Borders/Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) demands that future COVID-19 vaccines remain affordable and accessible for all countries equally. | <urn:uuid:e9f74581-c0f5-4513-ad05-566d39912e4d> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/four-steps-affordable-and-accessible-covid-19-vaccine | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.926155 | 495 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Flash floods that damaged large areas of cropland likely to deal the hunger-plagued eastern Africa region a major blow
The ongoing heavy rainfall and flash floods in Kenya and parts of the Horn of Africa have led to significant damage to properties and loss of lives, according to officials.
Situation reports by multiple organisations, including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) and the Kenya Red Cross showed dire cases of flash floods in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and others.
In most of the cases, the flash floods have resulted in the loss of lives, livelihoods and disruption of health services. Needless to add, they have also damaged road infrastructure, sanitation facilities and water sources, and led to the closure of schools, among other impacts.
The Kenya Meteorological Department had earlier predicted the ‘long rains’ season would begin with light to moderate rainfall in some parts of the country after six consecutive seasons of failed rains.
Unfortunately, the rainfall has intensified, wreaking havoc on human populations and significant property destruction.
Several regions in Kenya are affected by flash floods, which have left a trail of deaths and property destruction. So far, 12 people have died in northern Kenya and over 5,000 families have been displaced courtesy of floods, according to the Kenya Red Cross.
In addition, several human settlements have been marooned in flood water and thousands of people displaced, exposing them to extreme weather events, poor sanitation and ultimately deadly diseases.
Several regions of Ethipia, too, have been hit by excessive rainfall in the last three weeks. There were widespread floods and rivers overflowed, resulting in casualties and damage to crops and property, according to the UN-OCHA reports.
“At least 29 people have passed on, with over 240,000 affected or displaced across the country. Most of the affected citizens are located in Oromia and Afar Region,” according to UN-OCHA.
Pockets of Tanzania are experiencing severe floods due to heavy downpours from the ongoing monsoon rains. No deaths have been reported so far, but an estimated 1,976 people have been affected, with properties worth millions of shillings destroyed.
Smallholder farmers in the country suffered losses after agricultural fields with crops ranging from rice, cassava, sorghum, cashews, coconuts and legumes were washed away.
Several regions in Somalia have been receiving moderate rains starting the last week of March, with the heaviest rainfall recorded in Gedo and Bay regions, according to a UN-OCHA report.
Nearly 100,000 people have been affected by heavy downpours and flash floods in several areas, according to the report.
“The worst affected district is Baardheere in Jubaland state, where 21 people, including six children, have reportedly died since March 22, 2023. The floods have also destroyed six health facilities, over 200 latrines and four schools,” reads the report in part.
Reportedly, over 1,000 hectares of farmland have also been swamped and education has been disrupted for over 3,000 children.
“An inter-agency assessment by partners and authorities in Baardheere found that more than 13,000 families (about 78,000 people) have been affected, with shelters of 8,945 families (about 53,600 people) damaged or destroyed,” according to a UN-OCHA report.
The Horn of Africa is still recovering from the devastating effects of the prolonged and worst drought in 40 years, which has had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of millions of citizens.
Authorities and humanitarian agencies, including the Red Cross and the UN, have raised concerns over a possible rapid deterioration of the living conditions.
Those at the highest risk include vulnerable populations, especially school-going children and internally displaced persons, who now live in overcrowded settlements with inadequate healthcare services, shelter and sanitation.
The floods also come at a time when the countries in the Horn of Africa are struggling with a sharp surge in climate-linked disease outbreaks, including diarrhoea, cholera and measles, among others.
The authorities are concerned that the disease burden and infections are likely to spiral out of control due to the risk of citizens consuming contaminated water and lack of enough sanitation and hygiene services.
The flash floods are likely to deal the hunger-plagued eastern Africa region a major blow, considering the long rains season is a crucial period for its agricultural sector.
In Kenya, for instance, the agriculture sector creates employment for over 70 per cent of the population, especially in the arable Western, Rift Valley and Central regions.
The heavy rainfall has resulted in flash floods, landslides and other related life-threatening disasters, which have disrupted transportation networks, displaced communities and exacerbated the disease burden across the eastern Africa region.
Experts and organisations that provide humanitarian assistance are afraid the current floods may wipe away some of the gains and progress made.
“We have visited some of the flood victims and made an initial assessment to start guiding the emergency assistance to the affected communities,” read in part a statement by the Kenya Red Cross.
The aid organisation and others that provide emergency assistance and disaster relief have called on all partners and well-wishers to quickly come together to help the affected communities before the situation worsens.
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Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition. | <urn:uuid:44cf459b-e09d-4dd3-a3e6-21e8bdd8a26a> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/world/drought-to-deluge-horn-of-africa-experiencing-floods-after-six-seasons-of-failed-rains-89038 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.958435 | 1,222 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Birthing, also called labour or parturition is the act or process of giving birth to offspring. Every woman’s labour is different, even from first pregnancy to the next.
The process of normal child birth is categorized into 3 stages of labour:
First stage: This stage commences with dilation and thinning of your cervix to allow the baby to reach the end of the birth canal. This stage is usually the longest part of the labour and is further divided into early labour and active labour.
- Early labour: In early labour your cervix may dilate and you may experience mild to moderate contractions lasting for 30 to 90 seconds. A thick, stringy, blood-tinged liquid may discharge through the vagina. The duration of early labour is unpredictable, but can be longer for a first delivery and shorter for subsequent deliveries.
- Active labour: During active labour your cervix dilates more rapidly and the contractions are stronger, closer together and may last longer. The transition phase is considered as the last part of active labour.
Second stage: This stage is the birth of your baby and usually lasts from a few minutes up to several hours depending on the position of the mother and the baby. During this stage, your cervix is fully dilated, uterine contractions become more frequent and you feel a strong urge to push. With each contraction, you may be encouraged to push to speed up the process. You may be asked to withhold some pushes to help prevent tears in the vaginal tissues. After your baby’s head emerges the airway will be cleared and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. The rest of the baby’s body is delivered soon after the head.
Third stage: During this stage the placenta, an organ connecting the uterine wall and the foetus, is expelled. Gentle uterine massage may help to release the placenta. The placenta should be intact and any remaining parts within the uterus should be removed to prevent bleeding and infection.
The complications of the birthing process include:
Weak contractions: Weak contractions can make the mother exhausted and can cause foetal distress. Foetal distress occurs when there is lack of oxygen. Improper or weak contractions may be caused by rigid or oedematous cervix.
Passage obstruction: Difficult labour may occur when the birth passage is obstructed by tumours, cysts, fractures, and physiological changes such as degenerative joint disease.
Abnormal presentation of the foetus: Abnormal position of the foetus could be either upside down or breech (buttocks down) position. In face presentation, the baby’s face is leading with the neck in extension. In shoulder presentation, the shoulder, arm or trunk may present first and this type of presentation is more common in multiple pregnancies.
Forceps delivery: In this type of delivery forceps are used to grasp the foetal head. Use of improper forceps technique can result in injury to the foetus.
Caesarean Section: It is a surgical procedure of delivering a baby though an incision in the lower abdomen. Caesarean section is indicated in foetal distress, maternal (mother) distress, abnormal position of the foetus, and narrow birth passage. | <urn:uuid:a253d740-e5c8-4f57-8c51-b339d312bdb7> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.drhemagrover.com.au/child-birth-gynaecologist-vic.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.922313 | 682 | 3.765625 | 4 |
Have you been wondering lately if your vision is changing? As we age, we expect a few things to slow down. We may take a little more time walking down the stairs, or we take our time eating. This isn’t all bad, though. Sometimes we just want to slow down and enjoy the moment. But, we can’t forget that our bodies may be slowing down as we get a little older, too. If you’ve found yourself with cloudy vision, you could have cataracts. Keep reading to learn more.
What gives people cataracts?
A cataract occurs when the lens of the eye, which rests behind the iris, becomes clouded. You may notice when you look in someone’s face, that their eyes look a little more clouded or dull. Or, conversely, Aa loved one might tell you that your eyes look a little dull or different.
The development of cataracts in your eyes can be influenced by many different health factors. Advancing age, trauma to the eye, radiation exposure, excessive sun exposure, disease of the eye, a family history of cataracts, smoking, diabetes, and poor nutrition can all influence the development of cataracts.
No matter what causes your cataracts, having the clouded lenses removed and replaced will help you can see again. Since cataracts can creep up slowly, you may have had them developing for years but just didn’t realize it. Sometimes it takes those small changes to take hole for people to realize their vision is dramatically diminished.
Numerous tests could be performed by your doctor to diagnose your cloudy vision as a cataracts. These tests help us determine whether you really do have cataracts or if the visual problems are actually coming from another eye issue. They also help us in evaluating the degree of visual impairment, which can help us determine if we should recommend surgery. These eye tests include:
- Retinal examination under pupil dilation
- Tonometry to test intraocular pressure (IOP)
- Visual acuity test
- Slit-lamp examination
Cataracts found early can sometimes be treated with nonsurgical methods such as, a new corrective lens prescription, anti-glare sunglasses, incorporating brighter lighting in your home, and even using magnifying glasses to help you see. | <urn:uuid:ea5e75cd-4a8c-4216-8dff-f0a76306482a> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.drsondheimer.com/blog/cataract/cataracts-why-is-my-vision-cloudy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.94524 | 485 | 2.625 | 3 |
Wavelets II - Vanishing Moments and Spectral Factorization
In the previous blog post I described the workings of the Fast Wavelet Transform (FWT) and how wavelets and filters are related. As promised, in this article we will see how to construct useful filters. Concretely, we will find a way to calculate the Daubechies filters, named after Ingrid Daubechies, who invented them and also laid much of the mathematical foundations for wavelet analysis.
Besides the content of the last post, you should be familiar with basic complex algebra, the Fourier transform, Taylor series and binomial coefficients. Just to get started, we recall that the scaling function and the wavelet function are defined by the filter coefficients and via the dilation/refinement equations:
Vanishing Moments and Continuous Functions
The idea of vanishing moments is the additional ingredient we need to create our wavelet functions. In our implementation of the FWT, the input signal is split in two parts. As limit for the late stages, one part was analyzed with and one was analyzed with . If is orthogonal to , i.e. , then the whole signal is represented by the half and can nevertheless be perfectly reconstructed. This scenario is of course great for compression, and in general for data manipulation or analysis. So one measure of quality of the wavelet function is, to how many important functions it stands orthogonal to. In the case of so-called vanishing moments these important target function are polynomials.
The th moment of a function is defined as:
If this moment vanishes, then is orthogonal to . If we say a function has vanishing moments, we usually mean it has vanishing moments for . Because of the linearity of the integration operation, this means that the function is orthogonal to all polynomials up to degree :
If the wavelet function has a certain number of vanishing moments, then discretely shifted versions of can be used to reconstruct all the polynomials that stands orthogonal to. For this is clear: we can analyze a constant signal with the Haar scaling function, which is simply a rectangle. The synthesis scaling function looks exactly the same and the signal can be reconstructed.
With , things are not as obvious. A linear signal cannot be constructed by simply adding together fixed line segments since it has to work for all slopes. But the Daubechies 4 (DB4) functions that we saw in the last post have exactly this property, i.e. two vanishing moments.
It seems a bit strange that these odd spiky scaling functions sum up to a smooth straight line. But if we add one at a time, we see that they fit together like the pieces of a puzzle to reconstruct a (shifted) segment of the original signal. The DB6 wavelet has three vanishing moments (). So any quadratic signal can be constructed with the DB6 scaling function:
Polynomials of high degrees can approximate many different signals. This means a wavelet function with many vanishing moments stands orthogonal or almost orthogonal to a wide range of different signals. The corresponding scaling function in turn has the expressive power to reconstruct all these signals. This is of course a highly desirable property, and there exist wavelets with any number of vanishing moments. In the rest of this post we will see how to construct the filters resulting in these wavelets. The downside is, as it turns out, that for more vanishing moments we need longer filters in the FWT implementation.
Vanishing Moments and Discrete Filters
In a FWT we do not explicitly use the functions and , instead they emerge from the filters and . We have to transfer the idea of vanishing moments to these filters. To do this, we plug the wavelet equation into the moment definition and let the moments vanish:
We assume that has the necessary moments, but they are not zero. Now we create a new variable :
Let’s look at for the first few moments:
The integral is invariant to changes in , so is constant for all . With that, the requirement for one vanishing moment is:
The second term is zero, we know that from the condition for the th vanishing moment. From the second term follows the new condition for vanishing moment :
Now both the second and third term are zero, based on the previous conditions. And the new condition for vanishing moment is:
In general, for every new vanishing moment , there will be a term proportional to . All other terms will have a factor with , those will automatically zero, based on the previous conditions. With that we have the condition for filter coefficients of a wavelet function with vanishing moments:
We see from that the concept of vanishing moments is directly applicable to discrete filters, stands orthogonal to all polynomials up to degree . This means, in a Fast Wavelet Transform (FWT) setup those functions are arbitrarily compressible!
Filter Construction in the Frequency Domain
Recall that we only need to construct for our FWT, the other three filters , and then emerge from the rules - . For we now have two constraints:
, which we just saw, where we can set to be the number of vanishing moments we want.
These two conditions yield the famous Daubechies wavelets. Unfortunately, the construction is quite fiddly, we will need some complex algebra and Fourier analysis, a bit of number theory and a little combinatorics. But I hope this is interesting and in the end we will arrive at a relatively simple algorithm. If you want, you can now first take a look at this algorithm and then read on from here to find out why it works.
We now have to move to the frequency domain, and because some trigonometric identities will turn out to be helpful we use the Fourier transform instead of the z-transform. By definition, the Fourier transform of is
We already know the z-transform of the shift orthogonality condition. This was equation from the last article. Converting between the z- and Fourier transform is done using and therefore as well as . Because are real values, there also is and . This means we can write
Now we need to convert the vanishing moment condition to the frequency domain. We can write the th derivative of as
If we set , we get . This means
is equivalent to and .
The easiest way to achieve would be setting to . This unfortunately interferes with . But if we multiply with an arbitrary function , then still holds because of the product rule. We want our coefficients to be real values, this means would have to be a polynomial with real coefficients in as well. This means we can set
and only need to search for a function so that is satisfied (we have divided the base of the first factor by 2, you will see why straightaway).
Now we need our trigonometric identities. in combination with gives us
We can see directly from that . This makes an even function, which means it is symmetric with respect to and can be expressed in terms of only cosine-functions. The same has then to be true for . With and being a polynomial we can write:
Now we can write the shift orthogonality condition as
If we set , which also means , we can write this as
We are now probably at the most abstract point of the wavelet construction. Why all this effort to get a equation in the form of ? The reason is number theoretical result called Bézout’s identity. You can read about it further elsewhere, but in our case it says that there exists a polynomial of degree so that is true. How exactly it looks like, however, we have to find out ourselves. First we solve for :
The second term has a factor , so there is no way we can model it with a polynomial of degree . The best we can do is create a Taylor expansion at of the first term . For a function , a Taylor approximation at means
Our is as we said. We can write out its th derivative:
This means the coefficient of in our Taylor series is
Now we can write out our solution for :
Verifying that this indeed is a solution of is not trivial, but it can be done. We define
We now need to proof that is for all .
Here we have multiplied every term with , which of course is a legitimate thing to do. If we expand these products, we can write
Let’s just look at :
From this we see that
Now we have
Because this means
and by induction .
Now it is time go back and basically reverse all steps to get our coefficients . With the result and we have
We have defined , this means
From this we need to find . Like any polynomial, can be factorized as
where are the roots of and is a scaling constant. This obviously means
From in combination with we see that , which means and . To get this, we wet set . If we compare and , we see that they fit together: The roots in come in reciprocal pairs, which is just what we want for . To get , we need one half of the roots of . If we don’t want to find the roots of a rational function, we can define the polynomial
which means and find the roots of . We can do this because the factor leaves the existing roots untouched and does not introduce any new roots, since itself has none.
As we said, for any root of , its reciprocal will automatically be a root too. To get the correct , we have to select only one of each pair as . If a root is complex, we also have select its complex conjugate, which will also be a root, to get real coefficients. A simple way to meet both of these conditions is to only select the roots inside the unit circle, meaning its absolute value is less than or equal to 1. This will give us the original Daubechies coefficients. Because has roots, will have a degree of . With the roots selected, we have
Expanding this into the form
gives us the filter coefficients we are looking for. As we see, a Daubechies filter with vanishing moments has coefficients.
Algorithm for calculating Daubechies coefficients
- Define as the number of vanishing moments you want from your filters
- Calculate the roots of the polynomial . Do this with your favourite math library, or implement an algorithm that finds the roots using Newton’s method.
- Set , where , to the roots inside the unit circle, i.e. must be true for all .
- Expand the polynomial into the form . The values are the coefficients of the lowpass analysis filter.
Example: Calculating the DB6 coefficients
We set , this give us the polynomial
As we see, the real part is symmetric and the imaginary part is antisymmetric with respect to the real axis. Two roots (the small white spheres) lie inside, two outside the unit circle.
We can ask WolframAlpha for the roots and get the solutions , , and . Actually, in this case there exist exact solutions, but they are a bit unpractical for this demonstration.
We set and because they are complex conjugates and have an absolute value smaller than 1. Now we have
That gives us the DB6 coefficients:
We saw the significance of vanishing moments to continuous wavelets as well as to the filters of a FWT implementation (these filters define wavelets with the same number of vanishing moments via ). They make sections of signals that resemble polynomials highly compressible and very easy to handle. We then derived an algorithm to calculate Daubechies filter with any number of vanishing moments. This was done by bringing the shift orthogonality and the vanishing moment condition to the frequency domain, resulting in equations and . We combined them to , which we were able to solve using Bezout’s identity. To get back to , we used a procedure called spectral factorization. We factorized using the roots of the polynomial we found earlier.
In practice, you probably won’t need to calculate the Daubechies coefficients, they are available online from DB2 to at least DB20. But there are many other wavelets with pros and cons for different applications. With these two articles you should have the background to understand most papers explaining them, or even invent new wavelets yourself.
For the next post, I am planning to write about the Dual Tree Wavelet Transform, which uses complex wavelets. It is currently mainly used in image recognition, but I think it also has great potential for audio processing. But I am open to suggestions for the next topic as well! Again, any feedback is appreciated. Thank you for reading!
- Daubechies, Ingrid: Orthonormal bases of compactly supported wavelets (link to pdf)
- Daubechies, Ingrid: Ten Lectures on Wavelets
- Keinert, Fritz: Wavelets and Multiwavelets
- Mallat, Stéphane: A Wavelet Tour of Signal Processing
- Rieder, Andreas: Wavelets - Theory and Applications
- filter coefficients of many different wavelets (all coefficients are scaled by a factor of )
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Traceability of a Measurement Result
International vocabulary of metrology-
Basic and general concepts and associated terms (VIM)
property of a measurement result whereby the result can be related to a reference through a documented unbroken chain of calibrations, each contributing to the measurement uncertainty
1.1 (1.1) quantity
property of a phenomenon, body, or substance, where the property has a magnitude that can be expressed as a number and a reference
measurement standard etalon
realization of the definition of a given quantity, with stated quantity value and associated measurement uncertainty, used as a reference
EXAMPLE 1 1 kg mass measurement standard with an associated standard measurement uncertainty of 3 μg.
Canada, National Research Council Canada
"Instrument Calibration Policies"
Contractual agreements often require that measurements made by contracting laboratories be "traceable" to national and international measurement standards and that the laboratories be able to support these claims of traceability with valid, current documentation and records of the equipment used in the calibration process. Incorrect traceability claims may make a company liable for damages.
The requirement for traceability implies the ability to relate individual measurement results, with a stated uncertainty, through an unbroken chain of comparisons to a stated reference source, usually the Canadian national measurement standards maintained by NRC, or to intrinsic standards based on fundamental natural constants with values assigned or accepted by NRC.
To adequately establish an audit trail outside NRC for purposes of traceability, a calibration result should include: the assigned value, a stated uncertainty, the identity of the standard(s) used in the calibration, and the specification of any environmental conditions of the calibration that require the application of correction factors if the standard or equipment is to be used under different environmental conditions.
NRC supports the practice of making its clients aware of traceability to national measurement standards and providing them with details on how traceability was established.
USA, National Bureau of Standards, NIST, "NIST Quality Manual for
6.5 Metrological traceability
6.5.1 NIST adopts for its own use and recommends for use by others the definition of metrological traceability1 provided
in the most recent version of the VIM (see Section 3. Definitions and the NIST traceability site at https://www.nist.gov/nist-policy-traceability).
It is NIST policy to establish traceability of the results of its own measurements and values of its own standards and of
results and values provided to customers of NIST measurement services. Specific evidence of traceability is found in the
NIST sub-level quality documents and other documents referenced therein. Rigorous traceability is a core competency of
NIST policy also asserts that providing support for a claim of traceability of the result of a measurement or value of a
standard is the responsibility of the provider — whether NIST or another organization — of that result or value, and that
assessing the validity of such a claim is the responsibility of the user of that result or value. The NIST policy on traceability
is made available to stakeholders on the NIST external website [https://www.nist.gov/nist-policy-traceability].
Magna Carta 1215
•35. Una mensura vini sit per totum regnum nostrum, et una mensura cervisie, et una mensura bladi, scilicet quarterium Londoniense, et una latitudo pannorum tinctorum et russetorum et halbergettorum, scilicet due ulne infra listas; de ponderibus autem sit ut de mensuris.
•35. Let there be one measure of wine throughout our whole realm; and one measure of ale; and one measure of corn, to wit, "the London quarter;" and one width of cloth (whether dyed, or russet, or "halberget"), to wit, two ells within the selvages; of weights also let it be as of measures.
Canada, Weights and Measures Act,
R.S.C., 1985, c. W-6
Basis for units of measurement
4 (1) All units of measurement used in Canada shall be determined on the basis of the International System of Units established by the General Conference of Weights and Measures.
Report of the Motherisk Hair Analysis Independent Review
The Honourable Susan E. Lang, Independent Reviewer:
"37. It is important to distinguish among research, clinical, and forensic purposes because different standards apply, depending on the manner in which the hair test is intended to be used. Forensic laboratories have the most stringent requirements, including strict chain-of-custody procedures and documentation standards to reduce the risk of contamination of samples and to ensure the traceability and reliability of the results obtained." (italics added)
"19 The ISO is an independent, non-governmental member-based organization comprised of 163 national stan-
dards bodies. The ISO is the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards and has published more
than 19,500 international standards on a variety of subject areas, including standards for laboratories. The ISO does
not accredit laboratories. It promulgates the standards that accrediting bodies use to evaluate laboratories.
20 Though not specific to forensic laboratories, ISO 17025 is recognized internationally as the appropriate standard
for laboratories performing forensic testing. It contains requirements for testing laboratories to demonstrate their
ability to generate valid test results. It consists of 11 tenets and also specific requirements that detail how the tenets
are met, including the assessment of laboratory documentation, the validity and appropriateness of test methods,
proficiency testing, measurement traceability, the technical competence of staff, the testing environment, and mea-
surement uncertainty calculations." (italics added)
Cross-examination of a scientist from the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto:
Q. And above that [CFS 8000C Training Aid December 2013 p. 16 of 238]:
"In 1960, the General Conference on Weights and
Measures adopted the International System of
With the international abbreviation SI?
A. Yes. Right.
Q. Now, how is it that a measurement result on an
Intoxilyzer 8000C can be traceable to the SI units? Why does
A. The instrument is traceable to the standards
that were used to check its calibration.
Q. Really? So you're suggesting that
traceability goes through the control checks by the police
officers, as opposed to the calibration of the instrument by
A. No, that's not what I said. It's traceable to
the standards that were used at the point of calibration.
They are the standards obtained from Guth, or another
supplier, who certifies those standards, and the result is
traceable back to those standards.
Q. So on one of the previous days I showed you a
certificate of calibration for this particular Intoxilyzer
8000C that said that the solutions that were used were from a
standard , and you looked at that document, and I think
we may have a copy of it as an exhibit.
Q. So the traceability of an Intoxilyzer 8000C
goes back through its calibration. Not its control checks,
but through its calibration, right?
Q. Same if it is recalibrated, the traceability
goes through the standards that are used, the reference
standards. And I think "reference standard" is a technical
Q. The reference standards that are used at the
time of its recalibration.
Blog Articles respecting Traceability of a Measurement Result
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Preserving teeth and maintaining good oral health year after year can be a challenge. For seniors who have had their adult teeth for decades, some changes might be necessary, and there are several factors to keep in mind. In addition to staying hydrated and visiting the dentist on a regular basis, they also need to look after their dentures and assess the impact their medications might have on their oral health. This blog post details a number of helpful oral hygiene tips and suggestions for seniors.
Seniors are more likely to experience dry mouth as a result of biological changes caused by ageing. This can lead to bacteria growing which causes bad breath and tooth decay. Seniors are encouraged to drink fluids more often to keep their mouth hydrated. It’s also recommended that they reduce alcohol consumption to prevent dehydration and chew on sugar-free gum to increase saliva.
Whether chewed or smoked, tobacco is a harmful substance that can cause serious health problems and dental issues. This includes throat and mouth cancer, not to mention the damage it can cause to the gums and teeth. Eliminating all forms of tobacco will go a long way to protecting oral health and preventing potentially fatal illnesses.
Seniors statistically take a lot more medication to manage health issues that arise with age. Although these are designed to improve health, they can have side-effects that affect the mouth. For example, some medications are known to cause dry mouth, while others cause an increase in oral fungi. It’s important to determine how medications might affect oral health and take steps to minimise the impact.
Just because a person wears partial or complete dentures doesn’t mean they should stop taking their dental care seriously. You don’t become magically impervious just because some or all of your natural teeth have been replaced with artificial ones. It’s important to make sure dentures fit correctly and are properly maintained, otherwise gum inflammation and fungi growth can occur.
There’s no substitute for visiting a professional dentist on a regular basis. Routine check-ups will identify issues before they get serious, treatments can be administered to correct problems, and professional advice will ensure positive habits are developed.
At East Bentleigh Dental Group, we can provide valuable advice and assistance for seniors. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how to maintain good oral health and preserve your teeth for longer. Give us a call on (03) 9575 110, send us an email or submit an online enquiry. | <urn:uuid:9b551e11-20bf-49ee-867d-b4ddefceb300> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.ebdg.com.au/blog/oral-hygiene-tips-seniors/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.945908 | 506 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Updated August 25, 2023
Introduction to Tree Brush Photoshop
Tree brush has unique properties that can be used to paint summer and winter trees. The idea is that the brushes are of equal length and are formed in a circular shape so that the paint pigment can be used as a dry brush technique or used with rather a wet pigment washes to paint the summer tree. Whether in architectural layout or ad flyers, trees or a hint of trees create a significant impact. Let’s dive in!
How to Create a Tree Brush?
Today we will show you how to make our tree brush first. Then let’s look at an example where this is commonly used and becomes useful.
Step 1: Try to locate and download some good-quality HD pics of trees from the Internet. Also, make sure there are no copyright issues in those too.
Step 2: After opening Photoshop, Go to File and Open and open the picture of the tree in the working space whose brush design will be created. Right-click on the Background Layer and convert it into a normal layer so you can change it without worry.
Step 3: Select the Magic Wand Tool, as shown in the picture below. This will select all the white portions in the picture.
Step 4: Time to select the tree. While keeping this selection, Go to Select and Inverse Selection.
Step 5: After clicking it, you will see that only the tree is selected.
Step 6: Now, let’s make our brush. Go to Edit and Define Brush Preset.
Step 7: Once you see a dialog box, rename this brush shape as Tree Brush 1. Hit OK. Viola, our brush is created. Let’s test it.
Step 8: Go to Brush Tool.
Step 9: In the shape dialog box, you can see the latest shape of the created tree. Select that brush shape.
Step 10: Select the desired color from the color picker. I have selected green. In the properties bar, select opacity to 60% for now. You can change the brush’s size too and flow type, but let’s test this for now.
Step 11: Click wherever you wish on the canvas, and you will see that the brush is sprayed in the shape of the edited tree.
Step 12: Many times, manual scattering of the tree shapes in architectural layouts or jungle creation designing can be tricky or even look haywire. We can even adjust the number of trees, the spacing between them, the angle at which they will scatter, shape in which they will be scattered all in one command by using the brush preset in the Window menu. Go to Window, then Brush Preset.
Step 13: Select the Brush column in the menu to see all the properties we just discussed. I have just randomly played with the values for you to understand.
Step 14: For example, I tried Scattering values, then I changed the angle value, etc.
- You can also experiment and practice as per your liking. Once comfortable with values and editing, drag the brush into the canvas to see the effects.
Examples to Use Tree Brush Photoshop
This first example is a straightforward one where I will try to show a collection of trees trying to depict a silhouette image of a cottage house in the sunset. This is a sample of how the trees are used in the art form. It is a very amateur design tutorial, but it will make clear the use of brushes in various ways, including trees.
Step 1: Open a new canvas with File, then New. Unlock the Background layer. (See step 1 of making a tree brush)
Step 2: Select the Gradient Tool.
Step 3: Double-click the gradient color in the properties bar to set the foreground color.
Step 4: And the background color of the gradient using the Gradient Editor. Kindly see the following steps.
Step 5: Please drag the mouse in a vertical stroke after selecting the gradient shades, as depicted in the image.
Step 6: Here, Linear Gradient is selected. There, a sunset scene is created.
Step 7: Go to the Rectangle tool and select the Ellipse tool. Keeping the color of the ellipse black, draw the ellipse as shown in the image below.
Step 8: Select the Brush tool. Now all the fun begins. I have not played with many ideas here, but one can get as creative as possible. To create a cottage house scene, I created a House shaped brush in the same manner as we created the tree brush. Once you go to the properties bar for a selection of the type of brush you need to work with, you will notice the tiny house brush below. Kindly select it.
- Adjust the values of size, opacity, color, and flow.
- Size: 300, Opacity: 100 %, and Flow: 55 %.
Step 9: Now, brush the house wherever you want on the black platform we created. Time to use the tree brush we are discussing so much. Just select the tree-shaped brush. Set the values of opacity, flow, and size of the brush as you like, and click on the painting at any spot where you wish to have trees. I have selected 3 spots like this.
Step 10: I also selected the normal round brush to create a small sun. The Colour of the sun was selected as shown below. I even used a faded round brush to create the fences shown in the image below.
- The image finally looks like this. It’s a simple attempt, but we can go bonkers for sure.
There are various websites, ad flyers, artistic drawings even movie posters where creatives use the brushes a lot to give it a natural look, but I feel that for interior designers and architects, this brush is a boon.
This is a guide to Tree Brush Photoshop. Here we discuss how to create a tree brush in Photoshop and examples to apply the effects of Tree Brush. You can also go through our other related articles to learn more – | <urn:uuid:5801602d-a478-4a4b-bc10-0e2069d540c1> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.educba.com/tree-brush-photoshop/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.911282 | 1,254 | 2.984375 | 3 |
When bark shedding is natural
In recent weeks when I walk around Westchester I have noticed many trees that are rapidly shedding their bark. Admittedly, this can look very alarming, but the truth is that in most cases it is a completely natural occurrence. The most common cause of bark shedding, which is in fact very logical, is that the tree is preparing for growth, and needs to let its existing bark fall off in order to give the trunk room to grow. "But my tree is very old", you say, "why is this the first time I've seen this happen?" Younger trees have thinner, more flexible bark with a certain level of elasticity to it. Up until a certain age, a tree can slowly grow, expand its trunk, and the bark will just stretch along with it. However, the bark on older trees is a bit thicker, dryer and weaker. As the trunk expands, chunks of bark tend to peel off one by one leaving a messy pile of bark peels on your lawn.
If you have one of the following trees with no other recognizable problems, chances are the shedding bark you are seeing is of no concern, as these trees are known to exhibit bark peeling:
- Silver maple.
- Shagbark hickory.
- Scotch pine.
When it is cause for concern
Another common reason for bark shedding poses more of a concern, and that is a fungal infection. Cankers, are any kind of open wound that has penetrated through the bark and left the interior of the tree exposed to fungal or bacterial infection. Canker infections or diseases are easily recognizable with a defined indent or lesion and a reddish or brownish discoloration on the bark. As the tree responds to the fungal infection, it works to eliminate the infected portions which can lead to falling branches and limbs. Also, since the canker disease enters the tree through the bark and spreads beneath it, you will often see bits of infected bark falling off as it separates itself from the healthier tree tissue inside.
If a canker infection is discovered on a branch, the best treatment would be to remove the infected branch. Treatment becomes a bit more difficult when the canker is discovered on the trunk. There is no chemical that's been proven effective at eliminating the fungal disease from a tree, plus the fungus can very easily spread to neighboring trees so it's important that you enlist a certified arborist to advise you on the proper treatment method.
For a free tree inspection by a board certified arborist call us at 914-725-0441. | <urn:uuid:cafd01ab-258a-4a78-835f-2a752ff18092> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.emeraldtreecare.com/why-is-the-bark-on-my-tree-shedding/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.964574 | 532 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Heavy Gravity: An Expanding Arms Race in Space Challenges Int'l Law
The steady advance in states’ outer space military capabilities raises concerns about extraterrestrial conflicts in the near future. Despite this danger, states cannot seem to agree on new rules of international law to govern military operations in space. Two legal manuals on the matter are expected to be published this year, but international law on military operations in space is likely to be determined by the evolving practice and legal positions of the states operating in this domain
Image created with the assistance of DALL·E 2
More than five decades after the Outer Space Treaty (OST) came into force and roughly thirty years after the First Persian Gulf War, which many experts have dubbed "the first space war," there is a growing likelihood that armed conflict will escape Earth’s gravity in the near future and make it to outer space. This prediction is reinforced by several occurrences over the last few years: (1) the establishment of "space commands" by several states, whose aim is to manage military operations in outer space; (2) states' publication of strategies and policy resolutions relating to military operations in space; and (3) the growing number of experiments of a military nature conducted beyond the atmosphere.
Having war reach outer space raises many concerns. While the OST includes specific restrictions on certain military activity in space, it does not explicitly ban or regulate most aspects of military operations in that domain. As a result, a great deal of effort has gone into negotiating multi-national, legally binding pacts restricting military operations in space beyond the accords reached in the 1960s within the framework of the OST. However, these efforts have yet to yield concrete results.
The challenge in formulating rules of international law that would apply to military operations in space is all the greater given the unique features of war in space, when compared to traditional spheres of war on land, at sea, and in the air. These include the absence of elements such as water and oxygen and an atmosphere influencing air pressure or temperature regulation; the lack of defined geographical routes, which would enable, among other things, borders to be determined; the absence of friction, enabling objects to move quickly with minimal hindrance; and varying gravitational forces, which affect the amount of energy and resources required to move in an area.
Furthermore, outer space is a hostile environment where human control is limited, as is the ability to assess the risks involved. Consequently, the cost of research, development, and of launching forces and materiel into space is significantly higher, rendering routine maintenance especially challenging.
Other than these restrictions agreed upon roughly half a century ago, there exist no other prohibitions on military activity in outer space
Given these circumstances, two groups of experts have been working in recent years on manuals whose aim is to survey the codex of international law applicable to military operations in space. This author is a member of one of these groups, developing the Woomera Manual on the international law of military space operations. A second group is working in parallel on an additional manual on this topic. Both manuals are expected to be published later this year.
In this review, I will briefly outline the main treaties regulating what states may and may not do in space (commonly referred to as "space law"), as well as the development of space as an arena of war and the steps taken (unsuccessfully, so far) to prohibit or restrict the militarization of space. In this context, I will address some of the efforts currently being taken by states to reach a consensus regarding possible norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviors with respect to outer space military activity.
As mentioned above, alongside the efforts made by states in international forums, other significant initiatives aim to compile academic manuals intended to provide an objective restatement of international law as applied to military operations in space. I will also touch upon these initiatives while explaining how certain factors – such as the unique features of outer space and the need to bridge, in some areas, the gaps between space law and international law regarding military activity – make these efforts particularly complex. To illustrate these complexities, I will briefly analyze four dilemmas in applying international law to outer space military activities. Finally, I will discuss how these manuals are expected to be received by states as they formulate their positions concerning these issues.
Space law – main principles
In the 1960s and 1970s, several treaties regulating state operations in space were concluded, acknowledging the "common interest of all mankind in the progress of the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes." The 1967 Outer Space Treaty is the most important of these texts, as it sets forth the main principles of space law. It has been augmented over the years by additional treaties relating to specific issues: the 1968 Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space (the Rescue and Return Agreement); the 1972 Convention on the International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (the Liability Convention); and the 1975 Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (the Registration Convention).
According to the OST, outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies in it, shall be "the province of all mankind" and "is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation or by any other means." Therefore, no state may declare any area in space as being under its control, and cannot wield its laws and sovereign powers there. Moreover, astronauts in space are considered envoys of all mankind, and every state is required to protect them and render to them all possible assistance in the event of accident, distress, or emergency landing on the territory of another State Party or on the high seas.
The OST also provides that the use of space must comply with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, "in the interest of maintaining international peace and security and promoting international cooperation and understanding." However, the treaty does not clearly define the term "peace," and various states and commentators disagree on the extent of the restriction. The prevailing view is that the constraint is confined to "aggressive use" of space, i.e., use that does not comply with the UN charter, though some contend that the extent of the prohibition is broader.
In addition, the OST provides that operations in space shall be guided by principles of cooperation and mutual assistance, and they must be conducted with “due regard” to the interests of other states. Accordingly, states are required to avoid "harmful contamination" of space, to allow other states to monitor the launch of an object that a certain state plans to send into space, and to consult with one another where planned activity in space is likely to cause potentially harmful interference with the activities of other states party to the treaty.
Though the militarization of space has dramatically intensified since the 1990s, efforts to regulate these activities have so far failed
Furthermore, the OST states that the parties "shall bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space... whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities." For this purpose, states are required to authorize and continually supervise the activity of private entities operating in space.
The OST also addresses several aspects of military activity. It prohibits, inter alia, placing any objects bearing weapons of mass destruction in space and stationing bases, holding military experiments, and carrying out military maneuvers on, and in, celestial bodies. Nevertheless, the treaty clarifies that the use of military personnel for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes may not be prohibited.
Other than these restrictions on military activity in space, stemming mainly from the agreements that states (with emphasis on the United States and the Soviet Union) reached roughly half a century ago, there exist no other prohibitions in the OST or any other specific regulation on the possibility of military activity in outer space.
The militarization of space has dramatically intensified since the 1990s. Under these circumstances, attempts were made to formulate internationally agreed upon binding treaties, or non-legally binding norms and/or rules in support of the existing legal framework. The next section discusses these initiatives.
Diplomatic attempts at regulation
The militarization of space is a decades-old phenomenon. During the First Gulf War in 1991, the U.S. army made extensive use of satellites for espionage, communications, and location (GPS), all of which contributed significantly to the defeat of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Since then, numerous states have continued to rapidly develop their abilities in space, including relying on private space enterprises (dubbed “NewSpace”), with the aim of achieving superiority over their rivals. The importance of satellites for military activity, and the military’s reliance on them was recently illustrated during the Russia-Ukraine war. Therefore, it is likely that in the future we will continue to witness a heavy reliance by parties to conflicts on space objects, as well as attempts to disrupt opponents' access to satellites.
At the same time, we are witnessing a process termed the “weaponization of space,” in which states pursue technological developments and conduct experiments not only to exploit the military advantages arising from fielding satellites in support of ground, sea, and air-based military operations (a process termed "militarization of space"), but also to place space-based devices with destructive capacities in orbit or sub-orbit. This is exemplified in recent years by two significant trends: the rise in the number of military experiments conducted in space, and the establishment of special army units whose entire purpose is to execute military activity in space.
The growing extent of military experiments is evident in the number of states conducting them, and the expansion of the scope of these experiments. For example, in March 2019, India carried out a test launch of anti-satellite missiles (ASAT), thereby joining China, Russia, and the U.S., which had previously conducted such tests. In October 2021, China reportedly carried out a test launch of a hypersonic missile capable of leaving the atmosphere, orbiting the planet, and upon command, returning to attack Earth. The last ASAT missile test was conducted in November 2021 by Russia, against one of their own retired satellite (the Cosmos 1408, which became obsolete in the 1980s). Russia has also carried out several robotic rendezvous and proximity operations (RPOs), in both low earth orbit (LEO) and Geostationary earth orbit (GEO), most of which are related to military operations. Finally, the U.S. has been carrying out tests using the X-37B orbital test vehicle for years.
In addition, some states have begun to set up special units responsible for military activity in space and to consolidate doctrines for their national interests in space. For example, in December 2019, the U.S. set up its Space Force and, in June 2020, it compiled a strategy paper that explicitly stated that Russia and China pose significant threats to its activity in this realm. In 2019, France established a Space Forces Command and in October 2021 it carried out its first military exercise, which included a scenario in which a foreign space object threatened one of its satellites.
In September 2021, Britain published an updated national strategy paper regarding its activity in space. The document set a goal of defending and preserving Britain's national interests in space and clarifies that London views it as a possible domain for military activity. During the NATO summit in June 2021, the leaders of the member states declared (paragraph 33) that "attacks to, from, or within space present a clear challenge" to the security and stability of the Alliance in a manner that may justify the invocation of Article 5, the organization's collective defense mechanism.
Given the concern about an arms race in space, several attempts have been made over the years to formulate consensual rules on the matter – either through a new legally binding treaty or, more feasibly, through a set of non-legally binding norms, rules, and principles. Since 2008, China and Russia, the main proponents of negotiating a new legally binding treaty, have been pursuing an international treaty prohibiting arms from being placed in space and the threat or use of force against objects in space. Additionally, in 2017, the UN General Assembly appointed a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) to "consider and make recommendations," based on consensus, "on substantial elements of an international legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, including, inter alia, on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space.” However, given the mistrust between the blocs (especially between the United States versus Russia and China), these efforts did not bear fruit.
In addition, several attempts have been made to reach a consensual agreement regarding non-legally binding principles, norms, and rules. For instance, in 2010, the UN General assembly adopted a resolution in which it decided to establish a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) tasked with conducting a study on outer space transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBMs). In 2013, the GGE submitted a report – agreed upon by consensus – which presented a set of transparency and confidence-building measures for outer space activities for states to implement on a voluntary basis.
In recent years Britain and other Western states promoted an initiative to formulate norms, rules, and principles for responsible behavior in space. This lead to the adoption on UNGA resolution 75/36, which called on states to submit views to the Secretary General on what activities "could be considered responsible, irresponsible or threatening." In accordance with that resolution, in July 2021 the UN Secretary General published a report reviewing the positions of twenty-five states and the European Union. Subsequently, and pursuant to General Assembly resolution 76/231, an open-ended working group (OEWG) on reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviors was established. The OEWG’s work is currently underway.
Finally, in December 2022 the UN General Assembly adopted three more resolutions on this subject. The first resolution calls upon all states to commit not to conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite tests, i.e., launching missiles from the surface of the Earth intended to destroy a specific satellite. The second resolution, adopted the same day as the first, invites the Conference on Disarmament "to establish a working group under its agenda item entitled 'Prevention of an arms race in outer space' as early as possible." Lastly, the third resolution requested the establishment of another UN Group of Government Experts (GGE) to "consider and make recommendations on substantial elements of an international legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space."
The mounting fear that warfare will seep into space, and the inability of the international community to formulate consensual norms, rules, or legally binding instruments on the matter, have in recent years led groups of independent experts to promote two initiatives to compile law manuals. In the next section, I will discuss these manuals.
Military activity in space: Designing legal manuals
The purpose of the legal manuals for military activity in space, which the two separate groups of independent experts have been working on in recent years, is to articulate and objectively clarify the existing rules of customary international law applicable to space activities.
Manuals of this type are interpretive "soft" documents that, while not legally binding, can have a great deal of influence over international discourse, since they often serve as a starting point for statements and treatment by states. A few prominent examples are the San-Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflict at Sea (1995), the HPCR Manual on International Law Applicable to Air and Missile Warfare (2009), and the Tallinn Manuals on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare (2013 and 2017).
The two upcoming manuals do not purport to deal with space law exhaustively but rather focus on its military aspects. The McGill Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space (MILAMOS) focuses on aspects of international law relating to the military use of space during peacetime, while the Woomera Manual Project articulates and clarifies existing international laws applicable to military space operations, both during peacetime and during armed conflict. These manuals are expected to tackle complicated questions, including how to correctly interpret and apply space treaties to military activity in space.
To illustrate the difficulties in applying existing legal rules to military activity in space, I will now delve into four scenarios highlighting dilemmas that typically arise regarding the application of international law to military operations in outer space.
(1) Applying the right to self-defense in reaction to an attack on a satellite
A relatively simple scenario generating debate in the international arena is a situation in which State A launches an anti-satellite missile (ASAT) that hits a military satellite owned by State B outside of an ongoing conflict.
State operations in space are subject to the provisions of international law, including the UN Charter. Among other things, Article 2 of the Charter calls on nations to resolve their conflicts peacefully and avoid the "threat or use of force." Article 51 of the Charter provides an exception, which enables nations to defend themselves against an "armed attack." Accordingly, launching an ASAT missile would appear to constitute forbidden use of force against State B, probably amounting to an armed attack, and thus enabling the afflicted country to react in self-defense against State A.
While the answer in this scenario is quite straightforward, it becomes inherently more complex if State A takes offensive action that causes State B’s satellite to stop operating but does not physically damage or destroy it. In such a case, there is a dispute over whether the action can be considered a use of force or even an armed attack.
Does incapacitating a satellite - without physically damaging it - constitute an armed attack? | Illustration: PIRO4D on Pixabay (Pixabay licsense)
When this conundrum was debated in the context of offensive cyber-ops, some states (including Israel) and experts opined that the accepted interpretation of the terms "use of force" and "armed attack" must involve physical damage. Under this interpretation, a computer network attack (CNA) that shuts down a computer system but does not physically harm any of its components will not be considered a use of force or an armed attack. Other states and experts, however, thought that in some circumstances, a cyber-attack that causes a computer or network to stop working permanently, or damages essential national infrastructure, can also constitute a use of force and, sometimes, even an armed attack.
This raises the question of how states will address this issue in the context of action taken in outer space, taking into account that satellites are much more vulnerable to external interference (for example, an object that maneuvers toward a satellite and blocks its solar panels could cause the latter to stop functioning), and that repairing them would require the allocation of a great deal of funding and resources.
Another complex conundrum is the question of which state has the right to defend itself against an armed attack on a satellite. In other arenas of war, the answer is more clear-cut. For example, under customary international law, when an armed attack is mounted from within a vessel in the high seas, the right of self-defense belongs to the state whose flag the attacked vessel is flying.
If that rule is applied to space, then the right to self-defense would belong solely to the state that registered the satellite upon its launch. However, the Convention on the Law of the Sea rule applies only to the maritime domain. The OST never regulated this aspect, and there could be different approaches to the question. Thus, for instance, one could claim that given the special arrangements determined in the OST regarding the "launching state," the right of self-defense could belong both to the state which the attacked satellite is registered under and to the one which launched it into space. One could further argue that even a state not considered the "launching state" could nevertheless have the right to self-defense if the attack targeted a satellite supplying it with military services. In any case, at present, this question seems to have no clear answer.
(2) The regime of State responsibility in space and its application in the context of military action
In another scenario, a private enterprise located in the territory of State A owns a satellite that supplies military services to the armed forces of State B, which is engaged in an armed conflict with State C. These services grant the armed forces of State B a significant military advantage in the fight.
The law of neutrality regulates the relations between nations that are parties to an international armed conflict (States B and C, in this case) and neutral states not involved in the conflict (State A). Pursuant to the law of neutrality, a neutral state may not supply a belligerent state with ammunition or "war material of any kind." Does this signify that State A must prevent the private enterprise from supplying military satellite services to State B?
Based on the law of neutrality, the answer would seem to be negative. The reason is that the prohibition on supplying war material does not require neutral states to prevent the "export or transit" of arms or "anything which can be of use to an army" by private entities. As a result, in our scenario, State A – in which the enterprise operates – could claim that this also applies to military services provided by a private enterprise via satellites it launches into space.
However, these are not the only laws that could apply to the circumstances. In response, State C could invoke the special rules in the OST, under which member states are responsible for the "national" activity carried out in space by commercial companies operating within their territory. Accordingly, State C could argue that the military services provided by that private enterprise could be seen as being provided by State A itself, in contravention of the law of neutrality.
In a similar scenario, a private enterprise operating a satellite registered under State D could use it for an action tantamount to the prohibited use of force against State E, without State D's knowledge. In that instance, it could be argued that the special rules under the OST should apply and that consequently, State D should be viewed as responsible for that action, with all that this implies.
As a counterargument, one could claim that under "The law of State responsibility" in international law, the registered state would be responsible for the private enterprise's action only in cases where the enterprise is operating at the state's instruction or under its control. Here, too, opinions may differ regarding the interpretation of the responsibility rule in the OST and its relationship with the general rules of state responsibility in international law.
(3) Application of the law on armed conflict in space, given its unique environmental conditions
In another scenario, States A and B are engaged in armed conflict. At some point, State A decides to attack one of State B's military satellites using an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile. In contrast with scenario (1), which dealt with the legality of the use of force in peacetime (jus ad bellum), the present scenario involves the legality of attacks in the context of an armed conflict (Jus in bello, also known as "the laws of armed conflict" or "international humanitarian law".)
The laws of armed conflict were formulated in respect to the traditional domains of war – land, sea, and air. However, the prevailing opinion is that they can be applied to space as well. This approach relies, among other things, on the 1996 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons, under which the law of armed conflict applies to "all forms of warfare and to all kinds of weapons." This opinion is shared by various states, international organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and academics.
In any case, even if the laws of armed conflict need to be applied also to space warfare, how they ought to apply is not always clear, given the unique characteristics of this domain.
An ASM-135 anti-satellite missile. Does its use comply with the principle of proportionality? | US Air Force Photo by Ken LaRock
For example, as the ASAT attack described in this scenario will probably be considered as an “attack” under the law of armed conflict, it would be subject to its relevant principles, including the principle of distinction, the rules regarding precautions in attack, and the principle of proportionality. Applying these criteria to space warfare raises interesting questions, such as how the "space debris" resulting from such ASAT attack needs to be treated under the law of armed conflict.
On the one hand, space debris is likely to spread over vast areas, thus reducing the probability that it will damage a functioning satellite or an active space station. As a result, one might argue that the space debris created by the attack should not be considered "collateral damage."
On the other hand, given the growing amount of space debris, many fear that at some stage, new debris will cause a collisional cascading of objects in space (which is known as the Kessler syndrome), potentially damaging active satellites and endangering human ability to operate in that area of space. Some, therefore, might argue that when considering the collateral damage resulting from such an attack, the attacking entity must also consider the cascading threats that the space debris likely to be created would pose to civilian space objects.
If that claim is accepted, then State A would have a duty to consider alternative means that would allow it to disable the enemy satellite without producing so much debris, or even to refrain from the attack entirely if the expected collateral damage from these cascading threats will be considered as excessive (i.e. not in accordance with the principle of proportionality) when weighed against the direct anticipated military advantage gained by it.
Another related question is whether space should be seen as a "natural environment." Several experts contend that the law of armed conflict prohibits states from employing means and methods of war that are intended, or likely, to cause widespread, long-term, and severe damage to the environment. Some commentators and states argue that space should also be protected by this rule.
(4) Interfaces between space law and the law of armed conflict regarding military activity in space
Complex issues are also likely to emerge when the potential application of two bodies of law – in this case, space law and the law of armed conflict – leads to different outcomes. In this context, one of the questions likely to arise is which of these systems of law constitutes specific subject matter (lex specialis) that prevails over the more general law (lex generalis).
Take for example a scenario in which States A and B are engaged in an armed conflict. State A decides to attack State B's space station, which houses astronauts who belong to its armed forces. On the one hand, space law views the astronauts as "envoys of humankind" who should be treated with caution and assisted in the course of their routine activity in space, and even – when in distress – returned to their state healthy and unharmed. These laws also explicitly enable states to employ military personnel for research purposes or any other peaceful activity.
The problem presents itself when applying the law of armed conflict to military activity in space leads to different results than by applying space law
On the other hand, under the law of armed conflict, members of a state's armed forces are considered combatants who may be lawfully attacked and, if captured, held as prisoners of war. It is therefore unclear whether State A is permitted to attack the astronauts of State B in the abovementioned space station, or whether they should be protected.
Another related question is whether State B can sue State A for damages to its space station in the context of an armed conflict. At first glance, the question may sound far-fetched: under the law of armed conflict, if an attack was carried out against a military target during an armed conflict, the attacking state does not have to pay compensation for the damage caused to the target.
However, according to the liability rules in space law, a state may be required to compensate another state, international organization, or even private enterprise for the deliberate damage it caused to their property in outer space "if the damage is due to its fault or the fault of persons for whom it is responsible." Though the law of armed conflict would seem to prevail in this case, claims could be raised that would limit its scope.
These examples illustrate that applying the law of armed conflict to military activity in space may sometimes lead to different results than would be reached by applying space law. Accordingly, it bears considering further deliberation on which laws would prevail under such circumstances.
Summary and conclusions
Discussions surrounding military operations in space have been gaining momentum in recent years. Understandably, there is genuine concern that military conflicts will spill over to space in the foreseeable future. Nations understand this danger, yet despite the general sense that most would prefer things to be different, they continue to build their military capabilities in this domain.
Under these circumstances, a debate on international norms and on the rules applying to military activity in space is crucial, inter alia, within the framework of the forthcoming Woomera and McGill Manuals. Even though these manuals will have no official legal standing, they could serve as a starting point for developing international discourse. Consequently, they are likely to influence the legal rules on such military activity, especially if states develop their practices and issue statements based upon, or in reference to, these manuals.
For this purpose, one can learn from the way discourse on the application of international law to cyber warfare has evolved in the last few decades. In its early stages, the discourse was conducted mainly between experts focusing on the positions set forth in the Tallinn manuals. However, in recent years, more and more states – Israel among them – have expressed official legal opinions on the matter, including within the framework of conferences of state experts and in UN forums. The positions taken by states have advanced the discourse and are likely to influence the development of international customary law regarding military activity in cyberspace.
We can expect a similar process regarding military activity in space in the coming years. States are likely to consider and review their positions on the legal questions regarding the space domain. They might also consider establishing agreed-upon norms, whether independently or via UN initiatives. At a later stage, some states may also consider whether the time has come for them to express their opinio juris on the matter. This might also be the case with Israel, which has a growing presence in outer space, and which engages in broad legal and diplomatic activities in this field.
Noam Neuman is the head of the Law of Armed Conflict Division at the Israeli Ministry of Justice. He is a member of the international team of experts compiling the Woomera Manual on the International Law of Military Space Operations. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Ministry of Justice or the State of Israel. The author wishes to thank Adv. Mattan Gilboa for his assistance in writing this article.
(Photo: Israel Ministry of Justice, courtesy of the author)
Notes: Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, 610 U.N.T.S. 205 (opened for signature 27 January 1967, entered into force 10 October 1967) – hereinafter "the Outer Space Treaty" or the OST. http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/gares/ARES_21_2222E.pdf
See for instance: Tory Shepherd, "Life no longer as we know it’: war in space would have devastating effects, military experts say", The Guardian, 28 November 2022, at https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/29/life-no-longer-as-we-know-it-war-in-space-would-have-immediate-effects-expert-says; Henry Sokolski, "A China-US war in space: The after-action report", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 17 January 2022, at: https://thebulletin.org/premium/2022-01/a-china-us-war-in-space-the-after-action-report/ See for instance: United States Space Force, Spacepower: Doctrine for Space Forces, Washington DC: United States Space Force, June 2020, at: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Portals/1/Space%20Capstone%20Publication_10%20Aug%202020.pdf
A draft manuscript of the Woomera Manual was presented for state consideration during a State Engagement process, facilitated in the Hague by the Government of the Netherlands, during the period of 1-3 June 2022. Following this process and the comments received, the editorial board is working on the final manuscript of the manual, which is planned to be published later this year. See: https://law.adelaide.edu.au/woomera/
Volume I of the McGill Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space (MILAMOS) was published on 12 July 2022. Volume II, which is set to include commentaries on the manual, is planned to be published later in 2023.
In the introduction to the Outer Space Treaty.
Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts, and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space, (1968) 672 U.N.T.S. 119.
Convention on the International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (1972) 961 U.N.T.S. 187.
Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (1975), 1023 U.N.T.S. 15. Note that there is an additional treaty regulating operations on the moon, but only eighteen states are parties to it, none of which are considered "space superpowers."
Articles 1-2 of the Outer Space Treaty.
An identical principle was laid forth in Section 4(2) article 71 of the Antarctic Treaty, 12 U.S.T. 794, 402 U.N.T.S. (1959).
Article 5 of the Outer Space Treaty.
Article 3 of the Outer Space Treaty.
Most commentators and states, including the U.S. and USSR, interpreted the terms "peace" as "non-aggressive use," i.e., use that complies with the UN charter. See for instance Michael N. Schmitt, “International law and military operations in space,” in: A. von Bogdandy and R. Wolfrum (eds.), Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law Online, 10(1), 2006, pp. 89, 101-102.
Some commentators and states, such as Argentina, India, and Iran, view the prohibition as applying to any military use.
Articles 9-10 of the Outer Space Treaty.
Article 6 of the Outer Space Treaty.
Article 4 of the Outer Space Treaty.
See for example Larry Greenemeier, “GPS and the World's First ‘Space War’,”Scientific American, 8 February 2016, at: https://scientificamerican.com/article/gps-and-the-world-s-first-space-war/
This industry is led by multinationals, the most prominent of which is SpaceX, and reflects another aspect of the growing commercialization of outer space, especially as of 2017. Experts foresee that in the years to come, there will be a significant growth in the number of satellites launched into orbit around Earth, and that their output and the capabilities they are planned to supply will also serve for military purposes. This forecast came true in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in which SpaceX provided Ukraine and its forces with a reliable source of satellite internet. See: “How Elon Musk has changed warfare,” The Economist, 11 January 2023, at: https://www.economist.com/starlink-pod
See for example: US Air Force Doctrine Publication 3-14, Counterspace Operations, 27 August 2018, p. 4, at: https://www.doctrine.af.mil/Portals/61/documents/AFDP_3-14/AFDP-3-14-Counterspace-Ops.pdf
For example, in a recent panel session, the U.S. Space Force Chief of Operations emphasized the prominence of the use of space technology in the Russia-Ukraine war context. See: https://spacenews.com/u-s-space-force-chief-the-use-of-space-technology-in-ukraine-is-what-we-can-expect-in-the-future/.
For a review of the development of the arms war in space, see, for example, Zeev Shapira and Gil Baram, "Arms Race in Space: Global trends and state interests", Cyber intelligence and Security, 3(2), October 2019, at: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/the-space-arms-race-global-trends-and-state-interests/
“Rendezvous and Proximity Operations” are a euphemism for actions in space using a body in proximity to another body that could disrupt the operations of the latter in the short or long term. For an explanation of RPOs and their implications for security in space, see for example Brian Weeden, “The Evolution of Space Rendezvous and Proximity Operations and Implications for Space Security,” presentation given at the United Nations Disarmament Conference, 12 April 2019, at: https://unidir.org/sites/default/files/conferences/pdfs/brian-weeden-presentation-eng-0-804.pdf
US Department of Defense, Defense Space Strategy Summary, June 2020, p .1.
See UN General Assembly resolution 72/250.
See UN General Assembly resolution65/68.
See full report at: https://www.stimson.org/wp-content/files/file-attachments/GGE_July_2013_1.pdf.
Britain's proposal was advanced in the framework of the UN disarmament committee (the first committee) and passed in December 2020 as UN General Assembly Resolution 75/36 on contending with threats in outer space by setting norms, rules and principles for responsible behaviors (Reducing Space Threats through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviours). See: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/3895440?ln=en.
Aside from states, the initiative was addressed by nine non-state actors, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which among other things addressed the possible risks of armament in space and clarified that in its view, activity in this domain should be pursued in compliance with the principles of international law on the use of force and armed conflicts. See: https://front.un-arm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/icrc-position-paper-unsg-on-resolution-A-75-36-final-eng.pdf.
See UN General Assembly resolution 76/231.
The working group will convene in four sessions between May 2022 and August 2023. It is worth noting that there are also regional initiatives, such as the EU’s draft International Code of Conduct for outer space activities, but they have only limited effect.
See UN General Assembly resolution 77/41.
See UN General Assembly resolution 77/40. In this resolution, the General Assembly also recognized “the growing convergence of views on the elaboration of measures designed to strengthen transparency, confidence and security in the peaceful uses of outer space, without prejudice to efforts towards the conclusion of an effective and verifiable multilateral agreement or agreements on the prevention of an arms race in outer space.”
See UN General Assembly resolution 77/250.
For a rule in international law to be considered to have customary status, two components must exist: general practice by states, and statements by those states that view such practice as opinio juris. On this, see the UN ILC 2018 draft conclusions on identification of customary international law: https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/1_13_2018.pdf
Michael N. Schmitt (ed.), Tallinn Manual On International Law Applicable To Cyber Warfare, 2013; Michael N. Schmitt (ed.), Tallinn Manual 2.0 On The International Law Applicable To Cyber Operations, 2nd edition, 2017.
Article 3 of the Outer Space Treaty
In this respect, the United States has expressed on more than one occasion the importance in ceasing ASAT systems. For example, in April 2022, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the United States “commits not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing”. See: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/04/18/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-advances-national-security-norms-in-space/). A statement addressing the need to cease ASAT systems was also given by the U.S. to the open-ended working group on reducing space threats. See: https://geneva.usmission.gov/2022/09/13/u-s-statement-to-the-open-ended-working-group-on-reducing-space-threats-2/.
The common approach recognizes a gap between the two terms and sets an armed attack at a higher bar than the use of force. However, the extent of this gap is disputed.
See for instance the Israeli position published in December 2020 at the US Naval War College conference: Roy Schondorf, “Israel’s perspective on Key Legal and Practical Issues Concerning the Application of International Law to Cyber Operations,” EJIL Talk!, 9 December 2020, at: https://www.ejiltalk.org/israels-perspective-on-key-legal-and-practical-issues-concerning-the-application-of-international-law-to-cyber-operations/
See for instance the French position published in September 2019, paragraph 1.2.1; see also the Tallinn Manual 2.0, p. 343.
Article 91 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Note that Israel is not a party to that treaty, but many of its provisions, including this one, are considered to represent customary law. See, for example, "Oil Platforms (Islamic Republic of Iran v United States of America)," Judgment, ICJ Reports 2003, p. 161, para. 64.
The term "launching state" is defined in Article 1 of the Registration Convention and relates to both possibilities.
The main condition is that the sale be done by that enterprise equitably, without the country in whose territory it operates forbidding said enterprise from selling the means to specific countries. For elaboration on the neutrality law in the context of cyberspace, see: Noam Neuman, “Neutrality and Cyberspace: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Reality,” International Law Studies, Vol. 97, 2021, pp. 765-802, at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/ils/vol97/iss1/33/
Article 6 of the Outer Space Treaty. Note that this responsibility regime is also mentioned in later resolutions in the context of space. See for example Articles 8 and 9 of UNGA Resolution 37/92 on the principles for television broadcasting from satellites.
Iran, for example, on 25 November 2022 sent a letter to the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, in which it criticized the "illegal internet operation of Starlink within the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation of the United States of America (SpaceX), with United State Government support." For further reading, see: Mike Wall, “SpaceX reveals ‘Starshield’ satellite project for national security use,” Space.com, 7 December 2022, at: https://www.space.com/spacex-starshield-satellite-internet-military-starlink
Article 2 of the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, with commentaries, 2001, which many see as reflecting customary international law.
Ibid, Articles 2 and 8. Regarding the possibility of casting responsibility because of existing "control," opinions differ – in court rulings and among commentators – regarding the extent of control required to establish such responsibility.
See especially paragraphs 86 and 89 of the council's opinion.
See, for example, Emanuela-Chiara Gillard, “Proportionality in the Conduct of Hostilities: The Incidental Harm Side of the Assessment,” Research Paper, Chatham House, 10 December 2018, para. 22; Michael N. Schmitt, “’Attack’ as a Term of Art in International Law: The Cyber Operations Context,” in: Christian Czosseck, Rain Ottis & Katharina Ziolkowski (eds.), Proceedings Of The 4th International Conference On Cyber Conflict, 7 September 2012, pp. 283, 285-286, at SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2184833.
"Space debris" are objects manufactured by humans that serve no purpose anymore, including parts and components locked in Earth's gravitational orbit. An ASAT missile attack on a satellite could result in thousands of pieces of space debris orbiting Earth for a long period.
In this context, it bears keeping in mind that many operational satellites are maneuverable in order to enable them to evade exactly such damage.
"Report of the Secretary General on Reducing Space Threats through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviors," UNSGOR, UN Doc A/76/77 (2021), para. 13.See in this context the position of the RAND corporation: https://front.un-arm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/rand-pea887-2.pdf.
See, for example, ICRC report on IHL and the Challenges of Contemporary Armed Conflicts: Recommitting to Protection in Armed Conflict on the 70th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, 22 November 2019, p. 34, at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/icrc-report-ihl-and-challenges-contemporary-armed-conflicts.
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977, Art. 51(5)(b).
The protections are listed, inter alia, in Articles 35 and 55 of the 1977 First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions and all the countries party to the protocol are bound by them. Israel, which is not party to the first protocol, believes that these protections do not have customary status – and therefore do not obligate states that are not party to the protocol.
The institution of lex specialis is a rule in international law to prioritize among laws, under which the specific law overrides more general laws when they conflict. On this matter, see Article 55 of the draft rules of state responsibility. However, regarding military activity in space, a unique situation arises in which two distinct systems of law – the one regulating military activity during armed conflicts, and another regulating human activity in outer space– may be considered "special," each in its area. Accordingly, it is not clear which would be the lex specialis that overrides the other.
Article 5 of the Outer Space Treaty and Article 4 of the Rescue and Return Agreement.
Article III of the Liability Convention.
For example, in 2022 Israel signed the Artemis Accords, which includes sections relating to joint research for the exploration of space and for peaceful civilian activity on the moon and Mars, and in regard to comets and asteroids. | <urn:uuid:8f94f34b-5289-433f-bc26-f4574d97037a> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.eng.arenajournal.org.il/single-post/neuman-space-law-ENG | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.939421 | 10,018 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Many at times you may find yourself asking this question once or twice, if not a thousand times. Many individuals may find it hard to define what life is. The common human being would describe life as the events that take place between birth and death, although, this is not true, as will be visibly be outlined in this article. Many will define life as a journey, a grand adventure or a tour of duty. I think that life is a journey, an opportunity to walk the path and see where we end up. This article will try to define life, concentrating mostly on the human life as the main topic of discussion because human beings have the sixth sense, popularly known as intelligence.
Some believe that by default, life starts when one is born, it continues on Earth as it grows and multiplies, then finally stop at death which many believe is the final stage of life. To get a better understanding of the meaning of life, life is divided into three parts. The three stages of life include; life before birth, life between the period birth and death, and finally, life after death. Now, let’s look at the three aspects of life with a philosophical and also scientific point of view.
Life before Birth
We should have the ability to visualize a status beyond space, time and preservation rules once he/she knows the situation of life before birth. It is only during birth that life enters the physical universe, which is made up of space, time and conservation laws. Naturally, life before birth is devoid of any physical matter, but all plans are already coded in a plane above the physical universe which is triggered as birth takes place according to the secret code already embellished. The fact that life is continuously generated in various forms of living beings leads us to think that there should be a “plane” which stores all the secrets of life.
The originator should enclose the entire genetic code in a restrained form. The plane is given the name, “Master Intelligence Plan,” which implies that the secret code is inscribed in the form of a “plan” which will reveal later in time as life continues. According to Erwin Schrodinger, is not much different from intelligence. In other words, only intellectual beings actually ‘live,’ man of them possessing the highest form of intellect.
Life between Birth and Death
Many people believe that life begins when one is born. This might not be entirely true reason being that, biologically speaking, when one is still in his/her mother’s womb, he/she has a life. From the Buddhist perception, life and death are two phases of a gamut. Life does not begin at birth nor does it end at death. So once we are born, our lives continue but in a different environment and various factors, and this is where we start making choices that will determine how we will save our lives. Karma does not direct our lives, but our vow or our sense of mission. In other words, what we want to achieve in life.
Life after Death
According to religious leaders and different scriptures, there is death only for the physical body but the scheme behind it known as Soul never dies. Also, the Hindu Philosophy has put a KARMA theory that suggests that life goes on to the next birth. Here’s an explanation of how life goes to future lives.
According to Erwin Schrodinger book, “what is life,” life only travels through the secret code written in genes, transformed from the Master Intelligent plan through DNAs and RNAs. The genes are transferred throughout life itself, to the forthcoming generations. Biologically, the forward transmission of RNA and DNA by imitation constitutes the transformation carrying over the genetic codes of life into future lives. On the one hand, a newborn baby obtains a life from the genes inherited, and on the other, the baby expands its intelligence through education and various experiences, etc. During its life period, it transfers that code by further reproduction.
The secret code inscribed in the genes does not die. They are transferred on to different generations and live eternally. So, is there life after death? This question continues to consume us even today. Although many have come up with different proofs that there is life after death, none seem to convince us that there is life after death. So the question remains; is there life after death? We recognize the fundamental interruption that death represents. In a moment, our memories, our experiences, our personality all seem to disappear. With our last breath, we seize to exist. The question haunted our earliest ancestors, and the answer to it remains exclusive.
What Makes Life Meaningful?
In my opinion, there are three components which make life meaningful. They are;
First, we should have something that requires our full attention. We should have something important that obliges us to wake up every day and find a useful purpose in the world that we have a passion for. This gives us a substantial reason to live and gives meaning to our lives. Secondly, Friends and family. According to Victor Frankl, life is best lived in a community and therefore, relationships matter. To experience a profound sense of meaning in our lives, we need to surround ourselves with people who show us love and treat us with a lot of compassion. As human beings we all need love and love definitely, adds more meaning to our lives. And lastly, a redeeming perspective on our travel. Life is full of difficulties and sometimes even misfortunes. To experience meaning, we must redeem these problems by finding a perspective on them that improves our lives. (Viktor Frankl. 1995).To have a meaningful life, we need to redeem ourselves from these tragedies.
Life is what you make it
The beauty of life grows from the great variety of its expression. Likewise, in the human society, the varied nature of our struggles and triumph, the great variety of ways in which our lives takes shape and come to an end, and when we win, the sufferings of life is revealed as significant and appreciated. So, in my opinion, life is what we make it. Life can either be meaningful, or meaningless.
In general, if you are looking for meaning in your life, then, in my opinion, the answer is simple. Life is what you make it! Our lives are not all the same. We don’t live similar lives. Everyone lives a life that he/she has chosen to live. The choices you make in your life will determine what kind of life you will live. And your actions will determine the type of person you are. To back this up, Robert Fritz says, “If you limit your choices only to what appears probable or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truthfully want, and all that is left is compromised.”
Schrodinger. E. “The physical Aspect of the Living Cell.” What is Life? Trinity College, Dublin, 1943.
Schwartz, James. “In Pursuit of the Gene.” From Darwin to DNA. Harvard University Press, 2004.
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In general, corporate databases are usually complex and contain multiple worksheets in workbooks. However, you might like to work with ease and be able to extract data across multiple sheets by the Excel VLOOKUP and other functions and sum them up. In this article, I will show you 2 suitable ways to VLOOKUP and sum across multiple sheets in Excel with the VLOOKUP, SUM, SUMIF, SUMPRODUCT, and INDIRECT functions. Hence, read through the article to learn more and save time.
VLOOKUP and SUM Across Multiple Sheets in Excel: 2 Suitable Ways
For the purpose of demonstration, I have used the following sample dataset. Here, we have 3 sheets in an Excel workbook which we will use to VLOOKUP and get the sum across these multiple sheets. Hence, the 3 sheets are shown below.
In addition, you can see there are three sheets for 3 consecutive months: January, February, and March. However, the sheets contain the Product Name, Product ID, and Sales for a month of January, February, and March (one in each sheet). We will see how to apply the VLOOKUP function for a value and get the result as the sum of the sales for 3 months.
1. Use VLOOKUP and SUM Functions Across Multiple Sheets
In the beginning, we will use VLOOKUP and SUM functions across multiple sheets to complete the task. Fortunately, the process is quite simple and easy. Hence, read through the steps mentioned below in order to complete the operation properly in Excel.
- Initially, select cell C5 and write down the following formula.
📌 Formula Description:
- Firstly, in the VLOOKUP function, we are looking up for Product Name in cell B5.
- Secondly, we have added all the 3 sheets’ table range.
- Thirdly, the column index for the dataset for all the 3 sheets is 3 as we want the result of sales which is in the D column whose index number is 3.
- Fourthly, we wanted an exact match. Thus, used FALSE. However, you can use TRUE also in case you want an approximate match.
- Lastly, the SUM function provides the sum of the matched items.
- Afterward, hit the Enter button and utilize the AutoFill tool to the entire column.
2. Vlookup and Sum Across Multiple Sheets Applying SUMPRODUCT, SUMIF, and INDIRECT Functions
Furthermore, you can also use nested formulas with the functions SUMPRODUCT, SUMIF, and INDIRECT to VLOOKUP and sum across multiple sheets. For this, firstly, you need to make a list of the sheet names you have. However, the process is similar to before and simple to use. Now, let’s follow the steps below.
- Firstly, write the sheet names and select them.
- Secondly, click on the Define Name from the Formulas tab.
- Thirdly, write the name of the list, “Months” in the Name section.
- Fourthly, check the range in Refers to: and click OK.
- After that, write the formula below in cell C5 to get results for sales of 3 months for Product ID #1101.
📌 Formula Description:
- Initially, the INDIRECT function returns the reference specified by a text string. For this dataset, we have used the “Months” list which we created at the beginning of the process.
- Then, the SUMIF function checks the range and criteria to find the desired sum.
- Thereafter, the SUMPRODUCT function takes arrays and gives the sum of the products of the corresponding ranges and arrays received already.
- Finally, press Enter and apply the AutoFill tool to the whole column in order to get your desired output.
Read More: VLOOKUP with IF Condition in Excel
Things to Remember
- First of all, you must follow the syntax of the formulas if you have a different dataset.
- Then, to write arguments from different sheets you can simply click on the sheet and select the required data.
- Lastly, formulas will extend with the number of sheets you have in your dataset.
Download Practice Workbook
Before we start, I would like to request you download the following workbook for your self-practice.
These are all the steps you can follow to VLOOKUP and sum across multiple sheets in Excel. Overall, in terms of working with time, we need this for various purposes. I have shown multiple methods with their respective examples, but there can be many other iterations depending on numerous situations. Hopefully, you can now easily create the needed adjustments. I sincerely hope you learned something and enjoyed this guide. Please let us know in the comments section below if you have any queries or recommendations.
- Combining SUMPRODUCT and VLOOKUP Functions in Excel
- How to Use VLOOKUP with COUNTIF
- How to Combine SUMIF and VLOOKUP in Excel
- Use VLOOKUP to Sum Multiple Rows in Excel
- INDEX MATCH vs VLOOKUP Function
- Excel LOOKUP vs VLOOKUP
- XLOOKUP vs VLOOKUP in Excel
- How to Use Nested VLOOKUP in Excel
- IF and VLOOKUP Nested Function in Excel
- How to Use IF ISNA Function with VLOOKUP in Excel
- How to Use VLOOKUP Function with INDIRECT Function in Excel
- How to Use IFERROR with VLOOKUP in Excel | <urn:uuid:1d30757c-684d-41ef-8f67-966f618bd5eb> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.exceldemy.com/vlookup-and-sum-across-multiple-sheets/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.884734 | 1,180 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Business Energy Guide on Smart Meters
Smart meters are a modern update to outdated metering technology, but there’s some uncertainty from business owners about what they are and how they work.
If you’re unsure of what a smart meter is or how it can accurately track your business’ energy usage, we’ve put together this helpful guide to give you all the information you might need.
What are smart meters?
Smart meters are digital electricity or gas meters that record energy consumption in real time and send the data to your energy supplier through a wired or wireless connection. This data can help you to understand your energy usage patterns and identify areas where you can save energy.
Can I get a smart meter for my business?
Not all companies are eligible to receive a smart meter; only small companies with fewer than 10 employees will be entitled to one.
Benefits of smart meters for small businesses?
There are a number of benefits to smart meters for small businesses, including:
- Accurate billing – Smart meters ensure that businesses are billed accurately for the energy they consume in real time.
- Energy saving opportunities – Smart meters can help businesses to identify areas where they can save energy. For example, businesses can track their energy consumption over time to identify trends and patterns in order to plan energy-intensive processes for off-peak times.
- Reduced environmental impact – By reducing their energy consumption, businesses can help to reduce their environmental impact.
- Improved efficiency – Smart meters can help businesses to improve their efficiency by providing them with real-time data on their energy consumption. This data can be used to identify and fix energy inefficiencies quickly and easily, such as appliances and machinery that draw more power than necessary
- Increased control – Smart meters give businesses more control over their energy consumption. For example, businesses can use smart meters to set energy targets and track their progress towards those targets.
How do smart meters help with climate change?
Smart meters will allow users to check the amount of energy they are using per day so they can make the necessary changes to reduce their usage. This doesn’t mean that smart meters will have a direct impact on climate change, but the purpose of smart meters for business is to help users reduce their energy usage.
How do smart meters work?
Smart meters use a variety of technologies to collect and send data. Some smart meters use a cellular network, while others use a radio frequency network. Smart meters typically collect data every 30 minutes and send it to your energy supplier. Your energy supplier will then use this data to generate your energy bills.
How to get a smart meter for your business?
To get a smart meter for your business you need to contact your energy supplier. They will be able to tell you if you are eligible for a smart meter and arrange for it to be installed.
Smart meter installation
Smart meter installation is typically a quick and easy process. An engineer will visit your business and replace your existing meter with a smart meter, a process that typically takes around one hour.
How much does a smart meter cost to fit?
Essentially a smart meter’s cost is hidden into a customer’s electricity bills. There is no upfront cost for customers who are looking at having a smart meter installed into their business or property as the cost is added in with your bills.
Who can see my business smart meter data?
Your personal data is protected and will only be available to yourself and your supplier. However, the government will receive information in regards to how much energy is used, and when energy usage occurs across the country.
Do I have to have a smart meter?
It isn’t compulsory for you to have a smart meter installed in your business, however by 2025 every household within the UK will have been offered a smart meter, free of charge. If you haven’t yet been offered a new smart meter, you’re able to request one here. It would be worth adding that although you don’t have to have a smart meter installed it will make managing your energy bills easier as without one you may struggle to access all tariffs. If your energy supplier is telling you that you must have a smart meter you can contact the Exchange Utility team on 0800 9777 000.
Using your smart meter?
Once your smart meter has been installed and connected to the network, you can start to use it to track your own energy use and consumption and identify areas where you can save energy.
Most smart meters have a display that shows your current energy consumption, historical energy and consumption data, and your estimated energy bill. You can also access your smart meter data through a web portal or a mobile app.
Smart meters can offer a number of benefits to businesses, including accurate billing, energy saving opportunities, reduced environmental impact, improved efficiency, and increased control.
If you request a smart meter or are considering getting a smart meter for your business, you should contact your energy supplier to find out more.
Can I still switch energy suppliers with a smart meter?
You can still switch energy suppliers if you’ve got a smart meter installed.
Are smart meters worth it?
Smart meters are a great way of tracking your current energy usage, so if you’re looking to save on your energy bills or do your bit to a greener world a smart meter will certainly help. As a small business owner it is likely that you’ll be conscious of your overall spending, and cutting down on energy costs is a great way to reduce your outgoings. If you’re a small business owner and you’d like more information on small business energy deals then take a look at our guide.
Why use Exchange Utility to compare business energy?
- Our customer support team is one of the best in the industry
- Comparing gas with us will save you time and money
- We have years of experience in the comparison of businesses gas
- We have built a solid reputation for being a reliable, independent and trustworthy comparison company
- We are able to compare gas prices from industry leaders to find you competitive rates
- Whenever a business gets in touch with us, we always work hard to get them the most competitive rates
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Antarctica: Bizarre anomaly ‘shooting cosmic rays into space’
Possible explanations for the bizarre phenomenon, which was first recorded in 2006, include that they are a completely new particle or potentially the product of dark matter.
But a third theory, unveiled in a research paper last month, suggests the phantom rays could actually be elusive ‘supersymmetricals’ - minute particles which are capable of passing cleanly through matter without interacting with it at all.
The long-sought particles have eluded scientists for years - including the team at the Large Hadron Collider, which has predicted their existence but not been able to observe them.
And if their existence is proved, they would break the rules of the long-established Standard Model of physics, the most accurate description of the universe humans have ever known.
The strange cosmic rays were first spotted shooting out of Antarctica during a 2006 experiment to monitor cosmic rays showering the Earth from space.
During the tests, NASA-affiliated researchers observed a phenomenon that they were unable to explain: Cosmic rays being emitted from the ground.
Data was collected through the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA), a high-tech balloon designed to monitor cosmic neutrinos while floating over Antarctica.
But during its maiden flight in 2006, ANITA’s specialist instruments recorded a cosmic ray coming from below.
Cosmic rays were observed shooting from Antarctica by the high-tech ANITA balloon
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The balloon recorded the same phenomenon again in 2014.
Cosmic rays are high-energy fragments of atoms which travel through space at close to the speed of light. They are thought to come from clusters of massive stars.
Billions of the particles shower the earth every day, and physicists believe they are capable of penetrating the Earth’s surface.
But according to the Standard Model, they should not be able to pass all the way through the planet and shoot out of the other side.
The origin of cosmic rays explained
Last month, a research paper from a group of researchers led by the Pennsylvania State University physicist Derek Fox proposed a new theory for the strange particles detected by ANITA.
The study suggests that the rays picked up by the balloon were in fact the first evidence of supersymmetric particles.
Mr Fox acknowledged that the theory is just one interpretation of the strange data recorded by ANITA, according to Motherboard.
But the researchers also analysed much more comprehensive data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in the Arctic and discovered three occurrences of the phantom particles.
The researchers are now hoping to gather more data from ANITA’s most recent mission in 2016.
Of the study, Mr Fox said: “From my perspective, I go trawling around trying to discover new things about the universe, I come upon some really bizarre phenomenon, and then with my colleagues, we do a little literature search to see if anybody has ever thought that this might happen.
“And then if we find papers in the literature, including one from 14 years ago that predict something just like this phenomenon, then that gets really high weight from me." | <urn:uuid:61901c7c-56d3-4a09-831e-57e401062f27> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1027547/space-news-cosmic-rays-antarctica-supersymmetrical-particles-anita-nasa | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.94921 | 671 | 3.234375 | 3 |
Rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping surgery, is a common procedure for those seeking to improve the appearance of their nose. This type of plastic surgery can also provide improved breathing and may even correct birth defects. Despite its popularity, there remains a great deal of uncertainty regarding the pain associated with rhinoplasty. This article will explore how painful a nose job is by examining the various factors that influence patient experience.
The risks and benefits associated with rhinoplasty should be thoroughly weighed before undergoing any surgical procedure. Pain management techniques are available to help reduce discomfort during and after the procedure. Understanding what to expect in terms of pain can help patients make an informed decision when considering this type of plastic surgery.
The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of how painful a nose job is by examining the various factors that influence patient experience. It will discuss preoperative preparation and anesthesia options, postoperative recovery period, potential risks and complications, and pain management strategies used during and after the procedure. With this information in mind, readers will be better able to decide whether or not rhinoplasty is right for them.
Definition Of Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that alters the shape of the nose. It is also known as a nose job or nasal reshaping. This type of surgery can be done for both cosmetic and medical reasons, such as to improve breathing problems or correct birth defects. The procedure may involve reshaping the cartilage and bones of the nose, removing tissue, or grafting additional tissue to make changes to the shape of the nose.
The surgery can be used to alter the size and shape of the nose by reducing or increasing its size, changing its angle, narrowing its bridge, altering the tip shape, and creating symmetry with other facial features. Rhinoplasty may also involve repairing a deviated septum or correcting structural deformities resulting from trauma.
Rhinoplasty requires a specialist plastic surgeon who has experience in this area. The surgeon will assess each individual’s anatomy to determine which techniques are most suitable for achieving desired results.
Preparing For A Nose Job
Prior to having a nose job, prospective patients should be aware of the risks and benefits associated with the procedure. It is important to have realistic expectations and to understand that the outcome of the surgery cannot be predicted or guaranteed. Patients should discuss their goals and desired outcome with their surgeon before undergoing a nose job.
Patients should also discuss any medical conditions they may have as well as any medications they are currently taking with their doctor prior to the surgery. Additionally, it is important for patients to stop smoking at least two weeks prior to having a nose job. Smoking can reduce blood flow and increase healing time, leading to poor surgical outcomes.
Before undergoing a nose job, prospective patients should prepare by eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest. This will help them heal quickly and minimize any potential complications from the surgery. Additionally, it is important for patients to arrange for transportation after the procedure as they will not be able to drive themselves home due to anesthesia.
Types Of Anesthesia Used
Nose jobs can be painful, but the amount of discomfort experienced by a patient depends on the type of anesthesia used. Anesthesia can be divided into two categories: general and local. General anesthesia is administered intravenously or through inhalation and renders the patient unconscious during surgery. Local anesthesia numbs only the area being operated on, allowing the patient to remain awake throughout the procedure.
General anesthesia is often recommended for more complex nose jobs, such as those that involve correcting a deviated septum or reshaping a nose that has been damaged from an injury. With general anesthesia, there are fewer risks of complications due to movement by the patient during surgery. When general anesthesia is used, medications are given to help relax muscles and reduce pain after surgery.
Local anesthesia can provide sufficient pain relief for some types of nose jobs, such as those involving only slight changes in shape or size. Doctors may also use injectable anesthetics with local anesthetic blocks in order to ensure that the area being operated on remains numb throughout the procedure. Patients typically receive antibiotics before and after any operation to reduce risk of infection.
In addition to minimizing risk of pain during surgery, use of proper anesthetics and antibiotics helps reduce recovery time and ensures a successful outcome from any nose job procedure.
Following a nose job, it is essential for the patient to take all necessary steps to ensure a successful recovery. Proper post-operative care will help minimize pain and promote healing.
Immediately following surgery, the nose may feel tender and swollen. Pain killers may be prescribed by the surgeon to help with discomfort, however these should only be taken as directed. Cold compresses can also help reduce swelling and ease any pain or discomfort felt at the site of the operation. The patient should avoid hot showers and baths, as these can cause further irritation.
During the recovery period, it is important for the patient to pay close attention to their personal hygiene. The area should be kept clean at all times and any dressings applied must be changed regularly in accordance with instructions from the medical team. Adequate rest is also essential for optimal healing and physical activity should only resume after being cleared by the doctor. Following these guidelines can help ensure a safe and successful recovery process following a nose job.
Healing Time And Recovery Process
The healing time and recovery process of a nose job will vary depending on the individual patient and the type of procedure they have undergone. Generally, it can take between four to six weeks for the patient to completely heal, although some swelling may persist for several months afterwards. Patients can expect their noses to become swollen and bruised for approximately one week following the procedure. During this time, patients should avoid blowing their nose or engaging in strenuous activity as this could increase swelling.
It is important for patients to take antibiotics as prescribed by their doctor during the healing process in order to prevent infection. Keeping incisions clean and dry is also important for preventing any complications from occurring. In addition, patients should avoid direct sunlight and contact sports until fully healed in order to reduce the risk of scarring.
Patients may experience numbness in their noses post-surgery which can last up to 12 months after the procedure. This is normal and usually subsides over time without medical intervention being necessary. Following surgery, it is common for patients to experience some discomfort when smiling or laughing; however, this should improve with time as post-surgical swelling decreases.
Possible Side Effects And Risks
Nose jobs are generally safe when performed by a qualified surgeon, however, there are possible side effects and risks associated with the procedure.
The most common side effects of a nose job include swelling and bruising around the eyes, pain, numbness, scarring and infection. Swelling and bruising typically last for several weeks after surgery, but may take up to several months before the full results of the surgery can be seen. Pain is usually managed with over-the-counter medications or prescription pain medications prescribed by your doctor. Numbness in the area around the nose is also common and usually resolves over time. Scarring may occur at the incision sites but can be minimized by following proper post-operative care instructions. Infection is rare but if it does occur it should be treated promptly with antibiotics to prevent further complications from occurring.
Risks associated with a nose job include bleeding, damage to surrounding structures such as the sinuses or cartilage, asymmetry of the nose, difficulty breathing through one or both nostrils and an adverse reaction to anesthesia. These risks can be minimized by choosing an experienced surgeon who specializes in this type of procedure and closely following all pre-operative and post-operative instructions provided by your doctor.
In summary, although nose jobs are generally safe when performed by a qualified surgeon, there are possible side effects and risks that should be taken into consideration prior to undergoing this type of procedure. It is important to discuss these risks with your doctor before making a decision about whether or not to proceed with a nose job.
Nose jobs are generally considered to be a safe and effective way to aesthetically improve the shape of the nose. The long-term outcomes of rhinoplasty can vary depending on the individual’s anatomy, age and healing process. In most cases, results are permanent and satisfactory. However, there is a risk of revision surgery being needed if a patient experiences unsatisfactory results or any complications from their initial procedure.
In general, patients can expect to experience some residual swelling for up to 12 months after their surgery. This is normal and should gradually subside over time. Some people may also experience slight asymmetry in their nose after the procedure due to swelling or scarring from surgery. If the desired aesthetic outcome is not achieved, revision rhinoplasty may be necessary in order to correct any imperfections.
Overall, nose jobs have been successful in providing patients with long-lasting results that can improve the appearance of their nose and help them feel more confident in their facial features. While some discomfort is normal during recovery, serious pain associated with rhinoplasty is rare and should be discussed with your doctor right away if experienced.
The cost of a nose job can vary significantly depending on the complexity of the procedure and the geographical area. Generally, it is expected that a patient will pay between $3,000 and $15,000 for their surgery. This fee covers a variety of costs such as anesthesia fees, surgeon’s fees, operating facility fees, pre- and post-operative care, medications, and any other related expenses. Insurance plans may cover some or all of these costs if they are deemed medically necessary.
In addition to the medical costs associated with rhinoplasty, there may also be additional expenses incurred during the recovery process. These could include travel expenses if out-of-town treatment is required or special follow-up visits with the surgeon. Patients should be aware that there could be additional costs involved with their procedure before making any decisions.
It is important for potential patients to consider all relevant factors when deciding whether rhinoplasty is right for them, including cost considerations. All financial obligations should be discussed in detail with their healthcare provider prior to undergoing treatment. Doing so can help ensure that patients receive the best care possible while avoiding any unexpected surprises after the procedure has been completed.
Alternatives To Surgery
Non-surgical alternatives to rhinoplasty are available for some patients. These non-surgical treatments are typically used for minor aesthetic changes and may not be suitable for more complex cases. Non-surgical treatments include injectable fillers, laser skin resurfacing, and dermabrasion.
Injectable fillers are used to add volume and shape to the nose. They are injected into the skin and can last up to a year or more depending on the type of filler used. Commonly used fillers include hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite. Fillers can provide subtle changes but cannot completely reshape a nose or remove bumps or irregularities.
Laser skin resurfacing is a procedure in which an ablative laser is used to remove layers of tissue from the nose. This treatment can improve the texture of the skin and reduce wrinkles, scars, and other imperfections. It can also help reduce the appearance of large pores that may be present on the nose due to aging or sun damage. Laser skin resurfacing is typically done in combination with other treatments such as injectable fillers and dermabrasion for maximum results.
Dermabrasion involves using a rotating wire brush to sand away layers of skin on the surface of the nose. This treatment can help improve uneven pigmentation, acne scars, wrinkles, and fine lines around the nose area. Dermabrasion is generally followed by a course of topical medications to help enhance healing and minimize post-treatment scarring or discoloration.
Overall, non-surgical options provide less dramatic results than traditional rhinoplasty surgery but may be appropriate for minor corrections or improvements in certain cases. The risks associated with these treatments are generally less than those associated with surgical procedures but should still be discussed with a doctor prior to undergoing any treatment plan.
Addressing Pain After Surgery
Pain management is an important part of the recovery process after a nose job. The degree of discomfort experienced will depend on the type of surgery and individual patient. Generally, pain is mild to moderate, with most patients reporting mild to no pain after the procedure. Pain can be managed with over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and prescription medications may be prescribed if necessary.
In addition to medication, cold compresses can help reduce swelling and provide relief from discomfort. Patients are also advised to keep their head elevated for the first few days following surgery. Applying petroleum jelly or Vaseline around the operated area may also help reduce irritation and dryness.
Patients should contact their doctor if they experience any unusual symptoms or increased levels of discomfort that do not seem to improve with time or treatment. It is important to follow post-operative instructions carefully in order to ensure proper healing and recovery from surgery.
Rhinoplasty is a common and safe procedure when performed by an experienced plastic surgeon. The primary concern of most individuals prior to a nose job is the amount of pain they will experience. Pain levels vary depending on the type of surgery, anesthesia used, and post-operative care. In most cases, patients report mild discomfort after the procedure which can be managed effectively with medications prescribed by the surgeon. It is important for patients to follow all post-operative instructions in order to reduce their risk of complications and ensure a successful recovery.
The long-term results of rhinoplasty can be very rewarding and often provide excellent aesthetic improvements. However, it is essential that potential patients are aware of the risks involved so that they can make an informed decision before undergoing any surgery. Additionally, cost considerations should also be taken into account when considering rhinoplasty.
Overall, rhinoplasty can be a successful and rewarding procedure if done correctly by a qualified surgeon. While there are potential risks associated with this type of surgery, these can be minimized by following all pre-operative and post-operative instructions given by the doctor. Furthermore, individuals have access to alternatives such as injectable fillers which may provide satisfactory results without surgical intervention. | <urn:uuid:14b61bd5-75fd-43b1-833c-bc96c775ac69> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.facialplasticsurgeryseattle.com/how-painful-is-a-nose-job/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.956751 | 2,945 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Nobody ever wants to deal with the issue of food poisoning. Whilst we actively take measures to keep our loved ones safe, sometimes infection and illness in the form of food poisoning can still happen. Because of this, it’s important to learn which symptoms indicate food poisoning, so that you can take action as quickly as possible.
There are numerous microorganisms that can be conducive to food borne illnesses. Some of the most common strains include Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria. Germs such as these are capable of growing on a wide variety of different foods, and can have a significant impact on individuals of any age, however children can become especially unwell.
Food poisoning symptoms
If your child is suffering from an illness as a result of something he or she has eaten, symptoms will typically appear quite quickly after consumption. Some of the most common symptoms are vomiting and fever, excessive flatulence, abdominal cramps and painful diarrhoea.
Sometimes, the symptoms of food poisoning can take a couple of days to die down, but you should ensure that your child remains well hydrated throughout the course of their illness.
When to see a doctor
Though you should always take steps to avoid food poisoning as much as possible, most cases will simply improve on their own over time. However, if you find that your child’s symptoms begin to get worse, or their discomfort becomes too severe, you should make plans to see your doctor as soon as possible.
Medical attention should always be sought out if your child is suffering from bloody diarrhoea, or has experienced vomiting and diarrhoea for more than two days. If the child begins to show signs of dehydration, it is essential to seek the help of a doctor immediately, and this is also important if the child with food poisoning is less than one year old.
To help your child recover from their food poisoning as quickly as possible, stay away from dairy products for a few days, as these can upset the stomach, prolong abdominal cramping, and cause diarrhoea to persist further. | <urn:uuid:816809e9-5bd3-40d6-a142-855601b7a22f> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.foodsafetyfirst.com.au/2014/07/identifying-symptoms-food-poisoning-children | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.970955 | 427 | 3.359375 | 3 |
Commitment to biodiversity
At Fragàncies del Montseny we are motivated by a double commitment:
- A commitment to the conservation of biodiversity
- A commitment to contribute to the health and wellbeing of people.
All the actions that we carry out are conceived from this responsibility.
Biodiversity refers to the amount and variety of living organisms that exist on the planet and the relationships that are established between them. It plays a vital ecological role in the whole system since human beings depend on biological biodiversity for their survival.
Biodiversity offers direct benefits, like medicinal and aromatic plants, and indirect benefits through interactions and feedback between the people and the organisms that live in the ecosystem.
Fragàncies del Montseny sees biodiversity as the central concept of life on earth and that is the reason why its philosophy focuses on being committed to the conservation of biodiversity, for the benefit of society and as an integral part of the development process.
Biodiversity’s conservation includes the sustainability of its actions and projects, ensuring that the sustainable use is one that does not interfere with the ecological integrity of any living being, nor with its ecosystem and, at the same time, allows its own development.
Biodiversity’s conservation should be the responsibility of private and public institutions and bodies, as well as the responsibility of us all.
And you, are you already committed to biodiversity’s conservation? | <urn:uuid:4f1df343-4f0e-48d4-a036-e2b3f4f3162b> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.fraganciesmontseny.com/fdm/commitment-biodiversity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.94653 | 290 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Updated: Mar 19
Yes. The surveyor will look out for, and record any visual signs of asbestos-containing material they can identify during the survey. This will then be noted on the written report. However, a survey is not a conclusive test for asbestos and should not be considered or treated as one.
Here is an example of a survey where an asbestos shed roof was identified from a survey conducted in January 2023.
However, a it should be noted that a survey is a visual inspection only and the surveyor does not perform any removing or sampling of materials to send for lab tests.
Why is there asbestos in buildings?
Asbestos is a material which which has good insulating property and is also fire resistant. As a result was used in various building materials and even electrical insulation throughout the last century. Although it's potential negative impacts on human health were documented from as early as the 1920s and 1930s, it continued to be used in construction right up to the early 1980s. This means that hundreds of thousands of houses in Ireland potentially contain building materials made with asbestos.
This material can be in walls, ceiling, various flooring. In some cases, it can be very obvious that the material used was of the kind containing asbestos. The most common examples of this are old corrugated shed roofs (like the example above) or the old style stippled/popcorn ceiling finish.
Will the surveyor identify all asbestos in the property?
It is important to remember that a survey is not an asbestos test and should not be relied on as such. The surveyor can only identify asbestos containing material that is apparent to them during their visual inspection. This means that they may happen to identify any ceiling finishes or other material with asbestos, but it is also likely that there could be more hidden from site.
Example: If the property did have the "popcorn" ceiling finish in the past and a previous owner simply plastered over those, but did not remove the old ceilings, then the surveyor would have no way of identifying these.
Or the original builder may have used a material containing asbestos which was simply not common or well known and so it would not be apparent.
All surveyors, engineers, architects etc. would would have disclaimers in their terms of service outlining this in some more detail.
Can I get an Asbestos Survey and Test?
There are specialist companies who conduct full asbestos surveys and tests of properties. This survey involves taking samples from each room and other parts of the property to send for lab tests. Each of these samples are numbered separately so when the company receives the results back, they can produce a list of every place in the property which contains asbestos material.
This level of testing is not included in a standard pre-purchase survey and as it is considered an "invasive" test, the vendor may simply not permit it to be done.
How asbestos in a house can be dangerous to humans
Generally speaking, once the material containing asbestos is not disturbed or damaged, it is not dangerous. But if you were to drill into an asbestos containing board and the asbestos fibres became airborne, breathing these in can present a danger to humans. Likewise, as building materials weaken and degrade over time, small amounts of asbestos fibres.
For additional information please see this HSE resource https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/publichealth/publichealthdepts/env/asbestos.pdf
Should I avoid buying a house if it has asbestos containing material?
There is no straightforward answer to this. It is advisable to eventually have all asbestos containing material removed and replaced by a qualified company. However, if the material is intact and undisturbed, it may pose no immediate risk.
Every situation here is different and so if asbestos is identified or suspected by your surveyor, is advisable to speak with your surveyor and get their opinion on a recommended course of action.
Many people choose to continue with the purchase and spend the money to have the asbestos removed and replaced. As this is only common in oder properties, many people intend to refurbish a property anyway, in which case it may not be too much more of an inconvenience.
In Ireland, the department of the environment give information on the handling of asbestos and it's disposal. If you are having work complete on a property with asbestos containing material, you should ensure the company is qualified and experienced in handling the material. | <urn:uuid:38340cbd-bb15-42a8-a29b-5de605be5ff9> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.gethousesurvey.ie/post/does-the-surveyor-check-for-sign-of-asbestos-containing-material-during-a-pre-purchase-survey | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.960714 | 915 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Africa should never permit slavery again – President
He said Africans ought to strengthen their commitment to ensuring that that blot on the Continent’s history did not repeat itself.
President Akufo-Addo made the call on Monday at an event organized by the Kenyan Leader Uhuru Kenyatta, on the sidelines of the ongoing 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU), in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Describing the slave trade as “one of the most unfortunate and barbaric episodes of human history,” the President said the commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the commencement of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was to recognize the fact that Africans should never allow themselves to be dehumanized and be sold into slavery.
He noted that the nearly 12.5 million Africans from Central and West Africa sold into slavery had their freedoms curtailed to build and create wealth for the peoples of unknown lands where they were sent.
“As though this was not enough, the Continent had to endure centuries of being colonized by the same people who undertook the slave trade. The identity and personality of the African were assaulted, and the imprints of imperialism and colonialism woven deeply into the fabric of our lives,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo stated that as Africa commemorated the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first West African slaves in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in what subsequently became the United States of America, “we have a sacred duty and an onerous responsibility to help restore the dignity and pride of the African.”
“We are a continent of some 1.3 billion people, more than either the populations of Europe or the Americas; we are an enterprising, hardworking and innovative people, and we must make it count.”
President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that Ghana was using the symbolism of 2019, dubbed: the “Year of Return,” to bring together Africans, persons of African descent, and all well-wishers and lovers of freedom to strengthen the commitment to ensuring that slavery never happened again on the Continent.
Ghana kicked-off the “Year of Return,” an event to give fresh impetus to unite the people in the Diaspora with their kindred in Africa, with its launch in Washington D.C, in October 2018.
This was followed by the Full Circle Festival last December, where more than 70 African American celebrities visited Ghana to reconnect with their African heritage.
The “Year of Return” would commemorate the 400th year of the extraordinary sacrifices, achievements and contributions Africans in the Diaspora made to the lives of the Americans.
President Akufo-Addo said the celebrities, who participated in the Full Circle Festival, were able to view Ghana and, indeed, Africa from their own lenses and were able to “Eat, Feel, See and Wear Ghana”.
The Back-2-Africa Festival, the Home Coming and Investment Summit, the African-American Investment Forum, and the Pan-African and Emancipation Day Celebrations are some of the activities that would be held to commemorate the year-long event.
The commemoration, President Akufo-Addo noted, “should enable us, in the African Union, to consolidate and strengthen our links with our Sixth Region, i.e. the African Diaspora of the so-called ‘New World,’ which have laid dormant, and make operational and extend the Free Movement Protocol to those in the Diaspora seeking to resettle in Africa.”
Looking forward to welcoming people from the Continent and from the Diaspora to Ghana, he indicated that; “Now is the time to engage each other more positively, and imbibe in ourselves a deep consciousness and understanding of the history of the African peoples.”
“We, in Ghana, will ensure that the focus of activities commemorating the arrival of the first African slaves in Virginia showcases the achievements, creativity, ingenuity and resilience of the African peoples through the ages,’ he added.
Africans, President Akufo-Addo added, “must be proud of our rich heritage, a heritage which encompasses the ancient Kingdoms of Benin, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kongo, Mali, Mutapa, Songhai and Zimbabwe, and the world-renowned centres of learning of the University of Al Azhar in the 10th century, and the University of Sankore in Timbuktu in the 13th century. I am proud to be an African.” | <urn:uuid:bc0d7962-a92c-450f-9af7-0c244b37da50> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2019/02/12/africa-should-never-permit-slavery-again-president/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.954013 | 952 | 2.515625 | 3 |
In today’s digital age, the rapid dissemination of information has transformed the way news is consumed and produced. With the rise of citizen journalism, individuals now have the ability to actively participate in news reporting and storytelling through various social media platforms. For instance, imagine a scenario where a local resident captures footage of a breaking news event on their smartphone and shares it on Twitter. This real-time documentation can quickly gain traction, leading to widespread recognition and potential impact on public opinion.
However, with this newfound power comes the need for critical thinking skills and media literacy in order to navigate through an increasingly complex landscape of news sources and narratives. Media literacy refers to the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media content effectively. In the context of news and journalism, media literacy plays a crucial role in helping individuals discern between reliable sources and misinformation or propaganda.
This article aims to explore media literacy within the realm of citizen journalism by examining its significance in promoting informed citizenship and fostering democratic discourse. By delving into case studies that showcase both positive outcomes as well as challenges faced by citizen journalists, we will discuss how developing media literacy skills can enable individuals to become active participants in shaping public knowledge while also being cautious consumers of information. Furthermore, this article will shed light on Furthermore, this article will shed light on the importance of media literacy in empowering individuals to question and challenge dominant narratives, amplifying diverse voices, and holding those in power accountable. It will highlight the role of media literacy in promoting ethical standards and responsible reporting practices among citizen journalists.
Through a comprehensive exploration of various tools and strategies for developing media literacy skills, this article aims to equip readers with the necessary knowledge and resources to navigate the vast digital landscape effectively. By understanding how to critically evaluate sources, fact-check information, and interpret biases or hidden agendas, individuals can become more discerning consumers of news and active contributors to public discourse.
Additionally, this article will address the potential pitfalls and ethical considerations associated with citizen journalism. While it offers unprecedented opportunities for marginalized communities to share their stories and challenge mainstream narratives, there is also a risk of misinformation spreading rapidly without proper verification processes. Therefore, we will discuss the responsibility that comes with being a citizen journalist and emphasize the need for accuracy, fairness, and transparency.
Overall, by recognizing the transformative impact of citizen journalism in today’s society while emphasizing the importance of media literacy as a tool for informed citizenship, this article seeks to empower individuals to navigate through the complexities of news consumption responsibly. Through increased awareness and critical thinking skills, citizens can actively contribute to shaping a more inclusive and democratic media landscape.
Understanding Media Literacy
Media literacy plays a crucial role in today’s society where information is readily accessible and disseminated through various channels. It refers to the ability to critically analyze, evaluate, and understand media messages in order to navigate the complex world of news and journalism effectively. With the rise of citizen journalism, where ordinary individuals can now become content creators and distributors, media literacy becomes even more essential.
To illustrate the importance of media literacy, let us consider a hypothetical scenario. Imagine an individual scrolling through their social media feed when they come across a post claiming that a popular celebrity has passed away due to drug overdose. Without media literacy skills, this person may quickly accept the information as true without questioning its source or validity. However, with proper media literacy training, they would pause to critically examine the post, considering factors such as who shared it, whether there are any credible sources cited, and if there are any inconsistencies within the message itself.
In our increasingly digital landscape filled with misinformation and fake news, possessing strong media literacy skills is vital for citizens to make informed decisions about what they consume and share. Here are four key reasons why media literacy matters:
- Empowerment: Media literate individuals feel empowered because they have the tools necessary to decipher factual information from propaganda or manipulation.
- Critical thinking: Media literacy encourages critical thinking by fostering skepticism towards all types of media content until evidence-based conclusions can be drawn.
- Participation: By being able to discern reliable sources from unreliable ones, people can actively engage in public discussions and contribute meaningfully.
- Democracy: A well-informed population is fundamental for democracy to thrive since citizens need accurate information to make educated choices in elections or policy matters.
|Reasons Why Media Literacy Matters|
In conclusion, media literacy is an essential skill for individuals to navigate the complex landscape of news and journalism. The ability to critically analyze and evaluate media messages empowers citizens to make informed decisions, promotes critical thinking, encourages active participation, and ultimately strengthens democracy. In the subsequent section, we will delve into the importance of media literacy specifically in the context of news and journalism.
*[H2]: Heading 2
Importance of Media Literacy in News and Journalism
Building upon our understanding of media literacy, let us now delve into its significance within the realm of news and journalism. By exploring how media literacy relates to citizen journalism, we can gain valuable insights into its practical application and impact on society.
Importance of Media Literacy in News and Journalism:
Citizen journalism has emerged as a powerful force shaping the modern media landscape. With advancements in technology enabling individuals to become active participants in disseminating information, it is essential that citizens possess strong media literacy skills to navigate this complex environment effectively. For instance, consider a hypothetical scenario where an amateur journalist captures a video depicting an incident with potential social implications. Without proper media literacy skills, they may struggle to verify the authenticity of their sources or critically analyze the content’s accuracy before sharing it online.
To emphasize the importance of media literacy in news and journalism further, let us examine four key reasons why fostering these skills among citizens is crucial:
- Promotes critical thinking: Media literacy encourages individuals to question biases and evaluate multiple perspectives when consuming news. This fosters critical thinking abilities necessary for identifying misinformation or propaganda present within various forms of media.
- Enhances digital citizenship: Being proficient in media literacy helps citizens responsibly engage with digital platforms by distinguishing between reliable sources and those spreading false or misleading information.
- Empowers informed decision-making: A high level of media literacy enables people to make well-informed decisions based on accurate information rather than succumbing to sensationalism or manipulation prevalent in contemporary news reporting.
- Strengthens democracy: When citizens possess robust media literacy skills, they are better equipped to participate actively in democratic processes by discerning credible news sources, engaging in constructive dialogue, and demanding accountability from both journalists and institutions.
To illustrate the significance visually, here is a table showcasing how media literacy enhances citizen journalism:
|Media Literacy Skills||Impact on Citizen Journalism|
|Critical thinking||Enables identification of misinformation and propaganda.|
|Source verification||Enhances credibility of information shared by citizen journalists.|
|Fact-checking||Ensures accuracy in reporting, contributing to a trustworthy news ecosystem.|
|Ethical considerations||Promotes responsible journalism that respects privacy and ethical boundaries.|
In conclusion, the importance of media literacy within the context of news and journalism cannot be overstated. By equipping citizens with critical skills to navigate today’s complex media landscape, we empower them to engage responsibly as active participants in disseminating accurate information while upholding democratic values.
Moving forward, let us explore key skills necessary for developing media literacy specifically tailored towards news and journalism, highlighting their significance in fostering informed citizenship and promoting ethical journalistic practices.
Key Skills for Media Literacy in News and Journalism
Media literacy plays a crucial role in news and journalism as it enables individuals to critically analyze and evaluate the information they consume. By developing media literacy skills, people can become discerning consumers of news, better equipped to navigate the complex landscape of modern media. One example that illustrates the importance of media literacy is the rise of citizen journalism.
Citizen journalism refers to when ordinary citizens engage in reporting and sharing news stories using various online platforms such as blogs or social media. While this form of journalism has its benefits, it also highlights the need for media literacy. Without proper training or understanding of journalistic ethics and standards, citizen journalists may inadvertently spread misinformation or biased narratives. Therefore, fostering media literacy skills among both professional journalists and citizen reporters becomes essential in order to maintain accuracy and accountability within the field.
To cultivate effective media literacy in news and journalism, several key skills are necessary:
- Critical thinking: Media literate individuals should be able to assess information objectively by questioning its source, credibility, and potential biases.
- Information verification: It is important to teach individuals how to fact-check claims made in news articles or social media posts before accepting them as truth.
- Understanding different perspectives: Encouraging empathy allows people to consider diverse viewpoints and recognize their own biases when consuming news.
- Ethical awareness: Media literate individuals should understand ethical principles like fairness, objectivity, and transparency in reporting.
These skills are vital tools for navigating today’s fast-paced digital environment where misleading content can easily go viral. Developing these competencies will not only help individuals make informed decisions but also contribute towards creating an informed society.
|Skills Required for Media Literacy||Examples|
|Critical Thinking||Analyzing arguments presented in news articles|
|Information Verification||Fact-checking statistics provided in reports|
|Understanding Different Perspectives||Considering opposing viewpoints on controversial topics|
|Ethical Awareness||Identifying conflicts of interest among journalists|
In summary, media literacy is integral in news and journalism to ensure accuracy, accountability, and ethical reporting. By cultivating critical thinking skills, promoting information verification techniques, encouraging empathy for diverse perspectives, and fostering an understanding of journalistic ethics, individuals can become active participants in the consumption and dissemination of news.
Transitioning into the next section about challenges in media literacy in news and journalism requires acknowledging that while developing these skills is important, there are hurdles that need to be addressed.
Challenges in Media Literacy in News and Journalism
Transitioning from the previous section on key skills for media literacy, we now turn our attention to the challenges that individuals face in developing media literacy within the context of news and journalism. To illustrate one such challenge, let us consider a hypothetical scenario where a citizen journalist receives an anonymous tip about potential corruption involving a public figure. The journalist must navigate through various obstacles to verify the information’s accuracy and present it responsibly to their audience.
One significant challenge is the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation in today’s digital landscape. With the rise of social media platforms and online news sources, false or misleading content can easily spread virally, making it difficult for audiences to discern fact from fiction. This challenge demands that citizens not only possess critical thinking skills but also understand how algorithms amplify certain narratives and contribute to echo chambers.
To better comprehend this complex issue, we present a bullet point list highlighting some common challenges faced by individuals striving to be media literate:
- Overwhelming volume of information
- Lack of transparency regarding sources and biases
- Manipulative techniques used by advertisers and political actors
- Limited understanding of data privacy issues
Furthermore, another pertinent challenge lies in distinguishing between objective reporting and opinion-based journalism. As news organizations strive for profitability amidst fierce competition, there is often blurred lines between factual reporting and sensationalism-driven content designed to attract viewership. Consequently, media consumers may struggle to recognize biased language or identify when journalistic standards are compromised.
In Table 1 below, we provide examples illustrating these challenges:
|Misinformation||False claims about COVID-19 treatments spreading rapidly on social media|
|Source credibility||A news outlet with undisclosed financial ties favorably covering a specific industry|
|Sensationalism||Headlines exaggerating crime rates without providing proper context|
|Confirmation bias||Individuals seeking out news sources that align solely with their pre-existing beliefs|
In conclusion, media literacy in the context of news and journalism faces several challenges. The pervasiveness of misinformation, lack of source transparency, blurred lines between fact and opinion, and confirmation bias all contribute to the difficulty individuals encounter when trying to develop critical thinking skills within this domain. To address these challenges effectively, it is crucial for both citizens and institutions to prioritize media literacy education that empowers individuals to navigate the complex world of news consumption.
Understanding the challenges associated with media literacy sets the stage for exploring its impact on news consumption.
Impact of Media Literacy on News Consumption
Challenges in Media Literacy in News and Journalism have highlighted the need for individuals to critically analyze information sources and engage with news content responsibly. By understanding media literacy, citizens can actively participate in shaping public discourse and contribute to a more informed society. However, it is important to recognize that media literacy does not come without its own set of challenges.
One example that exemplifies these challenges is the rise of citizen journalism. As ordinary individuals increasingly use social media platforms to share news stories, distinguishing between reliable information and misinformation becomes more difficult. This blurring of lines poses significant challenges for media consumers who must navigate through an overwhelming amount of content, often lacking proper fact-checking or editorial standards.
To further understand the difficulties faced by individuals striving for media literacy in news consumption, several key points should be considered:
- The speed at which news circulates: With the advent of digital technology, news spreads rapidly across various online platforms. Individuals may encounter conflicting reports on the same topic before verified facts emerge.
- Echo chambers and filter bubbles: Algorithms employed by social media platforms tend to reinforce users’ existing beliefs and preferences, creating echo chambers where people are exposed primarily to views similar to their own. This reinforces biases and limits exposure to diverse perspectives.
- Lack of transparency: Some outlets intentionally obfuscate their affiliations or motivations behind certain news stories, making it challenging for readers to differentiate between objective reporting and propaganda.
- Emotional manipulation techniques: Sensationalized headlines, clickbait tactics, and emotionally charged content can sway readers’ opinions without providing them with accurate or balanced information.
The table below provides a visual representation of some common challenges encountered in achieving media literacy within the context of news consumption:
|Information overload||Excessive amounts of available information make it harder for individuals to discern what’s true.|
|Confirmation bias||People tend to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs, leading to narrow views.|
|Lack of critical thinking||Inadequate skills in evaluating information can make individuals susceptible to misinformation.|
|Limited media literacy education||Insufficient emphasis on teaching media literacy leaves many citizens ill-equipped to navigate news.|
As the importance of media literacy continues to grow, it is imperative for society to address these challenges and develop strategies to enhance media consumption practices. By promoting critical thinking skills, encouraging cross-platform verification, and fostering transparency within news organizations, individuals can become more discerning consumers of news.
Transitioning into the subsequent section about the “Future of Media Literacy in News and Journalism,” it is evident that tackling these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach that involves various stakeholders, including educators, journalists, policymakers, and technology companies. Through collaborative efforts aimed at improving media literacy education and implementing ethical standards across the industry, we can strive towards a future where informed citizens actively engage with news content responsibly.
Future of Media Literacy in News and Journalism
Building on the impact of media literacy in news consumption, it is important to explore its role in shaping citizen journalism. This section delves into the concept of citizen journalism and discusses how media literacy can empower individuals to participate actively in the production and dissemination of news.
Citizen journalism refers to the practice of ordinary people engaging in journalistic activities by reporting news events or commenting on current affairs using various digital platforms. To illustrate its significance, consider a hypothetical scenario where an earthquake strikes a small town with limited access to mainstream media outlets. In such situations, citizens equipped with media literacy skills can leverage their smartphones or social media platforms to quickly document and share real-time updates, providing valuable information to both local residents and global audiences.
Media literacy plays a pivotal role in supporting citizen journalists as they navigate through the complexities of news production. Here are four key ways in which media literacy empowers individuals:
- Critical Evaluation: Media literate citizen journalists possess the ability to critically evaluate sources of information, distinguishing between reliable reports and misinformation.
- Ethical Decision Making: With a strong foundation in media literacy, citizen journalists understand ethical considerations surrounding accuracy, fairness, and privacy when producing news content.
- Storytelling Techniques: Media literacy equips individuals with storytelling techniques that enhance their capacity to effectively communicate stories while maintaining audience engagement.
- Verification Skills: Citizen journalists trained in media literacy are adept at fact-checking and verifying information before disseminating it further, contributing towards reducing the spread of fake news.
To emphasize these points further, consider the following table showcasing a comparison between traditional journalism and citizen journalism:
|Traditional Journalism||Citizen Journalism|
|Relies on professional reporters||Open for participation by anyone|
|Hierarchical structure within news organizations||Decentralized nature allows diverse perspectives|
|Gatekeeping function filters information||Wide range of viewpoints without gatekeepers|
|Emphasis on objectivity||Subjective and personal perspectives|
In conclusion, media literacy plays a crucial role in fostering citizen journalism. By providing individuals with the necessary skills to critically analyze information, make ethical decisions, utilize storytelling techniques, and verify facts, media literacy empowers citizens to actively contribute to news production and dissemination. As technology continues to evolve, it is imperative that media literacy remains at the forefront of efforts to ensure an informed and engaged society. | <urn:uuid:ec3d863a-4a1d-4f2a-94a8-c7955bf2570d> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.gianace.com/media-literacy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.890265 | 3,613 | 3.34375 | 3 |
What is it about?
Two scholars (J.A. Beck and H. Utzschneider) have claimed that the Greek translators of the Hebrew Bible did not just render Hebrew words and phrases into Greek, but saw the events happen before their eyes and retold them in Greek according to their own interpretation. But the "method" by which they operate is flawed, for three reasons. (1) Paradoxically enough, they don't pay attention to narratology (the way storytelling works across different languages) at all. They disregard features typical for Hebrew and Greek storytelling. (2) If a Greek element is different from the Hebrew source text, they automatically think the translators did that on purpose. The two scholars can only do that by overlooking other explanations. (3) The two scholars haven't done their homework. They didn't consider the wider context, didn't consult Hebrew/Samaritan manuscripts, didn't recognize translational problems for what they were and overlooked simpler explanations. It is not impossible to study the Septuagint from the point of view of storytelling, but then we should start with "discourse features" that are typical of storytelling in Hebrew and/or Greek. The Greek "historical present" can serve as a good example
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This is the first evaluation of the "narratological approach" to the Septuagint, as it was promoted by two scholars from neighbouring fields who are not really specialized in the Septuagint. But since their methodological mistakes are typical of much published work about the "theology of the translators," this evaluative paper has a methodological scope addressing the wider field of LXX studies.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Narratological Approach to the Septuagint?, Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, January 2013, De Gruyter, DOI: 10.1515/zaw-2013-0032.
You can read the full text:
The following have contributed to this page | <urn:uuid:8a6f37f8-1e13-4d5e-b4b8-f1e1009fbce5> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.growkudos.com/publications/10.1515%252Fzaw-2013-0032/reader | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.960461 | 437 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Looking at the history of Silicon Valley is one way to better understand why it outperformed other technology hubs and remained for decades the world’s dominant center for innovation and technology startup ventures.
Silicon Valley is a unique place not only for its groundbreaking technological expertise and entrepreneurial engine that have generated the highest levels of economic growth in the United States but above all for its complex network of innovation (Ferrary, Granovetter, 2009) that helped build it. Within this network, the interaction with VC firms provided a crucial source of robustness that fueled the development of the most noteworthy high-tech startups.
The Venture Capital industry and Silicon Valley are closely connected and interdependent, with the former contributing immensely to the tech hub’s progressive aggregation of its innovative conglomerate. The presence of Venture Capital firms was the catalyst that transformed Silicon Valley into what it is today. At the same time, VC firms don’t have value on their own; instead, their value derives from specific interactions within networks of visionary entrepreneurs, universities, and high-growth companies (Ferrary, Granovetter, 2009). And Santa Clara Valley’s then-rising tech hub provided the perfect environment for monumental innovation.
The role Venture Capital plays in the evolution of Silicon Valley
According to the Global Entrepreneurship Institute, venture-oriented investment management models can be traced back to 19th century France. When this modern banking concept arrived in New York City after the turbulent Civil War, Jay Cooke, the American Credit Mobilier, and later J.P. Morgan established “the most successful entrepreneurial banks” of the time.
The VC industry has been a major source of influence on the development of cutting-edge technology and infrastructure in the United States since the mid-twentieth century.
Venture-oriented investors helped fund and support various types of new technologies and innovations received financial support throughout history. But it was only when this new investment enterprise arrived in Silicon Valley that the industry matured.
How did Silicon Valley originate?
In 1971, journalist Don Hoefler gave Silicon Valley its famous name. However, by that time, the innovation dynamics that established the region as the world center of technology were already in motion. The specific event that marks the beginnings of Silicon Valley remains unclear. Some field experts date the early days of the tech hub back as far as the establishment of Stanford University in 1891, while others consider 1939, the year William Hewlett and Dave Packard founded Hewlett-Packard in Palo Alto, the planting of the tech seed. Others still argue it was the Shockley (1956) and Fairchild Semiconductor (1957) business feud that sprang the creation of several new tech companies and venture funds (such as Kleiner Perkins). By the 1980s, companies like Intel, Atari, Apple, and Oracle, among many others, grounded Silicon Valley’s worldwide status as the epicenter of the computer industry.
The unique characteristic of Silicon Valley’s powerful, innovative community
A closer look at these points in history shows that Silicon Valley is the result of a gradual aggregation of independent and complementary factors (Ferrary, Granovetter, 2009) over the past half-century, rather than being established at one particular time in the past. Consequently, this unique confluence of factors formed an intricate system favorable to innovation and collaboration. In their 2009 article, authors Michel Ferrary and Mark Granovetter explain the durability of Silicon Valley’s unparalleled capacity for innovation to the presence of and interaction between at least twelve agents: “universities, large firms, research laboratories, VC firms, law firms, investment banks, commercial banks, certified public accountants (CPA), consulting groups, recruitment agencies, public relation agencies and media” (Ferrary, Granovetter, 2009). A myriad of different connections can form between these agents, fostering the creation and growth of successful tech startups.
Venture Capital firms fueled innovation in Silicon Valley and cemented the tech hub as the world’s dominant center of high-tech startups.
Moreover, in his 2019 comparison between Silicon Valley and Route 128, Brian Manning suggests several other characteristics that played an important role in Silicon Valley’s success over the Massachusetts-based tech hub. As Manning rightly points out, people working in the Valley embraced risk, fearlessly started companies, and moved from job to job. They formed a community around their work based on collaboration with other companies and universities. Each of the independent actors present in the region supported Silicon Valley’s growth. As opposed to more traditional industrial conglomerates dependent on government contracts, tech startups in Silicon Valley received financial support primarily from Venture Capital investors. With VC firms fueling innovation, Silicon Valley became the cradle of the most remarkable breakthroughs in technology and nurtured the development of so many outstanding companies.
The decline of VC fundings in Silicon Valley
Although 2021 was overall a record year for VC investment, venture firm Revolution and PitchBook reveal that “capital is increasingly flowing to companies based outside of the Bay Area.” After a decade of declining venture capital investments, Silicon Valley and the Bay Area startups received short of 30% of U.S. Venture Capital investments in 2021, reaching the lowest percentage in the last ten years. Today, an increasing number of VC firms are relocating to other cities across the country. The migration trend is set to accelerate as remote working and the Bay Area exodus enable startups to headquarter and scale anywhere, building on the back of a distributed talent pool.
Furthermore, the report reveals that companies located in Washington, D.C., Phoenix, and Nashville are attracting the most interest and investment opportunities. However, this leaves us wondering: as the Bay Area will likely continue to lose share of U.S. venture capital investment, are we looking at a shift from the Valley to the next great tech hubs around the country? Or the beginning of a new era of tech investment and innovation? | <urn:uuid:302a97df-eebb-4c61-9ba6-6c0e4d8435d5> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.harrisonclarke.com/blog/the-history-of-silicon-valley-and-the-venture-capital-industry | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.943998 | 1,221 | 3.40625 | 3 |
This article was feature in the Australian Financial Review on Friday 25 November 2022.
As hackers increasingly use stolen credentials as the initial attack vector for data breaches, "silent" multi-factor authentication offers organisations the ability to strengthen their defences without trading off convenience for security.
Data records containing stolen credentials, such as usernames and passwords, are the perfect treasure trove for hackers looking to launch their next wave of data breaches. Compromised credentials are involved in 61 per cent of all data breaches, according to Verizon's 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) offers an extra line of defence against unauthorised access, by demanding that users authenticate themselves using both something they know and something they have. The something they know is their username and password, while the something they have is often a one-time code sent to their mobile phone. Having just one of these is not enough, users need both pieces of the puzzle before they are granted access.
MFA is extremely effective, blocking 99.9 per cent of automated account attacks, according to Microsoft. Likewise, Google's research found MFA blocks up to 100 per cent of automated bots, 99 per cent of bulk phishing attacks and 66 per cent of targeted attacks. Even before Australia's latest round of high-profile data breaches, the Australian Communications and Media Authority mandated in June that MFA be used by Australian telcos for all high-risk transactions. One challenge is that employees and general consumers can struggle with the complexity of using MFA and often decline to use it if given the choice. Only 2.6 per cent of Twitter's global user base has enabled MFA because "change is hard and it's inconvenient", according to the Twitter Transparency Centre's latest Account Security Report.
Another challenge is that some forms of MFA, such as sending the one-time code via SMS, are vulnerable to compromise. Attackers can impersonate their intended victim, hijack their mobile phone account and port the number to a new SIM card in order to intercept MFA SMS notifications. Even when obtaining one-time codes via more secure methods, such as a mobile app or key fob, users are still vulnerable to spoof attacks where they are tricked into entering their username, password and one-time code into a bogus website.
A more secure alternative is the use of "silent" multi-factor authentication. It allows devices and websites to automatically exchange one-time codes in the background to authenticate a user's device after they enter their username and password.
Silent MFA can help organisations combat reluctance from users to enable MFA, while also enhancing security by ensuring the one-time code isn't vulnerable to interception – eliminating a potential attack vector, says Dave Maunsell, CEO of Australian cybersecurity provider Haventec. Once users successfully authenticate using their existing username and password, Haventec Silent MFA completes a second authentication check using information from the user's device. A rolling authentication key and the device signature is used to create a rolling private key, which is matched against a rolling public key to complete a second-factor authentication on every login.
"Security features typically enhance protection at the expense of convenience, which might be considered a reasonable trade-off by some, but with Silent MFA you can actually have the best of both worlds – making users both safer and happier when accessing the services and data they value most.
Dave Maunsell, CEO of Haventec
Silent MFA works alongside existing username / password authentication solutions, with no additional steps required by the end user such as receiving codes or using authenticator apps. This allows organisations to automatically utilise MFA every time a user logs in, while removing the risk of them opting out, Maunsell says.
"We also know that many approaches which strengthen security, such as conventional multi-factor authentication, create usability issues that lead to new types of threats while slowing down business," he says. Only 56 per cent of enterprises have implemented MFA, despite it being an effective cyber threat mitigation. Of those enterprises which have implemented traditional MFA, the majority of them do not make it mandatory, with less than one in five customers opting-in to use it despite the enhanced security.
The tendency of consumers to favour weak passwords demands the use of MFA but, despite the technology's best intentions, Maunsell says the complexity that traditional MFA introduces to the user experience goes against the trend of delivering frictionless customer journeys. Reliance on conventional multi-factor authentication can discriminate against people with accessibility issues, which is around 15 per cent of the population, according to the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. Elderly users can also be confused by the process.
"This makes it very difficult for services to mandate the use of MFA, even though there is growing pressure from the regulators to do so amid growing public concern over privacy and security," Maunsell says. "Security features typically enhance protection at the expense of convenience, which might be considered a reasonable trade-off by some, but with silent MFA you can actually have the best of both worlds – making users both safer and happier when accessing the services and data they value most." | <urn:uuid:395ddfb7-ccb5-47fc-b56a-d802227bcb2b> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.haventec.com/resources/blog/less-resistance-to-silent-authentication | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.942009 | 1,059 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Enrieco (Environmental Health Risks in European Birth Cohorts) is a project conducted within the European Union's 7th Framework Programme [Theme 6, Environment (Including Climate Change)]. Its overall aim is to advance our knowledge on specific environment and health causal relationships in pregnancy and birth cohorts by providing support to exploitation of the wealth of data generated by past or ongoing studies funded by the EC and national programmes.
ENHIS is an evidence-based information system aiming to support public health and environmental policies in the WHO European Region. The system is an interactive database, composed of country-level indicators and regional assessments (fact sheets).
Environmentally-induced Developmental Origins of Health and Disease project aims to characterize the impact of environmental exposures on childhood health with focus on two families of pollutants with a highly prevalent and controllable exposure in humans: atmospheric pollutants and specific high-volume non-persistent chemicals (Bisphenol A, other phenols and phthalates).
The European Chemical Emergency Network aims to set up an EU-level network of expert chemical health risk assessors who have experience in dealing with the acute phase of chemical incidents, ensure that experience of, and best practices adopted by, one Member State following an incident benefit other Member States and enable an efficient and coherent EU-level response to potentially devastating cross-border events through the consistent use of RASCHEM.
In DEMOCOPHES, 17 European countries tested a common approach for human biomonitoring surveys which was developed by COPHES. They produced data on the distribution of specific biomarkers and related lifestyle data among defined study populations which, for the first time, are comparable on a European scale. DEMOCOPHES aims at testing “the hypothesis that HBM can be performed in a coherent and harmonised manner throughout Europe, by means of commonly developed protocols, strategies and scientific tools, ensuring reliable and comparable data, whilst also leading to a more effective use of resources”.
Developmental Effects of Environment on Reproduction: EU funded project under framework 7 (FP7/2007-2013). It is a multidisciplinary research project aiming at improving our understanding of the role of environmental factors in the development and establishment of human reproductive health.
CytoThreat addresses the need to assess the risks of pharmaceuticals released in the environment, focusing on cytostatic drugs because they are highly hazardous compounds due to their genotoxic properties which may cause unexpected long term effects.
The main environmental problem targeted by CROME-LIFE is the assessment of the impact on human health due to exposure to chemical agents originating either from environmental contamination (air, soil, water), or from consumer products (food contact materials, construction materials, cosmetics, clothes, etc.) through multiple routes, namely inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact in five distinct areas of southern Europe (Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and Spain).
This project addresses the safety assessment needs of the cosmetics industry, without the use of animals. The main aim of COSMOS is to develop freely available (open access and/or source) tools and workflows to predict the safety to humans following the use of cosmetic ingredients.
COPHES is the Consortium to Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale. Funded by the EU's Seventh Framework Programme, COPHES developed harmonised protocols allowing the collection of comparable HBM data throughout Europe. Its twin project, the feasibility study DEMOCOPHES, was launched one year later to test this hypothesis and to win information on levels and major determinants of exposure in Europe, as well as to establish protocols for the translation of HBM results into concrete policy recommendations.
CONTAMED: Contaminant mixtures and human reproductive health – novel strategies for health impact and risk assessment of endocrine disrupters. CONTAMED aims to explore the hypothesis that combined exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in fetal life may lead to adverse delayed impacts on human reproductive health. To achieve this goal, CONTAMED will combine epidemiological approaches with laboratory science.
CITI-SENSE works on development of sensor-based Citizens' Observatory Community for improving quality of life in cities. The project focuses on direct engagement of citizens within the fields of air quality, environmental quality of public spaces in cities and indoor air quality in schools. Funded by the EU's Seventh Framework Programme, 2010-2016, CITI-SENSE aims to empower citizens to contribute to and participate in environmental governance, to support and influence community and societal priorities and associated decision making.
Developing a Child Cohort Research Strategy for Europe - CHICOS is a project conducted within the European Union’s 7th Framework Programme. It's overall aim is to improve child health across Europe by developing an integrated strategy for mother-child cohort research in Europe.
ChemScreen aims to provide practical solutions within the tight framework of REACH. The focus of the project is on the generation of a simple, rapid screening system for reproductive toxic chemicals, aiming at widespread implementation within the tight time schedule of the REACH program.
This project aims to realize a method, system and tools for adaptively influencing traffic in real-time. The project aims to reduce carbon dioxide CO2 and black carbon (BC) emissions caused by road transport in urban and inter-urban areas.
Bridging Information and Data Generation for Evidence-based Health policy and research. The BRIDGE Health project aims to prepare the transition towards a sustainable and integrated EU health information system for both public health and research purposes.
ACROPOLIS contributes to the development of a methodology to ensure that the missing aspects in the risk assessment of pesticides can be addressed in future risk management. This will increase trust of the consumer in safety regulation of pesticides.
HBM4EU is a joint effort of 28 countries, the European Environment Agency and the European Commission, co-funded under Horizon 2020.
The HBM4EU initiative represents a novel collaboration between scientists and chemical risk assessors and risk managers, including several Commission services, European agencies and national representatives. The project will build bridges between the research and policy worlds and deliver benefits to society in terms of enhanced chemical safety.
People are exposed to a complex mixture of chemicals in their daily lives through the environment, consumer products, food and drinking water and at work. Human biomonitoring allows the measurement of exposure to chemicals by measuring either the substances themselves, their metabolites or markers of subsequent health effects in body fluids or tissues.
Human biomonitoring provides a useful tool for assessing cumulative exposure to complex mixtures of chemicals. By collecting data from a representative sample of individuals under continuous surveillance programmes, health practitioners are able to evaluate the exposure of the general population to chemicals over time. Information on human exposure can be linked to data on sources and health effects, in order to inform research on exposure-response relationships in humans.
HBM4EU will use Human Biomonitoring to assess human exposure to chemicals in Europe, to better understand the associated health impacts and to improve chemical risk assessment.
Despite the existence of human biomonitoring programmes at national level and the large number of research and development projects ongoing both at national and European Union level, there is a clear lack of data on aggregate exposure to single substances and to combinations of chemical substances, as well as insufficient evidence-based knowledge on the link between external exposure via different routes, internal levels and human health. This knowledge is essential to inform effective policy-making to protect the European population from the impacts of chemical exposure on health.
HBM4EU will form a bridge between science and policy. Our research will explore current questions in chemical risk assessment and management and will deliver answers that help policy makers to protect human health. Policy makers, stakeholders and scientists will together shape the strategic direction of HBM4EU activities. This transparent and collaborative approach will ensure that our research generates knowledge that addresses genuine societal concerns. | <urn:uuid:d895d5bc-b296-4ee3-bdc9-212d2c882398> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.hbm4eu.eu/tag/1-phen/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.919115 | 1,616 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Group therapy in clinical drug and alcohol rehab is an effective method for helping patients overcome substance abuse. Group members share their experiences during sessions and hear about others’ struggles.
This helps members realize that their symptoms are not unique to them. It also creates a sense of universality that can provide them with hope.
Table of Contents
Group therapy can provide a significant boost to the self-esteem of patients. It can also help to break down any denial that patients might have about their substance abuse.
Low self-esteem is a significant contributing factor to the onset of addiction and can often be the reason for relapse or recidivism. Without treatment, low self-esteem can lead to shame and a sense of unworthiness, leading to drug use to numb these feelings.
Many clients in clinical drug and alcohol rehab feel isolated, especially if they have suffered abuse or other forms of trauma. Seeing others who have made positive changes can give them hope for a better future.
Group therapy is a highly effective way to increase self-awareness and improve social skills. Participants can hear the experiences of others overcoming similar problems, which can help them feel less alone in their struggles.
Many people with substance abuse disorders feel isolated from their families and friends, making them feel worse about themselves and their condition. They may also be unsure whether they have a problem, leading to feelings of denial.
Group therapy online, such as Pinnacle Recovery Center, can benefit individuals in clinical drug and alcohol rehab, especially when a professional therapist leads the group. The therapist can guide the conversation and offer feedback and advice to each group member. This can help each person understand their issues and develop coping strategies.
Group therapy provides a safe, supportive environment where patients can share their thoughts and feelings with peers. This can increase self-confidence and help people develop healthy coping mechanisms.
Unlike individual therapy, where patients receive one-on-one guidance from their therapist, group therapy allows them to interact with others working through similar issues. They can hear about how others have overcome their struggles and gain perspective.
This can give them hope that they can succeed in their recovery journey. It can also build relationships with other group members that can be used outside treatment for support and motivation.
Group therapy can also help people overcome their denial about their substance abuse problems and eliminate their shame over their addictions. It’s an essential step in clinical treatment and can make a huge difference for patients.
Increased Social Skills
Many people struggle with the social skills necessary to communicate and healthily interact with others. Those who lack these skills often suffer from social anxiety and other issues that can lead to addiction.
In a group setting, individuals can learn to develop their social skills and gain confidence in these areas. They may also learn how to deal with emotions healthily.
One of the most important benefits of group therapy is that it helps people communicate their problems and get peer support. This can be especially helpful for those who are struggling with substance abuse.
Group therapy offers a safe and supportive environment to share feelings and experiences with others experiencing similar emotions. This can help individuals feel less alone and more understanding, leading to a positive change in their lives.
Individuals can learn to empathize with others suffering from drug addiction and other mental health problems. This can be very helpful in helping them heal from their pasts.
Seeing that people in recovery can handle their problems without substance abuse can give those new to the process hope that they can overcome their challenges and become productive members of society.
Group therapy can be a powerful tool for increasing empathy in clinical drug and alcohol rehab. It can help individuals feel less isolated and better understood, leading to a positive change of mind and increased self-confidence. | <urn:uuid:104ddcfd-1dc5-40d8-bb23-50eaecea34e8> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.healthbeautystudio.com/group-therapy-in-clinical-drug-and-alcohol-rehab/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.961848 | 757 | 2.578125 | 3 |
The Influence of Advanced Dental Tools on Oral Health
In the evolving landscape of oral healthcare, the role of advanced dental tools in improving and maintaining oral health cannot be overstated. These tools have revolutionized dental procedures, making them more efficient, less invasive, and highly effective. The advent of such technologies has not only enhanced the dentist's ability to diagnose and treat dental conditions but also empowered individuals to take better care of their oral health at home. This article delves into the significant influence of these advanced dental tools on oral health, their application, and the ways they have reshaped the entire dental healthcare industry. Indeed, it is essential to keep abreast of these advancements to make informed decisions about your dental care.
The Role of Modern Dental Tools in Diagnosis
Modern dental tools have revolutionized the approach to diagnosing dental conditions, granting dental professionals an enhanced view of the oral cavity. Dental radiography, for instance, provides a comprehensive picture of the teeth, bones, and supporting tissues of the mouth. This technology allows for the detection of issues not visible to the naked eye, ensuring an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment.
In addition to dental radiography, intraoral cameras play a significant role in modern dentistry. These small, pen-sized devices provide high-resolution images of the teeth and gums, allowing dentists to identify signs of decay, gum disease, and other dental problems in their early stages. This breakthrough in dental imaging technology not only supports precise diagnosis but also helps patients to better understand their oral health condition.
Digital impressions, another advancement in dental tools, have replaced traditional methods of taking dental molds. This technology offers a more comfortable and efficient process for both the dentist and the patient. It generates a 3D digital model of the patient's mouth, providing detailed and accurate data to guide treatment planning.
The authority to provide in-depth knowledge about these cutting-edge tools would be an experienced dentist. Such professionals can give an extensive account of how these modern dental tools have significantly enhanced the process of diagnosis, leading to improved oral health outcomes for patients.
Advanced Dental Tools and Treatment Procedures
The progression of dental tools has ushered in a new era of minimally invasive dentistry, making treatment procedures exceedingly efficient and less intrusive. A paramount example of this evolution is laser dentistry. This revolutionary tool allows dental professionals to perform a myriad of procedures with more precision and less pain for the patient. It eliminates the need for drills and reduces anxiety in patients who are nervous about dental procedures.
Another pivotal advancement in dental technology is CAD/CAM technology. This innovative tool streamlines the design and creation of dental restorations, including crowns, veneers, inlays, onlays, and bridges. It allows for precise measurement and fitting, leading to more comfortable and natural-feeling restorations for the patient.
Dental implants have also transformed the realm of restorative dentistry. They offer a permanent solution to tooth loss and are crafted to look and feel like natural teeth. The use of advanced imaging tools in performing implant surgery leads to more accurate placement and minimally invasive procedures.
A dental surgeon with extensive experience in using these advanced tools can provide the most beneficial treatment. They are most adept at utilizing these technologies to ensure less invasive treatments and efficient dental procedures.
Those interested in learning more about these advancements in dental technology and how they contribute to improved oral health, click this link now.
Improved Patient Comfort and Experience
The advent of advanced dental tools has brought about a remarkable transformation in terms of patient comfort and overall experience in the dental clinic. One of the leading factors contributing to this change is the development of 'patient-centric dentistry'. This approach places the patient's needs and comfort at the forefront of dental care. It has been greatly facilitated by the introduction of novel instruments and techniques like sedation dentistry, digital X-rays, and painless injections.
Sedation dentistry, for instance, has greatly reduced dental anxiety by ensuring a relaxed and pain-free environment for patients during procedures. It has made dental visits less stressful and more comfortable, thus encouraging regular check-ups and prompt dental care.
In the same vein, digital X-rays have not only improved the accuracy of diagnosis but also have minimized the time spent in the dental chair, further enhancing patient comfort. Unlike traditional X-rays, they emit significantly less radiation, making the procedure safer as well.
Similarly, the introduction of painless injections has revolutionized dental anesthesia. Patients who once dreaded the thought of injections now have less reason to worry. This has had a profound impact on reducing dental anxiety and improving the overall patient experience.
A dental practitioner, who interacts with patients on a daily basis, can attest to the significant improvements these advanced tools have brought about in patient comfort and overall dental experience. Consequently, these advancements have not only increased the efficiency and effectiveness of dental treatments but also have made dental care a less daunting task for patients.
The Influence of Advanced Dental Tools on Home Dental Care
The advent of cutting-edge dental hygiene devices has significantly improved home dental care possibilities for individuals. With these advancements, daily oral health maintenance has become far more effective and convenient. Electric toothbrushes, for instance, are an indispensable part of this modern dental care lineup. They offer a precision and efficiency in cleaning that traditional manual toothbrushes simply cannot match.
Furthermore, the introduction of water flossers has enriched the spectrum of home dental care. These devices provide a highly effective method for removing food particles and plaque from hard-to-reach places in the mouth, thereby preventing cavities and gum disease. Their user-friendly design and functionality have made them a popular choice among people of all ages.
In conjunction with these devices, the use of interdental brushes has also seen a surge in popularity. Interdental brushes, designed to clean between the teeth, play a critical role in preventing decay and maintaining gum health. They complement the cleaning process by reaching areas that traditional toothbrushes and even water flossers may miss.
An oral health educator or a dental hygienist would be the ideal authority to elaborate these points further. In the grand scheme of oral health, the importance of these advanced dental tools cannot be overstated. They have, indeed, revolutionized home dental care and oral health maintenance.
Challenges and the Future of Dental Tools
Despite the positive impact of advanced dental tools, there are still significant challenges to be addressed. One significant hurdle is accessibility. Not every dental clinic has the financial resources or the technical knowledge to operate these tools. This is further complicated by the high cost of advanced dental tools, which puts them out of reach for many dental practices, particularly in less affluent areas.
Furthermore, there is a steep professional learning curve associated with these advanced tools. Dental professionals need to be highly trained to use these tools effectively, and this requires both time and resources. However, continuing education and training are critical for the advancement and adoption of these tools.
Looking forward, the dental technology evolution is set to continue at a rapid pace. Innovations in the fields of AI, 3D printing, and materials science are likely to drive the next wave of advanced dental tools. These tools will not only improve the quality of dental care but also make it more accessible and affordable. The future of dental technology promises to overcome the current challenges and revolutionize oral health care. | <urn:uuid:4099d717-11e5-44be-87c0-8e092a0da653> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.hotsalewigs.com/the-influence-of-advanced-dental-tools-on-oral-health | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.933711 | 1,513 | 2.578125 | 3 |
In honor of the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, we are sharing one of our favorite and most poignant documentary films about that day, "Boatlift."
"Boatlift" chronicles the marine evacuation of lower Manhattan during the attacks. Narrated by Tom Hanks, this short film highlights the ordinary people who stepped up to help strangers in a time of crisis.
If you would like to learn more about the evacuation and the people involved, read Jessica DuLong's book Saved at the Seawall: Stories from the September 11 Boat Lift or catch up on her 2021 lecture for the Hudson River Maritime Museum, "Heroes or Human: September 11th Lessons on the 20th Anniversary," as recorded below.
Jessica DuLong shares the dramatic story of how the New York Harbor maritime community delivered stranded commuters, residents, and visitors out of harm’s way on September 11, 2001. Even before the US Coast Guard called for “all available boats,” tugs, ferries, dinner boats, and other vessels had sped to the rescue from points all across New York Harbor. In less than nine hours, captains and crews transported nearly half a million people from Manhattan. This was the largest maritime evacuation in history. DuLong’s talk, and her book Saved at the Seawall, highlight how people come together, in their shared humanity, to help one another through disasters. Actions taken during those crucial hours exemplify the reflexive resourcefulness and resounding goodness that reminds us of the hope and wonder that’s possible on the darkest days.
If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
When the World Trade Center was attacked on the morning of September 11, 2001 and bridges and airports and trains were shut down, a fact that most people don't think about suddenly became abundantly clear - Manhattan is an island.
Maritime tradition has a long history of duty to rescue. Since the Age of Sail, when vessels were on the open ocean for months and weeks at a time, far from land, sailors had to rely on each other in emergency situations. The duty to rescue is now codified in Congressional maritime law.
But the community of mariners in and around New York Harbor didn't need a law to tell them what to do. When the U.S. Coast Guard put out the radio call to all vessels to assist with the evacuation of lower Manhattan, hundreds answered.
Each year, on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we share this short documentary film. "Boatlift," narrated by Tom Hanks, gives a stirring account of the actions of ordinary people that day - Fred Rogers' "helpers" - who made a difference for hundreds of thousands of people.
Sadly, like many of those who responded to 9/11, Vincent Ardolino, captain of the Amberjack V, passed away in 2018. But their stories live on.
A new book about the attack has recently been published. Saved at the Seawall Stories from the September 11 Boat Lift by Jessica DuLong (author of My Hudson River Chronicles and engineer-in-training aboard the John J. Harvey that fateful day) pieces together the story of the largest marine evacuation since Dunkirk through eyewitness accounts.
DuLong will be speaking for the museum's lecture series in honor of the 20th anniversary. "Heroes or Humans: September 11th Lessons on the 20th Anniversary" will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at 8:00 PM. The book will also be available for purchase at the museum store.
This blog is written by Hudson River Maritime Museum staff, volunteers and guest contributors.
Hudson River Maritime Museum
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The Hudson River Maritime Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the maritime history of the Hudson River, its tributaries, and related industries.
Become a member and receive benefits like unlimited free museum admission, discounts on classes, programs, and in the museum store, plus invitations to members-only events.
The Hudson River Maritime Museum receives no federal, state, or municipal funding except through competitive, project-based grants. Your donation helps support our mission of education and preservation. | <urn:uuid:d222f744-942a-4402-9972-83e5c41bca6e> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.hrmm.org/history-blog/category/911 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.951702 | 902 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Ministry sees large gains in walnut campaign
With its fruit and wood, walnuts serve many different purposes.The production and export of walnuts, the leading food of Anatolia both for its nutritional value and multipurpose use, is to be revived thanks to a project titled the Walnut Action Plan.
The goal of the project is to increase the income levels and welfare of Turkey’s rural population, while aiding in the promotion of local products. As part of the action plan, 5 million walnut trees are slated to be planted between 2012 and 2016.
Some 1 million walnut trees that were planted as part of forestation projects during the last five years are expected to bring 160 million Turkish Liras worth of profit into the country’s economy.
The goals of the Walnut Action Plan include analyzing the current condition of walnut tree plantations, determining areas for planting within the next five years, training qualified human capital for walnut cultivation, and establishing producers’ organizations that will help in marketing.
The Forest and Water Works Ministry will also continue supporting walnut forestation works implemented in favorable ecological conditions.
The ministry has developed many action plans with various aims such as preserving forests in the country, enabling social and economic development, preventing migration from rural to urban areas, and providing income to communities living in forests, who receive the lowest share from the national income.
According to Forest and Water Works Minister Veysel Eroğlu, the production and export of walnuts unfortunately remain below the desired level. Eroğlu said walnut production in the county did not even meet the rate of domestic consumption, with about 60 percent of the annual consumption being supplied by imports.
Therefore, the ministry developed the action plan, to increase the income sources of rural communities and contribute to the country’s economy.
During the action plan, 5 million walnut trees will be planted, which will both contribute to the production of walnut and other byproducts.
According to a report issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) in 2010, the annual decrease of forest lands in the world has averaged 5.2 hectares over the last 10 years, while Turkey ranks in fifth place among the countries who increased the size of their forests with forestation and rehabilitation works over the last 10 years, information from the Forestry Directorate says.
Plans for villagers
“We are developing some action plans by cooperating with various institutions and all of our citizens, especially the ones living in forest villages,” the official organization says.
The project aims to increase the size of the country’s forests from 27.6 to 30 percent by 2023, the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Turkey.
Purposes of usage
Walnuts, which are a rich source of thiamin, vitamin B6, folacin, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, have many benefits to health such as preventing blood coagulation and decreasing the risk of coronary heart disease.
With its fruit and wood, walnuts serve many different purposes. Walnut wood, for instance, is used for manufacturing furniture and parquets, musical instruments and sporting equipment, while its fruit has made great contributions to Turkish cuisine, as traditional Turkish foods such as pestil, köme, and baklava owe their unique flavor to walnuts. | <urn:uuid:27783bda-dbf1-4d93-9c1c-f8b095a70309> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ministry-sees-large-gains-in-walnut-campaign-44471 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.951658 | 699 | 2.578125 | 3 |
A land conflict on the tourist island of Gili Trawangan dates back decades
Development along the beach on the conflicted land.
To visitors, Gili Trawangan appears to be paradise: white sand beaches, clear blue waters and lots of sun. Snorkelers, divers, and beach lovers have flocked here from around the world since the early 1980s to enjoy the peace and quiet of an island where the only modes of transportation are bicycles and horse carts. Just off Lombok’s northwest coast, tiny Gili Trawangan is one of the three Gili Islands, along with Gili Meno and Gili Air. However, unknown to the holiday-goers and even many of the island’s own residents, Gili Trawangan is also the focus of one of Lombok’s longest-running land conflicts. At the heart of the dispute is tension between a government that places tourism at the centre of its development agenda and local residents who feel as though they have been pushed aside to make way for tourism projects. The conflict on Gili Trawangan revolves around local residents’ struggle to gain legal control of land they have lived and worked on for decades. Facing them is a private corporation and the local government that has granted that corporation control over the land despite local residents’ legal opposition and protests.
History of dispute
Prior to the 1970s, Gili Trawangan was unoccupied, except for a brief interlude during World War II when the Japanese interned prisoners of war there. In 1971, the governor of Lombok, Wasita Kusama, decided to establish coconut plantations on the island and gave land rights to two private companies: One hundred hectares in the south were given to PT Rinta, and 100 hectares in the middle were given to PT Generasi Jaya. An additional hundred hectares in the north were set aside for local residents, many of whom had come from Lombok (the Sasak people), others of whom had migrated from Sulawesi in the 1970s in search of farming and fishing opportunities.
Prisoners from Mataram were sent by PT Generasi Jaya to help with its first harvest in 1974, but due to mice, mosquitos and other difficulties, PT Generasi Jaya abandoned the effort and eventually left the land altogether. In 1976, some five families from Lombok grew dissatisfied with the 100 hectares originally set aside for local residents and entered the PT Generasi Jaya land to increase the amount of land available for farming and living. They, as well as the prisoners from Mataram, planted crops such as corn and other vegetables, and constructed houses.
Residents still lack legal title and formal ownership to land they have considered home for decades
By the early 1980s, both PT Rinta and PT Generasi Jaya had decided to give up on their coconut trees, but did so in different ways. PT Rinta went through the proper legal process and released its land to the local subdistrict head of Tanjung. This land was then redistributed to 77 families already residing on it. Today, these owners have legal title to their land, including the structures built upon it.
PT Generasi Jaya, by contrast, abandoned its land. In 1983, the residents who had been living on the land since the mid-1970s made a formal request to the bupati (district head) of West Lombok to gain legal title. According to reports, the bupati did not act on this request, and the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial government then denied it on the grounds that PT Generasi Jaya had never properly released the land. Today, residents living on this land still lack legal title and formal ownership to land they have considered home for decades.
For many visitors, Gili Trawangan is a paradise.
Under President Suharto, Indonesia began promoting tourism as a mainstay of its development agenda. Regional governments, including Lombok’s, followed this lead. At times they promoted tourism projects over local opposition using the Suharto-era system of collusion, corruption and nepotism. Throughout the 1980s, rapid tourism growth on the Gili Islands attracted local government attention; at the same time, the intensifying land conflict on Gili Trawangan threatened to shatter the illusion of a peaceful paradise.
In 1986, the NTB provincial government released PT Generasi Jaya’s right to the land. PT Generasi Jaya then sold this right to another private company, CV Hikmah, and in 1988, CV Hikmah in turn sold the right to the land to PT Gili Trawangan Indah (PT GTI). However, in 1990, the regional land agency declared the former PT Generasi Jaya land to be ‘neglected’, and in 1993 the Governor of NTB cancelled PT GTI’s right to the land. The provincial government then converted the right to the land into a hak pengelolaan lahan (land use right, or HPL), in 1994. An HPL is a right to plan land usage or to use land for specific purposes and is normally awarded for a set period of years. Shortly thereafter, PT GTI signed a Production Contract with the provincial government of NTB, whereby PT GTI agreed to invest capital for the development of the tourism industry on the land in return for the right to the HPL.
This transaction was intensely opposed by Gili Trawangan residents who argued that because PT Generasi Jaya had abandoned its land in the first place, under the law its rights should have been revoked altogether. According to the residents and organisations providing them with legal help, this would have then allowed for the land to be redesignated as state land and redistributed to local residents, as happened after PT Rinta withdrew. Their argument continues that when the regional land agency formally declared the land to be neglected in 1990, the land should have been given to the people. Instead, the provincial government reacted by converting the right to the land into a HPL, which is not recognised by many legal professionals and academics as a valid property right under the 1960 Basic Agrarian Law, and gave that HPL back to PT GTI. As residents point out, the provincial government then quickly signed a Production Contract with the company, which agreed to pay provincial royalties from PT GTI’s tourism buildup.
Residents also argue that the provincial government failed to engage in mutual deliberation and consultations (musyawarah) as required under the 1961 Law on Land Revocations and ignored local adat (customary laws) of the Sasak people regarding land, which stipulate that those who neglect land lose the right to it while those who develop and work land are entitled to it. But residents suspect that local government officials may have been profiting on the side through their dealings with private companies, providing a disincentive for the provincial government to involve the local community in its decision-making process or be transparent about its policies and intentions for the land.
Evictions and raids
Even before the land on Gili Trawangan formally came to be controlled by PT GTI, regional officials had begun trying to evict residents. They first offered compensation, which was rejected by most residents as inadequate. Following this, residents and reports describe three separate raids on the island in 1992, 1993 and 1995. Bungalows, restaurants, tourism-related businesses, and private homes were all destroyed.
Land conflict threatened to shatter the illusion of a peaceful tourist paradise
Although the Production Contract was signed in 1995, PT GTI has yet to build anything. Today, bungalows, restaurants, kiosks, houses and mosques rebuilt since the raids cover the contested land, but residents continue to live in the same legal limbo they have lived in since the 1970s. Without formal title to their land, they face enormous hurdles in improving their standard of living because they cannot use the land as collateral for loans or obtain official credit. And even though residents acknowledge that officials have stated they will no longer conduct raids on the island, the people still live in fear the government could return any day and tear everything down again.
The newly elected village head of Gili Indah (which encompasses Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air), Taufiq, believes that the ultimate resolution to the conflict will be through political means rather than lawsuits. According to Taufiq, what is needed most are good-faith consultations between the people, the regional government, and PT GTI. However, future negotiations will be difficult due to the high level of mistrust the residents have of the regional government.
Post-Suharto, efforts at significant agrarian reforms at the national level in Indonesia have lagged, although efforts to amend the Basic Agrarian Law in order to strengthen the role of adat laws have made their way to the DPR, Indonesia’s Parliament, and proposals for a special Agrarian Conflicts Resolution Commission have been put forward. What remains to be seen are the effects of the movement toward greater regional autonomy and the corresponding devolution of land and agricultural affairs to local governments. On the one hand, decentralisation could provide opportunities to resolve these conflicts through the local political process. On the other hand, it might give local governments a chance to assert greater authority over local land rights with no national oversight.
The case of Gili Trawangan is only one example of other similar land conflicts in both Lombok and other parts of Indonesia. Throughout the fight on Gili Trawangan, local land owners have remained in a weaker position due to lack of education, money and influence. But the views of Nora, a local community activist, reflect a common sentiment: ‘This land belongs to the community as a whole and we will never stop fighting for it.’ ii
Hollin Dickerson (email@example.com ) conducted this research while working as an Assistant Policy Analyst for ELSAM in Jakarta and currently works at the U.S. Department of State. The views expressed herein are those of Ms. Dickerson and not necessarily those of the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Government. | <urn:uuid:d63e2a3c-c194-4a64-a7f2-67ce24f8ceab> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.insideindonesia.org/archive/articles/trouble-in-paradise | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.954084 | 2,103 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Introduction: Caesar Cipher
A quick, and useful tool for basic encryption. The Caesar Cipher makes a fun game too!
- A protractor.
- A ruler.
- A large sheet of cardboard.
- A pin.
- A utility knife, or scissors.
- A cat, for testing if your cipher works.
Step 1: Measure the Two Circles.
Use your protractor, and measure out a six-inch radius for a total 12-inch diameter circle. Then, measure out a five-inch radius with a 10-inch diameter circle. Finally, cut out the two circles from the cardboard.
Step 2: Attach and Divide the Two Circles
Take the two circles and insert the pin in the middle of the two circles, attaching them and folding the legs back. Now, mark a line in the middle, then on the other side. Keep dividing and marking until you have 32 sections.
Step 3: Filling in the Numbers and Letters
Finally, fill in each section with A-Z. With the extra sections, add in the numbers.
Great! You're done, have fun with your Caesar Cipher!
Participated in the
Back to Basics Contest | <urn:uuid:e7c7eddd-b6a2-475c-b94c-3a7d1594b506> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.instructables.com/Caesar-Cipher/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.84134 | 249 | 2.9375 | 3 |
This workshop, held from November 12 to 14, 1996, brought together 35 experts in the field of wastewater treatment from 17 different countries.
|Title||Workshop on sustainable municipal waste water treatment systems, 12-14 November 1996, Leusden, the Netherlands|
|Year of Publication||1997|
|Authors||Balkema, A, Aalbers, H, Heijndermans, E|
|Secondary Title||UWEP working document|
|Pagination||225 p. + appendices (4 p.) : fig., drwngs., tab.|
|Place Published||Leusden, The Netherlands|
|Keywords||cab97/3, case studies, constraints, sdisan, sdiurb, urban areas, wastewater treatment|
This workshop, held from November 12 to 14, 1996, brought together 35 experts in the field of wastewater treatment from 17 different countries. The main objective of the workshop was to identify existing constraints for the wider implementation of more sustainable wastewater treatment systems globally, and to identify ways to overcome these constraints. Among the constraints identified were a lack of interest in changing to new wastewater treatment technologies due to a vested interest in conventional systems, and an unwillingness to change to alternative systems. The later constraint was caused by a combination of a lack of awareness of information (insufficient promotion), a lack of pressure from interest groups, and a lack of institutional support. Among the approaches suggested to overcome these constraints are collection and dissemination strategies on sustainable wastewater treatment systems; the standardization of technical, financial and social/economic data on sustainable wastewater treatment systems; and increased discussion and exchange of information and experience among people implementing these systems and those interested in applying the technologies developed. Among the follow-up activities proposed are the establishment of an expert network using e-mail; a world-wide demonstration project, the compilation of a book on alternative wastewater treatment systems, the provision of training courses and making video documentaries. The proceedings contains thirteen papers with the following titles: technology selection for pollution control; alternative systems; helophyte filters; institutional requirements for appropriate wastewater treatment; resource-recovery wastewater treatments with biological systems; mandate for multidisciplinary action; waste stabilization ponds in Latin America; anaerobic wastewater treatment in developing countries; scale of waste water treatment; treatment of sludges from non-sewered sanitation systems; problems and constraints related to wider dissemination of more sustainable waste water treatment technologies in Tanzania; towards effective wastewater management in developing countries; and small scale urban water treatment in Palestine. | <urn:uuid:b242388c-ab11-4a45-801a-2d9a809a38de> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.ircwash.org/resources/workshop-sustainable-municipal-waste-water-treatment-systems-12-14-november-1996-leusden | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.891318 | 520 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Correlation between Chewing Side Preference, Handedness and Dental Caries in Primary, Mixed and Permanent Dentition
Introduction: Chewing side preference of a person occurs when mastication is performed consistently on the same side [right or left]. Early diagnosis of a preferred chewing side [PCS] plays a significant role in occurrence of dental caries, craniofacial development, occlusal harmony and may prevent unilateral chewing patterns. Handedness of a person [right or left] can also be related to his/her chewing side preference.
Materials and Methods: This study included 45 subjects; Group A, 15 children 3-5 years [primary dentition], Group B, 15 children 6-12 years [mixed dentition], Group C, 15 children 13-18 years [permanent dentition]. Chewing side preference test and laterality test was done and deft/DMFT index was recorded in all the subjects. Correlations between chewing side and handedness and caries index and chewing side were assessed by chi-square test and phi correlation tests at a level of significance of 0.05 or 5%.
Results: There was a statistical significance between chewing side preference and age. No statistical significance between chewing side and handedness, although there was a statistical significance between chewing side and caries index.
Conclusion: Evaluation of chewing side preference should be a part of routine dental examinations, especially in primary and mixed dentitions as unilateral chewing pattern can lead to various consequences in the stomatognathic system in adulthood.
Chewing side preference, Handedness, Hemispheric laterality, Mixed dentition, Primary dentition, Permanent dentition
Lateral dominance of a person can be determined by sidedness, such as right handedness or left handedness. According to Nissan et al , hemispheric laterality relates to the central hemisphere of the brain, which determines laterality in the function of peripheral organs. Handedness of a person can also be related to his/her chewing side preference. Chewing side preference of a person occurs when mastication is performed consistently on the same side [right or left]. If both sides are equally efficient then chewing occurs on both sides. The presence of a preferred chewing side may have implications for the production and distribution of saliva around the mouth. It may explain the aggregated or clustered caries patterns [Hujoel et al] [Hannigan et al]. It has been reported that 50-83% of adults have a preferred chewing side. Early diagnosis of preferred chewing side [PCS] plays a significant role in occurrence of dental caries, craniofacial development, occlusal harmony and may prevent the unilateral chewing pattern from triggering various consequences in the stomatognathic system in adulthood like TMJ disorders.
Most studies tried to assess the correlation between chewing side preference and handedness in adult subjects [Hoogmartens and Caubergh] [Christensen and Radue]. No correlation between the two was noticed in the adult population.
There is no previous research done on the correlation between chewing side preference, handedness and dental caries in children. This study includes children belonging to the primary, mixed and permanent dentition. Early diagnosis of CSP plays a significant role in dental caries occurrence, eruption of teeth, orofacial muscle development, occlusal harmony and craniofacial development. Hence the aim of this study was to find a correlation between preferred chewing side, handedness and dental caries in primary, mixed and permanent dentition.
Materials and Methods
This study was done in a university setting and ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences. The study population was children aged 3 years to 18 years [3-5 years old-primary dentition, 6-12 years old-mixed dentition and 12-18 years old- permanent dentition]. A sample of 45 participants were selected for this study following the inclusion criteria of children with good general health; children without neurological disorders, children with primary dentition >15 teeth and subjects with permanent dentition >24 teeth. Exclusion criteria were subjects who were not willing to participate and those with dentofacial swelling, tenderness to percussion. DMFT/deft index was also scored for each participant. The study population was segregated into 3 groups based on their dentition status.
Group A - Children with Primary dentition Group B - Children with Mixed dentition Group C -Children with Permanent dentition
Chewing side preference test
Chewing side preference was tested using a method according to Mc Donnell et al. . Participants were given one piece of chewing gum [sugar-free] and were asked to chew. After a 15second time interval, the subjects were asked to stop chewing and to smile in order to observe which side the chewing gum is placed. The same was repeated 5 times in each participant with a time interval of 5 seconds between each chewing cycle.
The chewing side preferences [CSP] were classified according to the following criteria:
Consistent preferred chewing side [CPCS] - 5/5 strokes on same side.
Predominant preferred chewing side [PPCS] - 5/7 or 6/7 strokes on the same side.
Observed preferred chewing side [OPCS] - 5/7, 6/7 or 7/7 strokes on the same side (Figure 1).
Figure 1: chewing side preference test.
Handedness of the subject was checked by asking them to perform tasks like making a drawing and throwing a ball. All the subjects performed each task twice and the hand used predominantly was chosen as the dominant hand of that person; indicating whether he/she is righthanded or left-handed (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Laterality test.
D/d- Decayed teeth
M/e- Missing or extracted due to caries.
F/f- Filled teeth
All the teeth were scored and a total DMFT/deft score was obtained. For primary teeth, the maximum deft score for an individual would be 20 and for permanent teeth the maximum DMFT score would be 28 as third molars are excluded.
All the analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS version 23.0 IBM Corporation, NY, USA. Correlations between chewing side and handedness and caries index and chewing side were assessed by Chi-square test at a level of significance of 0.05 or 5%. Correlations were also done between chewing side preference and age and handedness and age. The strength of the correlation was assessed by the phi correlation coefficient.
A total of 45 children were included in this study, 15 in each group with the age group of 3-18 years. Each group had 7 male and 8 female participants. Among the different age groups, 5 year old children were found to have the right side as the preferred chewing side and 10 and 17 year old children preferred the left side. 4-yearold children preferred to chew on both sides (Figure 3).
Figure 3:Bar chart depicting correlation between age and CSP shows more right sided chewers in the primary dentition.
It was found that most of the children included [primary, mixed and permanent dentition] in this study were right handed (Figure 4).
Figure 4:Bar chart depicting correlation between age and handedness shows more right handed subjects in primary, mixed and permanent dentition.
DMFT/deft index was found to be more prevalent on the right side as the preferred chewing side [PPCS] (Figure 5).
Figure 5:Bar chart depicting correlation between CSP and caries index shows a score of more than 2 deft in right sided chewers.
This study investigated whether there is any correlation between handedness of a person, chewing side preference and dental caries. In this study there were very few number of children who preferred to chew on the left side, most of the participants included in this study had the right side as their PPCS, these results are in agreement with some previous studies except a few children who had pain on the right side due to decayed teeth with reversible/irreversible pulpitis. More right sided chewers may also be because this study included an unequal number of right-handed and lefthanded participants, which was one of the limitations of this study. It was also found that a higher prevalence of a preferred chewing side was seen in children as they would usually prefer to chew on one side as they have difficulty moving a bolus from one side of the mouth to the other . It may indicate that the masticatory efficiency of children in the mixed dentition stage is decreased. It was also noted that the presence of pathology in absence of pain does not influence preferred chewing side. The results of this study provide some evidence to suggest that pain has an influence on the PPCS in children and having a PPCS may indicate poor masticatory efficiency.
In this study, the distribution of PPCS in children with primary dentition was 62% to the right and 38% to the left; in children with mixed dentition stage it was 57% to the right and 43% to the left; and in subjects with permanent dentition it was 54% to the right and 46% to the left. These results coincide with the findings of [3,5].
Chewing preference or preferred chewing side is a centrally controlled, innate quality and can be affected by social and personal learning or other factors. The right side being chosen generally, irrespective of the peripheral factors indicates that chewing preference may be determined by central nervous system mechanisms .
A study compared the chewing side preferences in children according to age and gender. There was no proven relationship between age and gender and existence of a PPCS in children. This study did not correlate gender of the participants with the chewing side preference whereas found that males tended to exhibit CPCSs and females tended to exhibit PPCSs. Another study investigated whether there is any association between chewing side preference and the distribution of sidedness [hand, foot, eye and ear] in primary, mixed and permanent dentition and a significant correlation was found between handedness and mixed dentition. They also concluded that the tendency to prefer the right side for chewing predominates over the other side in primary, mixed and permanent dentition. They also found that chewing side preference can be significantly associated with handedness and footedness for mixed dentition and handedness, footedness and earedness for permanent dentition but these were found to be weak correlations. These studies were in agreement with the results obtained in our study. Whereas other studies [1, 7] showed a strong correlation between chewing side preference and lateral dominance.
The limitations of this study are the lesser sample size in each group and the unequal distribution of right-handed and left-handed participants. Future studies should be done with a larger sample size and more inclusion of lefthanded participants. The null hypothesis was partially rejected because there was a significant correlation between chewing side preference and DMFT/deft index but there was no correlation between chewing side preference and handedness.
Evaluation of chewing side preference should be a part of routine dental examinations, especially in primary and mixed dentitions as unilateral chewing pattern can lead to various consequences in the stomatognathic system in adulthood like TMJ disorders .
Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that there is a significance between preferred chewing side and the caries index. Evaluation of chewing side preference should be a part of routine dental examinations, especially in primary and mixed dentitions.
Conflicts of Interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
- Nissan J, Gross MD, Shifman A, et al. Chewing side preference as a type of hemispheric laterality. J Oral Rehabil 2004; 31:412-6.
- Mc Donnell ST, Hector MP, Hannigan A. Chewing side preferences in children. J Oral Rehabil 2004; 31:855-60.
- Manly RS, Shiere FR. The effect of dental deficiency on mastication and food preference. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 1950; 3:674-85.
- Gisel EG. Development of oral side preference during chewing and its relation to hand preference in normal 2-to 8-year-old children. Am J Occup Ther 1988; 42:378-83.
- Barcellos DC, Da Silva MA, Batista GR, et al. Absence or weak correlation between chewing side preference and lateralities in primary, mixed and permanent dentition. Arch Oral Biol 2012; 57:1086-92.
- Diernberger S, Bernhardt O, Schwahn C, et al. Self‐reported chewing side preference and its associations with occlusal, temporomandibular and prosthodontic factors: results from the population‐based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP‐0). J Oral Rehabil 2008; 35:613-20.
- Nissan J, Berman O, Gross O, et al. The influence of partial implant‐supported restorations on chewing side preference. J Oral Rehabili 2011; 38:165-9.
- Santana-Mora U, López-Cedrún J, Mora MJ, et al. Temporomandibular disorders: the habitual chewing side syndrome. PloS one 2013; 8:e59980.
Citation: Janvi M Gandhi, Vignesh Ravindran, Correlation Between Chewing Side Preference, Handedness and Dental Caries in Primary, Mixed and Permanent Dentition, J Res Med Dent Sci, 2022, 10 (5):70-73.
Received: 29-Apr-2022, Manuscript No. JRMDS-22-60855; , Pre QC No. JRMDS-22-60855 (PQ); Editor assigned: 02-May-2022, Pre QC No. JRMDS-22-60855 (PQ); Reviewed: 16-May-2022, QC No. JRMDS-22-60855; Revised: 20-May-2022, Manuscript No. JRMDS-22-60855 (R); Published: 27-May-2022 | <urn:uuid:98b6fa5d-2e94-4bf6-8ac1-0f9f0294dd85> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.jrmds.in/articles/correlation-between-chewing-side-preference-handedness-and-dental-caries-in-primary-mixed-and-permanent-dentition-92346.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.942245 | 2,955 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Gas Boilers: What You Need to Know
A gas boiler is a type of boiler that uses natural gas or LPG as its fuel source. Gas boilers are a popular choice for homeowners and businesses because they are efficient, reliable, and relatively affordable to operate.
How do gas boilers work?
Gas boilers work by burning natural gas or LPG to heat water. The heated water is then circulated through a system of pipes to heat your home or business.
What are the benefits of gas boilers?
There are many benefits to using a gas boiler, including:
- Efficiency: Gas boilers are very efficient, meaning that they use less fuel to produce the same amount of heat. This can save you money on your energy bills.
- Reliability: Gas boilers are very reliable and can provide years of trouble-free service.
- Affordability: Gas boilers are relatively affordable to purchase and operate.
- Ease of use: Gas boilers are very easy to use and maintain.
What are the drawbacks of gas boilers?
There are a few drawbacks to using a gas boiler, including:
- Carbon emissions: Gas boilers produce carbon emissions, which contribute to air pollution.
- Safety: Gas boilers can be a safety hazard if they are not properly installed and maintained.
- Cost: The initial cost of purchasing and installing a gas boiler can be high.
Is a gas boiler right for you?
If you are looking for an efficient, reliable, and affordable heating system, then a gas boiler may be right for you. However, it is important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of gas boilers before making a decision.
Here are some things to consider when deciding if a gas boiler is right for you:
- Your budget: The initial cost of purchasing and installing a gas boiler can be high. However, the long-term savings on your energy bills can offset the initial cost.
- Your environmental concerns: Gas boilers produce carbon emissions, which contribute to air pollution. If you are concerned about the environment, you may want to consider a more environmentally friendly heating system, such as a heat pump.
- Your home’s size and layout: Gas boilers are available in a variety of sizes and configurations. Make sure to choose a boiler that is the right size for your home and that can properly heat all of the rooms in your home.
- Your climate: Gas boilers are more efficient in cold climates than in warm climates. If you live in a warm climate, you may want to consider a different type of heating system, such as a heat pump.
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If you have ever struggled with a coughing fit that has kept you up all night or experienced prolonged daily cough, you know just how frustrating it can be.
Either of these things could be a sign of chronic bronchitis.
Chronic bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes resulting in a cough that often brings up mucus from the lungs.
A cough, which is the main symptom of chronic bronchitis, is your body’s way of expelling an irritant in your throat or airways.
Unfortunately, bronchitis can last several months and if left untreated; when it’s related to frequent tobacco use, it may last even longer.
Read on to learn more about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic bronchitis, as well as potential risks and complications and when you should see a doctor.
Chronic Bronchitis Basics
Chronic bronchitis is considered a type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a disease that includes inflammation or irritation of the bronchial tubes and produces a chronic build-up of mucus in the lungs.
This manifests as a stubborn cough that can worsen over time and lead to serious outcomes such as pneumonia, acute flare-ups, and low blood oxygen levels.
Smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis.
Those who struggle with asthma and allergies are also at a higher risk.
Symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis
If you think you have bronchitis, you may exhibit any of the following symptoms:
- A cough that is frequent and produces mucus
- Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity
- Rib pain
- Fever during acute flare-ups
Causes of Chronic Bronchitis
Generally speaking, there are two types of bronchitis that you can be diagnosed with: acute bronchitis or chronic bronchitis.
Acute bronchitis usually develops from a cold or viral respiratory infection, but also can be related to or aggravated by smoking.
You may get acute bronchitis from a virus, or less commonly, a bacterial infection.
Symptoms tend to flare up about 3-4 days after infection, and last for three weeks.
You should see an improvement around the 10-14 day mark, and many episodes go away without antibiotics.
If your symptoms persist beyond three weeks and last up to three months out of the year for at least two consecutive years, then you may be suffering from chronic bronchitis.
Unfortunately, this is not curable.
While it may initially be triggered by a respiratory infection or illness, smoking is usually the main cause.
Air pollution or exposure to other irritants in the air can also play a part.
Chronic bronchitis can cause serious airflow obstruction resulting in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Diagnosing Chronic Bronchitis
If your doctor or provider suspects you have chronic bronchitis, they will initially do a physical examination and check your medical history.
They will want to know how long you have had a cough and whether you produce mucus when you cough.
In some circumstances, they may want to order a CT scan, chest X-ray, or pulmonary function tests, as well as lab work to rule out other conditions.
No specific testing is needed to diagnose chronic bronchitis, and most diagnoses are made based on your medical history and symptoms.
A CT scan stands for “computed tomography” and is a type of x-ray imaging.
For this, you will lie on a table as the table slowly passes through a large x-ray machine to make cross-sectional images of your body.
For some CT scans, you may receive an intravenous contrast dye, which helps display parts of your body more clearly in the image.
A chest x-ray can help your doctor determine if you have fluid in or around your lungs, signs of pneumonia, or another condition.
They can be used to help diagnose chronic bronchitis and other conditions such as heart problems, pneumonia, cancer, emphysema, or broken ribs.
Pulmonary function tests
Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are noninvasive tests that determine the severity of pulmonary impairment.
They measure your lung volume, capacity, rates of flow, and gas exchange.
This information can help your health care provider diagnose and decide the treatment of certain lung disorders.
This test is used to measure the oxygen level in your blood.
It determines how well the blood is circulating in your system to parts that are furthest from your heart.
Arterial blood gas
An arterial blood gas test (ABG) measures the amount of arterial gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide).
This test involves a small amount of blood being drawn from an artery using a syringe and thin needle which is then examined to see how well your lungs move oxygen into the blood and remove carbon dioxide from the blood.
This test is rarely needed unless you are critically ill with severe difficulty breathing.
Treating Chronic Bronchitis
If you are suffering from chronic bronchitis, you may be prescribed the following:
Antibiotics: Antibiotics can help improve symptoms of a cough, breathlessness, and mucus production caused by bacterial lung infections. Antibiotics do not treat chronic bronchitis or viral infections, so they will not be prescribed in most situations of chronic bronchitis. They may be used when you are having an acute flare-up and your doctor suspects a bacteria is the cause based on your symptoms.
Anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids: Commonly referred to as steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs reduce swelling and the amount of mucus in your lungs.
Bronchodilators: These are usually taken through an inhaler and can help relax the muscles around the airways and allow you to breathe more easily.
Risks and Complications of Chronic Bronchitis
Unfortunately, there is no cure for chronic bronchitis, and those who have been diagnosed run a higher risk of developing other lung conditions and infections.
- Pneumothorax (the collection of air or gas in a lung causing the lung to collapse)
- Respiratory failure
- Enlarged or weakened right heart ventricle
Preventing Chronic Bronchitis
The best way to prevent chronic bronchitis is to quit smoking if you are a smoker.
It’s also advised that you avoid secondhand smoke and areas with high air pollution or other irritants (such as chemical fumes and dust) whenever possible.
Try to get regular exercise and eat a balanced diet, as well, to strengthen your lung function.
When to See a Doctor
If you have been experiencing bouts of acute bronchitis that have not gone away on their own, then this may be the beginning of chronic bronchitis.
If you develop a wheezing cough or a cough that doesn’t go away within three to four weeks, then you should see a health care provider to figure out the cause and determine a treatment plan.
How K Health Can Help
Did you know you can get affordable primary care with the K Health app?
Download K Health to check your symptoms, explore conditions and treatments, and if needed text with a clinician in minutes. K Health’s AI-powered app is based on 20 years of clinical data.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How to order your recycling education kit including 25-activity classroom workbook
Teach students why it’s important to be part of the waste solution rather than the problem. Recycling kit includes 25-activity classroom workbook for $20.
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Our free classroom literacy resource kidsnews.com.au will feature accompanying news stories and educational features to enhance the learning experience and assist with completion of the workbooks.
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Thinking about switching to gas home appliances might be an option to reduce your bills at the same time as experiencing increases in comfort, convenience and efficiency.
Natural gas abundant in the United States meaning that prices per unit are low and stable, and shale gas is considered the cleanest non-renewable energy source, therefore, it can be regarded as the least environmentally damaging option.
If you already have gas installed in your home, or are buying a new house you should look at the probable gains of switching to gas and natural gas household appliances.
Learn more about gas appliances here from King Appliance Repair:
A gas device runs on natural gas as the main power source. These appliances present a viable alternative for electrically powered home appliances for heating your living space, providing hot water, heating your food and even cooling your home and laundry.
In the majority of situations natural gas devices still require an electricity supply but use natural gas as the primary source of power. The quantity electric needed depends on the type of appliance. E.g, a natural gas water heater will provide hot water even if the power goes out, whereas a gas tumble dryer still needs electrical components to make the drum turn.
Gas is not just for heating.
Heating your home with gas is usually less expensive than heating using electricity. Your costs could be cut in half subject to your energy costs and relative efficiency gains.
Natural gas makes the air hotter in a shorter time and is more reliable.
Aside from heating natural gas is perfect for having a fire in your home.Forget the hassle of having to collect or buy logs or clean out the ashes. With a gas fire, you still get real flames and plenty of warmth without the fuss.
Gas can offer an efficient way to cool your home.
Gas powered air conditioning requires a higher initial investment but is cheaper to run and maintain meaning lower prices in the long term. Superior effectiveness also has a positive impact on your carbon footprint.
Natural gas water heaters come in two main designs, tank heaters and non-tank or on-demand heaters. Natural gas heaters are more rapid and more productive than electric water heaters. Tankless water heaters also give a continuous supply even with high demand. Which is useful if you have a big household that indulges in long showers.
The fact that gas lines are almost always hidden and protected from the elements ensures you will still have the ability to shower even when you don’t have electricity.
We’ve all heard the phrase “cooking with gas”. A gas company marketing line designed to link the use of natural gas with effectiveness and efficiency.
Regardless of the etiology the phrase is used today because it is accurate. The majority of chefs and home cooks choose natural gas for the ability to control the size of the flame, and natural gas stoves are also a less wasteful way of turning energy into heat.
You might not instantly think of using natural gas to dry your clothes, however, natural gas dryers have many advantages. They work at a higher temperature thus drying clothes in less time and clothes have to endure less tumbling.
Did you know you don’t just have to use gas inside your home? Outside the home, gas is a great power source for lighting and cooking and can even be used to heat your spa.
Wow guests before they even reach the front door with outdoor lights, keep them cosy on cool evenings and get food cooked outside at the perfect temperature, whenever you are ready, and without the need to remember to fill up your propane bottles.
Just like domestic heaters a pool or spa heater will get up to temperature twice as rapidly as an electric equivalent. And natural gas fire pits set the mood as well as providing heat for luxurious outside living.
As in all things there are pros and cons to natural gas appliances. Here are some of the advantages.
Making the decision between gas and electricity is not easy and the optimal choice for you might not be the best choice for everyone.
If your main driver is cost natural gas is at the moment the cheaper option. However, while studies show that three-quarters of new home buyers are choosing to have gas, converting to natural gas comes at a cost. Thus, getting a quote for installing a natural gas line if you don’t already have one is a good place to start.
Another key advantage of natural gas is stability of supply. If power failures are common where you live then having appliances that continue to work during power failures can count for a lot.
Finally, in environmental terms, while natural gas appliances are generally more efficient you can’t power them from renewable sources like you can electrical home appliances. Installing renewable energy may turn out to be less expensive and more environmentally responsible options in the long run.
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At King Richard III, our intent in teaching Computing is to empower young learners with foundational digital literacy and computational thinking skills, keeping our children safe online and being mindful of screen time. Our focus lies in making children literate in basic computing skills, including mouse skills and word processing, and nurturing their abilities as budding programmers. To assist our learning, we are committed to using elements of the Teach Computing KS1 scheme to engage students and provide them with the essential knowledge and problem-solving capabilities necessary in an increasingly digital world. Our curriculum is designed to foster curiosity, creativity, and a deep understanding of the basic principles that underpin the world of computing, laying a strong foundation for their future learning in the subject as they progress through their school life.
The content taught in our curriculum is split between four strands, with progression in each strand year on year. They are: Algorithms and Coding, Using Technology for a Purpose, Technology Around Us and E-Safety.
Central to our Computing curriculum is a dedicated focus on keeping children safe online. As part of this we aim to:
Encourage our students to practice safe internet habits, such as recognizing and reporting online bullying, understanding the implications of sharing personal information, and seeking adult guidance when facing online challenges.
Actively engage parents and caregivers in understanding and supporting their children's online activities, giving advice to help them create a safe online environment both at school and at home.
We are also acutely aware of the increasing amount of time that children in the UK spend on devices each day. To address this concern, we are aiming to:
By integrating these vital components into our Computing curriculum, we ensure that our students not only gain essential digital skills and online safety awareness but also learn to use technology mindfully and responsibly. Our children should leave King Richard III ready to begin their journey into an ever-more digital world.
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Most people think that healthcare is far more complex than it actually is and that adopting standard quality improvement methods is not possible. However, this is not reality. Healthcare improvement methods are the same as in other industries. Medical institutions can create a name by applying data and analytics.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has improved medical institutions tremendously. It has been used to analyze and store data, resulting in effective predictive analysis. It has also served patients by improving diagnostics and treatments, thus, aiding doctors in making and implementing informed medical decisions. Artificial intelligence is also helping medical institutions overcome healthcare worker shortages by automating the tasks that are being repeated and, therefore, allowing healthcare staff to focus only on tasks of a higher cognitive level.
Here are a few steps that may help you in healthcare improvement.
If you don’t know how to measure it, you will not be able to manage it. Undertake a comprehensive analysis of existing data to explore more opportunities. This can be done by carefully analyzing your institutional operations and the population of your patients. Instead of merely tracking billing, you need to pay more attention to patient wellness. Conduct patient satisfaction surveys to understand where improvements can be made.
After analyzing organizational data, you will be able to identify areas where improvements are required and set precise and achievable goals. Set some marketing goals to create a name for your medical institution. Social media is highly recommended for mental health marketing because many social media users suffer from consortia like anxiety. Healthcare should be safe, effective, patient-centered, efficient, and equitable.
Create a skilled team from different backgrounds with different experience levels. You must have a project manager to accomplish daily tasks, a clinical expert to make important decisions, and a leader who can provide oversight. Train your team to use multiple forms of communication efficiently, because patient safety and comfort are directly related to it. A minor mistake in printing can put a patient’s health – or life – at risk.
It is crucial to create an executable plan to accomplish your goals effectively. By considering your goals and completing your data analysis, you can make a strategy. You must have an organized system for data tracking.
Be transparent in terms of diagnosis, approaches to treatment, and all documentation. Being transparent with your patient improves trust in the patient-physician relationship. This, in return, reduces potential costs through increased productivity.
Physicians need to be very careful when divulging shocking news, and it can be done by improving their emotion handling skills. Doctors dealing with the death of a patient are not allowed to grieve. They are told to overcome their emotions and just move on. While in reality, they should be encouraged to deal with their emotions so they can treat their next patient more effectively.
A patient’s challenges while transitioning from hospital to home should be handled appropriately. Therefore, it is solely the hospital’s responsibility to reduce the length of hospital stays and to maintain coordination with the specialists whom their patients see. Primary care providers can also connect with patients to improve their health.
Healthcare organizations should invest time in researching new methods to improve care quality. You can learn new practices from organizations in your country and even beyond the borders. Focus on areas you need to improve and learn how the top medical institutions are making progress. Do extensive research, read the literature, and attend conferences to find successful organizations. Some organizations love sharing their methods and technologies to improve the lives of all patients. Another idea is to partner with successful organizations for continued improvement.
Good medical institutions supply their patients with reliable and convenient digital options. Digitalization provides a base for patient-focused healthcare. It helps healthcare providers understand exactly what the patients require and builds a relationship of trust based on the quality treatments provided. Patients should be able to access care whenever and wherever they need it. You can prevent diseases, lower costs, and improve doctor-patient coordination by digitalization.
COVID-19 paved the way for medical institutions to embrace technology and appreciate the potential value they bring to the market. Embracing such clear-cut technology will indeed unlock a brighter future for medical institutions.
Improvement in healthcare quality is possible if you implement the tips mentioned in this article. Small steps can make a difference in healthcare and improve patients’ lives. | <urn:uuid:21716c92-e3d0-4966-9cbc-d6941d7b8208> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.knowonlineadvertising.com/beyond-digital/how-can-medical-institutions-create-a-name-for-themselves/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.948679 | 867 | 2.734375 | 3 |
A new nanoscale method being developed by an international team of researchers uses tears for fast and accurate disease diagnosis.
The researchers recently reported in ACS Nano that they have developed a nanoporous membrane-based purification method, dubbed Exodus, that provides a fast and accurate way of testing exomes for disease signatures.
The method has proven to be faster and more sensitive than ultracentrifugation (UC) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC), two of the most common methods for isolating tear exosomes.
Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs, or exosomes) in tears have been shown to provide multiple signatures of diseases. However, the persistent problem in leveraging them in diagnostics is that they're extremely small. They are, in fact, on the nanoscale, and this nanoscale has left a range of diagnostic approaches ineffective in testing sEVs.
"Our approach shows a fast processing time (less than 5 minutes) and high recovered yield with a relatively high purity, which allows us to obtain more proteins and miRNAs through the tear-extracellular vesicles per drop than in urine or blood and reach the aim for tear-exosome-based precision medicine (i.e., molecular diagnosis)," said Fei Liu, a professor at Wenzhou Medical University in China and one of the principal investigators in the research.
Liu and his colleagues have used their Exodus technology to further enable an "Incorporated Tear Exosomes Analysis via Rapid-isolation System" (iTEARS). Exodus itself consists of a sample reservoir coupling with a dual nanoporous membrane and two outlets connected to a negative pressure oscillation system.
To achieve fast exosome isolation and purification, periodic negative pressure switching is applied on two sides of the device, which can drive the sample, entrap the larger-sized exosomes, free the small fragments (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids), and reduce the aggregations of biomolecules and exosomes on membranes.
"With this system, we can obtain enhanced yield and purity, reduce processing time, and extend the range of processing volume," said Liu. "The purified exosomes benefit downstream analysis, including proteomics, sequencing, PCR, or ELISA."
Liu said that he and his colleagues plan to expand the understanding of clear biological communications via exosomes in the development of pathogenesis. Liu expects that this will have an impact on the precision molecular diagnosis of different diseases.
In even more ambitious goals, Liu hopes that this tool will help in discovering the molecular fingerprints of emotional health conditions, as well as the molecular expression and consequences of psychological stress manifested through human tears.
"We hope to provide a clinical translation method for tear-based molecular diagnostics and prognostics not only for eye-related diseases, but also for cancers, diabetes mellitus, neurologic diseases, and the biological functions of emotional tears," said Liu.
One of the limitations in developing methods for testing exomes has been the general lack of realization in the clinical community that tears contain rich clinical information about different parts of our body, according to Liu. This lack of understanding exists even though human lacrimal glands secrete tears in the eyelids through filtration from blood plasma, which circulates through the entire body, collecting exosomes from organs and tissues.
"Tears are also relatively pure, with low potential contaminant interference directly correlated with circulating fluids such as blood," added Liu.
Because of the qualities of tears in our bodies, Liu believes that collection will grow in attention, and ultimately use, as a fast and noninvasive diagnostic method in point-of-care studies. The most critical step in moving this technology forward, according to Liu, is obtaining more large-scale clinical tests to demonstrate the potential of tear-based molecular diagnosis.
Liu added: "In this work, we aim to establish a novel platform that can facilitate tear-exosome-based studies in both disease diagnosis and pathogenesis. We have shown the diagnosis potential of exosomal levels and their cargos in ocular diseases, and we hope to show more detailed applications with large-scale cohorts in future works." | <urn:uuid:1577c8db-4d03-4ac8-83ea-6743ac3d8961> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.labpulse.com/business-insights/article/15300696/leveraging-tears-for-diagnosis | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.93615 | 869 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Soviet history is often told through the prism of totalitarian oppression, but beneath layers of state control a vibrant dissident movement was active. Whilst they were far from an homogenous group, their presence and sustained activism in the later decades of Soviet history raises broader questions about the communist superpower. What influence could political dissidents have on the world around them? How did they exert influence in a regime that wanted them silenced? What role did they, or could they play in the Cold War?
In this module, you will explore the breadth, depth, and complexity of the Soviet dissident movement and analyse the impact that they had on the wider world. You will explore the nature of political life in the Soviet Union, ranging from the punishment of the labour camp system under Joseph Stalin, the use and abuse of psychiatry under Nikita Khrushchev, and the silencing of the shestidesiatniki under Leonid Brezhnev. This module will also consider the role dissidents played in the collapse of the Soviet regime under Mikhail Gorbachev, and the contemporary parallels with dissidents such as Anna Politkovskaya and Pussy Riot in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. By focusing on the domestic enemies of the Soviet state, this module will allow you to explore in detail how totalitarian governments function, what activists and intellectuals can do to change this, and the role played by the international community in supporting these dissidents. Alongside this, it will address broader issues such as political dissent, human rights and international relations amongst others.
Indicative topics include:
Samizdat, Natalya Gorbanevskaya and the Chronicle of Current Events
Psikhushki and psychiatric abuse
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and the ‘Slavophiles’
Andrei Sakharov and the ‘Westernisers’
Vladimir Bukovsky and the ‘non-conformists’
The KGB and state intimidation
The Refuseniks and Soviet Jewry movements
Religious Persecution and Keston College
The Helsinki Accords and the move towards human rights
Amnesty International and the Soviet Union
Pussy Riot and Pyotr Pavlensky | <urn:uuid:08572e6e-88ba-4ee9-a10d-dbe0e7674a7f> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/history-and-philosophy-ba-hons-vvc5/2024/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.933046 | 442 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Recall a time when you were the leader of a team. You know that there are lots of ups and downs. Being the leader of a team straps you with a lot of responsibility. As the leader of the team, you need to be able to manage these ups and downs!
Teamwork is the efficient cooperation of everyone in a group to achieve success. 60% of teams fail because there is a lack of teamwork in the group! Deficient teamwork is a result of conflict between team members, lack of clarity from the leader, lack of skills, and poor communication between the team and the leader.
Many teams end up failing because the team members all come from different backgrounds. They do not share similar values, and they are not willing to learn to share similar values. It is crucial for leaders to set clear expectations on how team members should treat each other. If not, the ethics of the team may become chaotic. Another common reason for failure is when the leader falls short in placing the person with the right skillset into the appropriate role. This brings down the team's motivation and morale. Most significantly, a leader should ensure that everyone in the team shares the same vision as well as a great work ethic!
There are four steps that guarantee the success of a team.
Make sure team members share equal values.
Ensure that your team has the knowledge and skillset to complete a task.
Give instructions with clarity, and set expectations on how team members should treat each other, important priorities, and timelines.
Recognize and celebrate your team's accomplishments!
"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success."
- Henry Ford | <urn:uuid:bc375022-8c8a-42c3-9d13-c4947133362b> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.leadyouth.org/post/can-you-manage-a-team | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.963175 | 343 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Surrealism is an artistic and literary movement that emerged in the early 20th century, primarily in Europe. It was founded by André Breton, who published the "Surrealist Manifesto" in 1924, defining the principles and goals of the movement. Surrealism was inspired by the ideas of Sigmund Freud on the unconscious and focused on the exploration of the unconscious and the subconscious, often through the use of automatism techniques (writing or painting without consciously thinking). In painting, surrealism manifested itself through the use of strange or irrational motifs and symbols, as well as the incorporation of surprising or incongruous details in the paintings. Among the famous surrealist artists in painting are Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Rene Magritte and Max Ernst. Salvador Dali is a Spanish surrealist artist known for his surrealist paintings. One of his most famous works associated with surrealism is "The Persistence of Memory" (1931). Dali also created many other surrealist works, such as "The Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening" (1944) and "The Great Masturbator" (1929). Rene Magritte is a Belgian surrealist artist known for his paintings that play with perspective and visual illusions. One of his most famous works is "The Treachery of Images" (1929), where he painted a pipe saying "This is not a pipe". Magritte also created many other surrealist works, such as "The Human Condition" (1933) and "The Empire of Lights" (1954). Max Ernst is a German surrealist artist known for his paintings filled with strange and dreamlike motifs. One of his most famous works is "Europe After the Rain II" (1940-42). Surrealism had a significant impact on 20th century art and culture and continues to influence many artists around the world. The movement paved the way for new forms of artistic expression by highlighting the importance of the unconscious and encouraging the use of automatism techniques. Many artists were influenced by surrealism and continued to explore these themes in their works, even after the end of the movement in the mid-20th century.
Alberto Giacometti was a Swiss sculptor, painter, and draftsman known for his Surrealist and Expressionist works. Born in Borgonovo, Switzerland in 1901, Giacometti was the son of a well-known post-Impressionist painter. He studied art in Paris and was heavily influenced by the work of Pablo Picasso and Constantin Brâncuși. Giacometti's sculptures are characterized by their thin, elongated forms and sense of isolation. Some of his most famous works include "Walking Man I" (1960) and "Pointing Man" (1947). He also created a number of paintings and drawings, including the series "Portrait of Jean-Paul Sartre" (1964). Giacometti was a member of the Surrealist movement and was closely associated with artists such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Jean Cocteau. He was also a friend and collaborator of fellow sculptor Henry Moore. Giacometti died in 1966 in Coire, Switzerland. | <urn:uuid:d84a19a1-a108-4201-8a37-ddc1d1552e66> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.lecadeauartistique.com/en/postcards/7160-10-giacometti-postcards.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.977071 | 678 | 3.421875 | 3 |
If you’ve discovered you might need vision correction during your eye examination, it’s vital to determine just how “much” your eyes need to be corrected with lenses or contact lenses. This is called measuring your “refraction.
Autorefractors automatically measure this value during an eye examination.
While seated with your chin in a stabilizing chinrest, you’ll be asked to focus on an image or point of light. The autorefractor automatically determines the correction needed to place your “focus point” on top of the retina, the light-sensitive area at the back of the eye responsible for correctly processing images.
The measurement taken by an autorefractor can be translated into a prescription for eyeglasses.
In eye exams for small children, or for people with special needs who may have trouble sitting calmly during an extended exam, or verbally describing their vision problems—autorefractors give highly accurate measurements used to determine vision correction needs, automatically.
How do autorefractors work?
Autorefractors only take a few moments to determine each measurement for each eye. What’s more, autorefractors are quite reliable and are sometimes used in conjunction with a machine called a phoroptor to manually switch lenses in front of your eyes to provide ideal vision correction.
Special thanks to the EyeGlass Guide, for informational material that aided in the creation of this website. Visit the EyeGlass Guide today! | <urn:uuid:a69b3dd4-5824-4e18-9fd7-e450542bfba4> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.leevisionfamilyeyeclinic.com/your-eye-health/eye-exams/common-tests/autorefractor/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.901879 | 310 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Crows are black birds known for their intelligence and adaptability, and for their loud, harsh "caw." They also have a reputation for damaging crops; however, their impact may be less than previously thought.
The genus Corvus comprises crows, ravens and rooks. These birds are all part of the Corvidae family, which includes jays, magpies and nutcrackers.
There are about 40 species of crow, according to PBS, so there are many different sizes of crows. The American crow measures around 17.5 inches (45 centimeters). The fish crow measures around 19 inches (48 cm). The common raven is much larger and measures around 27 inches (69 cm). Crows can weigh anywhere from 12 to 57 ounces (337 to 1,625 grams). Rooks are smaller than crows and have distinct wedge-shaped tails and light-colored bills. They average 18 inches (47 cm) long.
American crows differ from common ravens in several ways. Ravens are bigger; their voices are hoarser; and they have heavier bills, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web (ADW). Ravens' tails and wings come to a point.
Crows can be found all over the world in a variety of habitats. For example, the American crow lives all over North America and prefers open areas — agricultural land and grasslands — with trees nearby. They also thrive in suburban neighborhoods, according to the ADW.
The common raven is one of the most widespread birds worldwide, according to the ADW. They are found in northern Europe, Scandinavia, Iceland and Greenland; throughout Asia, from the Pacific Ocean to the Himalayas to India and Iran; across northwestern Africa and the Canary Islands; and in North and Central America as far south as Nicaragua. They prefer open landscapes, too — seacoasts, treeless tundra, rocky cliffs, mountain forests, open riverbanks, plains, deserts and scrubby woodlands.
Rooks are found across Europe and western Asia. They, too, prefer wide open spaces, river plains and steppes.
Crows are extremely intelligent birds. They are known for their problem-solving skills and amazing communication skills. For example, when a crow encounters a mean human, it will teach other crows how to identify the human. In fact, research shows that crows don’t forget a face.
Many types of crows are solitary, but they will often forage in groups. Others stay in large groups. A group of crows is called a murder. When one crow dies, the murder will surround the deceased. This funeral isn’t just to mourn the dead, though. The crows gather together to find out what killed their member. Then, the murder of crows will band together and chase predators in a behavior called mobbing. With some crow species, the yearlings and non-mating adults live in a group called a roosting community.
Some crows migrate while other crows don’t migrate in the common sense. They will travel to warmer areas of their territory, when needed.
American crows can be harmful to crops, but they also may prevent damage by eating insect pests, according to the ADW. Recent studies have shown that 60 to 90 percent of insects eaten by rooks are agricultural pests.
As foragers, they also clean up dead animals and garbage. In fact, crows are often blamed for overturning garbage cans; however, the real culprits are usually raccoons or dogs, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Crows are omnivores, which means they eat nearly anything. Crows eat small animals such as mammals, amphibians, reptiles, eggs and carrion. They also eat insects, seeds, grains, nuts, fruit, non-insect arthropods, mollusks, worms and even other birds. Crows have also been noted eating garbage and store food in caches, short-term, in trees or on the ground, according to the ADW.
Crows are cooperative breeders, which means they often stay close to the place where they were born and help raise and defend the area’s young chicks. When it is time to have offspring, a mating pair will build a nest 15 to 60 feet (4.5 to 18 meters) above the ground using branches, twigs, hair, twine, bark, plant fibers, mosses, cloth and other materials. Nests are 1.5 to 2 feet (46 to 61 cm) in diameter, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The female lays four to five eggs and incubates them for 18 days. At four weeks, the chicks are able to leave the nest, though their parents still feed them until they are around 60 days old. Crows can live up to 14 years.
Here is the taxonomy of crows, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS):
Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Class: Aves Superclass: Tetrapoda Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae Genus: Corvus Species: There are more than 30, including:
- Corvus brachyrhynchos (American crow)
- Corvus caurinus (Northwestern crow)
- Corvus corax (common raven)
- Corvus corone (carrion crow)
- Corvus coronoides (Australian raven)
- Corvus cryptoleucus (Chihuahuan raven)
- Corvus florensis (Flores crow)
- Corvus frugilegus (rook)
- Corvus hawaiiensis ('Alala, Hawaiian crow)
- Corvus imparatus (Mexican crow)
- Corvus mellori (little raven)
- Corvus ossifragus (fish crow)
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), most crows are not endangered. The Flores crow is one of the exceptions. It is listed as endangered because it has a very small population that is on the decline as deforestation threatens its home on the Indonesian islands of Flores and Rinca. The IUCN thinks that its population is around 600 to 1,700 mature individuals. The Hawaiian crow is extinct in the wild.
American crows will stand on anthills and let the ants climb on it. Then, the bird will rub the ants into their feathers. This behavior is called anting and is used to ward of parasites. Ants can also cause birds to get drunk from the formic acidreleased from the ant’s bodies.
Common ravens have 15 to 33 categories of recorded vocalizations.
The Northwestern crow has been observed playing games while flying.
Crows and ravens are important in mythology, fables and native cultures. They are often identified as clever tricksters. In some cultures, they are symbols of good luck; in others, they bring bad luck.
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- 1. Reduce Speed & Observe the Posted Speed Limit at All Times
- a. The National Safety Council® Defensive Driving Division reminds drivers that “Exceeding the posted speed limit or driving at an unsafe speed is the most common error in fatal accidents.”
- 2. Wear Your Seatbelt at All Times
- 3. Reduce Distractions and Stay Focused While Driving
- a. The National Safety Council® Defensive Driving Division reminds drivers that “An estimated minimum of 28 percent of all traffic crashes (or 1.6 million accidents per year) are caused by drivers using cell phones and texting.”
- 4. Do Not Drive Drowsy
- a. The National Safety Council® Defensive Driving Division provides information and safety tips for reducing drowsy and fatigued driving.
- 5. Drive Cautiously and Be Aware of Pedestrians, Especially in Residential Areas
- a. The National Safety Council® Defensive Driving Division reminds drivers that “approximately 5,900 pedestrians are killed by automobiles every year; 85,000 pedestrians suffer nonfatal injuries and over 25% of pedestrians struck are under the age of 15 years old.”
The Need for Defensive Driving
Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 cause of occupational fatalities and the leading cause of death for ages 2-39 and ages 50-72. Plus, the increasing number of new drivers and vehicles on the road creates a continuing need for defensive driving training across all age groups.
NSC Partners to Save Lives
The National Safety Council has long been a partner with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, privately owned businesses and many others in the public and private sectors to improve traffic safety. Stronger laws and enforcement, coupled with effective campaigns managed or endorsed by NSC, have contributed to reductions in traffic deaths from impaired driving or distracted driving, non-use of seat belts and unsafe driving behaviors.
The Leader in Defensive Driving
In addition, NSC trains millions in defensive driving techniques, with more than 1.7 million participants annually-more than 67 million since 1964. We were the first national organization to offer defensive driving programs, and we’ve continued to innovate and set the standards in the field ever since. Since the original Defensive Driving Course program, NSC has expanded to more than 30 defensive driving courses offered in all 50 states and many foreign countries.
We are committed to ensuring that people get what they need from the NSC to drive defensively-knowledge, skills and perspective that will help them continue to prevent injuries and save even more lives. We continue to lead and join with other public and private sectors to educate and advocate for best practices in driver safety.
Our goal is to save even more lives by educating not only teens and parents of new drivers but, each and everyone of us who share our nation’s highways.
Luc Pentz Risk Manager | <urn:uuid:11ffb843-dc00-4125-8dd7-ecf2b0a2db55> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.mdpipe.com/news-and-views-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.936765 | 585 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Exploring Metaphysics for Life is a great way to introduce yourself to the vast, and sometimes overwhelming, study of metaphysics - the scientific, philosophical and practical examination of the true nature of what we call "reality".
There are many ways to approach the voyage into the exploration of the true nature of reality.
Use of the five senses is of course the usual and, in many ways, the most practical way to begin. However, assuming that reality is limited to only those aspects that can be seen, heard, tasted, smelled or touched is completely unrealistic and will result in unsatisfying results.
Expanding your options and experience with the use of non-physical senses such as intuition, inspiration, feelings and thought allows you to explore the non-physical aspects as well as the physical nature of "reality".
Try not to get too bogged down in words and definitions, trying to understand what metaphysics is or who said what when. Although the term "metaphysics" has its origins around the time of Aristotle in Greece, the big questions that it asks, such as "Who are we? Where did we come from? Why are we here?" etc., are as old as human consciousness - and who can honestly say when that began?
To get started, subscribe to the newsletter and get a free "8 Week Study Guide" that will take you step by step through this website. Complete all 8 lessons and receive a free Certificate of Completion!
The Nobel Laureate discusses not only how and why he became a philosopher but also his conception of philosophy as a field distinct from science and literature. A source of inspiration for physicists as well as philosophers, Bergson's essays declare the emphasis of intuition over intellect.
To download the mp3 visit LibriVox
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Return To: What Is Metaphysics?
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Jan 03, 20 01:15 PM | <urn:uuid:23b0c125-3f1f-4e17-8cd9-42f62e74500e> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.metaphysics-for-life.com/introduction-to-metaphysics.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.948645 | 410 | 2.90625 | 3 |
In a world increasingly dominated by urbanization and human activities, a silent crisis is unfolding, one that threatens the very foundation of our planet’s ecosystems and our food security. This crisis is the decline of pollinators, the insects and other animals that transfer pollen from one plant to another, enabling the reproduction of many plant species, including crops.
Pollinators are essential for the health of our planet’s ecosystems. They play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity, ensuring the stability of food webs, and contributing to the overall productivity of natural systems. In fact, it is estimated that approximately 75% of the world’s flowering plants rely on animal pollination, and one out of every three bites of food we eat depends on the work of pollinators. Despite their immense importance, pollinator populations are facing an unprecedented decline worldwide. The primary causes of this decline include habitat loss and fragmentation, pesticide use, climate change, and the spread of invasive species.
Habitat loss is a major threat to pollinators, as it reduces the availability of nesting sites, food sources, and breeding grounds. This is particularly true for species that specialize in specific habitats, such as grasslands, forests, and wetlands.
The widespread use of pesticides, encompassing herbicides and insecticides, poses a significant threat to the delicate balance of ecosystems, particularly concerning the invaluable role played by pollinators. These chemicals, designed to control unwanted pests and weeds, often have unintended and devastating consequences on pollinator populations.
One of the direct and immediate impacts of pesticides on pollinators is mortality. The toxic nature of these chemicals can lead to the outright death of pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and other essential insects. This loss not only disrupts the intricate web of biodiversity but also jeopardizes the crucial pollination services they provide to flowering plants.
Beyond mortality, pesticides can disrupt the reproductive cycles of pollinators. Exposure to these chemicals can interfere with the natural behaviors and processes related to reproduction, affecting mating rituals, egg-laying, and larval development. Such disruptions have cascading effects on the life cycles of these species, potentially leading to diminished populations over time.
Equally concerning is the impact of pesticides on the food sources of pollinators. Herbicides, designed to eliminate unwanted plants, can inadvertently remove the very flora that pollinators rely on for nectar and pollen. Insecticides may also contaminate the nectar and pollen of treated plants, turning essential food sources into potential hazards for pollinators.
The consequences of pesticide use extend beyond individual pollinator species to have profound implications for entire ecosystems. The interconnectedness of plant-pollinator relationships means that declines in pollinator populations can disrupt the reproduction and survival of flowering plants, affecting the entire food web.
The urgency to address the negative impacts of pesticides on pollinators is underscored by the global decline in these essential species. Pollinator populations, including bees and butterflies, have experienced alarming declines in recent years, posing a direct threat to food security, agricultural productivity, and overall biodiversity.
Efforts to mitigate the impact of pesticides on pollinators include promoting sustainable and integrated pest management practices. This approach seeks to minimize reliance on chemical pesticides, opting instead for alternative methods such as biological control, crop rotation, and the use of resistant plant varieties. Additionally, raising awareness about the importance of pollinators and advocating for policies that regulate pesticide use to protect these vital species is crucial.
In essence, recognizing the intricate web of life and the interconnectedness of species is paramount in addressing the challenges posed by pesticide use. By adopting sustainable agricultural practices and advocating for environmentally conscious policies, we can work towards safeguarding pollinators and preserving the biodiversity that sustains our ecosystems.
Climate change is also a significant threat to pollinators. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can disrupt flowering times, reduce the availability of food sources, and alter the distribution of pollinator species. Additionally, extreme weather events, such as heat waves and droughts, can further stress pollinator populations. The spread of invasive species, such as the Asian honeybee and the Varroa mite, can also harm pollinator populations. Invasive species can compete with native pollinators for resources, transmit diseases, and disrupt natural pollination systems.
The decline of pollinators has far-reaching consequences for our planet. Reduced pollination can lead to decreased crop yields, loss of biodiversity, and disruptions in ecosystem services. The economic losses associated with pollinator decline are estimated to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars annually.
To address the pollinator crisis, a multifaceted approach is needed. This includes:
- Protecting and restoring pollinator habitat: This involves creating and conserving natural habitats, such as grasslands, forests, and wetlands, as well as incorporating pollinator-friendly plants into urban landscapes and agricultural settings.
- Reducing pesticide use: This involves adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, using less toxic pesticides when necessary, and promoting the use of natural alternatives to pesticides.
- Mitigating climate change: This involves transitioning to renewable energy sources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and implementing strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
- Controlling invasive species: This involves early detection and rapid response to new invasive species, implementing effective control measures, and raising public awareness about the threat of invasive species.
Preserving and protecting pollinators transcends the realm of safeguarding individual insect species; it is a fundamental commitment to the health and resilience of our planet’s ecosystems. Pollinators play an indispensable role in maintaining the delicate balance of biodiversity and are integral to the reproductive success of a vast array of flowering plants. In essence, their significance extends far beyond the immediate ecosystems they inhabit. The health of our planet’s ecosystems is intricately linked to the well-being of pollinators. These small, industrious creatures facilitate the reproduction of countless plant species, contributing to the overall health and diversity of ecosystems worldwide. The interdependence between pollinators and plants creates a web of life that supports not only flora but also the myriad of fauna that rely on these plants for sustenance and habitat.
Our global food security is intricately tied to the well-being of pollinators. A substantial portion of the food we consume is derived from plants that rely on pollination. From fruits and vegetables to nuts and seeds, the role of pollinators in agriculture is irreplaceable. Without their pollination services, the productivity and diversity of crops would be severely compromised, potentially leading to food shortages and increased vulnerability in our global food supply chain.
Furthermore, the decline of pollinators poses a threat to the cultural and aesthetic richness of our surroundings. Many flowering plants, including those cherished in gardens and landscapes, depend on pollinators for reproduction. The vibrancy of colors, scents, and seasonal changes that define our natural landscapes are intricately tied to the activities of these essential pollinating species.
Addressing the multifaceted threats facing pollinators is not just an environmental imperative; it is a commitment to creating a sustainable and resilient future for all. By mitigating the impacts of pesticide use, promoting habitat conservation, and raising awareness about the importance of pollinators, we pave the way for a more harmonious coexistence with the natural world.
Individual and collective actions play a pivotal role in this endeavor. From supporting sustainable agricultural practices that minimize reliance on harmful pesticides to creating pollinator-friendly spaces in urban environments, every effort contributes to the broader goal of protecting these vital species. Education and advocacy are equally critical, as increased awareness fosters a sense of responsibility and encourages the implementation of policies that prioritize pollinator conservation.
In essence, the protection of pollinators is a linchpin in our quest for a sustainable future. It symbolizes our commitment to fostering resilient ecosystems, ensuring global food security, and preserving the rich tapestry of life that defines our planet. By acknowledging the profound significance of pollinators, we embark on a journey towards a more interconnected and sustainable world—one where the well-being of every species, big or small, is recognized as essential to the health and vitality of our shared home. | <urn:uuid:c5a6cc68-2602-4b97-a331-f4e18926d135> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.micro2media.com/the-silent-crisis-of-our-planets-pollinators/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.914435 | 1,656 | 4.125 | 4 |
Women and depression: we are twice as likely to be diagnosed than men. However, it’s not necessarily clear why or whether this statistic really reflects reality. As the Harvard Mental Health Letter stated in 2011:
Some experts believe that both genders are affected by depression in equal numbers, but women are more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder, in part because men are less likely to talk about feelings and seek help for mood problems. It also may be that depression shows up in different ways in men — for example, as substance abuse or violent behavior.
Others theorize that while both genders are biologically vulnerable to developing depression, women may be more susceptible to harm from life stresses and other environmental factors.
Neel Burton, MD, Psychology Today, proposes the following reasons for women’s more frequent presentation of depression, noting that the factors involved are biological, psychological, and sociocultural.
- Compared to men, women may have a stronger genetic predisposition to developing depression.
- Compared to men, women are much more subjected to fluctuating hormone levels…
- Women are more ruminative than men, that is, they tend to think about things more—which, though a very good thing, may also predispose them to developing depression. In contrast, men are more likely to react to difficult times with stoicism, anger, or substance misuse.
- Women are generally more invested in relationships than men. Relationship problems are likely to affect them more, and so they are more likely to develop depression.
- Women come under more stress than men. Not only do they have to go work just like men, but they may also be expected to bear the brunt of maintaining a home, bringing up children, caring for older relatives, and putting up with all the sexism!
- Women live longer than men. Extreme old age is often associated with bereavement, loneliness, poor physical health, and precarity—and so with depression.
- Women are more likely to seek out a diagnosis of depression. They are more likely to consult a physician and more likely to discuss their feelings with the physician. Conversely, physicians (whether male or female) may be more likely to make a diagnosis of depression in a woman.
Regardless of the possible causation, how can women heal from depression? Few resources focus specifically on women and depression, but a currently top-selling book on this topic is Dr. Kelly Brogan‘s 2016 A Mind of Your Own: The Truth About Depression and How Women Can Heal Their Bodies to Reclaim Their Lives.
Antidepressant medication isn’t the best way to treat it, she believes, nor is there any proof for the theory that depression indicates a chemical imbalance in the brain. This is also the stance of such experts as Irving Kirsch, Andrew Weil, and James Davies. (Links will lead to my previous posts on their opinions.)
“Depression is an opportunity,” says Brogan. “It is a sign for us to stop and figure out what’s causing our imbalance.” Possible sources could be “your food, your gut, your thyroid, or even your go-to pain reliever.”
Nutrition is often the key to relieving depression, says Brogan. A free ebook obtainable by giving your email address at this link offers some of her basic prescriptions in this regard.
From reading the ebook as well as editorial and consumer reviews, it seems that Brogan’s approach is better suited to someone who can get totally on board with a holistic, the-food-you-eat-is-medicine-but-not-necessarily-fun-to-eat approach—something many resist.
Moreover, many do still believe that, for whatever unknown reason—placebo effect or otherwise— antidepressant medication not only works but also has saved lives. I’ve seen this too often myself to neglect to mention it here.
And don ‘t forget therapy, of course, as well as physical exercise—both proven to be effective. | <urn:uuid:65807681-6fba-4bdd-b5ed-e44a32fcaa97> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.mindingtherapy.com/tag/why-more-women-are-diagnosed-with-depression-than-men/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.955792 | 833 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Zurich Thaler, struck and overstruck in 1660? Numismatic Riddle about an allegedly bought Mayor and French Debts after the Mercenary Alliance had expired
Numismatists call a special thaler struck in Zurich in 1660 «Waserthaler». Its name refers to Heinrich Waser, mayor of Zurich who was thought to have betrayed his hometown. This was not true. We will tell you the full story.
This is a peculiar coin! The striking is somewhat awkward. It seems as if there was a second image, hidden underneath the first.
Actually, this Zurich thaler was overstruck on a coin that had been made earlier. That coin was a Zurich thaler dating from 1660. Strange! For what reason were newly manufactured coins, issued in 1660, struck a second time, in 1661, at considerable expense? Well, that might be due to a very special reason.
To get to the bottom of this, we have to go back in time, to old Zurich. On June 28, 1652, John Henry Waser was elected mayor of Zurich. Waser came from one of the town’s most noble families. He enjoyed a very good education and started to work for the Zurich government when he was 21 years old. Assistant of the township clerk, probationary judge, recorder, provincial governor of Kyburg – Waser learned the art of politics from the bottom up, which was a good thing and prepared him for his future duty: in his capacity as mayor, he had to resolve a very tricky problem.
In May 1651, the mercenary alliance with France had expired. That was a problem! On the one hand, France was a useful ally which acted as mediator between the Catholic and the Reformed cantons. On the other hand France owed the city of Zurich quite a lot of money. Zurich supplied the French army with mercenary soldiers on a regular basis. France, however, did not pay the soldiers as agreed.
Back then, some 9,000 inhabitants lived in the city of Zurich. Only 1,500 were entitled to express their political opinion. It was a small circle indeed that engaged in fierce discussions about possible ways to make France pay its dues.
Waser participated in the discussions as well. And as mayor, he was of course involved in the negotiations with France. He probably realized at some point that it was simply impossible for France to pay. At least, it could not make the payment in the amount requested by the citizens of Zurich.
Mazarin, the grey eminence behind the throne of juvenile Louis XIV, had quashed the Fronde revolts only recently. As a result, the state coffers were empty.
But France had other levers. The confederates possessed important trade privileges in the French Kingdom which France could easily revoke. Solothurn was the first city to give in. It renewed the alliance with France. The other Catholic cities followed. The Reformed cities likewise grew tired of supporting Zurich’s uncompromising policy. The discontent was further fueled by Mazarin rescinding the customs exemption for merchants of the Swiss Confederacy in Lyon, which affected Geneva in particular.
Let’s cut a long story short. Zurich had no other option. Waser was experienced enough to pursue a pragmatic policy that was backed by the council yet resented by those who wanted to force France to pay more money. In 1683, however, the new contract for a mercenary alliance with France was ratified. On this painting Waser is shown leading the delegation of the Swiss Confederacy and going known on his knee before Louis XIV. We know what Waser received as honorary gift from Louis XIV. He returned to Zurich with chains, medals and cash, all together worth 2,305 gulden.
The value of these gifts was determined by a valuer, the Zurich mint master, who had been officially appointed by the council. The council decided that Waser could keep the honorary presents. That, however, did not stop the gossip factory from working overtime. There were rumors about a barrel full of gold which a customs official in Mellingen claimed to have seen with his own eyes. Malicious gossip had it that the French King had used it to buy Waser.
These defaming allegations were disproved by a court. Waser, however, could not enjoy the acquittal for long. He died shortly after the rendition of the verdict.
What happened thereafter is a numismatic legend. The citizens of Zurich are said to have refused to accept the coins issued under Waser because they bore not only the date but a flower underneath that a viewer with imagination might have interpreted as French fleur-de-lis. The Zurich council had no other option than to overstrike these coins.
Is this story true? We don’t know. We have no written sources confirming that Waser’s coins were of ill repute.
What we do have, though, are the coins that are clearly overstrikes on the so-called waserthaler, using the original dies. Whether or not the numismatic legend harks back to such coins or, rather, a business-mined Zurich-based mint master took the original dies at a later date, in order to create an overstrike that matched the legend and thus served a collector’s need, we will never be able to tell.
But one thing is certain: no matter if we look at our own time or at 17th century-Zurich, voters of all eras tended – and still tend – to scapegoat politicians if they see their wishes and reality diverging.
Thank you for listening. And you can find more podcasts about coins and money on the Sunflower Foundation Web page. | <urn:uuid:2900199f-b197-44ce-9222-cdb3c0aae9f4> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.moneymuseum.com/en/intent/publications-on-the-history-of-money/the-waserthaler-in-zurich-1660-395?slbox=true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.982735 | 1,180 | 2.703125 | 3 |
As SA tries to get out of the UK’s red list for COP26 meetings, the country has updated its nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to demonstrate a more ambitious effort to tackle the climate crisis. But the country’s struggles over energy resources may be an obstacle to achieving its new goals.
South Africa is the world’s 12th largest carbon emitter but continues to pursue fossil fuel projects that will increase emissions. But this week the government lowered its emissions target range to bring it in line with the global goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C by the end of the century by updating the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The updated contributions , which come ahead of climate envoys from the UK, US, France and Germany coming to South Africa to discuss a possible coal pension plan this week, fall under the umbrella of the first NDCs, which were submitted in 2016 second It is expected that in 2025 NDCs will publish contributions every five years as part of the Paris Agreement’s commitments.
South Africa’s revised carbon emissions targets range from 350 to 420 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2-eq). The country’s lower target range of 350 MtCO2-eq is compatible with the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement, bringing South Africa to the forefront and possibly making it a world leader in the fight against the climate crisis.
“There is a significant risk that our major emitters will see the upper limit of the new NDC range as an opportunity to delay greenhouse gas emissions reductions,” says Nicole Loser, lawyer and head of pollution and climate change at the Environmental Rights Centre.
But its cap sets a target above 1.5°C, which could jeopardise the country’s efforts to tackle climate change.
Nicole Loeser, lawyer and head of pollution and climate change at the Environmental Rights Centre, said the new emissions range is a step closer to a safe climate, but she expressed concern about the upper limit.
“There is a significant risk that our major emitters will see the cap on the new NDC range as an opportunity to delay cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The Cabinet decision is only relevant to our response to climate if we can keep emissions at the lower limit. This is particularly important for South Africa, a country that is warming twice as much as the global average,” Loeser said in a statement.
The country plans to use its three tiers of government (national, provincial, local) to ensure implementation of the adaptation and mitigation strategies outlined in the Presidential Climate Commission, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change and the Provincial Climate Change Forum. The government will also engage with business, civil society and research institutes, the NDC update said.
Building science-based support to ensure these strategies are implemented will cost the country $13 million between 2021 and 2030.
Some of these strategies include:
- Assessments of vulnerability to climate risks;
- Adaptation requires a costing methodology;
- Estimating the cost of climate events through modelling;
- Development of national, provincial and local mitigation plans; and
- Handing out toolkits and so on.
- With ambitious targets and strategies, South Africa is in a better position for climate finance as the country heads to the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, where climate finance commitments and discussions are expected to take place.
US President Joe Biden last week doubled the US climate pledge to developing countries, putting the sum at $11.2 billion by 2024.
South Africa’s delegation may face difficulties visiting COP26 in the UK as SA has been placed on the UK red list, requiring a 10-day quarantine on arrival, regardless of vaccination status. The South African government met with the UK government to discuss the issue and it was promised that the red list would be reviewed in the next two weeks.
At COP25, rich countries pledged at least $100 billion a year to developing countries to help with climate change mitigation and adaptation. But according to research, developed countries fulfilled their commitments to the giant pledge by only $1 billion a year between 2008 and 2019 in the Southern African Development Community region.
US President Joe Biden last week doubled the US climate change pledge to developing countries, putting the sum at $11.2 billion by 2024.
According to the updated NDC, South Africa expects to raise $8 billion a year in climate finance by 2030. The country needs climate finance to complete the transition from coal power to renewable energy, as the transition could cost $10 billion.
Without climate finance, the country could struggle to meet its new EOIs, complete a fair transition and could end up increasing emissions.
South Africa is currently allocating 1,500 MW of new coal-fired power and 3,000 MW of gas and diesel, with plans to install an additional 3,300 MW of new coal-fired power in the Musina Mahado Special Economic Zone .
Eskom recently completed construction of Medupi, the world’s most expensive coal-fired power plant, which is currently valued at R120 billion . The completion of the plant is expected to increase demand for coal by 16 million tonnes a year .
With average global temperatures reaching 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels in 2020 and southern Africa warming at twice the global average , South Africa cannot risk building more coal-fired power plants or any other fossil fuel projects.
Dr Roland Ngam, climate justice and socio-environmental transformation programme manager at the Rosa Luxembourg Foundation, South Africa, said there was room to update SA’s Integrated Resource Plan to reduce its coal fleet and focus on renewable energy sources, in light of the recent increase in the embedded generation threshold from 1MW to 100MW.
“We need to encourage the government to step up its decarbonisation efforts and call on international partners to help South Africa reduce its carbon emissions faster. Funding will be needed to help power company Eskom move away from its coal fleet,” Ngam said.
Despite the serious climate impacts of the business-as-usual approach, Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe made it clear that the solution to South Africa’s energy needs would be a combination of renewables, gas and nuclear power. The South African National Energy Regulator recently approved the purchase of a new nuclear power programme with a capacity of 2 500 MW .
In addition, the Karpowership proposal is awaiting an appeal for environmental approval from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment in a deal worth more than R200 billion, which could provide South Africa with an additional 1,220 MW of energy.
“Given the studies on fugitive gas emissions and international calls to move away from oil and gas, South Africa has an easy way to go – remove oil and gas from the energy mix. But this requires a systemic change by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. DMRE needs to recognise that climate change is real and that gas is not a transition fuel,” said Liz McDade, an environmental activist with Green Connection and the Organisation Against Fiscal Abuse (OUTA).
“We need to encourage the government to step up its decarbonisation efforts,” said Dr Roland Ngam, Climate Justice and Socio-Ecological Transformation Programme Manager, Rosa Luxembourg Foundation, South Africa.
The updated CABs are based on global adaptation goals, anticipated climate impacts, South Africa’s adaptation strategy and key economic sectors most vulnerable to climate crisis. These sectors include health, agriculture and forestry, human settlements, biodiversity and water, the NDC document said.
Extreme weather events resulting from rising temperatures are expected to lead to water and food shortages with unbearable heat waves in the northern, northeastern and north-eastern interior parts of the country, the NDC document said.
Extreme temperatures are also expected to have a detrimental impact on a range of livelihoods, from biodiversity to the strain on the health system, with vulnerable groups suffering the most.
“We need real action on renewable energy. South Africa is and will be hit hard by climate change, and the poorest and most marginalised people will suffer. The government must wake up and start acting responsibly,” McDade said. DM / OBP | <urn:uuid:abd8807f-f86b-499b-ae74-ff53c319f360> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.nationwideair.co.za/south-africa-is-taking-bolder-steps-to-reduce-emissions-but-are-they-enough/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.928775 | 1,711 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Pollinating species are in decline globally, with land use an important driver. However, most of the evidence on which these claims are made is patchy, based on studies with low taxonomic and geographic representativeness. Here, we model the effect of land-use type and intensity on global pollinator biodiversity, using a local-scale database covering 303 studies, 12,170 sites, and 4502 pollinating species. Relative to a primary vegetation baseline, we show that low levels of intensity can have beneficial effects on pollinator biodiversity. Within most anthropogenic land-use types however, increasing intensity is associated with significant reductions, particularly in urban (43% richness and 62% abundance reduction compared to the least intensive urban sites), and pasture (75% abundance reduction) areas. We further show that on cropland, the strongly negative response to intensity is restricted to tropical areas, and that the direction and magnitude of response differs among taxonomic groups. Our findings confirm widespread effects of land-use intensity on pollinators, most significantly in the tropics, where land use is predicted to change rapidly.
Pollinating species, particularly insect pollinators, are reported to be in decline, with change in land-cover, land-use intensity, and climate thought to be the primary drivers1,2,3,4,5,6,7. In the media, insect pollinator biodiversity change has been reported to constitute an ecological Armageddon8. However, the evidence on which these claims are made is patchy and contested, based on studies with low taxonomic and geographic representativeness9,10,11,12,13. For pollinators more broadly, declines have been reported in wild bees, honeybees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths, flower-visiting wasps, birds, and mammals (see Ollerton14 for a summary of the evidence), but comprehensive studies of change tend to be biased towards North America and Europe15, which are unlikely to be globally representative16. Moreover, even within well-studied taxonomic groups and regions, the magnitude and direction of change can vary depending on methodological approach, spatial scale, and metric of biodiversity change17,18. Recent research indicates there may be pollinator information for other geographic regions and taxonomic groups, previously untapped in synthetic analyses of pollinator biodiversity change19. Given the value of animal pollination to the global economy, at an estimated $235–577 billion US dollars per annum6, further research considering multiple metrics of biodiversity, across a broader spectrum of taxa and geographies, is required.
The reliance of global crop production on animal pollinators makes pollinator biodiversity research highly relevant to policy-makers. More than 75% of globally important food crops are at least partially reliant on animal pollination, including fruits, vegetables, coffee, cocoa and almonds20. Three recent policy initiatives demonstrate recognition from the international community that pollinator biodiversity change represents a significant problem, and needs to be addressed: 1) the EU Pollinators Initiative called for improved knowledge of declines and causes, action to tackle drivers, and raised awareness across society on the importance of pollinators21; 2) the International Pollinator Initiative plan of action aims to coordinate global action for pollinator conservation22; and 3) more broadly, the draft post-2020 framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity describes the need for the sustainable use of biodiversity to support the productivity of ecosystems23.
Much of the Earth’s terrestrial surface is subject to anthropogenic use. More than 75% of the terrestrial world exhibits direct evidence of historical or current transformation24, with just over 50% (~67 million km²) currently used by humans25. This area is comprised of ~44% for agriculture and forestry, and ~7% for infrastructure including urban areas25. Within both natural and disturbed land-use types, intensity of human use varies markedly. Broadly capturing the inputs used in managing land, high-intensity farming refers to a suite of technological practices designed—although not always successfully—to increase yield26. Treatments of the land are often in the form of chemical applicants, such as pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and fertilisers, as well as mechanical management (tillage). Such intensive agricultural practices are commonplace in much of the modern world27,28.
Anthropogenic land-use and land-use intensity are interrelated drivers of pollinator biodiversity change6,29,30. Much of the research investigating land-use effects on pollinator biodiversity has demonstrated the importance of landscape-level habitat composition, often as distance to natural habitat31 and distance to managed land30,32, or habitat fragmentation33 and edge density10. Land-use intensity effects are generally typified by chemical application3,34,35,36,37. Pesticides such as neonicotinoids have been a focal point of study, given their association with declining bee populations3,34,35 honey bee health36, and bumblebee behaviour38. Other chemical inputs such as fungicides and herbicides have also been subject to investigation, tending to have indirect effects on pollinator biodiversity by increasing pesticide toxicity37,39 and reducing floral diversity40. Similar indirect effects have also been shown for fertiliser application. For example, nitrogen-based fertilisers reduce plant species diversity41, and dispense with the requirement for clover field crop rotation, further reducing floral availability for pollinators42.
Pollinator response to landscape-level land use is mixed, with the magnitude and direction of change differing among taxonomic groups. For example, some bees, butterflies, syrphid flies, and nectarivorous pollinating birds have been found to favour open, intermediate-level forested areas of semi-natural grassland or agroforestry43,44,45,46. Similarly, species rich and abundant wild bee communities have been found in urban environments, indicating that for some species anthropogenic activity can be beneficial47. For both open and urban areas, benefits to pollinators can in part be attributed to floral availability42,47. More broadly however, differences in pollinator response are often attributed to traits48,49,50,51, such as dietary specialism, mobility, and nesting behaviour52,53. Trait data are not available for many pollinating species, but given that phylogeny to some extent predicts traits, one would expect broad differences in response among taxonomic groups54.
Differences in pollinator response to intensity are also likely between tropical and non-tropical regions. There are a number of reasons why this is the case. First, temperate non-tropical regions have a longer history of agricultural activity, which may have acted to filter more sensitive species55, meaning more recent shifts towards intensive agriculture may have a smaller effect. Second, with the exception of high latitude Arctic pollinators56, tropical biodiversity has been reported to be more sensitive to the effects of climate change57, which may magnify the effect of land-use58. In terms of insect pollinators specifically, tropical insects are thought to exist closer to their thermal tolerance limits, meaning small magnitude changes in temperature have a disproportionate effect on biodiversity59. Third, functional specialisation tends to be higher in tropical pollination systems (i.e. there is a narrower breadth of visitors to a flower across broad taxonomic levels), which may also relate to community sensitivity to land-use change. Although recent research has addressed patterns of overall biodiversity change between geographical zones60,61, for pollinating taxa the extent to which response to land-use intensity differs between tropical and non-tropical regions is unclear.
Here we present a global space-for-time synthesis of pollinator responses to land-use intensity. We test for global differences in responses among land-use types, taxonomic groups, geographic regions, and biodiversity metrics. We do so using two global compilations of data: 1) The PREDICTS database, a global compilation of site-level ecological survey data across different land uses and land-use intensities62; and 2) a new database of animal species judged to be pollinators (see Millard et al.19 and Methods). Our final dataset includes 3862 invertebrate and 640 vertebrate species identified as potential pollinators, across 303 studies and 12,170 sites, primarily across North and South America, Europe, and Africa. We hypothesise that land-use intensity decreases site-level biodiversity (species richness, Simpson diversity, and total abundance) for pollinating species overall, but that response differs between taxonomic orders, and is more negative in the tropical zone than elsewhere. Specifically, we answer three questions related to land-use intensity and global pollinator biodiversity: 1) What are the overall effects of land-use intensity on pollinator biodiversity across all land-use types? Then focusing on croplands, for which there is the most extensive data: 2) How does the effect of land-use intensity on pollinator biodiversity differ between tropical and non-tropical areas? and 3) How does pollinator response to land-use intensity vary among taxa? Within an anthropogenic land-use type, we show that intensity often decreases pollinator biodiversity. But relative to the primary vegetation minimal-use baseline, pollinator biodiversity is often greater at low and intermediate levels of intensity, suggesting that some level of disturbance can be beneficial. Across taxa within croplands, we again show a mixed response to intensity, varying according to both facet of intensity and taxonomic group. Specifically in the tropics however, pollinators appear highly sensitive to land-use intensity; a situation that may worsen as intensive agriculture continues to expand.
We identified 1013 possible pollinating genera across 3974 abstracts in the initial automatic search of the pollination literature. After reading the abstracts associated with each genus, we confirmed 545 genera as likely pollinators at confidence levels 1–4. These 545 genera represented 141 unique families, of which 46 families, 10 subfamilies, and 5 tribes were judged to consist entirely of pollinators. Whilst consulting literature prioritised by the automatic search, we also identified an additional 51 genera with direct pollination evidence, which we assigned a confidence level between 1 and 4, and 18 additional families with extrapolated evidence. After building our set of potentially pollinating species, we then sought the opinion of 7 experts in pollination ecology (authors OA, SG, EK, MK, JO, Z-XR, and also Dr. Manu Saunders; see Supplementary Table 1), and removed or added taxa according to their suggestions. Filtering all expert-assessed pollinators from the PREDICTS database returned records for 4502 species in total, sampled at 12,170 sites. After selecting only sites in which land-use intensity and type were recorded in the PREDICTS database, a total 8,639 sites remained. Site coverage was highest in Europe (26.2%), North America (24.4%), and Africa (20%), and lowest in South America & the Caribbean (12.3%), Oceania (15.2%), and Asia (8.6%) (Fig. 1).
Effect of land use and land-use intensity on global pollinator biodiversity
Increasing land-use intensity from minimal to intense use was associated with a significant change in pollinator biodiversity (species richness, F = 9.4384; total abundance, F = 4.8075, p < 0.01; Simpson diversity, F = 11.6691, p < 0.01; Fig. 2; see Supplementary Table 3 for ANOVA tables of land-use intensity and type fitted separately). Land-use type was also a significant predictor (species richness, F = 8.9440; total abundance, F = 8.0346, p < 0.01; Simpson diversity, F = 4.4150, p < 0.01; see Supplementary Table 3), although declines occur more strongly within a land-use type as opposed to among land-use types. Relative to the primary vegetation minimal use baseline, for both natural and anthropogenic land-use types, biodiversity was often higher at low intensity (Fig. 2). Indeed, with the exception of cropland and young secondary vegetation, all land-use types had species richness and total abundance significantly greater than the baseline, for at least one of low or intermediate intensity (Fig. 2).
Effects of land-use intensity were strongest in urban areas, with a 43% reduction for species richness and 62% for total abundance, between minimal and intense use. Plantation forest also experienced strong declines, decreasing by 38% for species richness. For anthropogenic land uses the weakest effects of land-use intensity were seen in pasture and cropland. Species richness did not decline significantly for pasture—although there was a 75% decline for total abundance—or for cropland for both total abundance and species richness. Young secondary vegetation did not significantly differ for total abundance, but species richness declined between minimal and high intensity by 16%. All other secondary-vegetation types (mature and intermediate secondary vegetation) did not show significant differences in pollinator biodiversity among intensity levels (Fig. 2). The AIC value for our Simpson diversity LUI model was greater than the intercept-only model, meaning it was excluded from further analysis (see Supplementary Table 4). A zero-inflated negative binomial model for total abundance did not markedly change our predictions (Supplementary Fig. 1). Similarly, neither did jack-knifing total abundance and species richness by continent (Supplementary Fig. 2), including environmental covariates (Supplementary Fig. 3), or controlling for abundance in our measure of species richness (Supplementary Fig. 4). There was significant spatial-autocorrelation in the residuals of only a small proportion of studies (2.33% of species richness studies and 4.65% of total abundance studies; Supplementary Fig. 5).
Effect of land-use intensity on pollinator biodiversity within croplands
Land-use intensity had a divergent effect on cropland pollinator biodiversity between the non-tropical and tropical geographical zones (Fig. 3). In the non-tropical zone, species richness and total abundance did not differ significantly among cropland intensity classes, and were significantly higher in minimal-intensity cropland compared to the primary-vegetation baseline. In contrast, in the tropical zone, species richness and total abundance decreased between primary vegetation and high-intensity cropland by 44 and 49%, respectively. Forest cover for the primary vegetation baseline did change the magnitude of response relative to cropland, with relatively bigger declines from a low forest cover baseline, although the relative difference within cropland remains largely unchanged (Supplementary Fig. 6). Greater variation in non-tropical areas is not predicted by high sample size (Supplementary Fig. 7), and response for the main crop pollinators is likely consistent with all pollinators (Supplementary Fig. 8). The AIC value for our Simpson diversity zone model was greater than the intercept-only model, meaning it was excluded from further analysis (see Supplementary Table 4). Response to total fertiliser application rate between the non-tropical and tropical zones was also insignificant for all of species richness, total abundance, and Simpson diversity (Supplementary Table 4), meaning it was excluded from further analysis.
Increasing land-use intensity in croplands had varying effects among taxa (Fig. 4). Relative to primary vegetation, abundance declines at high intensity for the invertebrate pollinators were greater than 70% for all orders, and as high as 80% for the Lepidoptera and Diptera. The most consistent invertebrate declines were in the Lepidoptera, exhibiting a negative response across a gradient of intensity for species richness, total abundance, and Simpson diversity. For flies on the other hand, relative to minimally used cropland, intermediate levels of intensity were associated with higher species richness and total abundance. For the vertebrates, the Apodiformes exhibited a strong negative response to land-use intensity, declining by at least 20% from medium-intensity cropland to primary vegetation for all three metrics (high-intensity cropland was not sampled for this taxonomic group). The Passeriformes experienced a significant reduction from the baseline to high intensity, of 30% for total abundance, 36% for species richness, and 26% for Simpson diversity.
Response to total fertiliser application rate in surrounding cropland landscape differed strongly in magnitude and direction (Fig. 5). Both Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera showed a strong negative response to increasing fertiliser application rate for both species richness and total abundance. In particular, an increase of 1000 kg/ha in fertiliser application rate was associated with a reduction of 44% in hymenopteran total abundance, whereas lepidopteran abundance fell 50% over the same range. Dipteran richness and abundance, on the other hand, increased markedly by 760% and 374% respectively. Coleopteran response to total fertiliser application rate was insignificant for all of species richness, total abundance, and Simpson diversity. For the vertebrates, the Apodiformes increased by 163% for species richness, whereas the Passeriformes experienced no marked change for any of species richness, total abundance, or Simpson diversity. Although the AIC value for our Simpson diversity model was less than the null model (Supplementary Table 4), all interactions between total fertiliser application rate and taxonomic order for Simpson diversity were insignificant (Fig. 5).
Using a space-for-time approach, here we showed that land-use intensity is associated with significant changes (both positive and negative) in pollinator species richness, total abundance, and Simpson diversity, particularly for invertebrate pollinators. This study represents, as far as we know, the largest global analysis of the response of animal pollinator biodiversity to land-use type and intensity, and the first to consider large-scale differences in responses among taxa, geographic regions, and biodiversity metrics. Our results are consistent with previous analyses showing reductions in overall pollinator biodiversity at high land-use intensity63, and increases at low-intermediate intensity64. In particular, low-intensity urban sites (villages and green spaces62) have higher pollinator biodiversity than the primary vegetation baseline, but at high intensity urban pollinator species richness is significantly lower than the baseline (although this was not the case for abundance). This is concordant with previous research demonstrating that urban areas can support species-rich and abundant pollinator populations47,65. We also highlight that strong negative responses to land-use intensity within croplands are largely restricted to the tropics, with no apparent effect (and even increases at low intensity) in non-tropical cropland. This is an important result, given the dominance of animal pollinated plants in tropical environments66, and that rapid agricultural expansion is predicted to occur in the near future67. Furthermore, we show pronounced differences in response among taxonomic groups, consistent with time-series studies showing differential trends among UK invertebrate taxa68. Pollinator biodiversity change resulting from land-use intensity may have consequences for pollination69 and crop yields70, especially in the tropics: Although the abundance of some pollinating groups (i.e. flies) is greater on intensively fertilised cropland, increases may not compensate for overall losses across other pollinating groups.
Differences in response to intensity between tropical and non-tropical areas are likely driven by the interacting effects of historical land-use and climate sensitivity, which differ between the temperate and tropical zones. Non-tropical temperate regions have a long history of anthropogenic land-use, which has likely filtered out many sensitive species55, meaning that contemporary differences in land use and land-use intensity may be weakly associated with pollinator biodiversity. Indeed, historical land-use has been shown to be strongly associated with current species richness and abundance of insect pollinators54, and may contribute towards an overall increase in pollinator biodiversity at low land-use intensity71. The tropical zone, on the other hand, has a shorter history of intensive agricultural land-use72, meaning recent intensification has stronger effects on pollinator community composition. Tropical biodiversity is also thought to be more sensitive to the effects of climate change59, which may be exacerbating the effects of land use58. Further research is required to tease out the relative contribution of historical land-use and climate change to tropical pollinator biodiversity.
Pollinating insects across multiple geographic locations and taxonomic groups have been reported to have declined, particularly for biomass and abundance13,73. In our space-for-time analysis, we found significantly lower abundance on high-intensity cropland—relative to primary vegetation—for all insect orders, especially for the hymenopterans, lepidopterans, and coleopterans. We also found significant reductions in insect abundance and richness in response to increasing fertiliser application rate on croplands, particularly for the hymenopterans and lepidopterans. Sensitivity to land-use for butterflies has previously been attributed to dietary specialism: relative to flies, many butterflies are known to be dietary specialists as larvae4, making a reduction in lepidopteran species richness and diversity likely when plant species richness is reduced, which is known to occur at high fertiliser application rates3,41. Previous research in the temperate zone has indicated beetle flower visitors are sensitive to land-use change74. Although we found a decrease in coleopteran abundance relative to the primary vegetation baseline, response to fertiliser application rate was mixed and insignificant. It may be that fertiliser application buffers against the more negative effects of associated intensity, since some pollinating coleopterans are known to have a larval preference for fertile soils75. For the hymenopterans, sensitivity to land-use has been reported previously, particularly for solitary bees69 which are on average highly specialised74.
Dipteran abundance and species richness increased with fertiliser application rate, concordant with previous studies demonstrating increased dipteran biodiversity on managed land7,74,76. Dipteran resilience to land use and land-use intensity has been attributed to a number of traits, including low dietary specialisation on floral resources74, high mobility77, absence of parental care76, and larval preference for agricultural habitats76. Syrphid fly larval development in agricultural land is particularly of note. Semi-aquatic syrphid larvae are known to favour eutrophic or manure-contaminated habitats78, which is consistent with the strong positive gradient for fly richness and abundance in response to increasing fertiliser application rate. In contrast, the response of fly abundance and species richness to our overall measure of land-use intensity was negative, suggesting that fertiliser application does not sufficiently capture all aspects of land-use intensity on cropland. Neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid, for example, have adverse effects on flies, given their association with declines in insects in general34, and visitation rate in flies specifically79. As an additional analysis, we used the PEST-CHEMGRIDS global estimation of pesticide application rate80 to build additional models of pollinator response between tropical and non-tropical croplands. We found that the response for flies to pesticide application rate is in fact similar to fertiliser (Supplementary Figs. 10 and 11), the cause of which is unclear, although it may be that fertiliser and pesticide application rate are correlated. Further analysis is required to tease out the relative effects of fertiliser and pesticide application at the global scale.
Compared to invertebrates, vertebrate pollinators appear to be less sensitive to the effects of land-use intensity, particularly with respect to change in total abundance. Relatively higher resilience to land-use intensity has been found for vertebrate pollinators in tropical forests46, and suggested in broad comparisons across taxa4. However, although previous work found that vertebrate resilience diminishes after controlling for study design4, our results suggest that vertebrate pollinators are indeed less sensitive than invertebrate pollinators to increasing land-use intensity. Such relative vertebrate resilience likely relates to body size and mobility81, both of which are typically greater in vertebrate pollinators.
Change in global pollinator biodiversity resulting from land-use intensity may have consequences for crop pollination. If the loss in pollination service provided by sensitive crop-pollinating taxa (Hymenoptera) cannot be offset by gains in more resilient taxa (Passeriformes), then the service will experience a net loss. Four lines of evidence indicate losses in sensitive taxa may not be buffered by more resilient taxa: first, response to land-use intensity of the main crop-pollinating groups (bees, flies, beetles, wasps, thrips, birds, and bats) appears consistent with responses across all pollinators (Supplementary Fig. 8); second, there is evidence from multiple historical localities that significant pollinator deficits can result from the losses associated with intensive agriculture82,83, irrespective of differences among taxonomic groups; third, crop-yield reduction has been linked to changes in pollinator biodiversity32,84, and fourth, relative to bees, those species which are increasing (i.e. dipterans) are known to contribute less to crop pollination85.
Our analysis of pollinator biodiversity change is subject to limitations. First, the nature of our study as a space-for-time analysis means we may overlook extinction-debt effects. Such effects can be controlled for by assessing change over time at a specific location or region13,73. However, at the global scale, given that long-term studies are lacking, space-for-time analyses represent a necessary alternative86. Second, most of the results we present here are relative to a baseline of primary vegetation with minimal human use, which inevitably varies in nature, especially between tropical and non-tropical sites (Supplementary Figs. 12 and 13). In particular, we might expect non-tropical primary habitats to be more open than tropical primary habitats, which is likely to be more favourable to pollinators, and thus might partly explain the absence of responses to land-use intensity in non-tropical areas. Indeed, we show that the margin of reduction from a low forest-cover baseline is greater than from a high forest-cover baseline (Supplementary Fig. 6). Nevertheless, the overall responses for tropical and non-tropical areas remain unchanged. Third, we recognise that the explanatory power of our models (see Supplementary Table 19 for pseudo R-squared values) is low, with the random effects explaining a large degree of variation. However, we emphasise that the aim of our analysis was not to predict pollinator biodiversity for a specific location, but rather to investigate general trends in the direction and magnitude of change. Fourth, we analyse raw species richness which we recognise may be confounded by abundance. However, since our validation model predicting estimated species richness (using the Chao1 estimator) does not differ markedly from raw richness, a confounding effect of abundance is unlikely (Supplementary Fig. 4). Fifth, our dataset of pollinator biodiversity responses is spatially biased towards the non-tropics, particularly Europe and North America. Given that tropical pollinators are affected more negatively, our overall results therefore likely underestimate the impact of land-use intensity. However, our continental jack-knife for our overall LUI models showed that the exclusion of any of the Americas, Europe, or Africa (the continents for which we have the most sites) did not markedly influence our predictions (Supplementary Fig. 2). Moreover, our additional validation analysis in which we re-sampled 1000 sites from each of the tropics and non-tropics would indicate that greater variation in non-tropical regions is likely not predicted by greater sample size (Supplementary Fig. 7). Sixth, total fertiliser application rate was estimated at a relatively coarse spatial scale, which for some pollinators—particularly those such as insect pollinators which respond strongly to more localised change—will not be meaningful. Since spatial scale is known to predict pollinator response to land-use intensity87, we could infer a different response if more localised fertiliser estimates were available globally. Seventh, we recognise that evidence for a given species will not always be representative of all species in a whole genus, or all life-history stages within a species. For example, the species Crocidura cyanea has been found to feed on and carry pollen, but most other Crocidurans are insectivorous88. As a result, pollination confidence for many species in the genus Crocidura will be less than the genus-level evidence would imply. In the main, we assumed evidence for a single species would be representative of whole genera, given the association between phylogeny and traits54. We also reasoned that for some insect groups, searching at the species level would be ineffective, given the large number of species with little evidence. Eighth, species confirmed as pollinating one flowering plant will not necessarily make an important contribution to all flowering plants, or to the pollination of crops.
Anthropogenic activity has significantly altered the biosphere. Such changes have had, and will continue to have, profound consequences for animal pollinator biodiversity. Here we show significant pollinator biodiversity change in response to land-use intensity, with both negative and positive effects. It is likely that climate change will drive further changes in pollinator biodiversity, particularly for insects which respond strongly to changes in ambient temperature5. Further research is required to better resolve the way in which these threats interact at the global level. For crop pollination services in the tropics, the repercussions of land-use and climate change could be great, with a growing body of evidence indicating high wild pollinator biodiversity is required to sustain productive yields84. Although the complexities of this relationship are not yet fully understood, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that pollination shortfalls in the tropics could result from continuing anthropogenic intensification and expansion.
Pollinator dataset construction
We built an animal pollinator dataset through a semi-automatic approach, combining an automatic text-analysis method (see Millard et al.19) with manual inspection of the automated output. Here we describe the full methodology used to derive this dataset, and in the supplementary information release the final set of taxa both sampled in PREDICTS and identified as potential pollinators (Supplementary Data 1).
We first created a list of possible pollinating animal genera through automatic text analysis of the pollination literature. We used an initial automated search to avoid biasing towards well-known pollinators, and to markedly reduce the input required in searching. We considered the pollination literature to be any primary research article published in English returned through a search for the term ‘pollinat*’ in Scopus, and which mentioned an animal species in the abstract. We considered a possible pollinating genus to be any animal genus appearing as part of a Latin binomial in a pollination-related abstract returned from Scopus. Genus scraping was accomplished using the Taxonfinder and Neti Neti algorithms implemented in the taxize R package, with animal species confirmed through a series of character string matches to the Catalogue of Life (see Millard et al.19 for a detailed methodology).
For each possible pollinating genus, we then read the abstracts in which these animals appeared, searching for evidence confirming that genus as pollinating. For any situation in which the abstract was inconclusive, we also searched the full text of the paper. For each confirmed pollinating genus, we then assigned a level of confidence between 1 and 4 based on the type of evidence, following Ollerton and Leide89: 1) experimental evidence confirming pollination; 2) evidence of pollen carrying; 3) evidence of nectar/pollen feeding; 4) evidence of non-destructive/non-predatory flower visitation. We read abstracts for each genus searching for the highest level of evidence, either until we could be sure that the confidence value should be 1, or we ran out of abstracts for that genus. Non-destructive flower visitor refers to any animal which visits a flower without causing damage to the plant. This meant the exclusion of ants, which are typically referred to as poor pollen vectors, given that they damage pollen through secretions from the meta-pleural gland90. Non-predatory flower visitor refers to any animal which visits for some purpose other than predation. This meant the exclusion of animals such as crab spiders, which predate on pollinators during visitation, and therefore contribute minimally or negatively to pollination91. We did not classify broad statements as evidence for pollination—for example, one study stated that Phylidonyris novaehollandiae is a key pollinator92—unless it was associated with specific evidence reinforcing that statement, or some claim that pollination in that genus is well-known or widely acknowledged.
Given that we only had direct evidence for a sample of all pollinating genera, we then searched for higher-level groups of likely pollinators. From the confirmed pollinators in the original list of genera, we identified all unique families with at least one pollinator. For each family, we assessed the breadth of evidence for pollination through consulting the abstracts and taxonomic group reference books (see Supplementary Data 2). For any family with evidence of pollination across multiple branches of that family, and no evidence of any species definitely not pollinating, we assumed that the whole family is pollinating. If unable to extrapolate across the whole family, we then searched progressively lower taxonomic groups (i.e. subfamily, tribe, subtribe), searching for the point at which we could be relatively confident that the entire group contributes to pollination. If unable to extrapolate for a given group, we kept only the genera with direct evidence. For example, within the family Macroscelididae (elephant shrews), we found only one genus (Elephantulus) with pollination evidence, and no evidence across the rest of the family, meaning we kept only that genus.
To compile the final list of pollinators, we merged all genera identified directly as pollinators, and then all taxonomic groups identified indirectly, with all biodiversity records in the PREDICTS database. Any record in the PREDICTS database not for a pollinating genus or extrapolated taxonomic group was thereby filtered out. As a result, specific sites or studies were only kept if they were represented by at least 1 pollinator record. Merging direct evidence pollinators first means any species is picked up at its highest level of confidence, and only assigned one confidence value. PREDICTS does not record additional taxonomic ranks between family and genus, so for any species extrapolated at a taxonomic level below the level of family (i.e. subfamily, tribe, subtribe), we consulted compiled genera lists for each group, using taxonomic references (see Supplementary Data 2) and Wikispecies, and then filtered these genera from PREDICTS. As an additional check of our final list of likely pollinating species, we sought the opinion of experts in pollination ecology. We sent lists of the likely pollinating genera in PREDICTS to 7 experts (OA, SG, EK, MK, JO, Z-XR, MS; see Supplementary Table 1), and removed any taxa identified as highly unlikely pollinators (see Supplementary Data 1 for the final list of likely pollinating genera in PREDICTS).
Effect of land use and land-use intensity on global pollinator biodiversity
We used the PREDICTS database to model responses of animal pollinators to land-use type and intensity62. The PREDICTS database is structured such that each site is nested at a series of levels (Supplementary Fig. 14), allowing one to account for variation owing to study methodology. The database contains variables for land-use intensity (minimal, low, and high) and land-use type (primary vegetation, mature secondary vegetation, intermediate secondary vegetation, young secondary vegetation, plantation, pasture, cropland, and urban). Land-use intensity for each land-use type is defined according to a series of variables, such as fertiliser and pesticide application, mechanisation, and hunting (see Newbold et al.93 for more details).
After merging the PREDICTS database with our set of likely pollinating species we performed a series of data-processing steps. We removed any sites for which land-use type and land-use intensity was unknown. We also removed sites in secondary vegetation at an unknown stage of recovery. We combined the factors for land-use intensity and type to create a single variable (henceforth referred to as LUI), following the methodology of De Palma et al.16. After combining land-use intensity and type, we then removed the class “Mature secondary vegetation-Intense use”, which was represented by only 5 sites, and “Intermediate secondary vegetation-Intense use”, which was represented by only 23 sites. After removing these factors, site representation was ≥43 sites for all land use type and land-use intensity combinations (see Supplementary Table 5). We then calculated site-level species richness (the number of uniquely named species sampled at a site), Chao1-estimated species richness (the number of species at a site controlled for abundance94), total abundance (the sum of all species sampled abundances at a site), and the Simpson diversity index (the reciprocal of the sum of squared proportional abundances for all species sampled at a site). Sampling effort was accounted for by dividing the abundance values for each measurement by the sampling effort (rescaled to a max value of 1 for each study) for that record, as in De Palma et al.16. For any subsequent analyses we worked only from the sampling effort adjusted measurements. Given sampling effort adjustments, and that raw abundances were in some cases measured as densities, many total abundances will be non-integer values.
We built generalised linear mixed-effects models with a Poisson error distribution for species richness and Chao1-estimated species richness94, and linear mixed-effects models for Simpson diversity and total abundance. In an initial set of models all biodiversity metrics were fitted as a function of land-use intensity, land-use type, and their interaction, for all likely pollinators in PREDICTS (see Supplementary Table 3). We then built a set of models predicting each biodiversity metric as a function of LUI, for the same set of pollinators. We did not use a generalised model with Poisson errors for total abundance or Simpson diversity because most recorded measurements are not integer counts of individuals. Instead we loge-transformed all total abundance and Simpson diversity values (adding one because of zero values) to normalise the model residuals. Due to the nested nature of the database (see Supplementary Fig. 14 and Hudson et al.62), we included a random intercept of study identity to account for variation in sampling methods, sampling effort and broad geographical differences among studies, and a random intercept of spatial block within study to account for the spatial structuring of sites. An additional (observation-level) random intercept of site identity was included in the species richness model, to control for the over-dispersion present in species richness estimates95. Random-effects structures were selected to minimise AIC values. We checked for overdispersion in the species richness models using the function GLMEROverdispersion in the R package StatisticalModels. We compared each model against an intercept-only model, and discarded any main model for which AIC was greater than the null model (see Supplementary Table 19 for pseudo R squared values for all significant models).
We carried out a series of additional validation analyses for our set of LUI models. 1) We checked for study-level spatial autocorrelation in the residuals of any significant model, using the Moran’s I test (Supplementary Fig. 5). 2) We checked the extent to which a negative binomial zero-inflated model for total abundance would have differed from a linear model approach (Supplementary Fig. 1). 3) We checked the extent to which the fixed effects would have differed if we had fit a model with climatic variables as potentially confounding covariates (Supplementary Fig. 3), including both the maximum temperature of the hottest month and the total precipitation of the wettest month—both over the 12 months previous to the end data of each sample—which have previously been indicated as important biological variables58. 4) We jack-knifed the sites for each significant model by continental region to check the extent to which geographic biases influenced our predictions (Supplementary Fig. 2). 5) We checked the extent to which an abundance-controlled estimate of species richness (Chao1-estimated species richness94 would have differed from species richness alone (Supplementary Fig. 4).
Effect of land-use intensity on cropland pollinator biodiversity
We focused on cropland in our remaining analyses, given the importance of animal pollination to crop production. We built 3 models for all potential pollinating species, modelling each of three biodiversity metrics (species richness, total abundance, and Simpson diversity) in cropland as a function of land-use intensity (minimal, low, high), geographical zone (temperate/tropical), and their interaction. We included minimally used primary vegetation in these models as a baseline. Given that the structure of this baseline differs among sites—particularly between tropical and non-tropical areas (see Supplementary Figs. 12 and 13)—and that this may affect our predictions for pollinator biodiversity, we also built a set of models with a high (≥60% cover) and low (≤40% cover) forest cover baseline, using Hansen et al.96 forest cover data (Supplementary Fig. 6). We also carried out two additional validation analyses. 1) We checked whether unequal site number between our tropical and non-tropical data predicted the size of our 95% confidence intervals. Specifically, we resampled 1000 sites from each of the tropical and non-tropical sites a total of 100 times, and then for each group of 2000 (tropical and non-tropical) fitted total abundance as a function of land-use intensity, geographical zone, and their interaction. We then plotted the distribution of the size of the 95% confidence intervals for all models (Supplementary Fig. 7). 2) We checked whether response to land-use intensity between the tropics and non-tropics would have been the same if we had analysed only the main crop-pollinating groups (Supplementary Fig. 8; i.e. bees, wasps, beetles, thrips, flies, birds, and bats; see OIlerton85).
We also built 3 models for a vertebrate and invertebrate cropland subset of the database, modelling the same biodiversity metrics as a function of land-use intensity, taxonomic order, and their interaction, again including minimally used primary vegetation as a baseline. Our taxonomic subset included the better-sampled invertebrate orders Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera, and the vertebrate orders Apodiformes and Passeriformes, and represented 3006 sites in total (see Supplementary Table 11). For both our geographical zone and taxonomic order models, we selected from the same set of random-effects structures (as in the main models), aiming to minimise AIC values. We tested each model against an intercept-only model and a model with one fixed effect for land-use intensity, and discarded any main model for which AIC was greater than the null model (see Supplementary Table 4).
We also explored the effect of a continuous variable describing a specific aspect of land-use intensity (fertiliser application rate) on pollinator biodiversity, specifically for cropland. We used Earthstat fertiliser data97,98 at a spatial scale of 5 × 5 min—equivalent to 10 × 10 km at the equator—largely for the years 1999–2000, aggregated as the total application in kg per hectare for nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium on 17 major crops (see Supplementary Table 20 for the full list crops). We aggregated the Earthstat fertiliser data by summing the per hectare application rate rasters for all crop/fertiliser combinations, and then extracting the summed fertiliser values at each site (see Supplementary Fig. 9, note that site-level geographic distribution is lesser relative to our overall pollinator biodiversity models). Given that the spatial scale of this aggregated application rate data is greater than that of specific sites, our fertiliser metric refers to application rate in the surrounding landscape, rather than at that specific site. We chose to use fertiliser data given its availability at the global scale, reasoning that its application would both drive change itself, and broadly act as a surrogate for intensity. We built models for all potential pollinating species, modelling each of three biodiversity metrics (species richness, total abundance, and Simpson diversity) in cropland as a function of log10(fertiliser application rate +1), geographical zone (temperate/tropical), and their interaction. We also built models for the invertebrate and vertebrate subset (Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Apodiformes, and Passeriformes), modelling each of three biodiversity metrics as a function of total fertiliser application rate, taxonomic order, and their interaction. We compared each model against an intercept model and a model with one fixed effect for total fertiliser application rate, and excluded any main model for which AIC was greater than the null model. As a supplement to our total fertiliser application rate analyses, we also used PEST-CHEMGRIDS80 to build an analogous set of total pesticide application rate models (Supplementary Fig. 11). PEST-CHEMGRIDS represents 20 of the most common pesticides for 6 individual crops and 4 aggregated crop groups, again at a scale of 5 × 5 min (Supplementary Fig. 10). All analysis and data processing were carried out in R v.4.0.3. Source data for all model predicted values are included as a Source Data file.
Further information on research design is available in the Nature Research Reporting Summary linked to this article.
All data sets required to replicate this study are available online. We used the PREDICTS database for biodiversity records of pollinating species and site-level categorical factors of land-use type and intensity (https://doi.org/10.5519/0066354). Our subset of pollinating species in the PREDICTS database is available on FigShare (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12815669.v2). We used EarthStat fertiliser application rate data to calculate site-level fertiliser application for the years 1999–2000 (https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11420 and https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1246067). We used WorldClim 2.1 to calculate potentially confounding climatic variables (https://www.worldclim.org/data/index.html). We used Hansen et al96 data to calculate site-level forest cover (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1244693). We used PEST-CHEMGRIDS to calculate site-level pesticide application rate (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-019-0169-4). Source data for all figures are provided with this paper. Source data are provided with this paper.
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J.M. was funded by the London NERC DTP—award number NE/R012148/1—and the RSPB on a CASE studentship. This work was supported by a grant from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (grant ref. NE/R010811/1) and by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship awarded to T.N. Thanks to Manu Saunders for comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript, and for checking the inclusion of our invertebrate pollinators. Thanks to Monica Ortiz for aggregating the forest cover data in the supplementary information. Thanks to Bruna Lacerda da Silva Abreu for comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Peer review information Nature Communications thanks Ingo Grass, Oliver Schweiger, and the other, anonymous reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Peer review reports are available.
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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Millard, J., Outhwaite, C.L., Kinnersley, R. et al. Global effects of land-use intensity on local pollinator biodiversity. Nat Commun 12, 2902 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23228-3
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You’ve probably heard that geothermal heat pumps are the most efficient way to heat and cool your home. But what does that phrase actually mean for your home and your heating bills? What does energy efficiency mean? How is it measured? How is it calculated? What is heat pump COP? That’s what we’re going to look at today.
Efficiency is how much energy you get out of an appliance, compared to how much energy you put into running it. A 97% efficient furnace gives you back 97% of the energy you put into it in the form of heat for your home, the other 3% is lost up the flue. Since electric baseboard has no flue, 100% of the energy that goes in, stays in your home in the form of heat. The higher the efficiency of your system, the lower your heating bills.
Keep reading to learn about geothermal heat pump efficiency, how to calculate it, and what it means for your home heating bills.
Calculating Your Geothermal Heat Pump COP
Geothermal heat pump efficiency is traditionally measured using a ratio called “coefficient of performance” (COP). The COP of a geothermal heat pump is the ratio of the heating or cooling output to the energy input to run the machine. A high COP over 1.0 means your heat pump is performing very efficiently, and your heating bills will be low. A heat pump is the only heating and cooling device that has a COP over 1.0.
Let’s take a deeper look at how to calculate a heat pump’s heating COP.
Calculating Coefficient of Performance
First, you’ll need two things:
- Energy out, or the heat pump’s expected output.
- Energy In, or how much energy it takes to run the heat pump.
Using these two values, we can complete the formula below:
In this formula, energy out is the heat pump’s output in Btu/hr, and energy in is the energy required to run the heat pump, measured in watts.
Let’s do an example calculation using our standard four-ton water to air heat pump. All of the information we need is available in this heat pump’s manual, found on the R Series product page. The data we need is on page 35 of the manual.
A four-ton water to air heat pump operating in heating mode on a closed ground loop has an output of 35,900 Btu/hr when the compressor is running in stage 2. The first thing we need to do is convert the Btu/hr output to watts. One Btu/hr equals 0.293 watts.
35,900 Btu/hr x 0.293 = 10,518 watts
Now we have the “energy out” portion of the formula in watts, and from the manual, we see that the heat pump consumes 2,700 watts to run. This is the “energy in” part of the COP formula.
Now we can plug this into the calculation: COP = energy out / energy in
COP = 10,518 / 2,700 = 3.89
Based on our calculations, a four-ton water to air heat pump running in heating mode on stage 2 would have a COP of 3.89. That means for every watt of electricity used to run this machine; you’ll get 3.89 watts of heat energy out of the heat pump. The extra output is free energy harvested from the ground loop by the heat pump. Put in terms of the efficiency we mentioned above, a four-ton R Series heat pump is 389% efficient when heating in stage 2.
Coefficient of Performance and Your Home’s Heating Bills
Compared to electric baseboard or an oil furnace, geothermal is very, very efficient. The high COP means you’ll have lower heating bills, but just how much lower?
We’ve put together a table comparing the efficiencies of electric baseboard heating, geothermal heating and an air to water heat pump, and the effect on your heating bills:
|Electric Baseboard||Air Source Heat Pump||Geothermal Heat Pump|
|Yearly Electric Consumption||$4,000||$1,369||$1,028|
Coefficient of Performance And Changing Conditions
Your heat pump’s COP changes depending on operating conditions, here are several factors that will affect your heat pump’s effective COP:
Whether It’s Heating or Cooling Season
Since the output of the heat pump changes when in cooling mode, so does the COP. If you look in our manuals, we calculate separate COPs for every heat pump in both heating (COPh) and cooling (COPc) modes to account for this variance.
Whether the Heat Pump is in First or Second Stage
All Nordic heat pumps have two-stage scroll compressors, which allows the heat pump to vary its output depending on the heating or cooling demands. Since the output changes depending on which stage the heat pump is operating in, the formula changes, and so does the resulting COP. Our manuals account for this and we calculate separate COP’s for each stage.
For example, the four-ton water to air heat pump we looked at above has a COP of 4.10 in stage 1 and 3.89 in stage 2 while in heating mode on a closed loop. You can estimate an average COP by adding these two together and dividing by two:
(4.20 + 3.89) / 2 = 4.05
Individual Operating Conditions
There are myriad individual operating conditions that affect the actual COP of your heat pump. Variables like the temperature of your ground loop, the temperature of the buffer tank (if you’re using in-floor heat) and whether or not you’re on an open or closed loop all affect the actual COP of your heat pump.
Fortunately all of these variables will have a minimal effect on the actual performance of your heat pump, and you can rely on the reported COP’s in our heat pump manuals as a baseline for how your system will perform when it is installed correctly, or as in the example above, you can calculate it yourself! | <urn:uuid:8c5b5d48-ac32-4bc9-aa93-a47169f74f33> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.nordicghp.com/2015/08/how-to-calculate-coefficient-of-performance/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.913687 | 1,299 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Teamwork makes the dream work – especially in the human body! You may have heard of organs – these are parts of your body that do different jobs to keep you going. No matter how important their job, they cannot keep you going on their own, they all rely on each other.
Have a look at this clip for a quick overview of what each organ does;
You can also explore the systems of the body here;
Can you complete what each organ does and what it relies on? For example, in ‘Blood vessels’, their job is to carry blood around the body to all the other organs. It needs blood to be pumped from the heart to do it. | <urn:uuid:e1543f51-3cac-4424-bcf1-7f1e51148dd5> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.northern.lancs.sch.uk/pshe-5/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.974236 | 140 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Type 2 diabetes is a complex chronic disease that occurs when the body cannot make enough insulin or use it effectively. People living with type 2 diabetes need treatment in order to keep their insulin and blood sugar levels under control.
Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. Too little insulin means the body cannot absorb glucose from the food we eat. When this happens, blood glucose levels rise, and over time, these increased levels can damage blood vessels and reduce the supply of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the body’s organs and nerves.
People living with type 2 diabetes may need treatment to help their bodies better process glucose and to help prevent long-term complications.
In the last half century, rates of type 2 diabetes have skyrocketed around the world. Today, hundreds of millions of people are living with the disease, putting a strain on individuals, families and our healthcare systems.
We are committed to driving change to improve treatment options for people living with type 2 diabetes – from more effective medicines to better delivery systems that make management simpler and more convenient. | <urn:uuid:8788198b-227e-4b67-b867-df7549b5b3a6> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.novonordisk.my/disease-areas/type-2-diabetes.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.92521 | 226 | 3.453125 | 3 |
It was built as a temple worthy of Athena, goddess of war and wisdom. It was designed to hold a huge gold and ivory statue of her. It stands on giant marble blocks and almost 70 massive pillars supported the marble-tiled roof. Beautifully carved friezes of figures on a ceremonial procession or at war once decorated its walls.
Today, about 2,500 years after it was built, The Parthenon is still the crowning glory of Athens.
It dominates the city from its throne on top of The Acropolis, a 500ft high rocky citadel. Its white marble glitters in the sunshine and, after dark, spotlights make it shine like a beacon. A million people a year clamber up The Acropolis for a close-up view of the most stunning example of ancient architecture.
Restoration work scheduled to end in 2020 has been going on for more than 40 years. That’s considerably longer than it took to build it in the first place.
Work began in 447BCE on the site of an earlier sanctuary that was destroyed by the Persians. Construction ended 15 years later, and the remarkable building functioned as a temple and treasury for about a thousand years.
Then the pagan statue was removed – to vanish from history - and it became a Christian church. It was to have other roles in centuries of conflict.
It became a mosque under Turkish rule. Later, when the Turks used The Acropolis as a barracks and command centre it was used for storage. When in the 17th century the Venetians, at war with the Turks, bombarded The Acropolis a gunpowder store in the Parthenon exploded and destroyed part of the building.
It was left abandoned and neglected for years. In the 19th century some of the decorations were removed and taken to London and Paris which began a controversy that still goes on.
Not all white: Although The Parthenon’s white marble looks stunning the temple would have been very different when it was built. There is evidence of the decorations being painted in vivid red, blue and green colours.
Date last updated: | <urn:uuid:cb9c28db-ff98-4b01-b8f9-80ce3d29bff8> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.olympicholidays.com/destinations/greece/athens-riviera/attraction/the-parthenon/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.977075 | 435 | 3.515625 | 4 |
10 Fun Learning Activities for March Break
March Break—while many students may be looking forward to a week of rest and relaxation, it’s also an excellent opportunity to continue learning that’s fun and engaging.
Whether you’re a student or a parent looking for ways to keep your child entertained during the break, here are some tips to help you make the most of March Break.
10 Tips for a Fun and Educational March Break
1. Set March Break Goals
Before the break starts, sit down with your child and discuss what they want to achieve during the week. Do they like to work on a specific subject, learn a new skill or explore a new hobby? Setting goals will help keep them motivated and focused.
2. Explore New Subjects
March Break is a great time to explore new subjects and areas of interest. Check out local museums, galleries or science centers, or take a virtual tour of a faraway place. This can help to expand your child’s knowledge and curiosity.
3. Read for Pleasure
Reading is a great way to relax and unwind, and March Break is the perfect time to catch up on some reading for pleasure. Head to the library or download some e-books and encourage your child to read books that interest them.
4. Keep a Journal
Encourage your child to keep a journal during the break, writing about their experiences and observations. This can help to develop their writing skills and foster creativity.
5. Play Games as a Family
Games are a fun way to learn and can help develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Consider playing board games, card games, or video games that challenge your child’s mind.
6. Get Outside
Spending time in nature can be a great way to learn about the world around us. Take a hike, go for a nature walk or visit a local park to learn about the plants and animals in your area.
7. Cook and Bake Together
Cooking and baking can help develop math, reading, and even science skills. Encourage your child to help prepare meals or bake treats during the break. Check out these 6 Focus-Boosting Brain Foods that you can use in your cooking or baking!
8. Learn a New Skill
March Break is a great time to learn a new skill or hobby. Whether it’s playing an instrument, learning a new language or trying a new sport, encourage your child to step out of their comfort zone and explore new interests.
Volunteering is a great way to learn about the world and make a positive impact. During the break, consider volunteering at a local shelter, food bank, or community center. Check out this I Want to Volunteer to find where you can volunteer near you.
10. Create a Project
Encourage your child to create a project during the break, whether it’s a science experiment, a piece of art or a written story. This can help to foster creativity and develop problem-solving skills.
March Break shouldn’t be a week of mindless entertainment. With some planning and creativity, it can be an excellent opportunity for students to continue learning and exploring in fun and engaging ways.
Need Help With March Break Learning?
Our tutors at Oxford Learning can help your family create great school-year habits to ensure students achieve academic success.
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Disciplinary actions are designed to teach students self-discipline and to help them demonstrate appropriate behavior. When it is necessary to impose discipline, school administrators and teachers will follow an age-appropriate discipline process. The degree of discipline imposed by each school official will be in proportion to the severity of the behavior of a particular student and will take into account the student’s discipline history, the age of the student, and other relevant factors. When discipline measures are imposed, a parent or guardian will be notified by school personnel.
This Code of Conduct provides a process of behavioral correction in which inappropriate behaviors are followed by consequences. Except as may otherwise be provided in state or federal law, the range of disciplinary actions which may be imposed for violations of the Code of Conduct includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Warning and/or Counseling with a School Administrator, Counselor, or Behavior Coach
- Loss of Privileges
- Isolation or Time Out
- Temporary Removal from Class or Activity
- Notification of Parents
- Parent Conference
- Detention (Morning, Lunch, or Afternoon)
- Saturday School
- In-School Suspension (Behavioral)
- Out-of-School Suspension
- Placement in the Alternative Education Program
- Referral to a Disciplinary Hearing for Expulsion
- Referral to ReGroup (formerly known as Day Treatment)
- Suspension or Expulsion from the School Bus
- Referral to Law Enforcement: Mississippi law requires that certain acts of misconduct be referred to the appropriate law enforcement officials.
- Community Service
- Parent/Student Conferences
- Suspension after School
The school will refer any act of misconduct to law enforcement officials when school officials determine such referral to be necessary or appropriate. | <urn:uuid:aae16f28-3f8e-4617-b06a-50970384b096> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.oxfordsd.org/Page/7631 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.919099 | 363 | 2.875 | 3 |
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|PlantExplorers.com - Feature Articles|
In The Beginning
The Golden Age of Botany
The Wardian Age
The 20th Century
Rear Admiral William Bligh (1754 - 1817)
Arguably one of the most misunderstood and complex characters in maritime history.
William Bligh was born on the 9th of September 1754 in the small town of St. Tudy, Cornwall. His career in the Royal Navy began at the age of 9, and by the age of 23 he had joined Captain Cook on his third and final voyage in 1776. Bligh was appointed Master on the H. M. S. Resolution, and was responsible for the navigation of both ships on Cook's mission to continue exploring the Pacific. It was his skill as a cartographer that had first brought him to the attention of Cook, who had personally requested that the young Bligh be assigned to the mission. By all accounts, Bligh was a genuine prodigy with navigation and cartography.
Bligh implemented Captain Cook's regimen of exercising the crew regularly, while also requiring clean laundry, regular bathing and the consumption of sauerkraut and lime juice to fight scurvy,. It was not until 1795 that limejuice rations were provided for all sailors in the Royal Navy, and to this day, British sailors are known as 'Limeys'.
William Bligh, commander of the HMAV Bounty (His Majesty's Armed Vessel) at the age of 33, was charged with conducting the first part of Sir Joseph Banks' experiment to transplant a major food crop from one part of the world to another. Such a thing had never been done before on such a grand scale.
When the Bounty arrived in Tahiti in 1788, the breadfruit trees had to be seeded and grown into saplings large enough for transport, a process that would take at least six months. Contrary to popular opinion, Bligh was the sort of man who wanted his crew to be happy, so instead of sailing the South Pacific exploring and mapping, he decided to give his men six months of shore leave in paradise. In hindsight, it was the biggest mistake of his life.
Many, if not most, of the men had formed deep attachments with the islanders during their long layover, and were quite naturally reluctant to leave when the time came. The mutiny is well documented and even fictionalized extensively (here's a hint; none of the movies got it quite right, although the version starring Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson came close). The part of the story that few people know about is what happened after the Captain and his men were cast adrift. With nineteen men in a single longboat, very few supplies, his log books and navigational tools, Commander Lieutenant Bligh was able to navigate almost 6000 kilometres (3700 Miles) across the Pacific, to finally make landfall at the island of Timor. This staggering feat of precision navigation was accomplished with no loss of life, although David Nelson, the botanist, died of fever several weeks later.
Sir Joseph Banks defended William Bligh to the Admiralty, and believed in Bligh so much he insisted that the newly promoted Bligh lead the return expedition to Tahiti and finish what he had started. This time, the breadfruit trees were successfully transported to Jamaica using two ships, the Providence and the Assistant.
William Bligh went on to have a long and relatively distinguished career in the British Navy, despite the fact that the family of his former colleague, Fletcher Christian, did their level best to discredit him. In particular Edward Christian, Fletcher's brother, who went to great lengths to alter public opinion. Never before had a single moment in history been so well documented and scrutinized, only to be so sadly misrepresented in the following centuries.
William Bligh had six children with his wife Elizabeth. In 1794 Bligh was given the Society of Arts medal for his remarkable feat of navigation during the 42-day longboat voyage, and in 1801 he was made a fellow of the Royal Society for services to navigation and botany. He fought in a number of sea battles including The Battle of Copenhagen, where Lord Nelson personally thanked him for his bravery.
The unfortunate fact was that Bligh was all bluff and bluster in his youth, doleing out corporal punishment less often than his famous mentor, Captain Cook, and perhaps his subordinate officers saw this as weakness. Then, after the humiliation of the Bounty, Bligh's authority would be forever suspect, leading to a number of confrontations, which would leave him increasingly bitter and even vindictive. The question remains, was this in his nature, or was this attitude imposed upon him after years of scorn and abuse?
The story of the Bounty is a complex one, and well worth further pursuit. This link will take you to a site that has some excellent information on the Bounty and her crew. Including an extremely well researched and detailed history of the very complex issues of Mr. Bligh's Bad Health There is even a brief biography of the ship's botanist, David Nelson, whom Bank's had personally appointed to the mission.
The Genus Blighia, which consists of some four species of evergreen tropical shrubs and trees, is named in William Bligh's honour. The most commonly cultivated of these is Blighia sapida. Captain Bligh provided specimens to the Royal Botanical Garden at Kew circa 1793. Although some sources have credited Bligh with its introduction to the New World, history indicates that this West African Native was likely already established in Jamaica, probably arriving as a seed secreted away in a slave ship some years earlier.
Known by the common name 'Akee' the fruit enjoys moderate local popularity in the West Indies. The only edible part is the fleshy cream coloured aril behind the shinny black seeds. Overripe or under-ripe fruit is very poisonous. Image after a painting By Marianne North. Click on the image to learn about the artist and her many journeys.
|Copyright © 1999 - PlantExplorers.com™ and Lindenleaf Enterprises Inc| | <urn:uuid:0a80a87c-f98c-4c18-82df-2741d2b8c886> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.plantexplorers.com/explorers/biographies/captain/captain-william-bligh.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.98203 | 1,275 | 3.109375 | 3 |
Restriction Enzymes and Molecular Cloning
Slightly after the discovery and understanding of plasmids (during the fifties) scientists discovered and studied proteins able to recognize and cut double strand DNA molecules (during the seventies). These catalytic proteins are known as ‘restriction enzymes’.
The natural function of restriction enzymes is to act as a defense mechanism against viruses infecting bacteria. Indeed, bacteria like any other cell can be infected with viruses, called bacteriophages, that will inject their own DNA in the bacteria in order to propagate themselves. Restriction enzymes selectively appeared and evolved so the bacteria could cut, or ‘digest’ the viral DNA, thus preventing the viral propagation. Basically, a restriction enzyme is able to recognize a short DNA sequence (4 to 8 base-pairs long on average) and to actively incise both DNA strand, either within the recognition site or at some distance, depending on the enzyme. The digestion thus produced DNA fragment with either ‘blunt’ or ‘cohesive’ ends of defined sequence.
Evolution has produced a wide variety of restriction enzymes differing by their recognition sequence (also called restriction sites) and mechanism of actions. More than 600 have been isolated and engineered to be used by biologists to digest DNA molecules at specific site.
So, by the end of the seventies, biologists had auto-replicative plasmids in one hand and restriction enzymes in the other. It did not take them long to start using the later to introduce DNA sequences of interest in plasmids, thus creating hybrid DNA molecules, amplifiable by bacteria. Indeed, if one could cut two DNA molecules, one being a plasmid, in a similar sequence specific way, DNA fragments could be assembled on the base-pair complementarity basis. To make this work in an easy way, the system needed a couple more elements.
First, biologists needed another type of enzyme that would be able to stitch the complementary DNA fragments together. These enzymes naturally exist in every biological organism where they are involved in DNA repairing or DNA replication. They are called DNA ligases. Ligases from bacteriophages, such as T4 ligase, have been engineered to be efficiently used to seal DNA fragments together. They are now widely used in molecular cloning activity.
The second requirement to perform efficient cloning in plasmids is to work with restriction enzymes which recognition site is only occurring once in the plasmid sequence. Furthermore, this occurrence must not be located within any functional feature of the plasmid (e.g. Origin of replication or Marker of selection) so the functional integrity of the vector remains intact. Thus, to render easier the use of plasmids as vectors for amplifying or expressing reconstituted genes, scientists have developed the concept of multi cloning site (MCS).
An MCS, also called polylinker, is a short segment of DNA that contains several restriction sites (up to 20) that are unique in the vector. The presence of an MCS in a cloning vector or an expression vector (downstream a promoter), ensure the ability to ‘insert’ the gene of interest at a specified location within the vector. Having several restriction sites in the MCS increases the chance that at least one of them will not be randomly present in the sequence of interest (SOI) to be inserted in the plasmid. It may also help to orientate the SOI in the vector by selecting two different sites to be used at each extremity of the DNA fragments to fuse.
From the seventies until now, the formidable collection of engineered restriction enzymes, as well as the exponential development of commercial vectors based on plasmids, have been allowing the biologists to undertake molecular cloning quite efficiently for their genetic engineering projects. However, as knowledge in biology increases, researchers are more and more confronted to complex biological questions that requires multiparametric assays to be set up. Classical molecular cloning as described above, although designed to be very versatile, is challenged by the emergence of new experimental requirements, and starts to show its own limitations.
Here are some of these limitations:
- Plasmid derived vectors are by definition some single purpose molecular tools. Thus, when several applications a required to complete a project, molecular cloning must be performed as many times as required, by changing (purchasing) the vector.
- Vectors content being different, the MCSs also vary, and are not always fully compatible between each other or with the SOIs
- Although tens of thousands of vectors have been reported in the literature (over 183k publications on pubmed, 65k vectors in Addgene’s repository) each new project requires to find the appropriate tool amongst this vast library, or, more often, to recreate a new one that will fit the specific requirements. In other words, standardization of vectors only partially address the needs.
- The use of MCS in plasmids is contradictory with the growing needs of working with 2 or more SOIs simultaneously. Vectors with multiple MCS are neither easy to create nor easy to use.
So, 40 years after the dawn of molecular cloning, and to address the extraordinary vivacity of the field, we believe it is already time to revisit the ‘old ways’ and contribute to the evolution of genetic engineering. | <urn:uuid:9469dc7b-9600-49e5-b525-066174849dbd> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.polyplus-sartorius.com/restriction-enzymes-and-molecular-cloning | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.955126 | 1,100 | 4.21875 | 4 |
Feeling light-headed or experiencing dizziness is not uncommon during the early stages of pregnancy. This symptom may catch some women by surprise, but it’s a recognized and entirely normal part of the pregnancy journey. Dizziness can manifest in various forms, from mild lightheadedness to more severe episodes of feeling faint or even fainting.
Hormonal Fluctuations: A Leading Cause
The surge of hormones that occurs during pregnancy plays a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. However, these hormonal fluctuations can also affect various systems in the body, including blood pressure regulation. It’s the impact on blood pressure that often leads to dizziness.
Orthostatic Hypotension: The Technical Term
Dizziness during pregnancy is often attributed to a condition known as orthostatic hypotension. This condition refers to a drop in blood pressure that occurs when transitioning from lying down or sitting to standing. In pregnancy, the body’s circulatory system undergoes changes to support the growing baby, which can make it more susceptible to these pressure drops.
Triggers for Dizziness in Pregnancy
Several triggers can lead to dizziness during early pregnancy:
Dizziness often occurs when standing for extended periods, particularly on an empty stomach. As the body works hard to accommodate the baby’s needs, maintaining adequate blood flow to the brain can become challenging, resulting in light-headedness.
Sudden Position Changes
Getting up abruptly from a sitting or lying position can lead to a rapid drop in blood pressure. This can trigger dizziness, especially in the early stages of pregnancy.
Proper hydration is crucial during pregnancy. Dehydration can exacerbate dizziness, so it’s essential to stay well-hydrated throughout the day.
When Does Dizziness Occur?
Dizziness can manifest as early as the time you would typically expect your period, or it may develop shortly after conception. For some women, it can be one of the first noticeable symptoms of pregnancy.
Managing and Alleviating Dizziness
While dizziness during early pregnancy can be unsettling, there are practical strategies you can employ to manage and alleviate this symptom:
Ensure you are drinking enough water throughout the day to prevent dehydration, a common trigger for dizziness.
Avoid Prolonged Standing
If possible, take breaks when standing for extended periods. This can help improve blood circulation and reduce the likelihood of dizziness.
Change Positions Gradually
When transitioning from sitting or lying down to standing, do so slowly and cautiously. This can minimize the abrupt drop in blood pressure.
Eating small, frequent meals and snacks can help maintain stable blood sugar levels, reducing the likelihood of dizziness.
Adequate rest and sleep are crucial during pregnancy. Listen to your body and prioritize rest when you feel fatigued.
Wear Supportive Clothing
Opt for comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that doesn’t constrict blood flow.
Consult Your Healthcare Provider
If you experience severe or persistent dizziness, or if fainting becomes a recurring issue, consult your healthcare provider. They can assess your overall health and provide guidance tailored to your specific situation. | <urn:uuid:9810ce37-6071-493d-b027-266d315a5546> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.pregnancy-baby.com/dizziness | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.934706 | 662 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Functional Testing is one of the types of testing
, which assists the team remarkably in verifying the quality as well as the
functionality of the software. The functional testing process enables the
testing team to validate whether or not the software is fixed and ready for its release. Hence,
to define the importance of functional testing, the following is a detailed
discussion on the same.
As you are aware of the term functional testing now. By the end of this article you will learn the following:
What is Functional Testing?
Functional Testing Example.
Features of Functional Testing.
Functional Testing Types.
Functional Testing Process.
Writing Functional Test Cases, With Example.
Functional Testing Techniques.
Functional Testing Checklist.
Functional Testing Tools.
Functional Test Automation.
Functional Testing vs. System Testing.
Functional vs Non Functional Testing.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Functional Testing.
Functional Testing Checklist.
What is Functional Testing?
Functional testing, as the
name suggests, means to check the functionality of the software based on SRS (Software Requirements Specification).The
main objective of functional testing is to validate the functionality of the
software and ensure that it is in compliance with the business requirements, stated by the
client before the commencement of the project.
After the software development stage of a software product is completed, it requires to be
tested on the basis of its chief specifications, such as user commands, search operations,
and more. This is achieved with the assistance of functional testing, which subtly defines
what a system does and validates its accuracy.
Functional Testing Example:
Now that we understand the concepts of functional testing, let us take a practical example of
the functional testing.
For example, when a customer checks out of the cart of an eCommerce application, they should be
taken to a secure payment page, where they make their payment. To complete this payment, the
next step should be taking the customer to bank security verification.
Once they complete these steps, they should receive a confirmation email with details about the
purchase, such as the price, delivery date, and more.
The proper functioning and accuracy of these steps are ensured by functional testing. It makes
sure that each step follows the other in the correct order, without any failure or payment
Features of Functional Testing:
From verifying the functionality of the software to ensuring its features and components,
functional testing has a major role to play in software testing life cycle (STLC). Therefore, to
help you better understand the significance of this testing technique, here are some of its
Functional testing is a process of quality assurance.
It validates the functionality of the web applications and ensures that they conform to
their specific functional requirements.
What are the different types of Functional Testing?
Since, functional testing tests various aspects of a software product, the types of testing that are performed
under this methodology of software testing are numerous. Therefore, the different
types of functional testing are:
Unit Tests:Unit testing tests the
individual components of the software and validates their performance as per the
Integration Testing: Performed with the assistance of stubs and drivers, integration testing involves
testing of individual units by combining and testing them in a group. Integration
testing aims at exposing issues and defects in the interaction between various
Sanity Testing: It tests the logical
reasoning pertaining to the working of the program. For example, it can check if the
result arising out of a calculation is true or incorrect.
Smoke Testing: One of the most preliminary of tests, smoke testing reveals the most elementary of errors. It
addresses the most basic of functionalities crucial to the working of the product. It
addresses questions like, "Can the program run?" "Is the window opening on pressing the
User Acceptance Testing: As the name suggests, user acceptance testing involves creation of a
scenario where the targeted customers or the end users get a chance to review the
functioning of a product. This can be something as basic as testing the attachment
function in Gmail.
Regression Testing: Many a times, a bug is revealed in the functioning
of an application, post minor variation in its configuration due to an upgrade. This is
called a regression. The aim of regression testing is
to eliminate any such eventuality and make the product resistant to glitches in the
aftermath of a patch or upgrade.
Functional Testing Infographic
How to do Functional Testing?
Contrary to popular belief, functional testing can be and should be performed in the
beginning of the software development stage. Pretty much a black box testing technique, it
involves initial feeding of input data to the system and a subsequent validation of the
response, against the main specifications. In short, the functional testing process can be
summarized into few important points, which are:
The expected functionality of the software product is identified.
Test data is utilized by the team to identify
Once identified, the team creates input data on the basis of the functional
Finally, the results derived from the executed tests is compared with the expected
Writing Functional Test Cases, With Example:
To ensure thorough coverage during functional testing, it is important to have a well-written functional test case that covers each new feature and function of the software application. These are written by QA managers to test the application's function and ensure it produces the expected output.
A well-written functional test case usually includes the following:
ID: A unique identifier.
Name: The description and name of the function or feature to be tested.
Preconditions: The prerequisites or conditions that must be met to test the feature/function.
Steps: Steps performed to get the end result.
Expected Results: The anticipated results from the test.
Once these details are included, the team can begin writing the test cases by following these steps:
Identification: Identify the areas that need to be tested.
Outline Features: Create a list of all the functions and features that need to be tested.
Categorize: Once the list is prepared, categorize test cases that have to be combined or separated.
Writing Test Cases: After the categorization phase, write test cases into your test management tool using the template defined above.
Delegating Tasks to Testers: Once the test cases are prepared, they are assigned to each tester based on priority, importance, or any other specific testing strategy.
Designing & Allocating Exploratory Testing: To test the software application as a real user include exploratory tests along with the predefined test cases.
Functional Test Case Example:
If you have to create a functional test case to check if an error message appears when invalid input is provided for payment in mandatory fields, it will be written in the following manner:
Description: Entering invalid payment details to check whether the error message appears in the mandatory fields.
Preconditions: A payment method should be selected before making a payment.
Select the card type.
Enter invalid card number (CVV, Expiration Date, etc.)
Click on Submit.
Expected Results: It should show an error message for invalid details.
Functional Testing Techniques:
During the process of functional testing, two major techniques are used by the team of
testers. Each of these cater to different aspects of the software and work together to
improve the quality as performance of the software. These techniques are:
Testing: During this type of testing the requirements are
prioritized by the team on the basis of the risk criteria, after which most critical and
important features and functions of the software are evaluated and tested.
Business Process Based
Testing: This type of functional testing relies on the
knowledge of business processes, based on which the scenarios for testing are described.
Apart from these two techniques, functional testing also uses the white box testing and black box testing techniques to run
the tests and to ensure the quality as well as the functionality of the software product.
Functional Testing Checklist:
The importance of creating a check-list before the beginning of any process is quite well
known to us. Likewise, it is crucial for us to prepare a functional testing
checklist, which can help us track the progress of functional testing.
Therefore, here is a check-list for functional testing.
Apart from manual testinga>, the process of functional testing can also be executed with the assistance of various tools available in the market. These tools simplify the process of
testing and help the team get accurate and effective results.
Hence, here is a list of important automation tools used for functional testing:
Selenium:One of the most popular and powerful test automation tools, Selenium is an open-source functional testing tool supported by the Apache 2.0 license. It is an easy-to-use tool that accepts many languages to write its test scripts like C#, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, and more.
TestingWhiz: A codeless automation testing tool, TestingWhiz helps automated testing for software, web, mobile, database, cloud, web services, and API testing. The tool effortlessly and efficiently executes and manages test cases and creates robust modular automation scripts using its readily available commands.
Coded UI Test.: Coded UI Test or CUI Test is a free, open-source functional testing tool by Microsoft that helps completely automate tests for validating the functionality and the behavior of the application.
HP UFT: One of the primarily used functional, regression, and service testing tools, Micro Focus Unified Functional Testing (UFT), formerly known as HP QuickTest Professional, helps testers execute automated tests to identify any errors and discrepancies. It is a simple to use, understand, and navigate tool that provides extended support for mobile testing.
TestComplete: A prominent functional automated testing tool by SmartBear Software, TestComplete enables teams to scale their automated testing efforts and maximize test coverage. It helps create automated tests for desktop, web, and mobile applications and supports various applications and technologies like Visual C++, Java, Windows, WPF,.Net, and more.
TimeShiftX: A date and time shift simulation software, TimeShiftX expedites temporal testing and validates all date & time sensitive functionality and code such as year-end, daylight savings, leap year, billing, rates, policies, etc.
SoapUI A most widely-used automated testing tool, SoapUI is an open-source tool for functional, load, compliance, and security testing. It is also used to test and work with Service Oriented Architectures and REST web services. It is a simple tool that includes advanced functionality like a comprehensive view of the project, easy data-driven tests, a powerful HTTP monitor, etc.
Waitr An open-source tool developed using Ruby, Watir, tests web applications developed in any programming language. It offers inbuilt libraries to test page performance, alerts, browser windows, take screenshots, etc. It is an easy-to-use tool that supports all the latest browsers.
Rational Functional Tester An automated functional testing and regression testing tool by IBM, Rational Functional Tester is capable of performing automated functional, regression, GUI, and data-driven testing. It supports numerous applications like web-based, .Net, Java, Siebel, SAP, PowerBuilder, and more.
SilkTest: One of the most preferred tools for maximizing effectiveness, speed, and cost-efficiency of applications, SilkTest enables functional and cross-browser testing easily, with minimum complexity and cost. It supports a broad range of most common technologies and provides the best solutions for web and mobile technologies.
To perform end-to-end and comprehensive functional testing, organizations worldwide are rapidly switching from manual testing to automation. Automated functional testing, when implemented effectively, turns manual functional testing tasks into hands-off, constantly running processes. It allows teams to run sequential tests and focus on more complex and strategic tasks, which further helps deliver a better application.
Functional test automation uses a computer to run test cases, which saves time, effort and increases overall testing capacity and accuracy.
Today, various functional test automation tools are available in the market that help organizations execute functional tests easily and quickly.
Functional Testing Using Selenium:
Selenium is an open-source test automation tool used for functional testing. It uses test scripts that contain a series of test steps, which are performed on the UI to verify its functionality. Moreover, the test script gives the list of commands to be executed on the UI to interact with different elements.
When the test script passes to the Selenium server, which uses JSON to communicate with the appropriate Web Drive, Selenium Web Driver converts this into interactions with a real browser and returns the result. Finally, the team compares the actual result with the expected result.
Difference Between Functional Testing & System Testing:
1. Functional testing is a part of system testing.
1. Tests are executed to verify the compliance of the completed and
integrated software with its specifications.
2. Verifies the functionality of the product and ensures it works as
per its specifications.
2. Its purpose is to ensure that the completed product fulfills the
3. Tests the functionalities and features of the software, such as
load, security, performance and more.
3. It is performed to the test the end product.
4. Manual testing and automation test tools can be used for
4. It tests every single module, interface and internal and external
aspects of the software.
5.It helps define what the product does.
5.It defines how good a software works.
6. Does not require internal knowledge of the structure.
6. System testing is performed after
integration testing and before acceptance testing.
Functional Testing vs Non Functional Testing:
Software Testing LifeCycle (STLC) is an amalgamation of various testing techniques that are divided into two major categories- Functional Testing and Non-Functional Testing. These two testing types are an integral part of any well-designed quality assurance strategy and plan. Hence, let us understand how they are different from one another.
Performed before Non-Functional Testing, Functional Testing helps verify each function of the software application to ensure its compliance with key business requirements. It helps validate the application behavior by testing various aspects such as user interface, database, APIs, security, etc. Some examples of Functional testing types are:
Another critical testing category, Non-Functional Testing, is performed after functional testing to verify the non-functional parameters of a software application. Designed to test the readiness of the software, non-functional testing is focused on addressing issues that are not covered by functional testing. As non-functional testing validates the application performance, it plays a crucial role in customer satisfaction. Some examples of Non-functional testing types are:
Advantages and Disadvantages of Functional Testing:
Lets highlight various advantages of Functional Testing.
Functional testing is essential for evaluating the performance and the functionality of
a software application before it is delivered to the end user for its real use.
It is performed from the perspective of the users, which allows the development team to
create test scenarios that represent the real world use scenarios.
Allows the team to meet the requirements of the user as well as the client.
It helps improve actual system usage.
Enhances the quality of the software product.
Listed below are the various disadvantages of Functional Testing:
Functional testing can miss critical as well as logical errors in the system.
The possibility of conducting redundant testing is high in functional testing.
This testing cannot guarantee the readiness of the software to go live.
From the above discussion, we can easily conclude that to build a strong foundation of a top
class software product, functional testing is essential. It acts as a bedrock of the
structure and is a crucial part of every test routine.
Here I have hand-picked a few articles for you that will help in understanding the broader aspect of software testing: | <urn:uuid:18d3ec8b-75a1-4f3d-b2a8-c9d9989c5dff> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.professionalqa.com/functional-testing | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.896561 | 3,345 | 3.078125 | 3 |
In the world of software testing, software testers go through various levels of testing. From unit testing to acceptance, the team has to ensure that all components of the product are tested thoroughly, without any hindrance. Performed after integration testing and before acceptance tests, System Testing is one of these levels of software testing, which will be discussed in detail below.
System testing is a method of monitoring and assessing the behaviour of the complete and fully-integrated software product or system, on the basis of pre-decided specifications and functional requirements. It is a solution to the question "whether the complete system functions in accordance to its pre-defined requirements?"
It's comes under black box testing i.e. only external working features of the software are evaluated during this testing. It does not requires any internal knowledge of the coding, programming, design, etc., and is completely based on users-perspective.
A black box testing type, system testing is the first testing technique that carries out the task of testing a software product as a whole. This System testing tests the integrated system and validates whether it meets the specified requirements of the client. Other characteristics of system testing are:
As stated earlier, software testing life cycle consists of various levels of testing, which makes it crucial for us to understand when, in STLC, is system testing is executed by the testers. To help you with this, here are the scenarios when a tester can perform system testing, either manually or with the assistance of testing tools.
Some of the aspects, on which system testing focuses are
Before initiating the process of system testing it is vital for the team to consider all the requirements, which can impact the result of testing or make it more tedious. Therefore, mentioned below are some important prerequisites of system testing, for your reference.
Since the importance of system testing is immense in STLC, it is important that we define its process, to ensure that its procedure is executed accurately without missing any critical detail or step. Process of system testing can vary from project to project or organization, however, there are six common steps that are part of its process and which are defined below:
Like software testing, system testing is also an amalgamation of multifarious testing techniques, which allow the team to validate the overall performance and functionality of the product. Each of these testing techniques are focused on different aspects of the product and cater to various requirements of the client/user. These types of system testing are:
It is used to check desired functioning of the software, after its successful installation, along with, all necessary requirements
A type of black-box testing, that enables to assess and evaluate the proper functioning of the software, according to its pre-defined requirements.
It is achieved by, deliberate failure or crash of the software, to assess its ability of getting recovered, quickly.
It ensures, the ability of software to get compatible and interact with other software or system and their components.
It is done, to examine the response, stability, scalability, reliability and other quality metrics of the software, under different workloads.
Software should be scalable, along with the increase in load, number of concurrent users, data size, etc. This, arises the need of scalability testing, which is conducted to take care of scalability related issues, with the software.
This testing, assess the degree of the software, between two failures, and the time it takes to repair.
It guarantees the original functionality of the software, after each modification in it.
This involves, evaluation of documentation artifacts, prepared before and during the testing phase, in order to assess the testing requirements, covers under documentation testing.
To assess, the security features of the software, so as to ensure, protection, authenticity, confidentiality and integrity of the information and data.
Ensures software's user-friendliness feature and prevents end-users from issues or problems, while using and handling the software product.
System testing is performed by professional or individual testers for various reasons. From evaluating the system to ensuring its compliance with the specified requirements, this type of testing offers great aid to the testing team as well as the other stakeholders of the project. Few of the other reasons for performing this testing are:
Though performed after system testing, people usually assume acceptance testing to be a part of system testing. Therefore, to differentiate them from one another, here is a comparison between the two:
|System Testing||Acceptance Testing|
|1. System testing is a type of end to end and black box testing type.||1. Acceptance testing is a functionality testing type.|
|2. It is performed to ensure that the system meets the specified requirements of the client.||2. It is performed to ensure the compliance of the product with business requirements.|
|3. It is performed after the completion of integration testing.||3. It is performed after the culmination of system testing.|
|4. System testing is performed by independent testers as well as developers.||4. Acceptance testing is performed by testers as well as customers.|
|5. It can be both functional & non-functional testing type.||5. This type of testing is mainly functional testing type.|
Find more differences between these two levels of testing here.
An integral part of software testing life cycle, system testing is performed once the process of software development is completed and the product has gone through unit and integration testing. This testing is not limited to one aspect or component of the product but is used to test the software system as a whole, which makes it an important part of any successful testing cycle and hence should be implemented by testers who want to deliver superior user experience.
To find the differences between System Testing vs Integration Testing, click here. | <urn:uuid:bdc63bc5-ad1d-489c-8b5d-748ae2424106> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://www.professionalqa.com/system-testing | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679099281.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20231128083443-20231128113443-00000.warc.gz | en | 0.943895 | 1,183 | 3.078125 | 3 |
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