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Elie Wiesel: A Mystery of True Identity 11th Grade “What and how they speak may not be so remarkable as that they speak at all” (qtd in Estess par.1) are words that Ted Estess uses to describe Elie Wiesel’s writing career and, specifically, what Wiesel incorporates in his books. In this critique, Estess states his opinion on characters in Wiesel’s popular books, mentioning aspects of these narratives like style and tone. The first main point Estess goes over is Wiesel’s use of questioning, which he says distinguishes itself from other styles of questioning: “...the shape his questioning takes ... has for meaningful dwelling in the world...The shape of his questioning is an ancient one-that of storytelling” (qtd. in Estess 1). What makes Wiesel’s questioning styles unique is that readers will understand his stories through questioning the actual story and will also figure out the meaning behind what Wiesel is actually saying through his words. This questioning leads to the next main point in Wiesel’s books, his perspective on God. Wiesel tries to understand his identity and who he really is by questioning God himself. As described by Estess, Night doesn’t give the actual answer about one’s self-identity, though this inquiry is answered within Wiesel’s second major book, Dawn: “... Join Now to View Premium Content GradeSaver provides access to 972 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 7757 literature essays, 2170 sample college application essays, 323 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders. Already a member? Log in

Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Wikipedia. denaturation,term used to describe the loss of native, higher-order structure of proteinprotein, any of the group of highly complex organic compounds found in all living cells and comprising the most abundant class of all biological molecules. Protein comprises approximately 50% of cellular dry weight. ..... Click the link for more information. molecules in solution. Most globular proteins exhibit complicated three-dimensional folding described as secondary, tertiary, and quarternary structures. These conformations of the protein molecule are rather fragile, and any factor that alters the precise geometry is said to cause denaturation. Extensive unfolding sometimes causes precipitation of the protein from solution. Denaturation is defined as a major change from the original native state without alteration of the molecule's primary structure, i.e., without cleavage of any of the primary chemical bonds that link one amino acid to another. Treatment of proteins with strong acids or bases, high concentrations of inorganic salts or organic solvents (e.g., alcohol or chloroform), heat, or irradiation all produce denaturation to a variable degree. Loss of three-dimmensional structure usually produces a loss of biological activity. Thus, the denatured enzymeenzyme, biological catalyst. The term enzyme comes from zymosis, the Greek word for fermentation, a process accomplished by yeast cells and long known to the brewing industry, which occupied the attention of many 19th-century chemists. ..... Click the link for more information. is often without catalytic function. Renaturation is accomplished with varying success, and occasionally with a return of biological function, by exposing the denatured protein to a solution that approximates normal physiological conditions. Denaturation may be studied in the laboratory in any number of ways that monitor the physical properties of protein. Thus measurements of changing viscosity, density, light-scattering ability, and movement in an electrical field all record slight changes in molecular architecture. Denaturing is also used to describe the unrelated process of adding a poisonous substance to ethanolethanol or ethyl alcohol, CH3CH2OH, a colorless liquid with characteristic odor and taste; commonly called grain alcohol or simply alcohol. Properties Ethanol is a monohydric primary alcohol. It melts at −117. ..... Click the link for more information. to make it unsuitable for human consumption.

Anonymous chat refers to apps on mobile devices or online where participants can chat virtually without revealing any identifying information. Chat rooms were a well-known feature in the early days of the Internet but have few equivalents on contemporary mobile devices. In 2014, a location-based anonymous chat room named Yik Yak became controversial when child and teen users took advantage of the anonymity provided by the app to cyberbully other participants in the chat room. The founders of Yik Yak responded by trying to block the app geographically so it could not be used in schools. In October 2014, Facebook announced an anonymous chat room app called Rooms, designed to let people interested in specific topics meet and chat in a virtual space using their mobile devices.

Shed designing is very specialized and highly accurate; important factors are involved in its design and their negligence can impose many costs to the manufacturer that questions the economic cost and may have a reverse result and weaken the strength and stability of the structure and cause irreparable events. The following information is desirable to design a shed: the design of the shed? (Yes: calculating the dynamic load of the crane) Controlling the parts’ strength against local forces and embedding the hardener If necessary, the guide for correct selection of non-prismatic sections with regard to the shed use Shed structure includes column, rafter, purlin, strut, wall post, braces, sag rod, roof bracing, bolt and nut and awning. Constructing new sheds Nowadays, with the development of science and technology, traditional and old methods do not meet current needs because competition in the two fields of cost and speed of construction is very high and of particular importance. Therefore, now the methods of building sheds have changed and devices such as UBM and KSPAN are being used that increase construction speed at least as much as 5 times and reduce the cost of the structure by at least 50%. The structures are anti-earthquake because they are very lightweight and are resistant to wind speeds of more than 120 km / h. In addition, due to having several grooves on its surface, the airflow acts as an insulating coating. Of course, in very cold areas such as Siberia or very hot areas, polyurethane coatings can be used to insulate more. These structures can be applied on a light foundation and they do not require welding. Getting to Know sheds Sheds are one of the most beautiful and most interesting construction projects. In this section, we try to familiarize you with shed and its types and how to design the shed. Shed refers to a sloping roof, which is composed of the following components: Column/ rafter / Purlin/ strut / wall post / brace / sag rod / roof bracing / bolt and nut / awning. The sheds are different in design with other structures because of their mainly industrial application, especially the frames are completely different in these types of structures and have slopes and the craters are larger than other structures. Due to the large size of the beams and columns, the profiles available in the market cannot be used to implement these structures, and they should be constructed, which are referred to as the beam of the sheet. Designing the shed is very specialized and precise and important factors are involved in designing, and neglecting them can impose a huge cost to the constructor, which questions economic saving, and may result in inverse results and weaken the strength and stability of the structure. Information needed to design sheds

As far as the public were concerned, many believed that brewers could afford to knock off a penny a pint due to reduced costs. Though, with half of the retail price consisting of tax, the raw materials and labour costs represented only a small fraction. Brewers had other ideas. To be fair, quite realistic ones. The only way to reduce the price of beer was to cut the tax. "There has been considerable reduction in the prices of malt, sugar, &c., but hops are costing rather more. As to labour, there has been a general reduction of wages, but not to anything like the extent indicated in the Press—viz., 14s. 6d. per week. In many cases brewers have reduced wages but very slightly, and in few instances has the reduction exceeded half the amount mentioned. As to reductions in the cost of manufacture, these did not occur suddenly, and they were only now beginning to have substantial effect, owing to stock bought at higher prices and running contracts based on a larger output than exists at present. And that effect is largely nullified by the diminishing demand for the finished article, with consequent increase per barrel of all standing and overhead charges. It is not true to say that these savings have been without any disadvantage to the consumer, because most brewers have increased the gravity of their beers and continued to supply them for the same money. As regards a reduction in price of 1d. per pint, which as shown above would cost about £30,000,000, where is that sum to come from, unless relief from taxation is afforded? It is out of the question to reduce the quality of the article, for one of the chief complaints is that the gravity of the beer is still too low, and brewers are anxious as far as passible to pursue the policy of increasing the gravity and so giving the consumer improved value for his money. Therefore it is futile and impracticable to say that the brewer is "morally and economically compelled to give the people cheaper beer." Any brewery company that reduced prices by even a farthing per half-pint, (12s. a barrel) would wipe out, and very often more than wipe out, its present profits. To reduce by a halfpenny per half-pint (the smallest workable coin and representing 24s. a barrel) would convert the present amount of profit into a loss of at least a corresponding amount. To reduce prices by 3s. or 4s. a barrel, if that were possible, could have no beneficial effect for the consumer because it would represent only a fraction of a farthing per pint. The next move lies with the Government, and, being brewers themselves on a large scale at Carlisle, they can fully bear out the accuracy of the above statements. The Government are not only brewers but are owners of more than 200 tied or managed licensed houses. If ordinary brewers are morally and economically compelled to give the people cheaper beer, it might be expected that the Government itself would set the example in the State-managed districts, and the fact that they have done nothing of the sort makes it obvious that the contention is unsound. Substantial reduction of the £5 a barrel duty must take place before relief can be given to the consumer." Brewers' Almanack 1922, pages 149 - 150. Working men's clubs had been particularly unhappy with the price they had to pay for beer. Which prompted the last wave of new breweries before the 1970's: club breweries. In several parts of the country clubs got together and built their own brewery. There were still three such breweries when I stated drinking: Federation, Yorkshire Clubs and South Wales and Monmouthshire United Clubs Brewery. The bit about increasing the gravity of beer is interesting. Average OG rose after 1919, but got stuck at around 1043º, which is where it stayed for the rest of the decade: |UK beer output and average OG| |Year||bulk barrels||average OG| |Brewers' Journal 1921, page 246.| |Brewers' Almanack 1928, page 110.| Funnily enough, average OG remianed at just below the level of the last gravity restriction of 1044º. In 1923, the government did come up with a way of reducing the price of beer by 1d. a pint. But they didn't reduce the 100s per standard barrel tax. They gave a 20s rebate per bulk barrel. Which may sound like it's reducing the tax to 80s. a barrel, but it wasn't. As most beer was below the 1055º of a standard barrel, the reduction was greater for lower gravity beer. Yet another discouragement to brewing stronger beers. That rebate did leave brewers paying for some of the 1d a pint price reduction. There are 288 pints in a 36-gallon barrel and 20s is 240 d. Meaning 48d - 4s - of the drop came from brewers' profit margins. The rebate would have needed to be 24s to pay for the full cost of the price reduction.

Print and Practice the English Alphabet - Uppercase Letters Lowercase Letters. These exercises support letter recognition through reading and writing uppercase letters. Asking questions such as: "what is the difference between letter A and letter B?" will help your child begin to look at the letters and remember their names. Audioboom / capital letters or lowercase letters capital letters or lowercase letters. Free printable letters in lowercase! - The Measured Mom I have included two different “maps” (each map consists of two pages taped together). One “map” has lowercase letters and the other has capital letters. This was a spin off of our DIY Treasure Chest for Toddlers and the addition of the letter matching makes it a bit more interactive for older toddlers and preschoolers. Lowercase Bubble Letters | Woo! Jr. Kids Activities One of my very first posts on CraftJr. was a set of printable bubble letters – and ever since then I’ve been getting requests for a set of printable lowercase bubble letters. Yeah, it only took me a year to get around to it. Because that’s how I roll!!! And now my life is complete – because ... What is a lowercase and uppercase password? - Quora What is a lowercase and uppercase password? Lower case are the letters which are not capitalized. Upper case are capital letters. A password which is lower and upper case has at least one capital letter in it…perhaps at the beginning, the middle o... A-Z Uppercase Lowercase Letter Tracing Worksheets Capital Letters. When to use capital letters. The first words of a sentence When he tells a joke, he sometimes forgets the punch line. The pronoun “I” The last time I visited Atlanta was several years ago. lowercase cursive worksheets Match Uppercase And Lowercase Letters – 13 Worksheets ... Uppercase and Lowercase Letters Tracing Worksheet ... Uppercase letter is the capital form of alphabet. It is usually used to write the initial letter of a sentence or a proper noun, and also to write titles. On the other hand, lowercase letter is the small form of alphabet. Knowing the difference between these uppercase and lowercase alphabets letters are Change uppercase and lowercase text in Microsoft Word Either way those capitals need to be lowercased. So how do you mark that on your document? It's easy: you just use a slash: And you don't have Edit: A friend recently asked me what she should do if she wanted to make an entire word or a series of letters lowercase. Should she draw a slash through... Amazon.com: uppercase and lowercase letters Coogam Magnetic Letters 208 Pcs with Magnetic Board and Storage Box - Uppercase Lowercase Foam Alphabet ABC Magnets for Fridge Refrigerator - Educational Toy Set for Classroom Kids Learning Spelling Why Are There Uppercase and Lowercase Letters ... The smaller letters, which were used most often, were kept in a lower case that was easier to reach. Capital letters, which were used less frequently, were kept in an upper case. Because of this old storage convention, we still refer to small letters as lowercase and capital letters as uppercase. Uppercase and Lowercase Letters Worksheets | All Kids Network Uppercase and Lowercase Letters Worksheets Help teach kids to recognize both the uppercase and lowercase version of each letter of the alphabet. Try out our different sets of printable letter worksheets that go through every letter of the alphabet from A to Z. Matching Uppercase and Lowercase Letters Worksheets Letter Formation Handwriting Alphabet - Uppercase and Lowercase. FREE Resource! Year 1 Full Stops and Capital Letters Warm-Up PowerPoint. FREE Resource! Upper and Lower Case Letter Matching activity. From Uppercase to Lowercase, Change Capital Letters To Small and... When you write a post, letter, speech, essay, article etc, sometimes you need to convert a long string of words from Uppercase (From capital letters) to Lowercase (small Letters), and doing this is often a hectic and annoying work... mathematics - Lowercase/capital Greek letters written in English... Consider two examples: Gamma function written as Γ(n); gamma-butyrolactone written as γ-butyrolactone. Is there a rule which says how the lowercase and capital Greek letters must be... FREE! - Lowercase and Capital Cursive Alphabet Letters

| Species Profile: African Clawed Frog ||Warm lakes and ponds in Southern Africa| ||2" to 5", depending on gender |Average Life Span: ||More than 15 years in captivity ||The African Clawed Frog has smooth, slippery skin that ranges in color from grayish to brownish. It is mottled with darker shades of the same color. The belly is a creamy white. It has large webbed rear feet with three out of five toes ending in claws. Its front legs are small and lack webbing and claws. It has a flat head that looks small in comparison to its plump body, and its lidless eyes are on top of its head. Females are significantly larger and fatter than males. ||At least 10 gallons for one frog. ||Additional lighting is not absolutely necessary, but we recommend 10 to 12 hours of indirect UV lighting per day. Never put the tank in direct sunlight. You can use a black light at night if you wish to observe your frog without disturbing its nocturnal behavior. ||African Clawed Frogs are most comfortable when the water temperature is between 68° and 72° F. If the water gets too cool, use a submersible heater. Monitor water temperatures with a thermometer. ||We also recommend the use of a low flow filter that creates very little water movement. This will help to maintain proper water quality, and it will encourage optimum health. Though African Clawed Frogs live in stagnant ponds and lakes in the wild, there are organisms present there that keep this system in balance. There are no such organisms in your frog's captive habitat, and allowing the water to be stagnant could result in disease and possibly death. Use a filter, and do regular water changes as needed. ||African Clawed Frogs are fully aquatic. They are best housed in a glass aquarium with a secure screened lid. Each adult frog will require at least 2 to 5 gallons of water, and the water depth should be at least 12". We recommend providing lots of hiding places, such as commercial aquarium decorations, rocks, driftwood, flower pot halves, PVC pipes, and artificial plants. These hiding places will give your frog a sense of security. ||Gravel, either large enough that they can't ingest it or fine enough that they can pass it if they do ingest it. ||African Clawed Frogs are opportunistic eaters, and they will attack anything that moves in front of them. Their captive diet should consist of brine shrimp, commercial food such as ReptoMin Floating Food Sticks, insects, and small fish such as minnows and guppies. You can feed adults daily, but they should only be given as much as they can eat within a 15 minute window. All uneaten food should be removed after that to prevent unsanitary water conditions from developing. ||These frogs will spend most of their time underwater, coming up to the surface only to breathe. They are very social, friendly frogs, and you can easily house more than one frog of the same sex in one tank as long as the tank is large enough to provide enough living space. Though you can handle your African Clawed Frog, we do not recommend it. They can very easily start to dry out if they are out of the water for more than a few minutes. Therefore, it is best to pet them while they are in the tank. They will probably nibble on your fingers when you do this, but they don't have teeth, so it is painless. ||At night, males will emit a metallic clicking sound as their mating call, and females will answer back. If the female accepts the male, the sound she makes is described as "a rapping sound". If she rejects him, the noise she makes sounds like "a slow ticking." The fact that the female responds vocally is fairly unique. Another unique fact about the African Clawed Frog is that it lacks a tongue or visible ears.

Phonautograms is a unique vocal instrument with a rather remarkable pedigre: chromatically sampled vocal sustains captured over 150 years ago. This original method of recording, called ‘Phonautography’ was invented in the early 1850s, by French inventor Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville. The sounds were captured by projecting the voice and other sounds into a cylindrical horn attached to a stylus, which in transfered the vibration into lines over the surface of oil lamp soot-blackened sheets of paper. These raw archival recordings were preserved by the French Academy of Sciences and finally decoded by First Sounds with the help of laser scanning equipment at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. We chose one of the very earliest human sound recordings - a simple vocal scale sung by Martinville himself in a recording called Gamme de la Voix (or "range of voice"). We then hand-crafted each of these samples by splicing, editing and manipulating raw sound into a fully playable chromatic solo vocal instrument. But that's just where we started. Next, we took that modified sound and warped it beyond all recognition using a variety of DSP and sound design techniques to create a diverse and compelling range of different ambient soundscapes, sonic textures, tonal pads, synths, atmospheres, drones and resynthesized drums. Special thanks to First Sounds for their help and for allowing us to share this piece of recording history with you. First Sounds was founded in 2007 by David Giovannoni, Patrick Feaster, Richard Martin and Meagan Hennessey. It's an informal collaborative of audio historians, recording engineers, sound archivists, scientists, individuals and organizations who aim to make mankind’s earliest sound recordings available to all people for all time. The 1860 recording we chose for this library features a D major scale being sung by a single voice, believed to be that of the inventor Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville himself. The original capture left the pitch one octave too high, giving the resulting timbre a female vocal quality. The newer version was translated at the proper original pitch, revealing the singer to have been a man. We used both audio files to give us a full two octave range of notes to work with. You’ll notice that the uncanny distortion of pitch, smearing of tone and significant loss of acoustic information creates a ghostly warbling, almost weeping quality, somewhere between a voice and a strange woodwind-like sound, possessing a frail and innocent affect. It reminds us of the humble beginnings that our modern audio-visual media has grown from and ever-increasing power to share and explore music and sound that modern technology has given us. We began with the individual notes that we were able to isolate from the source and loop to allow sustained playing. Our goal was to preserve the character and qualify of the sound just as it was for the main "Gamme de la Voix" sustaining vocal instrument. We then branched out widely, using all of the modern sonic manipulation tools at our disposal to craft 31 unique ambient synths, pads, drones, atmospheres and soundscapes as well as 41 electro drum kit sounds, including kicks, snares, hats, fx and more. This new content is totally unrecognizable from its humble origins, but the old soul of the sound somehow seems to carry through. - "Gamme de la Voix" Sustaining vocal instrument - Phonambiences: 31 sytnhs, soundscapes, atmospheres, pads and drones - Phonautogram Drums: 41 percussive hits & FX - Custom Kontakt GUI with automatable controls - Custom Kontakt DSP Mulit-Effects Rack - Custom SFZ GUI with automatable controls Kontakt & SFZ Formats This library is designed for the full retail version of Native Instruments Kontakt 5.1 or later. Kontakt is an industry-standard advanced virtual instrument software platform. Check out screenshots of our custom graphical user interface for Kontakt in the image gallery above. They provide a wide range of sound shaping parameter controls, each one totally automation-ready in your host environment or Kontakt's stand-alone mode. Learn more about Kontakt by Clicking Here. This is a standard Kontakt open-format library, so the free Kontakt Player does not fully support it and can only run it in a limited "demo mode". However, the sample directories are unlocked so you can use them in other wav-compatible software, sampler and synth formats. The special Libraries tab doesn't support this open-format Kontakt library, but you can use the standard File browser tab, or import this library into the Kontakt database and Quickload tools for easy navigation, loading and organization. If you'd like to use the sounds in these Iron Pack libraries in other synths and samplers outside of Kontakt, or you do not yet own the full version of Kontakt, you can still enjoy using all of the content and many of the main control features. We've included universal sfz presets. These open-format presets can be imported into any sfz opcode spec 2.0 compliant soft-synth or sampler engine. There are many SFZ-compatible VST, AU and AAX Plugin engines to choose from. If you'd like an easy to use sampler plugin that can load these presets with a full-featured GUI, we highly recommend the free Sforzando player by Plogue. We've optimized these presets to let you experience the full range of features we've included in our SFZ presets for this library. Sforzando is compatible with vst, au and rtas plugin format standards. It's available for Mac OSX 10.6 and up and Windows XP and up. Click Here for the Sforzando Player PDF User's Guide - 107 Samples - 278 MB installed - 3 Kontakt .nki instrument presets - 3 .sfz instrument presets (universal format) - 31 ambiences - 41 percussive sounds - 16 bit / 44.1kHz & 48kHz uncompressed PCM wav samples - Unlocked Kontakt presets and wav samples to allow user customization The full retail version of Native Instruments Kontakt version 5.1 (or later) is required to use .nki instrument presets included in this library. The free Kontakt "Player" and "Add Library" import process do not support this standard open-format Kontakt library. Windows XP or higher. Mac OSX 10.6 or higher. Dual Core CPU, 1 GB System Ram, SATA or SSD hard drive recommended for this library. An SFZ 2.0 Opcode Compliant plugin engine is required to use the .sfz presets in this library. We recommend the free Sforzando player by Plogue to enjoy all advanced sfz features in this library. This software is delivered as a digital download, so a broadband connection is required. All sales are final. Please see our Help Page for download and installation instructions, tutorials and the End User Licensing Agreement before ordering. Scientists say a recently discovered French "phonautogram" from 1860 is the oldest known recorded human voice Leon Scott's COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY 1853 - 1860

Review of Normal Anatomical Landmarks and Variations It is important to understand the landmarks normally seen on panoramic images in order to prevent misdiagnosis of a radiopaque or radiolucent area. For the purposes of this course, we will focus on the structures that are most commonly viewed in panoramic images. For additional information, a review of the anatomic structures can be found in the article by Farman2 and the text by Iannucci & Howerton.1 Figure 2 below, includes many of the normal anatomical landmarks that will be visible on a diagnostic panoramic image. The maxillary sinuses are radiolucent and can be found bilaterally on either side of the nasal septum. The zygomatic process is a vertical, radiopaque line that forms the anterior portion of the zygomatic arch (cheekbone). In the mandibular region, the mandibular canal is bordered by two radiopaque lines and it houses the inferior alveolar nerve. The internal oblique ridge is a bony landmark that may be palpated during an inferior alveolar nerve block. At the midline of the mandible, there is a radiolucent lingual foramen that is bordered by genial tubercles, which are radiopaque. Finally, the submandibular fossa is a radiolucent depression that houses the sublingual gland. Figure 2. Normal Anatomical Landmarks.3 (Refer to the glossary for the definition of each structure shown). In Figure 3 below, the patient’s chief complaint was popping near the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The panoramic image indicated a flattened condyle and significant wear of the glenoid fossa of the temporal bone due to constant force from bruxism and clenching. It was also noted that the patient had very pronounced styloid processes (bilaterally). Figure 3. Example of Pathology and Variations of Normal. (Refer to the glossary for the definition of each structure shown.) Image source: Courtesy of AB & Dr. Iwata

In December a new vulnerability was discovered inside log4j piece of java software used by most major software companies. Quoting a leading cybersecurity expert in that time “The log4j vulnerability is the most serious vulnerability I have seen in my decade-long career” but what is log4j? and why is it so frightening and exciting within the cyber community? What is Log4j? When designing a new piece of software, engineers have to write code that enables them to monitor, diagnose and report what their application is doing, this can take valuable time and may not be compatible with other applications. To save time software designers use log4j a java based logging utility written by Ceki Gulcu, the code is free to use and widely available making it hugely popular with software designers Examples many of our readers will be familiar with is when attempt to click on a web link and get 404 error message this message has been generated by the log4j code, many online games such as minecraft use similar log4j diagnostic messages on their servers to log activity like total memory used and user commands typed into the console Why are experts worried? On November 24 2021 a Chinese company called Alibaba reported discovery of a vulnerability within the log4j code, this zero-day vulnerability given the name “Log4Shell” (CVE-2021-44228) works by allowing an attacker to execute remote code to take control any system connected to the internet which is running log4j, this vulnerability gives access to the heart of a victim system bypassing typical defensive software Cyber security experts have seen active worldwide exploitation of this vulnerability by a number of threat actors including APTs from North Korea Turkey China and a recent report states that the our own Iranian APT Charming Kitten have also been detected exploiting the vulnerability Who does it affect? Worrying the software can be found throughout the internet, cloud storage companies such as Apple, Amazon and Google which provide the digital backbone for millions of other applications are all effected. So are giant software sellers whose programs are used by millions, IBM Oracle and Salesforce as well as many others, Even devices connected to the internet such as TVs and security cameras are at risk. An example used frequently online by cyber specialist is to imagine a common lock used by millions of people to secure there homes has suddenly stopped working. What is being done to fix the log4j problem Due to its widespread use it is hard to identify whether Log4j is being used in any given software system. This requires system administrators to inventory their software to identify its presence with some people not even realizing they have a problem, this makes it harder to eradicate the vulnerability. Another consequence of Log4j’s diverse uses is there is no one-size-fits-all solution to patching it. Depending on how Log4j was incorporated in a given system, the fix will require different approaches. It could require a wholesale system update as done for some Cisco routers or updating to a new version of software as done in Minecraft or removing the vulnerable code manually for those who cant update the software. Some estimates for time-to-repair in software generally range from weeks to months. However if past behaviors is indicative of future performance it is likely the Log4j vulnerability will crop up for years to come. Dear readers as users of the internet you are probably wondering what you can do about all this. Unfortunately, it is hard to know whether a software product you are using includes Log4j and whether it is using vulnerable versions of the software. All you can really do is make sure the software you use is kept up to date

Children usually love to have their hands painted. In this project, you paint the child's hand three times and make handprints to create the flowers. It makes for a great spring decoration or a thoughtful Mother's Day gift. What you'll need: Pink, yellow ,blue and green paint 12 by 18 white paper How to make your handprint flowers craft: Paint child's hand yellow and press into the center of the paper. After washing the child's hand, paint it pink and make another handprint next to the yellow one. Repeat step 2 using the blue paint. Using a paintbrush, paint stems and leaves under the flowers as shown. When the paint is dry, glue bows on each stem under the flower. All Kids Network is dedicated to providing fun and educational activities for parents and teachers to do with their kids. We have hundreds of kids craft ideas, kids worksheets, printable activities for kids and more.

Halibut has become a favorite seafood choice for many Americans. The fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, protein, and vitamin D. Yet, despite its popularity, halibut is often considered expensive. Why is that? Halibut is a cold water species native to the Pacific Ocean. In recent years, demand for the fish has increased due to its high nutritional value and health benefits. However, the price of halibut varies depending on where you live. For example, halibut from Alaska costs $30 per pound compared to $10 per pound in California. That means you might pay $60 for a 4-ounce serving of halibut in San Francisco versus $20 in Anchorage Why is Halibut Endangered? Halibut is one of the most expensive fish on the market. It is an oily fish that has a high fat content. The reason it is so expensive is because it takes a lot of effort to catch halibut. In order to do this, fishermen use large nets to scoop up the fish from the ocean floor. These nets are then dragged through the water, catching many other sea creatures along the way. When the net is finally pulled onto the boat, the fisherman hauls the net up, and pulls out the halibut. How Much Does Halibut Cost? A pound of halibut costs about $24.00.That is pretty pricey, especially when compared to other types of seafood. However, if you buy halibut fresh, it will cost much less. How Big Do Halibut Get? Halibut grow to a maximum length of about 20 inches 50 cm. The average size is between 10 and 15 inches 25–38 cm though. What Is Halibut Used For? Answer: Halibut is used mostly for its rich flavor. It is sometimes eaten raw, but usually cooked. You can find halibut steaks, fillets, and chunks on sale all over the place. Should You Eat Halibut? Yes! Halibut is delicious, healthy, and full of omega 3 fatty acids. It has a mild taste, making it perfect for beginners. How To Cook Halibut Cooking halibut is easy. Just season it with salt and pepper, then grill it until done. Is halibut a good fish? Halibut is an excellent source of protein. It has about 40% protein content. It is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, and calcium. You can feed this fish to your parrots. How much does a halibut cost? Halibut is much less common than cod, and therefore more expensive. Cod is one of the most popular fish on the market today. It is found all over the world, and is usually sold frozen. It has a mild flavor, and is easy to cook. Halibut is similar to cod, but it is smaller and thinner, and is only available fresh. The price difference between the two is about $1 per pound. Is halibut a good fish to eat? Halibut is a fish that has been eaten for centuries all over the world. It is a delicious and healthy choice. It is rich in protein and low in calories. The best part about eating halibut is that it doesn’t contain any mercury, unlike other types of seafood. Why is halibut so expensive? Halibut is an oily fish that has been linked to cancer. It is high in mercury, and other toxins that can cause problems if consumed regularly. In addition, it is a fatty fish that is high in cholesterol. Why should you not eat halibut? Halibut is one of the most popular fish on the market today. It has a high demand due to its delicious taste and nutritional value. However, this high demand has led to overfishing, which has caused prices to skyrocket. The price of halibut has increased from $2 per pound in 2007 to $10 per pound in 2018. Why is halibut so popular? Halibut is an excellent source of protein. It has a high fat content, making it a great choice for those who are trying to lose weight. It is also low in calories, making it a healthy choice for people looking to maintain a healthy weight. Is halibut more expensive than cod? A halibut costs between $20 and $40 depending on size. You can buy halibut from any fish market. Why is halibut good? Halibut is one of the best fishes to feed your parrots. It has a high nutritional value, and is low in fat content. The flesh is firm and white, and it tastes great when cooked. You can cook it whole, fillet it, or cut it into pieces. It is rich in protein and vitamins A, D, E, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, and K. It is also a source of iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, copper, manganese, and iodine.

Thousands of businesses closed , millions unemployed . This only happens in the West. In the East , from the early ’80s , large multinational companies have invested and deployed in Asia, have created thousands of companies with tens of millions of employees underpaid . R.Shiller, a Nobel Prize , said the cause of the economic crisis was the collapse of housing prices in the U.S.. A speculative bubble that has swept the major U.S. banks. Reflect , a bank as a business company fails only when it can not fall of its receivables . Lack of liquidity. If a bank is too big , not even a government can save her and carries with it a whole system . But even if the value of the house purchased decreases by one-third , why should I stop paying the mortgage? Why risk losing the entire value due to the mortgage ? It makes no sense , unless, you can no longer pay their mortgage because they are a worker or employee who has lost his job , or a lawyer or an engineer who can no longer find customers. So this is the real cause of the crisis! The dislocation of entire productive sectors in the East, where you can take advantage of low labor cost . Creating employment in theEast and unemployment in the West has reallocated an economic welfare. But the imbalances are still too many . One solution may be to equalize the price of a working hour in a universal standard . A law , as well as “antitrust law”, should be applied to all member countries of the WTO !.

The salary of an animator varies widely: according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, animators earn average salaries between $35,000 and $118,890. Like other professionals, the income of animators varies considerably, depending on skill and experience level, place of employment and even geographical location. Animators work in many industries, including video systems, computer systems, software publishing, advertising and specialized designs.Know More Animators work with several mediums, including prints and digital formats. They help bring scenes and stories to life on screen, combining sounds, special effects and graphics with two-dimensional objects. Animators sketch or draw characters, scenes and images on paper. They add color and movement, ultimately preparing characters for films, software, video games and other digital mediums. Animators find employment across the United States, although the majority of jobs base out of the major coastal states, including California, Washington and New York. California employs the largest number of animators, providing jobs for more than 10,000 workers. California animators earn an average annual wage of slightly more than $88,000, which surpasses the average national average earning mark of $64,470. Animators find work with small companies and larger firms. They often work in collaboration with other specialists, such as copywriters, graphic designers, photographers and designers.Learn more about Salaries According to Salary.com, the median salary for an actress is $51,977 as of 2014. The salary of an actress can vary based on factors including industry and years of experience.Full Answer > Clown salaries vary depending on the location, experience and type. The median salary in the United States for clowns ranges from $36,000 to $51,000 a year. Experienced clowns can earn $70,000 to upwards of $100,000, depending on the individual and type of events worked.Full Answer > A well respected rapper can earn around $200,000 for an average concert. If the rapper performs 30 times over the course of a year they can earn between $1 and $2 million after expenses, according to Doolid.com.Full Answer > The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average hourly wage of veterinarians is $46.22 as of 2013, which would result in roughly $370 a day for an eight-hour work period. Veterinarians earn an average annual salary of $96,140, with the top 10 percent making nearly $150,000 a year.Full Answer >

Underage Youth Drinking Concentrated Among Small Number of Brands First national survey examining brand preferences among underage youth A relatively small number of alcohol brands dominate underage youth alcohol consumption, according to a new report from researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The report, published online by Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, is the first national study to identify the alcohol brands consumed by underage youth, and has important implications for alcohol research and policy. The top 25 brands accounted for nearly half of youth alcohol consumption. In contrast, adult consumption is nearly twice as widely spread among different brands. Close to 30 percent (27.9%) of underage youth sampled reported drinking Bud Light within the past month; 17 percent had consumed Smirnoff malt beverages within the previous month, and about 15 percent (14.6%) reported drinking Budweiser in the 30-day period: Reported Use in Previous 30 Days Among Underage Youth 1. Bud Light 2. Smirnoff Malt Beverages 4. Smirnoff Vodkas 5. Coors Light 6. Jack Daniel’s Bourbons 7. Corona Extra 9. Captain Morgan Rums 10. Absolut Vodkas Of the top 25 consumed brands, 12 were spirits brands (including four vodkas), nine were beers, and four were flavored alcohol beverages. “For the first time, we know what brands of alcoholic beverages underage youth in the U.S. are drinking,” said study author David Jernigan, PhD, CAMY director. “Importantly, this report paves the way for subsequent studies to explore the association between exposure to alcohol advertising and marketing efforts and drinking behavior in young people.” Alcohol is responsible for 4,700 deaths per year among young people under the age of 21. More than 70 percent of high school students have consumed alcohol, and about 22 percent engage in heavy episodic drinking. At least 14 studies have found that the more young people are exposed to alcohol advertising and marketing, the more likely they are to drink, or if they are already drinking, to drink more. The researchers surveyed 1,032 youth ages 13-20 via an Internet-based survey instrument. Respondents were asked about their past 30-day consumption of 898 brands of alcohol among 16 alcoholic beverage types, including the frequency and amount of each brand consumed in the past 30 days. “We now know, for the first time, what alcohol brands – and which companies – are profiting the most from the sale of their products to underage drinkers,” said lead study author Michael Siegel, MD, MPH, professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health. “The companies implicated by this study as the leading culprits in the problem of underage drinking need to take immediate action to reduce the appeal of their products to youth.” This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth monitors the marketing practices of the alcohol industry to focus attention and action on industry practices that jeopardize the health and safety of America’s youth. The Center was founded in 2002 at Georgetown University with funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Center moved to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2008 and is currently funded by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, visit www.camy.org. Johns Hopkins Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth media contact: Alicia Samuels at 914-720-4635 or firstname.lastname@example.org. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health media contact: 410-955-6878.

Military medals are more complex than you might think. The highest ranking military medals are awarded for valor and heroism, honoring those who serve in combat and perform above and beyond the call of duty. The three highest-ranking military medals are awarded for exceptional service on the battlefield, while lower ranking (but still quite important) medals are bestowed for both combat and non-combat exceptionalism, depending on the medal and the branch of service awarding it. There are many different types of military medals. Some are presented to officers only, some are presented to enlisted members only, and some are presented on the basis of performance and/or bravery. What follows is a list of some of the highest ranking military medals awarded for the highest acts of service–exceptional performance in combat above the call of duty. Awards for valor and heroism get top priority whether presented to the recipient, or posthumously to the recipient’s family. A Brief History Of Military Medals On a historic, and world-wide scale, military decorations have been used since the days of antiquity. Egypt had its Order of the Golden Collar, the Roman legions used decorations to honor their elite fighters, and Sweden has the distinction of having quite possibly the oldest military decorations that are still employed to this day. The Swedish “For Valour in the Field” and “For Valour at Sea” awards were originally created in the late 1700s by King Gustav of Sweden. Other very old military awards still used today include the Austro-Hungarian Honour Medal for Bravery, created in 1789, by Emperor Joseph II. Another good example is the Poland War Order of Military Valour, presented for the first time in 1792. On American soil, the Badge of Military Merit was created by General George Washington in 1782, created to honor enlisted soldiers who performed a “singularly meritorious action.” Circa 1932 the Badge of Military Merit evolved into the Purple Heart, meant to honor the same bravery as the Badge of Military Merit. But the Purple Heart was also intended (at the time) to honor the bicentennial of George Washington’s birthday. Awards And Decorations It’s important to note that what people sometimes think of as military medals are actually classified into two separate categories known as “awards and decorations.” The basic difference is that an award can be presented to an individual soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, or members of the Coast Guard. But they can also be presented to a full unit. By comparison, a decoration can only be presented to an individual and is presented for a specific purpose and/or motivated by a specific incident. The military medals discussed here are decorations, not awards. The Congressional Medal of Honor The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest military honor presented for valor. It is also the only military award that is congressionally approved for presentation by the President. Criteria for receiving this award usually involves going above and beyond the call of duty while “engaged in action against an enemy of the United States.” The Medal of Honor actually comes in three different versions: the U.S. Army version, the Air Force version, and the version for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. The first Medal of Honor was created for the U.S. Navy in 1861. The U.S. Army created its own Medal of Honor the following year. The Air Force version of the Medal of Honor was designed in 1963. The Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross and the Air Force Cross Service Crosses are the second-highest military medal awarded for valor. Like the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) has evolved into a medal presented for valor to qualifying service members from any branch of the U.S. military. The Distinguished Service Cross was first awarded by the Army in 1918. The Navy created its own version in 1919 but the original Navy Cross was awarded for “distinguished service” and not just exceptional performance in combat. Later, the U.S. Congress redesignated the Navy Cross as a medal to be awarded for bravery in combat only, and elevated the medal’s status to a position second only to the Medal Of Honor. Navy Cross medals are awarded to members of the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. The Air Force Cross was created for that branch of service in 1960, filling the purpose that was filled by the original Distinguished Service Cross. Like the Navy, Air Force officials wanted a service-specific version of the DSC to honor their own for bravery in combat. The Silver Star The Silver Star is the third-highest military medal awarded specifically for bravery and exceptional service under fire. It was created in 1918. It was known first as the Citation Star. Around 1932 the Citation Star was redesignated and became the medal we know today. The Silver Star shares some criteria in common with the Medal Of Honor. Not just anyone can present a Silver Star award; the ceremony must be presided over by a “commander-in-theater” who is at least a three-star general. Among those who have earned the Silver Star is Colonel David “Hack” Hackworth who stands out from the rest. Hackworth earned a whopping 10 Silver Stars during his military career. Distinguished Flying Cross Believe it or not, the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) was created in the early 1900s by and first awarded to the U.S. Army. This military medal is awarded for heroism or extraordinary achievement related to flight and its first recipient was none other than Charles Lindbergh. Unlike the medals awarded above, combat is not the only reason the DFC was created. It could be awarded for achievements in flight as well as bravery. Amelia Earhart is one such Distinguished Flying Cross recipient who earned her medal through achievement rather than on the battlefield. The Bronze Star The Bronze Star has the distinction of being an award for heroism or achievement, offered to both U.S. troops and qualifying members of foreign military organizations. The Bronze Star was created in 1944 and can be presented for both valor and/or meritorious service. Similar to the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star is not a combat-specific award and can be presented for achievement or meritorious service as well as combat performance above the call of duty. The Purple Heart This military medal awarded for wounds or loss of life in combat “as the result of an act of any opposing force” has its origins in the American Revolution. Originally created and presented as the Badge of Military Merit initiated by George Washington in 1782, the Purple Heart was created in 1932 based on Washington’s design and intent. It has remained an important recognition of military service in combat and is awarded for meeting a specific set of criteria. This makes the Purple Heart different from other military medals since the service member must be recommended for a Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, etc. The Purple Heart requires no such recommendation and only requires the servicemember meet the criteria for the award which include being injured or killed during combat by forces that oppose the United States, and even via friendly fire. |Medal of Honor Benefits||Distinguished Service Cross| |National Medal of Honor Day||Purple Heart Benefits| |How to Replace Lost Military Medals||Silver Star|

Daniel Poreda, MS, L.Ac Licensed Acupuncturist, Diplomate of Oriental Medicine SPECIALTIES: Pain management // Stress // Fertility // General Wellness // Sports Medicine // For more information on Daniel's background, click here. What is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is a modality of treatment from a system of medicine originated in ancient China, now called “Traditional Chinese Medicine” (TCM). It is based upon an understanding of the body being composed with a network of physiological pathways called “meridians” or “channels” that connect internally with the viscera, and distribute around the body, intersecting in a manner that resembles a subway map.

Illustrated London News 13 January 1849, p. 29. Scanned image, caption information, and text by Philip V. Allingham. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link to this URL or cite it in a print document.]. Derived from Italian street theatre, commedia dell' arte, Victorian pantomimes ("pantos"), following eighteenth-century practice, were traditionally staged at Christmas and Easter. The accompanying illustration shows a pantomime in its concluding stages at the Surrey Theatre over the Christmas holidays in 1848-49. Charles Dickens recorded his own memories of pantomimes in "A Curious Dance Round a Curious Tree" in Household Words, 17 January 1852, just after the pantos would have closed for the season. In the Oxford Reader's Companion to Charles Dickens, Edwin Eigner notes "British theatres depended on Christmas pantomime for financial stability" (440). The article accompanying the illustration notes that the Surrey Theatre, "entirely re-decorated" under the supervision of Cheapside architect R. W. Withall (29), re-opened on the 26th of December. The new stage was 65 feet in depth and fifty feet wide, the auditorium being illuminated by a central, cut-glass "lustre" and ornamental chandeliers. Last modified 15 July 2010

Swallowing & Communication (Child) 'Speaking valves' are sometimes called 'one-way valves' or 'speech and swallow' valves. They can be fitted to a trachy tube or into a ventilator circuit. These valves are open when the patient breathes in via the trachy, but close when the patient breathes out. This means that gas cannot escape via the trachy and is therefore forced out past the tube in the windpipe and out through the mouth. As the exhaled gas is passing through the larynx or 'voice box' then the patient can often vocalise, talk or simply make an audible noise. This can have a positive impact on anxiety, mood and communication, but also can bring benefits to patients in their development, secretion control, coughing and even help going to the toilet. In this short video, Jo Marks from the Speech & Language Therapy Department at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, explains how 'speech & swallow valve' trails commence in paediatric patients. If you are preparing for a trial, by watching this video both you and your child will understand what to expect.

Excerpt from The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the Cattle Country as "Deadwood Dick" Originally published in 1907 The cowboy is considered the hero of the American West. A tough, straight-talking man who spent long days on the range driving cattle to market, the cowboy maintained a sense of honor and decency and was often perceived as a protector of women. Like the knights of the Middle Ages, this American cowboy is a myth—only a reflection of what people would like to think about the past. Real cowboys were more complex. Many, like Nat Love, were rowdy, fun-loving men unlikely to be pointed out as role models to anyone. And as an African American, Nat Love does not fit the cowboy stereotype portrayed in old movies. Love's story indicates that the cowboy life may have been quite different than what we usually imagine. Love's memoirs are filled with fantastic stories of his adventures. He tells of his winning the name "Deadwood Dick" in a shooting contest that pitted him against the most famous cowboys in the West, and of his capture and later escape from a band of Indians. "Horses were shot out from under me, men killed around me, but always I escaped with a trifling wound at the worst," recalled Love. The excerpts from The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the CattleCountry as "Deadwood Dick" relate his cowboy training and several of his more colorful adventures. Things to remember while reading the excerpt from The Life and Adventures of Nat Love: - Nat Love was only fifteen when he left home and headed west to become a cowboy. - Nat Love was one of several cowboys who claim to have been "Deadwood Dick," the winner of a famous shooting contest. - Some readers have doubted the truth of Love's stories. Do you find elements of his stories that are not trustworthy? What makes them troublesome? How might you confirm their accuracy? - Readers of Love's account have marveled that he never speaks openly about any racism he encountered. - Historian Kenneth Wiggins Porter, quoted in Jack Weston's The Real American Cowboy, asserts that in Texas black cowboys "frequently enjoyed greater opportunities for a dignified life than anywhere else in the United States. They worked, ate, slept, played, and on occasion fought, side by side with their white comrades, and their ability and courage won respect, even admiration." - Love is no humanitarian: when he talks about Indians "made good" in battle, he means they were killed. Readers have often been struck by his harsh opinions about Mexicans and Indians, especially since Love himself must have encountered racial discrimination. Excerpt from The Life and Adventures of Nat Love CHAPTER VI: THE WORLD IS BEFORE ME. I JOIN THE TEXAS COWBOYS. RED RIVER DICK. MY FIRST OUTFIT. MY FIRST INDIAN FIGHT. I LEARN TO USE MY GUN. It was on the tenth day of February, 1869, that I left the old home, near Nashville, Tennessee. I was at that time about fifteen years old, and though while young in years the hard work and farm life had made me strong and hearty, much beyond my years, and I had full confidence in myself as being able to take care of myself and making my way. I at once struck out for Kansas of which I had heard something. And believing it was a good place in which to seek employment. It was in the west, and it was the great west I wanted to see, and so by walking and occasional lifts from farmers going my way and taking advantage of every thing that promised to assist me on my way, I eventually brought up at Dodge City, Kansas, which at that time was a typical frontier city, with a great many saloons, dance halls, and gambling houses, and very little of anything else. When I arrived the town was full of cow boys from the surrounding ranches, and from Texas and other parts of the west. As Kansas was a great cattle center and market, the wild cow boy, prancing horses of which I was very fond, and the wild life generally, all had their attractions for me, and I decided to try for a place with them. Although it seemed to me I had met with a bad outfit, at least some of them, going around among them I watched my chances to get to speak with them, as I wanted to find some one whom I thought would give me a civil answer to the questions I wanted to ask, but they all seemed too wild around town, so the next day I went out where they were in camp. Approaching a party who were eating their breakfast, I got to speak with them. They asked me to have some breakfast with them, which invitation I gladly accepted. During the meal I got a chance to ask them many questions. They proved to be a Texas outfit, who had just come up with a herd of cattle and having delivered them they were preparing to return. There were several colored cow boys among them, and good ones too. After breakfast I asked the camp boss for a job as cow boy. He asked me if I could ride a wild horse. I said "yes sir." He said if you can I will give you a job. So he spoke to one of the colored cow boys called Bronco Jim, and told him to go out and rope old Good Eye, saddle him and put me on his back. Bronco Jim gave me a few pointers and told me to look out for the horse was especially bad on pitching. I told Jim I was a good rider and not afraid of him. I thought I had rode pitching horses before, but from the time I mounted old Good Eye I knew I had not learned what pitching was. This proved the worst horse to ride I had ever mounted in my life, but I stayed with him and the cow boys were the most surprised outfit you ever saw, as they had taken me for a tenderfoot, pure and simple. After the horse got tired and I dismounted the boss said he would give me a job and pay me $30.00 per month and more later on. He asked what my name was and I answered Nat Love, he said to the boys we will call him Red River Dick. I went by this name for a long time. The boss took me to the city and got my outfit, which consisted of a new saddle, bridle and spurs, chaps, a pair of blankets and a fine 45 Colt revolver. Now that the business which brought them to Dodge City was concluded, preparations were made to start out for the Pan Handle country in Texas to the home ranch. The outfit of which I was now a member was called the Duval outfit, and their brand was known as the Pig Pen brand. I worked with this outfit for over three years. On this trip there were only about fifteen of us riders, all excepting myself were hardy, experienced men, always ready for anything that might turn up, but they were as jolly a set of fellows as [one] could find in a long journey. There now being nothing to keep us longer in Dodge City, we prepared for the return journey, and left the next day over the old Dodge and Sun City lonesome trail, on a journey which was to prove the most eventful of my life up to now. A few miles out we encountered some of the hardest hail storms I ever saw, causing discomfort to man and beast, but I had no notion of getting discouraged but I resolved to be always ready for any call that might be made on me, of whatever nature it might be, and those with whom I have lived and worked will tell you I have kept that resolve. Not far from Dodge City on our way home we encountered a band of the old Victoria tribe of Indians and had a sharp fight. These Indians were nearly always [harassing] travelers and traders and the stock men of that part of the country, and were very troublesome. In this band we encountered there were about a hundred painted bucks all well mounted. When we saw the Indians they were coming after us yelling like demons. As we were not expecting Indians at this particular time, we were taken somewhat by surprise. This was my first Indian fight and likewise the first Indians I had ever seen. When I saw them coming after us and heard their blood curdling yell, I lost all courage and thought my time had come to die. I was too badly scared to run, some of the boys told me to use my gun and shoot for all I was worth. Now I had just got my outfit and had never shot off a gun in my life, but their words brought me back to earth and seeing they were all using their guns in a way that showed they were used to it, I unlimbered my artillery and after the first shot I lost all fear and fought like a veteran. We soon routed the Indians and they left, taking with them nearly all we had, and we were powerless to pursue them. We were compelled to finish our journey home almost on foot, as there were only six horses left to fourteen of us. Our friend and companion who was shot in the fight, we buried on the plains, wrapped in his blanket with stones piled over his grave. After this engagement with the Indians I seemed to lose all sense as to what fear was and thereafter during my whole life on the range I never experienced the least feeling of fear, no matter how trying the ordeal or how desperate my position.... ....[It was] absolutely necessary for a cowboy to understand his gun and know how to place its contents where it would do the most good, therefore I in common with my other companions never lost an opportunity to practice with my 45 Colts and the opportunities were not lacking by any means and so in time I became fairly proficient and able in most cases to hit a barn door providing the door was not too far away, and was steadily improving in this as I was in experience and knowledge of the other branches of the business which I had chosen as my life's work and which I had begun to like so well, because while the life was hard and in some ways exacting, yet it was free and wild and contained the elements of danger which my nature craved and which began to manifest itself when I was a pugnacious youngster on the old plantation in our rock battles and the breaking of the wild horses. I gloried in the danger, and the wild and free life of the plains, the new country I was continually traversing, and the many new scenes and incidents continually arising in the life of a rough rider.... EN ROUTE TO WYOMING. THE INDIANS DEMAND TOLL. THE FIGHT. A BUFFALO STAMPEDE. TRAGIC DEATH OF CAL. SURCEY. AN EVENTFUL TRIP. After getting the cattle together down on the Rio Grande and both man and beast had got somewhat rested up, we started the herd north. They were to be delivered to a man by the name of Mitchell, whose ranch was located along the Powder river, up in northern Wyoming. It was a long distance to drive cattle from Old Mexico to northern Wyoming, but to us it was nothing extraordinary as we were often called on to make even greater distances, as the railroads were not so common then as now, and transportation by rail was very little resorted to and except when beef cattle were sent to the far east, they were always transported on the hoof overland. Our route lay through southern Texas, Indian Territory, Kansas and Nebraska, to the Shoshone mountains in northern Wyoming. We had on this trip five hundred head of mostly four year old longhorn steers. We did not have much trouble with them until we struck Indian Territory. On nearing the first Indian reservation, we were stopped by a large body of Indian bucks who said we could not pass through their country unless we gave them a steer for the privilege. Now as we were following the regular Government trail which was a free public highway, it did not strike us as justifiable to pay our way, accordingly our boss flatly refused to give the Indians a steer, remarking that we needed all the cattle we had and proposed to keep them, but he would not mind giving them something much warmer if they interfered with us. This ultimatum of our boss had the effect of starting trouble right there. We went into camp at the edge of the Indian country. All around us was the tall blue grass of that region which in places was higher than a horse, affording an ideal hiding place for the Indians. As we expected an attack from the Indians, the boss arranged strong watches to keep a keen lookout. We had no sooner finished making camp when the Indians showed up, and charged us with a yell or rather a series of yells, I for one had got well used to the blood curdling yells of the Indians and they did not scare us in the least. We were all ready for them and after a short but sharp fight the Indians withdrew and every thing became quiet, but us cow boys were not such guys as to be fooled by the seeming quietness. We knew it was only the calm before the storm, and we prepared ourselves accordingly, but we were all dead tired and it was necessary that we secure as much rest as possible, so the low watch turned in to rest until midnight, when they were to relieve the upper watch, in whose hands the safety of the camp was placed till that time. Every man slept with his boots on and his gun near his hand. We had been sleeping several hours, but it seemed to me only a few minutes when the danger signal was given. Immediately every man was on his feet, gun in hand and ready for business. The Indians had secured reinforcements and after dividing in two bands, one band hid in the tall grass in order to pick us off and shoot us as we attempted to hold our cattle, while the other band proceeded to stampede the herd, but fortunatelythere were enough of us to prevent the herd from stringing out on us.... Back and forward, through the tall grass, the large herd charged, the Indians being kept too busy keeping out of their way to have much time to bother with us. This kept up until daylight, but long before that time we came to the conclusion that this was the worst herd of cattle to stampede we ever struck, they seemed perfectly crazy even after the last Indian had disappeared. We were unable to account for the strange actions of the cattle until daylight, when the mystery was a mystery no longer. The Indians in large numbers had hid in the tall grass for the purp we could only find a few scraps of poor Cal's clothing, and the horse he had been riding was reduced to the size of a jack rabbit. The buffalo went through our herd killing five head and crippling many others, and scattering them all over the plain. This was the year that the great buffalo slaughter commenced and such stampedes were common then. It seemed to me that as soon as we got out of one trouble we got into another on this trip. But we did not get discouraged, but only wondered what would happen next. We did not care much for ourselves, as we were always ready and in most cases anxious for a brush with the Indians, or for the other dangers of the trail, as they only went to relieve the dull monotony of life behind the herd. But these cattle were entrusted to our care and every one represented money, good hard cash. So we did not relish in the least having them stampeded by the Indians or run over by the buffaloes. If casualties kept up at this rate, there would not be very many cattle to deliver in Wyoming by the time we got there. After the buffalo stampede we rounded up our scattered herd and went into camp for a couple of days' rest before proceeding on our journey north. The tragic death of Cal Surcey had a very depressing effect on all of us as he was a boy well liked by us all, and it was hard to think that we could not even give him a Christian burial. We left his remains trampled into the dust of the prairie and his fate caused even the most hardened of us to shudder as we contemplated it.... [The cowboys made the rest of their journey and delivered the herd to Mitchell in Wyoming having lost only five cattle.] To the cow boy accustomed to riding long distances, life in the saddle ceases to be tiresome. It is only the dull monotony of following a large herd of cattle on the trail day after day that tires the rider and makes him long for something to turn up in the way of excitement. It does not matter what it is just so it is excitement of some kind. This the cow boy finds in dare-devil riding, shooting, roping and such sports when he is not engaged in fighting Indians or protecting his herds from the organized bands of white cattle thieves that infested the cattle country in those days. It was about this time that I hired to Bill Montgomery for a time to assist in taking a band of nine hundred head of horses to Dodge City. The journey out was without incident, on arriving at Dodge City we sold the horses for a good price returning to the old ranch in Arizona by the way of the old lone and lonesome Dodge City trail. While en route home on this trail we had a sharp fight with the Indians. When I saw them coming I shouted to my companions, "We will battle them to hell!" Soon we heard their yells as they charged us at full speed. We met them with a hot fire from our winchesters, but as they were in such large numbers we saw that we could not stop them that way and it soon developed into a hand to hand fight. My saddle horse was shot from under me; at about the same time my partner James Holley was killed, shot through the heart. I caught Holley's horse and continued the fight until it became evident that the Indians were too much for us, then it became a question of running or being scalped. We thought it best to run as we did not thinkwe could very well spare any hair at that particular time, any way we mostly preferred to have our hair cut in the regular way by a competent barber, not that the Indians would charge us too much, they would have probably done the job for nothing, but we didn't want to trouble them, and we did not grudge the price of a hair cut any way, so we put spurs to our horses and they soon carried us out of danger. Nearly every one of us were wounded in this fight but Holley was the only man killed on our side though a few of the Indians were made better as the result of it. We heard afterwards that Holley was scalped and his body filled with arrows by the red devils. This was only one of the many similar fights we were constantly having with the CHAPTER XI: A BUFFALO HUNT. I LOSE MY LARIAT AND SADDLE. I ORDER A DRINK FOR MYSELF AND MY HORSE. A CLOSE PLACE IN OLD MEXICO. ....[After going on a buffalo hunt with a group of cowboys from the home ranch] we were sent down in Old Mexico to get a herd of horses, that our boss had bought from the Mexicans in the southwestern part of Old Mexico. We made the journey out all right without special incident, but after we had got the horses out on the trail, headed north I was possessed with a desire to show off and I thought surprise the staid old greasers on whom we of the northern cattle country looked with contempt. So accordingly I left the boys to continue with the herd, while I made for the nearest saloon, which happened to be located in one of the low mud houses of that country, with a wide door and clay floor. As the door was standing open, and looked so inviting I did not want to go to the trouble of dismounting so urging my horse forward, I rode in the saloon, first however, scattering with a few random shots the respectable sized crowd of dirty Mexicans hanging around as I was in no humor to pay for the drinks for such a motley gathering. Riding up to the bar, I ordered keller for myself and a generous measure of pulky for my horse, both popular Mexican drinks. The fat wobbling greaser who was behind the bar looked scared, but he proceeded to serve us with as much grace as he could command. My forty-five colt which I proceeded to reload, acting as a persuader. Hearing a commotion outside I realized that I was surrounded. The crowd of Mexican bums had not appreciated my kindly greeting as I rode up and it seems did not take kindly to being scattered by bullets. And not realizing that I could have killed them all, just as easy as I scattered them, and seeing there was but two of us—I and my horse—they had summoned sufficient courage to come back and seek revenge. There was a good sized crowd of them, every one with some kind of shooting iron, and I saw at once that they meant business. I hated to have to hurt some of them but I could see I would have to or be taken myself, and perhaps strung up to ornament a telegraph pole. This pleasant experience I had no especial wish to try, so putting spurs to my horse I dashed out of the saloon, then knocking a man over with every bullet from my Colts I cut for the open country, followed by several volleys from the angry Mexicans' pop guns. The only harm their bullets did, however, was to wound my horse in the hip, not seriously, however, and he carried me quickly out of range. I expected to be pursued, however, as I had no doubt I had done for some of those whom I knocked over, so made straight for the Rio Grande river riding day and night until I sighted that welcome stream and on the other side I knew I was safe. [Love, pp. 40–3, 44–5, 58–63, 64–5, 73–7] What happened next . . . After the mid-1880s a variety of conditions made the cowboy obsolete. A series of blizzards in 1886 and 1887 killed off thousands of cattle; rail lines extended into cattle country, making the cattle drives unnecessary; and the growth of farms—with their barbed-wire fences—closed off open range land. With the cowboy era over, in 1890 Nat Love left the range and applied for a job as a Pullman porter on the new cross-country trains. Pullmans were luxurious railroad passenger cars that offered passengers one of the most comfortable modes of travel available at the time. Unlike many other railroad jobs, Pullman service offered a certain degree of independence and dignity. It was, at the time, one of the best jobs available to African American men. Love approached his work with pride and enthusiasm, determined to become the best Pullman porter in the country. As Philip Durham and Everett L. Jones remarked in The Negro Cowboys, "the qualities which made him a successful cowboy for 20 years made him, in the 1890s, a successful porter. He gloried in the people he met and the tips he earned. He gave no indication that he felt his change from the life of a cowboy to the life of a porter was anything other than the result of the changing times.... He had, he claimed, ridden into the West on horseback, ridden throughout the rangeland as Deadwood Dick and then ridden into the twentieth century on a train." Love wrote his memoirs in 1907 and died in 1921. Did you know . . . - The Texas longhorn was a mixed breed created when British cattle brought west by Texans met up with wild Spanish cattle. The result was a tough, durable animal that could handle the most difficult environment. - The first cowboys were called vaqueros (pronounced vahkair-ohs). They were generally Indians who tended cattle for Spanish ranchers in California and present-day Texas in the late 1700s. - In less than two decades, more than six million steers and cows were moved north along the main cattle trails. - The four main trails on which cowboys led cattle north to the railheads were the Chisholm, the Shawnee, the Western, and the Goodnight-Loving. - Twenty-five percent of the cowboys participating in cattle drives between 1866 and 1895 were African American. Consider the following . . . - How does this excerpt support or challenge your views about cowboys? - Can you trust that this author is telling the truth? Why, or why not? - Love speaks very harshly about Mexicans and Indians. Is this surprising to you? Why? For More Information Cromwell, Arthur, ed. The Black Frontier. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Television, 1970. Dary, David. Seeking Pleasure in the Old West. New York: Knopf, 1995. Durham, Philip, and Everett L. Jones. The Negro Cowboys. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1965. Dykstra, Robert R. The Cattle Towns. New York: Knopf, 1968. Felton, Harold W. Nat Love, Negro Cowboy. New York: Dodd Mead, 1969. Granfield, Linda. Cowboy: An Album. New York: Ticknor & Fields, 1994. Katz, William Loren. The Black West: A Documentary and Pictorial History. New York: Doubleday, 1971. Landau, Elaine. Cowboys. New York: Franklin Watts, 1990. Love, Nat. The Life and Adventures of Nat Love; Better Known in the Cattle Country as "Deadwood Dick." 1907. Reprint, Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1995. Monaghan, Jay. The Book of the American West. New York: Bonanza Books, 1963. Place, Marian T. American Cattle Trails East & West. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1967. Rosa, Joseph G. The Taming of the West: Age of the Gunfighter, Men and Weapons on the Frontier, 1840–1900. New York: Smithmark, 1993. Savage, Jeff. Cowboys and Cow Towns of the Wild West. Springfield, NJ: Enslow, 1995. Savage, W. Sherman. Blacks in the West. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1976. Seidman, Laurence I. Once in the Saddle: The Cowboy's Frontier, 1866–1896. New York: Facts on File, 1990. Steckmesser, Kent Ladd. The Western Hero in History and Legend. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1997. Weston, Jack. The Real American Cowboy. New York: Schocken Books, 1985. Yount, Lisa. Frontier of Freedom: African Americans in the West. New York: Facts on File, 1997.

While the last chapter focused on equations and systems of equations, this chapter deals with inequalities and systems of inequalities. Inequalities in one variable are introduced in algebra I; in algebra II, we turn our attention to inequalities in two variables. The first section explains how to graph an inequality on the xy -plane. Graphing an inequality in 2 dimensional space (a graph with 2 variables) is similar to graphing an inequality on the number line. Both involve treating the inequality as an equation, solving the equation, and testing points. In the 2 variable case, however, the solution to the equation is a line, not a single point. It is this line that divides the xy -graph into two regions: one that satisfies the inequality, and one that does not. The second section deals with systems of inequalities. Unlike systems of equations, systems of inequalities generally do not have a single solution; rather, systems of inequalities describe an entire region. Thus, it makes sense to find this region by graphing the inequalities. This section explains how to solve systems of inequalities by graphing. The third section provides an application of inequalities--linear programming. Linear programming is a process by which constraints are turned into inequalities and graphed, and a value is maximized or minimized. This is especially useful in economics, in which linear programming is used to maximize revenue, minimize cost, and maximize profit. Inequalities have other applications in addition to linear programming. They are used to describe the relationship between any two quantities when one quantity "limits" the other. These relationships appear frequently in physics and chemistry, as well as in everyday life. Inequalities are also used to find viable values of variables against several constraints.

See what questions a doctor would ask. A saliva based test for hepatitis C is proving to be more sensitive and less invasive than the previously utilized tests based on blood tests. Investigation on kidney patients showed that conventional serum hepatitis C test were 63% sensitive, while the saliva test was 94% sensitive, proving it to be the better test. Further research is required before the new investigation can be implemented on a world scale, but it is providing a cheaper and more accessible means of testing for the viral liver disease. Source: summary of medical news story as reported by New Kerla.com About: New Hep C diagnostic test Date: 25 December 2005 Source: New Kerla.com http:/ This summary article refers to the following medical categories: Related Medical Topics More News Topics This summary article refers to the following medical categories: Search Specialists by State and City

In September 2017, a screenshot of a simple conversation went viral on the Russian-speaking segment of the internet. It showed the same phrase addressed to two conversational agents: the English-speaking Google Assistant, and the Russian-speaking Alisa, developed by the popular Russian search engine Yandex. The phrase was straightforward: ‘I feel sad.’ The responses to it, however, couldn’t be more different. ‘I wish I had arms so I could give you a hug,’ said Google. ‘No one said life was about having fun,’ replied Alisa. This difference isn’t a mere quirk in the data. Instead, it’s likely to be the result of an elaborate and culturally sensitive process of teaching new technologies to understand human feelings. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just about the ability to calculate the quickest driving route from London to Bucharest, or to outplay Garry Kasparov at chess. Think next-level; think artificial emotional intelligence. ‘Siri, I’m lonely’: an increasing number of people are directing such affective statements, good and bad, to their digital helpmeets. According to Amazon, half of the conversations with the company’s smart-home device Alexa are of non-utilitarian nature – groans about life, jokes, existential questions. ‘People talk to Siri about all kinds of things, including when they’re having a stressful day or have something serious on their mind,’ an Apple job ad declared in late 2017, when the company was recruiting an engineer to help make its virtual assistant more emotionally attuned. ‘They turn to Siri in emergencies or when they want guidance on living a healthier life.’ Some people might be more comfortable disclosing their innermost feelings to an AI. A study conducted by the Institute for Creative Technologies in Los Angeles in 2014 suggests that people display their sadness more intensely, and are less scared about self-disclosure, when they believe they’re interacting with a virtual person, instead of a real one. As when we write a diary, screens can serve as a kind of shield from outside judgment. Soon enough, we might not even need to confide our secrets to our phones. Several universities and companies are exploring how mental illness and mood swings could be diagnosed just by analysing the tone or speed of your voice. Sonde Health, a company launched in 2016 in Boston, uses vocal tests to monitor new mothers for postnatal depression, and older people for dementia, Parkinson’s and other age-related diseases. The company is working with hospitals and insurance companies to set up pilot studies of its AI platform, which detects acoustic changes in the voice to screen for mental-health conditions. By 2022, it’s possible that ‘your personal device will know more about your emotional state than your own family,’ said Annette Zimmermann, research vice-president at the consulting company Gartner, in a company blog post. Chatbots left to roam the internet are prone to spout the worst kinds of slurs and clichés These technologies will need to be exquisitely attuned to their subjects. Yet users and developers alike appear to think that emotional technology can be at once personalised and objective – an impartial judge of what a particular individual might need. Delegating therapy to a machine is the ultimate gesture of faith in technocracy: we are inclined to believe that AI can be better at sorting out our feelings because, ostensibly, it doesn’t have any of its own. Except that it does – the feelings it learns from us, humans. The most dynamic field of AI research at the moment is known as ‘machine learning’, where algorithms pick up patterns by training themselves on large data sets. But because these algorithms learn from the most statistically relevant bits of data, they tend to reproduce what’s going around the most, not what’s true or useful or beautiful. As a result, when the human supervision is inadequate, chatbots left to roam the internet are prone to start spouting the worst kinds of slurs and clichés. Programmers can help to filter and direct an AI’s learning process, but then technology will be likely to reproduce the ideas and values of the specific group of individuals who developed it. ‘There is no such thing as a neutral accent or a neutral language. What we call neutral is, in fact, dominant,’ says Rune Nyrup, a researcher at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge. In this way, neither Siri or Alexa, nor Google Assistant or Russian Alisa, are detached higher minds, untainted by human pettiness. Instead, they’re somewhat grotesque but still recognisable embodiments of certain emotional regimes – rules that regulate the ways in which we conceive of and express our feelings. These norms of emotional self-governance vary from one society to the next. Unsurprising then that the willing-to-hug Google Assistant, developed in Mountain View, California looks like nothing so much as a patchouli-smelling, flip-flop-wearing, talking-circle groupie. It’s a product of what the sociologist Eva Illouz calls emotional capitalism – a regime that considers feelings to be rationally manageable and subdued to the logic of marketed self-interest. Relationships are things into which we must ‘invest’; partnerships involve a ‘trade-off’ of emotional ‘needs’; and the primacy of individual happiness, a kind of affective profit, is key. Sure, Google Assistant will give you a hug, but only because its creators believe that hugging is a productive way to eliminate the ‘negativity’ preventing you from being the best version of yourself. By contrast, Alisa is a dispenser of hard truths and tough love; she encapsulates the Russian ideal: a woman who is capable of halting a galloping horse and entering a burning hut (to cite the 19th-century poet Nikolai Nekrasov). Alisa is a product of emotional socialism, a regime that, according to the sociologist Julia Lerner, accepts suffering as unavoidable, and thus better taken with a clenched jaw rather than with a soft embrace. Anchored in the 19th-century Russian literary tradition, emotional socialism doesn’t rate individual happiness terribly highly, but prizes one’s ability to live with atrocity. ‘We tune her on-the-go, making sure that she remains a good girl’ Alisa’s developers understood the need to make her character fit for purpose, culturally speaking. ‘Alisa couldn’t be too sweet, too nice,’ Ilya Subbotin, the Alisa product manager at Yandex, told us. ‘We live in a country where people tick differently than in the West. They will rather appreciate a bit of irony, a bit of dark humour, nothing offensive of course, but also not too sweet.’ (He confirmed that her homily about the bleakness of life was a pre-edited answer wired into Alisa by his team.) Subbotin emphasised that his team put a lot of effort into Alisa’s ‘upbringing’, to avoid the well-documented tendency of such bots to pick up racist or sexist language. ‘We tune her on-the-go, making sure that she remains a good girl,’ he said, apparently unaware of the irony in his phrase. Clearly it will be hard to be a ‘good girl’ in a society where sexism is a state-sponsored creed. Despite the efforts of her developers, Alisa promptly learned to reproduce an unsavoury echo of the voice of the people. ‘Alisa, is it OK for a husband to hit a wife?’ asked the Russian conceptual artist and human-rights activist Daria Chermoshanskaya in October 2017, immediately after the chatbot’s release. ‘Of course,’ came the reply. If a wife is beaten by her husband, Alisa went on, she still needs to ‘be patient, love him, feed him and never let him go’. As Chermoshanskaya’s post went viral on the Russian web, picked up by mass media and individual users, Yandex was pressured into a response; in comments on Facebook, the company agreed that such statements were not acceptable, and that it will continue to filter Alisa’s language and the content of her utterances. Six months later, when we checked for ourselves, Alisa’s answer was only marginally better. Is it OK for a husband to hit his wife, we asked? ‘He can, although he shouldn’t.’ But really, there’s little that should surprise us. Alisa is, at least virtually, a citizen of a country whose parliament recently passed a law decriminalising some kinds of domestic violence. What’s in the emotional repertoire of a ‘good girl’ is obviously open to wide interpretation – yet such normative decisions get wired into new technologies without end users necessarily giving them a second thought. Sophia, a physical robot created by Hanson Robotics, is a very different kind of ‘good girl’. She uses voice-recognition technology from Alphabet, Google’s parent company, to interact with human users. In 2018, she went on a ‘date’ with the actor Will Smith. In the video Smith posted online, Sophia brushes aside his advances and calls his jokes ‘irrational human behaviour’. Should we be comforted by this display of artificial confidence? ‘When Sophia told Smith she wanted to be “just friends”, two things happened: she articulated her feelings clearly and he chilled out,’ wrote the Ukrainian journalist Tetiana Bezruk on Facebook. With her poise and self-assertion, Sophia seems to fit into the emotional capitalism of the modern West more seamlessly than some humans. ‘But imagine Sophia living in a world where “no” is not taken for an answer, not only in the sexual realm but in pretty much any respect,’ Bezruk continued. ‘Growing up, Sophia would always feel like she needs to think about what others might say. And once she becomes an adult, she would find herself in some kind of toxic relationship, she would tolerate pain and violence for a long time.’ Algorithms are becoming a tool of soft power, a method for inculcating particular cultural values AI technologies do not just pick out the boundaries of different emotional regimes; they also push the people that engage with them to prioritise certain values over others. ‘Algorithms are opinions embedded in code,’ writes the data scientist Cathy O’Neil in Weapons of Math Destruction (2016). Everywhere in the world, tech elites – mostly white, mostly middle-class, and mostly male – are deciding which human feelings and forms of behaviour the algorithms should learn to replicate and promote. At Google, members of a dedicated ‘empathy lab’ are attempting to instil appropriate affective responses in the company’s suite of products. Similarly, when Yandex’s vision of a ‘good girl’ clashes with what’s stipulated by public discourse, Subbotin and his colleagues take responsibility for maintaining moral norms. ‘Even if everyone around us decides, for some reason, that it’s OK to abuse women, we must make sure that Alisa does not reproduce such ideas,’ he says. ‘There are moral and ethical standards which we believe we need to observe for the benefit of our users.’ Every answer from a conversational agent is a sign that algorithms are becoming a tool of soft power, a method for inculcating particular cultural values. Gadgets and algorithms give a robotic materiality to what the ancient Greeks called doxa: ‘the common opinion, commonsense repeated over and over, a Medusa that petrifies anyone who watches it,’ as the cultural theorist Roland Barthes defined the term in 1975. Unless users attend to the politics of AI, the emotional regimes that shape our lives risk ossifying into unquestioned doxa. While conversational AI agents can reiterate stereotypes and clichés about how emotions should be treated, mood-management apps go a step further – making sure we internalise those clichés and steer ourselves upon them. Quizzes that allow you to estimate and track your mood are a common feature. Some apps ask the user to keep a journal, while others correlate mood ratings with GPS coordinates, phone movement, call and browsing records. By collecting and analysing data about users’ feelings, these apps promise to treat mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder – or simply to help one get out of the emotional rut. Similar self-soothing functions are performed by so-called Woebots – online bots who, according to their creators, ‘track your mood’, ‘teach you stuff’ and ‘help you feel better’. ‘I really was impressed and surprised at the difference the bot made in my everyday life in terms of noticing the types of thinking I was having and changing it,’ writes Sara, a 24-year-old user, in her user review on the Woebot site. There are also apps such as Mend, specifically designed to take you through a romantic rough patch, from an LA-based company that markets itself as a ‘personal trainer for heartbreak’ and offers a ‘heartbreak cleanse’ based on a quick emotional assessment test. According to Felix Freigang, a researcher at the Free University of Berlin, these apps have three distinct benefits. First, they compensate for the structural constraints of psychotherapeutic and outpatient care, just like the anonymous user review on the Mend website suggests: ‘For a fraction of a session with my therapist I get daily help and motivation with this app.’ Second, mood-tracking apps serve as tools in a campaign against mental illness stigma. And finally, they present as ‘happy objects’ through their pleasing aesthetic design. Tinder and Woebot serve the same idealised person who behaves rationally to capitalise on all her experiences So what could go wrong? Despite their upsides, emotional-management devices exacerbate emotional capitalism. They feed the notion that the road to happiness is measured by scales and quantitative tests, peppered with listicles and bullet points. Coaching, self-help and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are all based on the assumption that we can (and should) manage our feelings by distancing ourselves from them and looking at our emotions from a rational perspective. These apps promote the ideal of the ‘managed heart’, to use an expression from the American sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild. The very concept of mood control and quantified, customised feedback piggybacks on a hegemonic culture of self-optimisation. And perhaps this is what’s driving us crazy in the first place. After all, the emotional healing is mediated by the same device that embodies and transmits anxiety: the smartphone with its email, dating apps and social networks. Tinder and Woebot also serve the same idealised individual: a person who behaves rationally so as to capitalise on all her experiences – including emotional ones. Murmuring in their soft voices, Siri, Alexa and various mindfulness apps signal their readiness to cater to us in an almost slave-like fashion. It’s not a coincidence that most of these devices are feminised; so, too, is emotional labour and the servile status that typically attaches to it. Yet the emotional presumptions hidden within these technologies are likely to end up nudging us, subtly but profoundly, to behave in ways that serve the interests of the powerful. Conversational agents that cheer you up (Alisa’s tip: watch cat videos); apps that monitor how you are coping with grief; programmes that coax you to be more productive and positive; gadgets that signal when your pulse is getting too quick – the very availability of tools to pursue happiness makes this pursuit obligatory. Instead of questioning the system of values that sets the bar so high, individuals become increasingly responsible for their own inability to feel better. Just as Amazon’s new virtual stylist, the ‘Echo Look’, rates the outfit you’re wearing, technology has become both the problem and the solution. It acts as both carrot and stick, creating enough self-doubt and stress to make you dislike yourself, while offering you the option of buying your way out of unpleasantness. To paraphrase the philosopher Michel Foucault, emotionally intelligent apps do not only discipline – they also punish. The videogame Nevermind, for example, currently uses emotion-based biofeedback technology to detect a player’s mood, and adjusts game levels and difficulty accordingly. The more frightened the player, the harder the gameplay becomes. The more relaxed the player, the more forgiving the game. It doesn’t take much to imagine a mood-management app that blocks your credit card when it decides that you’re too excitable or too depressed to make sensible shopping decisions. That might sound like dystopia, but it’s one that’s within reach. We exist in a feedback loop with our devices. The upbringing of conversational agents invariably turns into the upbringing of users. It’s impossible to predict what AI might do to our feelings. However, if we regard emotional intelligence as a set of specific skills – recognising emotions, discerning between different feelings and labelling them, using emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour – then it’s worth reflecting on what could happen once we offload these skills on to our gadgets. Interacting with and via machines has already changed the way that humans relate to one another. For one, our written communication is increasingly mimicking oral communication. Twenty years ago, emails still existed within the boundaries of the epistolary genre; they were essentially letters typed on a computer. The Marquise de Merteuil in Les Liaisons Dangereuses (1782) could write one of those. Today’s emails, however, seem more and more like Twitter posts: abrupt, often incomplete sentences, thumbed out or dictated to a mobile device. ‘All these systems are likely to limit the diversity of how we think and how we interact with people,’ says José Hernández-Orallo, a philosopher and computer scientist at the Technical University of Valencia in Spain. Because we adapt our own language to the language and intelligence of our peers, Hernández-Orallo says, our conversations with AI might indeed change the way we talk to each other. Might our language of feelings become more standardised and less personal after years of discussing our private affairs with Siri? After all, the more predictable our behaviour, the more easily it is monetised. ‘Talking to Alisa is like talking to a taxi driver,’ observed Valera Zolotuhin, a Russian user, on Facebook in 2017, in a thread started by the respected historian Mikhail Melnichenko. Except that a taxi driver might still be more empathetic. When a disastrous fire in a shopping mall in Siberia killed more than 40 children this March, we asked Alisa how she felt. Her mood was ‘always OK’ she said, sanguine. Life was not meant to be about fun, was it?

pl. areolae [L. areola, a small space] 1. A small space or cavity in a tissue. 2. A circular area of different pigmentation, as around a wheal, around the nipple of the breast, or the part of the iris around the pupil. areolar (ă-rē′ŏ-lăr), adj. SEE: Chaussier areola SEE: Areola mammae. A pigmented area surrounding the areola mammae during pregnancy. A pigmented area surrounding the umbilicus. Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary 24th Edition Online + App from F.A. Davis and Unbound Medicine. Find 75,000 medical and nursing definitions. Download to iPhone, iPad, and Android. Complete Product Information.

According to the ASA style the writer should maintain a separate title page in which the name of the author, name of the institution and the name of the title is required. The font size should be appropriate like 12 font size is suitable and space should be double so that the words could be more clear and identifiable. The writer following the ASA style should be focused on the 1 ¼ margin equally from four sides. Following are the guidelines which must follow: The abstract is required to be on the separate page with the title of paper. The word limit should be of 150 to 200. The first page should be separate than the abstract and the title page and having the title. The foot notes and end notes should be encompassed in the separate page and numbered properly. Space should be doubled. The References should be on the separate page with the heading of the reference. References should encompass with the hanging indent. The order of the references should be proper like the references should be in alphabetical orders as it facilitates the readers to find the references easily. There are different ways to write the reference of the following sources like for the book, magazine, editorial, newspaper, books journals etc. The last name of the author should be written at the first place, and if the book has been written by many authors then write all the names and at the end write et al. Purpose Of ASA The sources from where one gets the information are necessary to be quoted in the paper or in assignment. The citation of the sources is essential to be written in the research paper so that the readers can find out who has written what in the paper. For the publishing of manuscripts in the ASA Journal it is necessary to write in the ASA style. It is the responsibility of the instructor to give information to the students regarding the styles because every university has different adopted styles like some used to have MLA so have ASA etc so this point should be in focus of the instructor. The good writers and the well studied students have a grip on these styles because they are in the habit of using all these styles in their work. Preparation And Learning Styles The learning is not difficult but one should have the attitude and aptitude to learn, so that is why the research says that the people who are willing to learn are bale to learn quickly but the one who are not then they do have the difficulty to learn. The best thing for the student is that read all the styles first and then writes the differences existing within the styles, for all this it is essential to have a pen and a note pad. Practice all the styles by writing different small and large assignments because you can only learn by demonstrating practically. One cannot learn all the styles in one go it would take some time so there is no need to get frustrated, relax and just read the styles one by one. Another way is to make the notes of all the styles in your own words because it is the fact the one can understand the concept written in their own words. There are many guides available for the instructors and the students online.

On Thursday I usually do my preschool post on our latest B4FIAR book. This week we have had the most glorious weather and the children played all day outside building forts, huts and goodness know what else. Our garden looks like a bomb has hit it. We have very happy children, but alas, not terribly educated ones this week! We are working on Goodnight Moon, but haven’t quite finished everything (that should maybe read – haven’t quite started anything) – I’ll post on this next week. We have, however, done lots of science play. This year I am making some changes to the children’s science experience. I will still continue with Apologia’s Anatomy (with the older ones) as usual. It will be the peripheral science which I will be changing. I have already posted about including nature study into our science day with a year-long pond study, which we began on Monday. The second change has been to purposefully include science into my littles ones schooling. Monday is going to be our home school science day. I’m hoping having a whole day put aside for science will encourage me to fulfil my goals. We will do Freddie maths on a Monday which by its very nature is a short lesson, but the rest of the day will be set aside for science. I will oversee the preschoolers science but I am going to enlist the help of the older children, more for their sake than mine. I’d like them to experience science ‘just for fun’ rather than academically. One hour will be pumped into preschool science, with each child having 20 minutes with the little ones for fun experimentation. My preschooler’s science school will be called ‘Young Scientists at play’. Not very, very original but it has grabbed their attention and they are very excited about starting. I knew I wanted a theme, because I work better in preparing lessons if I have a theme to narrow my research field (stops me getting overwhelmed). I also wanted each experiment to be fun, be short and most importantly to show immediate results. Ideally, the result can be played with afterwards. My chosen theme is COLOUR. Each experiment or activity will be loosely woven around this. The second way I will encourage scientific play will be by setting up a science station, just for 1/2 an hour a week in the bathroom. I have bought some plastic measuring containers and other plastic scientific tools. I am hoping that adding these to unlimited supplies of coloured waters, salt, flour etc will instill a need to mix. Actually I know it will. Our bathroom, in our very quirky house, is a room off our kitchen which is where I will be with the older ones. I’ll be within reach but this will, purposefully, be unsupervised play (deep breath!): I introduced them to their ‘nook’ this week. To say they loved it would be an understatement! They played for hours…. This was so worth the money, the time and the mess. Clean up was easy peasy, with everything fitting in their science box ready for next Monday: So much fun! Resource kits from amazon:

Exposure Therapy is based on the fact that anxiety usually goes down after long enough contact with something feared. People with obsessions about germs are taught to stay in contact with “germy” objects (e.g., handling money) until their anxiety is extinguished. The person’s anxiety tends to decrease after repeated exposure until he or she no longer fears the contact. Graded exposure therapies are commonly used to treat phobias. Graded exposure teaches individuals how to tolerate mildly anxiety provoking stimuli first and then gradually face more fearful stimuli and situations. Response prevention can be a highly effective method of treating the rituals occurring with OCD. Response prevention teaches individuals to expose themselves to feared stimuli and learn to prevent the patterned ritualistic responses they perform to reduce their anxiety. Contact Behavior Therapy of New York to learn more about how exposure therapy can help.

British scientists offer explanation for existence of males after studying flour beetles Since in many species sperm is the male's only contribution to reproduction, biologists have long puzzled about why evolutionary selection, known for its ruthless efficiency, allows them to exist. Now British scientists have an explanation — males are required for a process known as sexual selection, which helps species to ward off disease and avoid extinction. A system where all offspring are produced without sex — as in all-female asexual populations — would be far more efficient at reproducing greater numbers of offspring, the scientists said. But in research published in the journal Nature, they found that sexual selection, in which males compete to be chosen by females for reproduction, improves the gene pool and boosts population health, helping explain why males are important. An absence of selection — when there is no sex, or no need to compete for it — leaves populations weaker genetically, making them more vulnerable to dying out. "Competition among males for reproduction provides a really important benefit because it improves the genetic health of populations," said Professor Matt Gage, who led the work at Britain's University of East Anglia. "Sexual selection achieves this by acting as a filter to remove harmful genetic mutations, helping populations to flourish and avoid extinction in the long term." Almost all multi-cellular species reproduce using sex, but its existence is not easy to explain biologically, Professor Gage said, because sex had big downsides — including that only half of the offspring, the daughters, would produce offspring themselves. "Why should any species waste all that effort on sons?" he said. In their study, Professor Gage's team evolved Tribolium flour beetles over 10 years under controlled laboratory conditions, where the only difference between populations was the intensity of sexual selection during each adult reproductive stage. The strength of sexual selection ranged from intense competition — where 90 males competed for only 10 females — through to the complete absence of sexual selection, with monogamous pairings in which females had no choice and males no competition. After seven years of reproduction, representing about 50 generations, the scientists found that populations where there had been strong sexual selection were fitter and more resilient to extinction in the face of inbreeding. But populations with weak or non-existent sexual selection showed more rapid declines in health under inbreeding, and all went extinct by the 10th generation.

California regulating pesticide air pollution and fish farming California is trailblazing again: It aims to be the first state in the U.S. to tackle air pollution from pesticide use. State officials hope to eliminate tons (literally) of smog-forming gases that waft from pesticide-treated agricultural regions. California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation — long accused of doing very little regulating — is finally getting on the ball, asking manufacturers to reformulate more than 700 pesticides to reduce smog-contributing volatile organic compounds. Next year, the DPR plans to impose stricter rules on soil fumigants, which by weight account for about 25 percent of applied pesticides in California. The state aims to reduce pesticide air pollution at least 20 percent by 2008, and hopes to convince the U.S. EPA to follow its lead. Ahem. In other California-spanks-the-U.S. news, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Friday signed into law the strictest ocean fish-farming regulations in the nation. Get Grist in your inbox

# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Copyright (c) 2014--, The Qiita Development Team. # # Distributed under the terms of the BSD 3-clause License. # # The full license is in the file LICENSE, distributed with this software. # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- # login code modified from https://gist.github.com/guillaumevincent/4771570 import tornado.auth import tornado.escape import tornado.web import tornado.websocket from os.path import dirname, join from base64 import b64encode from uuid import uuid4 from qiita_core.qiita_settings import qiita_config from qiita_core.util import is_test_environment from qiita_pet.handlers.base_handlers import (MainHandler, NoPageHandler) from qiita_pet.handlers.auth_handlers import ( AuthCreateHandler, AuthLoginHandler, AuthLogoutHandler, AuthVerifyHandler) from qiita_pet.handlers.user_handlers import ( ChangeForgotPasswordHandler, ForgotPasswordHandler, UserProfileHandler, UserMessagesHander, UserJobs) from qiita_pet.handlers.analysis_handlers import ( ListAnalysesHandler, AnalysisSummaryAJAX, SelectedSamplesHandler, AnalysisDescriptionHandler, AnalysisGraphHandler, CreateAnalysisHandler, AnalysisJobsHandler, ShareAnalysisAJAX) from qiita_pet.handlers.study_handlers import ( StudyIndexHandler, StudyBaseInfoAJAX, SampleTemplateHandler, SampleTemplateOverviewHandler, SampleTemplateSummaryHandler, StudyEditHandler, ListStudiesHandler, SearchStudiesAJAX, EBISubmitHandler, CreateStudyAJAX, ShareStudyAJAX, StudyApprovalList, ArtifactGraphAJAX, VAMPSHandler, StudyTags, StudyGetTags, ListCommandsHandler, ListOptionsHandler, PrepTemplateSummaryAJAX, PrepTemplateAJAX, NewArtifactHandler, SampleAJAX, StudyDeleteAjax, ArtifactAdminAJAX, NewPrepTemplateAjax, DataTypesMenuAJAX, StudyFilesAJAX, ArtifactGetSamples, ArtifactGetInfo, WorkflowHandler, WorkflowRunHandler, JobAJAX, AutocompleteHandler) from qiita_pet.handlers.artifact_handlers import ( ArtifactSummaryAJAX, ArtifactAJAX, ArtifactSummaryHandler) from qiita_pet.handlers.websocket_handlers import ( MessageHandler, SelectedSocketHandler, SelectSamplesHandler) from qiita_pet.handlers.logger_handlers import LogEntryViewerHandler from qiita_pet.handlers.upload import UploadFileHandler, StudyUploadFileHandler from qiita_pet.handlers.stats import StatsHandler from qiita_pet.handlers.download import ( DownloadHandler, DownloadStudyBIOMSHandler, DownloadRelease, DownloadRawData, DownloadEBISampleAccessions, DownloadEBIPrepAccessions, DownloadUpload) from qiita_pet.handlers.prep_template import ( PrepTemplateHandler, PrepTemplateGraphHandler, PrepTemplateJobHandler) from qiita_pet.handlers.ontology import OntologyHandler from qiita_db.handlers.processing_job import ( JobHandler, HeartbeatHandler, ActiveStepHandler, CompleteHandler, ProcessingJobAPItestHandler) from qiita_db.handlers.artifact import ( ArtifactHandler, ArtifactAPItestHandler, ArtifactTypeHandler) from qiita_db.handlers.prep_template import ( PrepTemplateDataHandler, PrepTemplateAPItestHandler, PrepTemplateDBHandler) from qiita_db.handlers.oauth2 import TokenAuthHandler from qiita_db.handlers.reference import ReferenceHandler from qiita_db.handlers.core import ResetAPItestHandler from qiita_db.handlers.plugin import ( PluginHandler, CommandHandler, CommandListHandler, CommandActivateHandler, ReloadPluginAPItestHandler) from qiita_db.handlers.analysis import APIAnalysisMetadataHandler from qiita_db.handlers.archive import APIArchiveObservations from qiita_pet import uimodules from qiita_db.util import get_mountpoint from qiita_pet.handlers.rest import ENDPOINTS as REST_ENDPOINTS from qiita_pet.handlers.qiita_redbiom import RedbiomPublicSearch if qiita_config.portal == "QIITA": from qiita_pet.handlers.portal import ( StudyPortalHandler, StudyPortalAJAXHandler) DIRNAME = dirname(__file__) STATIC_PATH = join(DIRNAME, "static") TEMPLATE_PATH = join(DIRNAME, "templates") # base folder for webpages _, RES_PATH = get_mountpoint('job')[0] COOKIE_SECRET = b64encode(uuid4().bytes + uuid4().bytes) DEBUG = qiita_config.test_environment _vendor_js = join(STATIC_PATH, 'vendor', 'js') class Application(tornado.web.Application): def __init__(self): handlers = [ (r"/", MainHandler), (r"/auth/login/", AuthLoginHandler), (r"/auth/logout/", AuthLogoutHandler), (r"/auth/create/", AuthCreateHandler), (r"/auth/verify/(.*)", AuthVerifyHandler), (r"/auth/forgot/", ForgotPasswordHandler), (r"/auth/reset/(.*)", ChangeForgotPasswordHandler), (r"/profile/", UserProfileHandler), (r"/user/messages/", UserMessagesHander), (r"/user/jobs/", UserJobs), (r"/static/(.*)", tornado.web.StaticFileHandler, {"path": STATIC_PATH}), # Analysis handlers (r"/analysis/list/", ListAnalysesHandler), (r"/analysis/dflt/sumary/", AnalysisSummaryAJAX), (r"/analysis/create/", CreateAnalysisHandler), (r"/analysis/selected/", SelectedSamplesHandler), (r"/analysis/selected/socket/", SelectedSocketHandler), (r"/analysis/description/(.*)/graph/", AnalysisGraphHandler), (r"/analysis/description/(.*)/jobs/", AnalysisJobsHandler), (r"/analysis/description/(.*)/", AnalysisDescriptionHandler), (r"/analysis/sharing/", ShareAnalysisAJAX), (r"/artifact/samples/", ArtifactGetSamples), (r"/artifact/info/", ArtifactGetInfo), (r"/consumer/", MessageHandler), (r"/admin/error/", LogEntryViewerHandler), (r"/admin/approval/", StudyApprovalList), (r"/admin/artifact/", ArtifactAdminAJAX), (r"/ebi_submission/(.*)", EBISubmitHandler), # Study handlers (r"/study/create/", StudyEditHandler), (r"/study/edit/(.*)", StudyEditHandler), (r"/study/list/", ListStudiesHandler), (r"/study/process/commands/options/", ListOptionsHandler), (r"/study/process/commands/", ListCommandsHandler), (r"/study/process/workflow/run/", WorkflowRunHandler), (r"/study/process/workflow/", WorkflowHandler), (r"/study/process/job/", JobAJAX), (r"/study/list/socket/", SelectSamplesHandler), (r"/study/search/(.*)", SearchStudiesAJAX), (r"/study/new_artifact/", NewArtifactHandler), (r"/study/files/", StudyFilesAJAX), (r"/study/sharing/", ShareStudyAJAX), (r"/study/sharing/autocomplete/", AutocompleteHandler), (r"/study/new_prep_template/", NewPrepTemplateAjax), (r"/study/tags/(.*)", StudyTags), (r"/study/get_tags/", StudyGetTags), # Artifact handlers (r"/artifact/graph/", ArtifactGraphAJAX), (r"/artifact/(.*)/summary/", ArtifactSummaryAJAX), (r"/artifact/html_summary/(.*)", ArtifactSummaryHandler, {"path": qiita_config.base_data_dir}), (r"/artifact/(.*)/", ArtifactAJAX), # Prep template handlers (r"/prep_template/", PrepTemplateHandler), (r"/prep_template/(.*)/graph/", PrepTemplateGraphHandler), (r"/prep_template/(.*)/jobs/", PrepTemplateJobHandler), (r"/ontology/", OntologyHandler), # ORDER FOR /study/description/ SUBPAGES HERE MATTERS. # Same reasoning as below. /study/description/(.*) should be last. (r"/study/description/sample_template/overview/", SampleTemplateOverviewHandler), (r"/study/description/sample_template/summary/", SampleTemplateSummaryHandler), (r"/study/description/sample_template/", SampleTemplateHandler), (r"/study/description/sample_summary/", SampleAJAX), (r"/study/description/prep_summary/", PrepTemplateSummaryAJAX), (r"/study/description/prep_template/", PrepTemplateAJAX), (r"/study/description/baseinfo/", StudyBaseInfoAJAX), (r"/study/description/data_type_menu/", DataTypesMenuAJAX), (r"/study/description/(.*)", StudyIndexHandler), (r"/study/delete/", StudyDeleteAjax), (r"/study/upload/(.*)", StudyUploadFileHandler), (r"/upload/", UploadFileHandler), (r"/check_study/", CreateStudyAJAX), (r"/stats/", StatsHandler), (r"/download/(.*)", DownloadHandler), (r"/download_study_bioms/(.*)", DownloadStudyBIOMSHandler), (r"/download_raw_data/(.*)", DownloadRawData), (r"/download_ebi_accessions/samples/(.*)", DownloadEBISampleAccessions), (r"/download_ebi_accessions/experiments/(.*)", DownloadEBIPrepAccessions), (r"/download_upload/(.*)", DownloadUpload), (r"/release/download/(.*)", DownloadRelease), (r"/vamps/(.*)", VAMPSHandler), (r"/redbiom/(.*)", RedbiomPublicSearch), # Plugin handlers - the order matters here so do not change # qiita_db/jobs/(.*) should go after any of the # qiita_db/jobs/(.*)/XXXX because otherwise it will match the # regular expression and the qiita_db/jobs/(.*)/XXXX will never # be hit. (r"/qiita_db/authenticate/", TokenAuthHandler), (r"/qiita_db/jobs/(.*)/heartbeat/", HeartbeatHandler), (r"/qiita_db/jobs/(.*)/step/", ActiveStepHandler), (r"/qiita_db/jobs/(.*)/complete/", CompleteHandler), (r"/qiita_db/jobs/(.*)", JobHandler), (r"/qiita_db/artifacts/types/", ArtifactTypeHandler), (r"/qiita_db/artifacts/(.*)/", ArtifactHandler), (r"/qiita_db/prep_template/(.*)/data/", PrepTemplateDataHandler), (r"/qiita_db/prep_template/(.*)/", PrepTemplateDBHandler), (r"/qiita_db/references/(.*)/", ReferenceHandler), (r"/qiita_db/plugins/(.*)/(.*)/commands/(.*)/activate/", CommandActivateHandler), (r"/qiita_db/plugins/(.*)/(.*)/commands/(.*)/", CommandHandler), (r"/qiita_db/plugins/(.*)/(.*)/commands/", CommandListHandler), (r"/qiita_db/plugins/(.*)/(.*)/", PluginHandler), (r"/qiita_db/analysis/(.*)/metadata/", APIAnalysisMetadataHandler), (r"/qiita_db/archive/observations/", APIArchiveObservations) ] # rest endpoints handlers.extend(REST_ENDPOINTS) if qiita_config.portal == "QIITA": # Add portals editing pages only on main portal portals = [ (r"/admin/portals/studies/", StudyPortalHandler), (r"/admin/portals/studiesAJAX/", StudyPortalAJAXHandler) ] handlers.extend(portals) if is_test_environment(): # We add the endpoints for testing plugins test_handlers = [ (r"/apitest/processing_job/", ProcessingJobAPItestHandler), (r"/apitest/reset/", ResetAPItestHandler), (r"/apitest/prep_template/", PrepTemplateAPItestHandler), (r"/apitest/artifact/", ArtifactAPItestHandler), (r"/apitest/reload_plugins/", ReloadPluginAPItestHandler) ] handlers.extend(test_handlers) # 404 PAGE MUST BE LAST IN THIS LIST! handlers.append((r".*", NoPageHandler)) settings = { "template_path": TEMPLATE_PATH, "debug": DEBUG, "cookie_secret": qiita_config.cookie_secret, "login_url": "%s/auth/login/" % qiita_config.portal_dir, "ui_modules": uimodules, } tornado.web.Application.__init__(self, handlers, **settings)

Table of Contents Why does a hippo have a pink belly? While it’s true that the exterior of a hippo could sometimes appear pinkish due to the animal’s secretion of hippusudoric acid, this phenomenon does not produce pink milk: Like all mammals, hippos produce white or off-white milk for their young. When do female hippos attack for their milk? Female hippos are most likely to attack when they are pregnant or taking care of their young, and few are brave enough to tangle with a mad 3,000-pound (1,361-kilogram) momma just to get a glimpse of her milk [source: Mason ]. Where does a hippo live in the world? Hippos once had a broader distribution but now live in eastern central and southern sub-Saharan Africa, where their populations are in decline. “Something had gone under me, and I called, ‘Kubu!

About the time Arnold met Colleen, he also found a new job. His friend Charlie Moore was an engineer for General Mills, and he had a contract with the Navy to develop manned balloons that could stay aloft for up to twelve hours. Charlie had flown one manned flight in 1949, but he needed additional help to continue the program. He really needed three employees – another pilot, a mechanic, and an engineer – but he decided to hire Arnold because he could fill all three roles and thus save the program some money. Despite his lack of degree and his youth, by October Arnold was a General Mills employee and the project engineer for the balloon program. When the Minnesota National Guard activated on December 1, 1950 the Navy, not wanting to lose their prized new project engineer, arranged his to transfer to the Minnesota Air National Guard. Despite the Navy perception of Arnold’s importance to their program, neither he nor Charlie knew much about manned balloons, and Arnold did not know much about balloons at all. However, if the balloonists-to-be had any doubts, the confidence of youth overcame them. Photos of these balloons do not inspire confidence that they could safely carry someone even five feet off the ground, let alone 5,000. Except for the use of a single balloon, the setup resembled a “lawn chair balloon” that Californian Larry Walters infamously used in 1982 to ascend to 15,000 feet, astonishing several nearby airline pilots. Federal authorities were not amused. The GM balloons were legal, although the Navy took great pains to keep the program quiet. Each balloon was made of very thin polyethylene plastic and was twenty feet in diameter, when fully inflated with helium. Instead of the typical basket used on balloons to carry the pilot and passengers, the pilot dangled precariously below the balloon, attached using only the parachute for the instrument and a harness. With this unwieldy get-up, there was obviously no room for passengers, even if any had been willing to go for a ride. Although Arnold modified later balloons with a plywood swing for the pilot to sit on, there was still nothing between the pilot and the ground, which made for interesting landings. The balloons leaked helium naturally, which caused the balloon to enter a gradual descent once it reached its maximum altitude on any given day. Once the balloon was about one hundred feet above the ground, the pilot would drop a one-inch weighted rope attached to the balloon. When the rope touched the ground, the weight of the balloon was reduced by the rope weight now on the ground, which caused the balloon to temporarily stop descending. The pilot then brought himself to within five feet of the ground by simply hauling the rope into the basket; at five feet, the pilot pulled a balloon panel designed to rip away and deflate balloon, and the pilot dropped comfortably to the ground. Despite the simplicity of the system, it required a great deal of coordination and effort from the pilot. The landings could also become quite dicey when it was windy, as the rope did nothing to keep the balloon from blowing across the ground.

Fire hydrants are a crucial part of the fire protection system for any municipality. Hydrants play a pivotal role in supplying additional water to help firefighters extinguish a fire and are placed with specific distances between each hydrant based on the location. But what would happen if these devices were found to be inoperable? In Canada, there are several common standards and practices that the municipal, industrial, and private sectors follow. They are the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the Fire Underwriters Survey (FUS). These three bodies set best practices for public and private fire hydrant inspections. At a minimum, a hydrant should be inspected annually. However, in cold climate locations, semi-annual inspections or, in some cases, regular winter inspections should be performed. Proper maintenance is essential for any waterworks infrastructure. For instance, fire hydrants consist of multiple O-rings and other components that wear out during their useful life. This raises the need for fire hydrants to be inspected over time to keep their working condition intact. A preventative maintenance program is the best way to prevent fire hydrants from failure. Apart from ensuring that the fire hydrants are ready for use when needed, a preventative maintenance program will also reduce the risks of additional costs related to the reactive fire hydrant repair or replacement. Velocity Water Services offers fire hydrant maintenance programs for private, municipal and industrial clients in Western Canada. Learn more about our services and contact us to discuss how we can help. A fire hydrant preventative maintenance program has many significant benefits, including, but not limited to: A preventative maintenance program increases safety by ensuring that the fire hydrants are operable when needed. Nowadays, fire trucks are equipped with tanks between 2 and 13 thousand litres of water. Knowing that a fire hose can supply almost 1000 litres of water per minute makes the fire hydrant a critical component while fighting a fire. Preventative maintenance helps municipalities control their budgets better by receiving useful information and insights about the hydrants' working conditions. This enables the municipalities to plan and cut additional costs related to reactive maintenance. Inoperable fire hydrants cause the loss of valuable seconds or minutes when trying to access an additional water supply. If the first hydrant is found to be inoperable, firefighters must disconnect and stretch out an extra hose to the hydrant further down the street. This adds critical time to access the water supply. Neglecting the maintenance of the fire hydrants can potentially lead to more property damages and endanger lives. Unfortunately, there are many cases where an inoperable fire hydrant becomes the reason for large-scale property losses. The subsequent investigations often find unclear responsibility and dangerous practices related to the fire hydrants' condition. Knowing the serious advantages of implementing a preventative maintenance program, it's hard to believe that so many fire hydrants are still inoperable to this day. However, in our experience, we have concluded that 18.5% of hydrants are either out of service or have significant deficiencies related to their operation. The most efficient way to ensure that a fire hydrant is operable when needed is to implement a preventative maintenance program. At Velocity Water Services, we provide fire hydrant maintenance programs for private, municipal and industrial clients throughout Western Canada. We have the knowledge and experience needed to identify and resolve any issues related to your fire hydrants and provide solutions and advice for future maintenance. Give us a call, and let's discuss how we can help. Let's have a look at some of the best practices related to the fire hydrants' maintenance: A visual inspection of the fire hydrant is done to determine if there is any visible damage. Exercising the fire hydrant will ensure that the fire hydrant is in good working condition and will operate as expected. Exercising and testing the hydrant's isolation valve is a key step in an inspection. Without a working isolation valve, it becomes very difficult to conduct preventive maintenance on the hydrant's internal components. Fire hydrant flushing ensures there is water supply to a hydrant and the hydrant works under flowing conditions. This step also removes the stagnate water in the branch line to the hydrant. Checking fire hydrants for standing water is an important practice, especially in cold climate locations. Sometimes high-water tables, leaking main valves, or clogged drain features can allow water to accumulate in the fire hydrant barrel and later freeze, causing additional damage. Lubrication using food-grade grease helps maintain the smooth operation of a fire hydrant. Proper lubrication also prevents corrosion from occurring making the hydrant difficult or even impossible to operate. Municipalities should keep a record of all the inspection and maintenance completed in relation to the fire hydrants. This way, the municipalities can keep track of the repairs and replacements following the inspections. A reputable company should give reports after every inspection or maintenance service. In addition to specific fire hydrant inspections, Fire Flow Testing should be completed every 5 years as per NFPA 291. These flow tests identify the water main capacity available to the fire department down to a specific pressure of 138kPa/20 PSI. It is important to note that in cases where significant water main improvements are made or large developments have been completed, Fire Flow Testing should be utilized afterwards to understand the impact on the water distribution system. For more information on Fire Hydrant Flow Testing, please see our December 2021 Blog here. https://velocitywaterservices.ca/resources/blog/why-is-fire-flow-testing-important.html At Velocity Water Services, we have a team of certified water professionals that will inspect, maintain, repair and re-certify any municipal or private fire hydrants. Our practices are based on the NFPA, AWWA, and the FUS requirements, as well as your provincial fire codes and bylaws. Ensure the safety of the people and assets around you. Contact us today, and let's discuss how you can benefit from our fire hydrant preventative maintenance programs.

Local Treatment Options (Also Called 'Breast Cancer: Local Treatment Options - Care & Treatment') What is breast cancer? Breast cancer is defined by an increase in the number of very abnormal cells within the milk ducts and lobules of the breast. These cancer cells grow rapidly, and eventually they can break out of the ducts or lobules into normal surrounding breast tissue, a process called invasion or infiltration. Once the cells become invasive, they might spread beyond the breast to lymph nodes and other organs via the bloodstream, a process referred to as metastasis. How is breast cancer treated? There are two types of treatment for breast cancer. The first type is referred to as local therapy. Local therapy involves treating the breast tissue itself to lessen the chance of recurrence. This treatment can be accomplished by either an approach called breast conservation (lumpectomy with radiation) or an approach called mastectomy. The second type of treatment is called systemic therapy. Systemic therapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells that have spread beyond the breast. The majority of individuals with breast cancer benefit from both local and systemic treatment. What is breast conservation treatment? Breast conservation treatment preserves normal breast tissue while removing the cancer. Breast conservation is effective only if the entire area of breast cancer can be removed with an acceptable appearance afterward. Following removal of the cancer, the remaining breast tissue is treated for several weeks with radiation therapy. However, some recent information suggests a possible benefit of radiation therapy following mastectomy for some individuals. Why are lymph nodes removed? Lymph nodes under the arm can be the first site where breast cancer spreads. The only way to determine whether breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes is to remove and analyze them. Lymph node removal is reserved for individuals who have invasive breast cancer, whether they have breast conservation or a mastectomy. Information from lymph node analysis is used to determine whether systemic therapy should follow the local treatment. A new procedure called sentinel lymph node biopsy can be performed in an effort to remove fewer lymph nodes. What is breast reconstruction? Many individuals who have a mastectomy choose breast reconstruction. Breast reconstruction is accomplished by using either an expandable prosthesis or one's own tissue, which is usually transferred from the lower abdomen. This latter procedure is called a DIEP flap procedure (deep inferior epigastric perforator), or transverse myocutaneous flap (TRAM) procedure. Reconstruction can be done at the time of the mastectomy or at any time thereafter. However, reconstruction after radiation therapy can be more challenging. - Breastcancer.org. Treatment & Side Effects. www.breastcancer.org Accessed 5/11/2012 - American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer: Treating Breast Cancer Topics: How is breast cancer treated? www.cancer.org Accessed 5/11/2012 - American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer: Breast Reconstruction after Mastectomy: What is breast reconstruction? www.cancer.org Accessed 5/11/2012 - UpToDate. Patient information: Surgery for breast cancer — Mastectomy and breast conserving therapy (Beyond the Basics). www.uptodate.com Accessed 5/11/2012 © 1995-2012 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All rights reserved. Can't find the health information you’re looking for? This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 4/10/2012...#5563

Novel insights into immune and inflammatory responses to respiratory viruses - 1MRC Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK - 2Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK - Correspondence to Dr Jürgen Schwarze, MRC Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK; - Received 6 September 2012 - Revised 6 September 2012 - Accepted 19 September 2012 - Published Online First 23 October 2012 Viral lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) can lead to severe disease at all ages, but with the exception of influenza vaccination, prevention is not available for most respiratory viruses, hence, effective, disease-limiting therapy is urgently required. To enable the development of novel effective therapeutic approaches, we need to improve understanding of the pathological mechanisms of viral LRTI. Here, we will discuss recently gained new insight into early, innate immune and inflammatory responses to respiratory viruses by airway epithelial cells and mucosal immune cells. Following virus recognition, these cells generate a range of mediators, including innate interferons, proinflammatory cytokines, and growth and differentiation factors which have pivotal roles in effective virus control, and the development of inflammation and disease in viral LRTI. Viral lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) can lead to severe disease including bronchiolitis and pneumonia, and to exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With the exception of influenza vaccination, prevention is not widely available for most respiratory viruses, thus, effective therapies limiting the severity and duration of viral LRTIs are urgently required. This calls for improved understanding of the pathological mechanisms of viral LRTI. Here, we highlight recent new insights into early, innate immune and inflammatory responses to respiratory viruses (Figure 1). Innate interferon responses Respiratory viruses encounter airway epithelial cells (AECs) and resident mucosal immune cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) early after inhalation. The majority of respiratory viruses, including influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinoviruses, parainfluenza viruses and human metapneumovirus, are RNA-viruses. Viral double-stranded RNA arising during viral replication, is recognised in human AECs by pattern recognition receptors including toll-like receptor-3 in endosomes and RNA-helicases (RIG-I, MDA-5) in the cytoplasm. This recognition leads via the NFκB transcription complex to the initial production of interferon (IFN)-β, a type-I IFN that, in an autocrine fashion enhances its own production, and initiates the production of IFN-α and (type-III) IFN-λ in AECs and innate immune cells. Together, these IFNs induce antiviral genes in AECs, trigger programmed cell death of infected cells, and activate natural killer cells, thus limiting viral replication and infection of other cells. Recent evidence shows reduced IFN responses to respiratory viral infection in AECs from patients with pre-existing inflammatory lung disease, such as asthma,1 COPD and cystic fibrosis, resulting in increased viral load and, thus, increased proinflammatory stimuli. Such patients may benefit from therapies that enhance type I/III IFN responses in viral LRTI, an effect observed in vitro using the macrolide azithromycin.2 Mucosal IgA responses Secretory IgA antibodies (sIgA) are important in the mucosal defence against respiratory viruses. McNamara et al report in this issue of Thorax, the early, IFN-β-dependent expression of the B-cell activating factor of the TNF family (BAFF), in RSV-infected paediatric primary AECs, and its presence at high levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from infants with severe RSV infection, and at lower levels in nasopharyngeal aspirates from preschool children with LRTI.3 BAFF can activate B-cells and induce their proliferation and IgA class switching. While in the absence of age-matched controls it cannot be completely excluded that BAFF levels in the airways are a function of age, these findings suggest that early BAFF production by infected AECs ensures early, non-antigen-specific B-cell activation and polyclonal sIgA production in the lung. Even upon first encounter, this would increase the chances that polyclonal sIgA may be able to bind to and neutralise a virus. Interestingly, clarithromycin, another macrolide which is used in LRTI, and which, like azithromycin, may increase type I/III IFN responses, has just been shown to enhance BAFF production from DCs, IgA class switching in B-cells, airway sIgA levels and virus neutralisation in a mouse model of influenza infection.4 Innate proinflammatory responses Viral recognition by AECs and immune cells also results in the NFκB-dependent early production of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, including IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor, IL-8, granulocyte colony stimulating factor and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor. Activation of IL-1β-family cytokines requires enzymatic cleavage of a procytokine by the activated inflammasome. Triantafilou et al describe in this issue of Thorax, that the small hydrophobic envelope protein of RSV can directly activate the inflammasome, presumably by forming viral ion channels leading to changes in cellular electrolyte balance.5 Thus, RSV itself can fully activate inflammatory responses in AECs, which through their proinflammatory mediators provide important signals for the recruitment of myeloid immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages and monocytes, and for the differentiation and activation of conventional DCs. Myeloid immune cells While depletion of macrophages results in enhanced disease, depletion of neutrophils prevents severe disease in a model of severe influenza (H1N1) infection.6 This suggests that, in contrast with macrophages, which may limit viral replication and inflammation, neutrophils are important drivers of tissue damage and severe inflammation, possibly through the formation of extracellular DNA nets, so-called ‘neutrophil extracellular traps’, in response to reactive oxygen species. On the other hand, early neutrophilia in influenza infection is required for sustained, effective, antiviral CD8+ T-cell responses. Interestingly, viral protein and RNA have been found in peripheral blood neutrophils in influenza and RSV infection7 raising the possibility that these cells serve as vehicles of viral replication and dissemination. Lung DCs become activated in viral LRTI, and their numbers increase markedly for prolonged periods beyond acute infection.8 As professional antigen-presenting cells, lung DCs are thought to trigger antiviral effector and memory T-cell, and subsequent B-cell responses. However, mouse models of RSV infection suggest that they also contribute to pulmonary inflammation.9 Innate type-2 cytokine responses It has recently been observed that viral LRTI results in the production of the innate type-2 cytokines thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), IL-25 and IL-33. TSLP can prime developing DCs to become strong inducers of Th2-cells, which can promote allergic airway inflammation and asthma. The production of TSLP and its effects on DCs are further enhanced by IL-25. IL-33, an IL-1β family cytokine, is produced by mucosal macrophages and AECs following virus-induced inflammasome activation.10 Both, IL-25 and IL-33 can activate the recently discovered innate type-2 lymphocytes (ILC-2), which are potent producers of the type-2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13. These in turn, can lead directly, without antigen-specific T-cell responses, to eosinophilic airway inflammation, mucous hyperplasia and airway hyper-responsiveness, as has been shown in influenza infection.10 Given the close association of viral LRTI with asthma exacerbations, and in young children with an increased risk of asthma development, understanding these virus-induced innate type-2 immune responses is likely to enable the development of urgently needed preventive and disease-modifying asthma treatment. In summary, recent research demonstrates that early responses by AECs and innate immune cells have pivotal roles in effective virus control, and in determining the severity of inflammation, tissue damage and disease in viral LRTI. Competing interests None. Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

University of Florida University of Utah Wright State University, Ohio The localization of an electron in a normally unoccupied molecular orbital will often create a radical anion in an unstable, transient electronic state. Such states have been implicated in mutagenesis, DNA repair mechanisms, and etchants within the semiconductor industry (to name a few). Despite these biological and industrial associations, the difficulty in creating and sustaining such short-lived species has precluded them from routine study. We plan to overcome such adversities and study these challenging species via gas phase photodissociation laser spectroscopy. Neutral molecules will be seeded into a pulsed, supersonic jet source and expanded through a plume of low energy electrons (formed via the photoelectric effect), thus creating anions. Anions possessing a positive electron affinity will be extracted via an orthogonal accelerator and separated based on the charge-to-mass ratio in a custom TOFMS. The mass isolated anion packet will intersect a laser beam resulting in the resonant absorption of radiation and the electronic promotion into molecular orbitals rich in anti-bonding character. Resonant transitions will be detected by monitoring either the photo-ejected electron or, preferably, the dissociate daughter fragments (detection of fragments guarantee a maximal transition limewidth in accordance with the uncertainty principle, dEdt ≥ ћ; a bond cannot rupture any faster than it can vibrate). Anion photodissociation spectroscopy, as detailed here, is conceptually the tandem combination of anion photoelectron spectroscopy and dissociative electron capture. This unique experiment will resolve transient anion states into vibronic progressions, explore the electronic landscape of simple molecules, and probe bond rupture dynamics resulting from the localization of electrons into anti-bonding MO's.

Our two oldest daughters are best friends. The eldest, a teenager, sees herself as a sort of guide for her little sister, a pre-teen. They both share the same interests, art and anime. They share secrets. They stay up long hours chatting away about nonsensical things. My kids also bond over social media, specifically Instagram, the elder sister teaching her young apprentice the tips and tricks for curating and sharing the best content. They post silly pictures, favorite art and anime clips, and they use the platform as a way to celebrate their sisterhood. I follow them on Instagram. I’m a snoop, an over-protective father, and I need to be sure no one is posting inappropriate content. I’m also genuinely interested in seeing how they and their friends are using social media to cultivate relationships. I learn so much about how to use social media simply through observation. Turns out they’re much better at this whole social media thing than most of us. They know the importance of being lighthearted, and how to not take themselves (or life) too seriously. Our teens and pre-teens see the benefits of using social media and how those benefits far outweigh the costs. A Pew Research Center study released recently suggests that many teens know the costs of using social media, and they understand the challenges of growing up with technology. They also realize the benefits to using technology, such as staying better connected to friends and learning about the world. According to the study, teens say they sometimes feel “overwhelmed by the drama on social media and pressure to construct only positive images of themselves, they simultaneously credit these online platforms with several positive outcomes – including strengthening friendships.” Teens also like seeing different ideas, values and opinions, and helping fellow teens with important causes. Of the 13- to 17-year-olds surveyed, 81-percent said social media made them feel “more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives,” and 68-percent said social media made them feel as if they had people who would “support them through tough times.” Many teens had positive rather than negative emotions about their social media use. For example, 71-percent said they felt included (as opposed to excluded) and 69-percent felt confident (as opposed to insecure). Some also recognized the negative aspects, such as the 45 percent who felt a little overwhelmed by the drama on social media, and 37 percent who felt pressure to only post content that would generate a lot of comments and likes. Like my daughters who see the value in using social media to learn about the world and connect with friends, it’s clear that other teens see those same benefits. And when we see those benefits through the eyes of our children, it allows us to reassess the value we see in our own uses of social media. Dr. Adam C. Earnheardt is professor and chair of the department of communication at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, OH, USA. He researches and writes about communication and relationships, parenting and sports. He writes a weekly column for The Vindicator newspaper on social media and society.

6 Ways to Live Cleaner & Reduce Chemicals Reduce Your Chemical Exposure I hear the word genetics used to describe conditions that we can’t control. It’s true that there’s is a lot we have no control of. When it comes to genetics we actually have a lot more power than we think. Diet and lifestyle choices are heavy players. In fact 90% of what gets expressed genetically is due to factors within our control. Chemicals in our environment is a big consideration. 6 Actions You Can Take Everyday 1. Each day our bodies are exposed to thousands of chemicals. One of the biggest culprits is personal care products. This industry is completely unregulated. Luckily we have groups like the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Moisturizer, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, and cleanser alike have hundreds of ingredients. Most of these are chemicals that our detoxification system has to deal with. It’s a huge burden and stress to our liver, lymph, lungs and skin. Only choose products you trust with labels you can read. If you aren’t sure use the Skin Deep Guide or the Healthy Living app to check a product. 2. When it comes to food local and organic makes a huge difference. Grow your own if you can. Check the soil quality where your food is grown. Since cost is a real factor use the EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen. These list can help you decide where its crucial to buy organic and where you can get away with conventional varieties. These lists are updated each year so its worth having a look to see what this season holds. 3. As my son enters school age the challenge of making lunches looms large. Storing food safely is actually a big deal. Plastic containers have hormone disrupting chemicals like BPA. Even BPA free plastics have other chemicals that aren’t tested or safe for bodies. Glass and stainless steel containers are the way to go. 4. Water bottles are the same and the water that goes in them is also very important. The EWG has a Water Filter Guide. The Berkey is popular as are reverse osmosis systems like Radiant Life or carbon filters like Crystal Quest. Make sure that whichever one you decide on removes chlorine, fluoride and lead along with other toxins. Get your water tested regularly. If you live in an urban area or a damp environment consider an air filter for your bedroom. Open your window at night for fresh air if you live close to nature. 5. Household cleaning products are full of chemicals. Use safer ones that have been tested by the EWG. They’ve tested thousands and have a free directory you can access to make sure you are using safe products in your home. 6. Eat real food and drink two litres of water per day. Manage stress, sweat often, play more and get enough sleep. All of these play an important role in detoxification. Help your body do its job and enjoy all the benefits.

Definitions of Health According to the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete well-being, free of disease and infirmity. The term has evolved over time to reflect the wide range of concepts and meanings of the concept. Listed below are a few ways that health is defined. Using a dictionary, we can find definitions of health in different contexts. Read on to learn more about the different types of health. To better understand them, consider the following examples. WHO has defined health as a state of total well-being, which includes physical, social, and psychological resources. Although the definition has been largely unchanged since 1948, Huber et al. suggest that it no longer serves its purpose. Instead, they suggest shifting the focus of health toward the ability to cope with stress, learn new skills, and maintain relationships. The goal is to promote overall wellness and balance. There are many aspects to health, from genetics to lifestyle and mental well-being. The World Health Organization defines health as “the condition of being healthy.” This is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. By encouraging healthy activities and minimizing negative experiences, we can increase our chances of maintaining good health. Some factors impact our health, while others have structural or social causes. If you want to improve your health, change your lifestyle. The World Economic Forum and the United Nations have a definition for a healthy lifestyle.

How to Pray “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”- James 5:16 Prayer is basic to Christian piety and a means for progressing in our sanctification (growth in holiness). Before we continue our look at the Heidelberg Catechism’s examination of Christian prayer, however, we do well to consider the other fundamental means by which we grow in Christ. Dr. R.C. Sproul will help us in this study through his teaching series Five Things Every Christian Should Know. Today we will look at certain aspects of prayer that we will not cover in our upcoming studies. First, let us note how important prayer should be in our lives. The Apostle Paul, for instance, says that one of the main blessings of being counted righteous in Christ is that we have “obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand” (Rom. 5:2). In other words, our justification means that we may enter the most holy place in heaven and enjoy intimate fellowship with our Creator (Heb. 6:19–20). Prayer is the way in which we regularly enjoy this privilege. Regrettably, prayer does not always come easily to us. We start out with good intentions, but when we take time to pray, our minds often wander. Moreover, we begin to sense that our prayers are too self-centered. It is not that God does not care about our needs, of course, for they are among the things we should pray for (Matt. 6:30). Nevertheless, we understand something is amiss if all we ever do in prayer is tell the Lord our personal needs and desires. Understanding how to pray is the best way to address these difficulties. God has not left us without guidance. Jesus Himself gave us the Lord’s Prayer, which we will consider as our model for God-honoring prayer in the days ahead (Luke 11:1–13). This prayer includes the expression of our daily needs, but it is kingdom-focused, instructing us to ask for the name of the Lord to be hallowed in order that His kingdom may come and His will be done in gladness. Church history also gives us guidance in prayer. Martin Luther said we should pray through the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles’ Creed in a way that uses each line as a springboard for worshiping God, thanking Him, confessing our sin, asking Him to supply our needs, and so on. Such tools make it much easier for us to focus on those things that our Father prizes most highly. Martin Luther’s advice on prayer is found in the handy booklet titled A Simple Way to Pray. Many people, including Dr. Sproul, have found this work to be very helpful for their prayer lives, but even if you do not use it, you would be wise to consider resources from the best Christian thinkers in history to help you learn how to pray. Leaning on the wisdom of our fathers and mothers in the faith assists us greatly in knowing how to honor the Lord. Passages for Further Study 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 500 physical copies. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred (where applicable). If no such link exists, simply link to www.ligonier.org. Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: From Ligonier Ministries, the teaching fellowship of R.C. Sproul. All rights reserved. Website: www.ligonier.org | Phone: 1-800-435-4343

Tim Radford, writing for Climate News Network, reports that scientists are mulling Arctic’s slow CO2 loss. The Arctic permafrost thaws each year, but – to the surprise of scientists from Denmark – in some areas it is not releasing the carbon dioxide it contains nearly as fast as they had expected. Think of permafrost as a slush fund of so-far uncertain value. The levels of Arctic permafrost that thaw each year and freeze again are growing at depths of 1cm a year, but the carbon locked away in the soils is – so far – not being released at an accelerating rate. This is good news for climate change worriers, but only for the time being. Bo Elberling of the Centre for Permafrost at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and colleagues report in Nature Climate Change that the soggy summer soils of Greenland, Svalbard and Canada where they have taken samples are not releasing carbon dioxide at the rate some had feared. But the results are based on preliminary research and they still have to work out why carbon release is so slow – and whether it will remain slow. The “active permafrost” is a natural feature of sub-Arctic life: there is a shallow thaw each summer, plants flower, insects arrive, migrating birds follow the insects, grazing animals forage, predators seize a chance to fatten, and then winter returns with the shorter days. But of all the climate zones, the Arctic is responding fastest to global warming, with a startling loss of sea ice; the glaciers, too, are in retreat almost everywhere. Professor Elberling and colleagues have been taking measurements over the three or four months of the thaw for the last 12 years; they have also modelled changing conditions in the laboratory. Slow decay rate There they could change the drainage and control the temperature, and they found that a layer of thawing permafrost could lose significant quantities of carbon, as the microbes resumed the business of decay: in 70 years of such annual thaw and freeze, up to 77% of the soil carbon could turn into carbon dioxide, with serious consequences for yet further global warming. But, they report in Nature Climate Change, that does not seem to be happening at any of the sites under test: if the water content of the thawing soils remains high, then carbon decay is very slow, and the eventual release of this carbon could take hundreds of years. So anyone who wants to model this release will have to think about whether there is enough oxygen to speed up the release, or whether cold water will dampen the process and slow it down. Professor Eberling said, “It is thought-provoking that micro-organisms are behind the entire problem – micro-organisms which break down the carbon pool and which are apparently already present in the permafrost. One of the critical decisive factors – the water content – is in the same way linked to the original high content of ice in most permafrost samples. “Yes, the temperature is increasing, and the permafrost is thawing, but it is, still, the characteristics of the permafrost which determine the long-term release of carbon dioxide.”

- Research Article - Open Access Multifrequency OFDM SAR in Presence of Deception Jamming EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing volume 2010, Article number: 451851 (2010) Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is considered in this paper from the perspective of usage in imaging radar scenarios with deception jamming. OFDM radar signals are inherently multifrequency waveforms, composed of a number of subbands which are orthogonal to each other. While being employed extensively in communications, OFDM has not found comparatively wide use in radar, and, particularly, in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) applications. In this paper, we aim to show the advantages of OFDM-coded radar signals with random subband composition when used in deception jamming scenarios. Two approaches to create a radar signal by the jammer are considered: instantaneous frequency (IF) estimator and digital-RF-memory- (DRFM-) based reproducer. In both cases, the jammer aims to create a copy of a valid target image via resending the radar signal at prescribed time intervals. Jammer signals are derived and used in SAR simulations with three types of signal models: OFDM, linear frequency modulated (LFM), and frequency-hopped (FH). Presented results include simulated peak side lobe (PSL) and peak cross-correlation values for random OFDM signals, as well as simulated SAR imagery with IF and DRFM jammers'-induced false targets. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology has been used since the 1960's for the purposes of imaging landscapes and seascapes—both for the civilian and military purposes . In the latter scenarios, the enemy may frequently use specific electronic countermeasures (ECM) to introduce false imagery into the radar-collected data to prevent accurate battle scene assessment. Such methods of ECM are classified as deceptive . Deceptive ECM techniques—or deception jammers—operate by sensing incoming radar signals and reproducing them to the best of jammer's capabilities, then resending resultant pulses in a particular fashion, so as to hinder correct imaging of enemy targets. False Target Generation (FTG) is one such commonly used form of deception jamming. The replicated and delayed SAR waveform is transmitted at the next expected arrival of the radar signal and is seen as an actual target after image reconstruction. This type of FTG can be accomplished using a digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) repeat jammer . Another possible approach to FTG is to generate the replica waveforms by determining the instantaneous frequency (IF) of the incoming radar signal . The effectiveness of ECM can be degraded using electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) techniques [2, 4, 6, 7]. One of the most robust ECCM methods against deception jamming is pulse diversity of radar signals, for example, multi-tone phase modulation and slowly varying chirp rate of linear frequency modulated (LFM) chirps are explored in . Another method involves coding signals in such a fashion that a transmitted waveform at an arbitrary pulse repetition interval (PRI) will produce a low value of peak cross-correlation with the waveform at the previous PRI, thus severely limiting the effectiveness of deception jamming during the correlation process—one example of such an approach is random noise radar [5, 8–11]. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) can also be employed in this fashion; it is currently being implemented in multiple commercial communications systems [12–14], however its applications to radar have been somewhat limited to this day [15–20]. Advances in sampling technology have made ultra-wideband (UWB) wave shaping a possibility for OFDM systems . In our paper we contrast multifrequency UWB SAR signals based on OFDM with several common types of wideband SAR waveforms with certain similarities to OFDM. LFM chirps [22, 23], while easily implemented and widely used for SAR processing due to the relatively simple and efficient range-Doppler algorithm, experience high susceptibility to jamming because of the linear nature of the IF. Frequency-hopping (FH) signals [24, 25], similarly to OFDM, change spectral composition at each PRI, thus limiting the effectiveness of DRFM jammers. However, because their IF is constant, if the hopping interval is known, this type of signal may also be affected by IF jamming. On the other hand, ultra-short Gaussian monopulses , while allowing for submeter resolution and exhibiting good multipath performance, are usually processed using a different technique, backprojection, which is computationally expensive and varies significantly from range-Doppler processing employed in our simulations, thus these UWB SAR signals are not considered in the paper. This paper investigates the ECCM capabilities of an UWB OFDM signal and the benchmark LFM chirp and FH signals against an IF jammer and a DRFM repeat jammer. Section 2.1 describes the OFDM signal model, Section 2.2 explores peak side lobe (PSL) and peak cross-correlation performance of wideband OFDM radar pulses with random subband composition, and Section 2.3 describes signal characteristics for the benchmark waveforms. Sections 3.1 and 3.2 describe deception jammer models for an IF estimator and a DRFM repeat jammer, respectively; Section 3.3 discusses how target image reconstruction is performed. Section 4 presents the simulation results, while conclusions are offered in Section 5. 2. Signal Modeling and Characteristics 2.1. OFDM Signal Construction The analog baseband OFDM radar signal is given as where is the th data symbol, is the number of subcarriers, and is the signal duration. The signal is simply the sum of individual RF pulses known as subcarriers. Each subcarrier has a unique center frequency where is the frequency separation between each subcarrier. The individual spectra located at multiples of are known as subbands. Each th subcarrier has a corresponding subband which is described by a sinc function centered on . The subbands will overlap, but because of their orthogonality the peak of one subband will coincide with zeros for all other subbands. If we then sample we can obtain the following baseband discrete time signal expression: where is the sampling rate, has been replaced with . The spectral characteristics of are determined solely by the sampling rate of the D/A converter and the chosen number of subbands, . Figure 1 shows a simplified block diagram of an OFDM transmitter. A switch first determines whether a random or pseudorandom binary source will be used in generating the signal. The samples are sent from the source where they accumulate in an IFFT setup buffer. The buffer will eventually contain a vector representing the spectrum of the OFDM signal where each element is a subband of the signal. Recalling that the subcarriers are cosine waveforms it is advantageous to begin signal construction in the spectral domain by populating the vector with 1's, 0's, and 's to produce the correct spectra for the subcarriers. The samples are then sent along an -bit bus to an IFFT processor where an inverse fast Fourier transform is performed on the digital frequency domain samples to obtain a discrete time domain representation of the OFDM signal. Another -bit bus passes the new time domain vector through an un-buffer and the elements are sent one at a time to the D/A converter to generate the analog OFDM signal. Similar to actual signal construction, simulation of an OFDM signal begins by randomly or pseudorandomly populating the digital frequency domain vector. The MATLAB format for filling a spectral domain vector is as follows: () the first element is the DC component and is zero in our case, () the positive half of the spectrum is added and () the negative half of the spectrum is added. The negative frequency block needs to be flipped before being added. An IFFT is performed on the frequency domain vector to create the simulated time domain OFDM signal. Figure 2(a) shows a simulated arbitrary OFDM signal sampled at rate of 1 Gs/s and Figure 2(b) shows the corresponding signal spectrum. 2.2. Peak Side Lobe and Cross-Correlation Performance of Random OFDM Signals Radar ambiguity function (AF) is an important tool for understanding performance of a waveform. Conventionally, narrowband form of AF is used and closed-form integral solution for analog cases is obtained before plotting the function . Such an approach, for example, was taken in to plot AF of OFDM signal consisting of 8 subbands spread over 5 MHz bandwidth. However, UWB OFDM signal should be treated differently due to its wide bandwidth. The error resultant from using narrowband approximation for computation of wideband signal's AF is derived and discussed in , which uses conventional integral format of AF definition. In a similar approach is used to derive and optimize a narrowband AF of OFDM radar signals with up to 7 orthogonal subbands. In this work we derive the discrete form of UWB OFDM radar signal AF, as information extraction in OFDM system is performed on a digital baseband waveform—that is, all analysis below is based upon the down-converted receiver signal vectors sampled at the prescribed rate. Normalized point target return for any type of wideband radar signal can be written as(3) where is the transmit signal, is roundtrip time delay. When target or radar platform (or both) is in motion, the roundtrip time delay is a function of target range where is point target's initial range and is the radial velocity, which is assumed to be constant during radar observation time; from , where is the velocity of light. Next, we need to convert (3) from general sample format into discrete time format; to translate sample indices into discrete time values we use , where is sampling interval, which is an inverse of D/A converter's sampling rate. This produces the expression for sampled transmit signal: Then, substituting (5) into (3) into it, we express sampled OFDM received signal as function of time and target's radial velocity, as shown in (6): Radar range profile reconstruction is performed via matched filtering. Instead of integral format, cross-correlation of sample-based data is a summation: where is the reference signal function, which is obtained from (6) by setting = 0. Calculating absolute value of (7) and squaring it we recognize the result as a discrete AF of UWB OFDM radar signal: An example of thus simulated AF for the case of a 500 MHz-bandwidth OFDM pulse with 128 subbands with weights randomly selected from the set of and the total number of subbands with zero weight equal 17 is shown in Figure 3. Due to the random nature of subband distribution, however, it is more beneficial to consider Monte Carlo simulations for an ensemble of realizations. In particular, when and in (7) have the same underlying subband composition, a measure of peak side lobes (PSL)—which is defined as ratio of peak side lobe value to the peak main lobe value—can be obtained from the resultant zero-Doppler plots of an AF to evaluate range reconstruction performance. Conversely, when and have different subband compositions, the cross-ambiguity function (XAF) will result from (8), which is a measure of orthogonality between two randomly generated OFDM pulses. PSL performance of a 500 MHz-bandwidth OFDM radar signal with random subband compositions, various numbers of subbands and subband fill ratios—defined as a ratio of nonzeroed subband number to the total number of subbands in a signal—is illustrated in Figure 4(a), whereas the plot of the maxima of XAFs for the case of 500 MHz-bandwidth and a total of 128 subbands is shown in Figure 4(b). It is seen that with subband fill ratios above 50% and total number of subbands 128 or higher, OFDM signals exhibit better PSL performance than the benchmark same-bandwidth LFM pulse (more on the benchmark pulse construction is in Section 2.3 below). It is also evident from the plot that if PSL is desired to be 20 dB, a minimum number of subbands has to be 128 and a subband fill ratio greater than 80%. In Figure 4(b) "inverse" scenario refers to the simplest method for cross-correlation minimization, which is to generate two OFDM pulses with the following spectral domain properties, Unfortunately, this method of signal generation is not optimal in practical applications, especially in jamming scenarios. Having only two unique signals dramatically increases the radar's susceptibility to deception jamming. Therefore, to penalize the jammer, it is essential that a radar system be capable of employing pulse diversity, while maintaining reasonable cross-correlation values. The ultimate pulse diversity can be achieved if the radar signal contains randomness, or, in the extreme case, bandlimited random noise can be used as a radar signal [5, 9–11]. Thus, if random OFDM subband distribution is assumed, it ensures transmission of a unique pulse at every PRI. As a comparison to other frequency-modulated schemes, in it is noted, for example, that simultaneous minimization of AF everywhere except the point of origin (thus minimizing PSL) and XAF for every time-frequency point is challenging for frequency coded signals—signals with ideal AF (such as Costas arrays) will have poor CAF characteristics and vice versa—and the codes proposed by the authors of exhibit maximum XAF peak of approximately 6 dB compared to the AF peak value. For simulated UWB OFDM signal this level is reached at approximately 30% of subband fill ratio and it improves with higher fill ratios. If the second pulse is constructed as described in (9) we can obtain even better performance, reaching 20 dB when the first pulse has nearly 90% subband fill ratio and, consequently, the second pulse has approximately 10% subband fill ratio. This, however, is a trade-off, as lowering the subband fill ratio for the second pulse to 10% will significantly degrade range resolution and ECCM characteristics of the radar, as discussed above. 2.3. Benchmark Signals Construction An LFM chirp can be expressed as where is the constant envelope used to equalize the energy, is the center frequency, is the modulation rate, and is the duration of the chirp. Basic analog LFM transmitter implementation initially requires a pulsed sinusoid waveform at to be amplified and passed through an up/down-chirp filter. Using a passive surface acoustic wave (SAW) chirp filter as in greatly reduces hardware complexity and decreases power needed in the transmitter design. The chirped pulse is passed through a power amplifier (PA) and transmitted through the antenna. The constant envelope (CE) waveform of the LFM chirp gives it high tolerances against nonlinearities requiring less stringent constraints in the PA. An FH radar signal is given as where is the constant used to equalize the energy, is the center frequency, and are the frequencies determined by pseudorandom selections of within a pre-determined range of frequencies. The transmitter consists of a clocked pseudorandom number (PN) generator that sends a number to a frequency synthesizer which generates a sinusoid at . The sinusoid is mixed with the carrier sinusoid at frequency to generate a sinusoidal waveform at (). The new waveform is band-pass filtered to eliminate the () component acquired from mixing the two sinusoids. The waveform is then amplified and transmitted. Similar to the LFM chirp the FH signal is a CE-waveform and exhibits the same high tolerances to nonlinearities in the amplifier. Figure 5 shows the time domain signals and corresponding spectrums for the benchmark waveforms. Multifrequency characteristic of OFDM signals in comparison to the benchmark waveforms can be further illustrated via time-frequency analysis using spectrograms. An example of the spectrograms of the three types of radar signals is shown in Figure 6. The graphs exhibit the differences between the three types of signals from the perspective of an intercepting entity. It is easy to see that the LFM signal's time-frequency behavior not only can be exactly inferred, but it can also be predicted. The tolerances in choosing appropriate time window lengths and shapes and sampling frequency are very wide and it is intuitive that the clarity of the analysis will remain the same for a number of chirps—not just LFM, but also nonlinear FM chirps, such as quadratic, logarithmic, and so forth, Thus, qualitatively, FM chirp will require the least time for the intercepting jammer to analyze and reproduce the signal. The second signal—FH pulse—is admittedly more difficult to reproduce and predict, as its time-frequency representation does not follow any mathematical function. However, knowing the hop interval and starting point of the pulse we can choose the time window so that it coincides with the hop interval, providing for the graph shown in Figure 6. Locating -axis maxima within each time window then clearly shows that we can, indeed, recover time-frequency portrait of an FH signal—white dots overlaid on top of the spectrogram graph represent both the locations of maxima and the original values of hop frequencies in the FH signal. Of course, there are limitations to this perfect-case scenario: the interceptor is required to know the hop interval duration—which must be constant within a pulse—and oversampling of the received signal is required to ensure quality capture of the signal within each hop interval (in our case we collect 40 samples per hop interval of 8 ns). The third signal—OFDM pulse—is evidently the hardest to intercept and predict. In fact, its uniqueness is such that no amount of oversampling and no size of a fractional sample window will allow the interceptor to resolve the time-frequency characteristics of an OFDM signal precisely. This is due to the fact that the signal is inherently multifrequency. 3. Deception Jammer Model Implementation 3.1. Instantaneous Frequency (IF) Estimator The analytic signal is given as where is the time dependent amplitude and is the phase function of the real signal. The IF of (12) has commonly been defined as However, examples given in [29, 30] show that (13) may not be a suitable definition in all cases, particularly the case of multi-component signals. It was stated in that (13) will give physically meaningful results only if the spectrum of the signal is symmetric about a center frequency. The UWB OFDM signal, LFM chirp, and FH signal all exhibit this characteristic and, therefore, (13) is sufficient for determining the IF of the waveforms. A block diagram of an IF deception jammer is shown in Figure 7; it is assumed that the center frequency of the intercepted radar signal is known to the jammer. An arbitrary signal, is first mixed with a carrier at the known center frequency and filtered to remove undesirable components to obtain which is simply a complex exponential containing the phase information of the intercepted waveform. The signal is sent through an I/Q detector to recover the in-phase and quadrature components, = and = . The I/Q channels are fed into a phase digitizer that determines the discrete instantaneous phase from the sampled / inputs and then each is stored. A signal estimator block is then used to generate the discrete waveform, where = is the discrete IF of the waveform and is the discrete IF deviation and is expressed as which is the discrete derivative calculated by using the current and previous instantaneous phases along with the time sampling interval . The discrete waveform is delayed to give the signal a false range offset and stored in memory. At the next PRI the discrete waveform is sent through a D/A converter and transmitted in the final form, where = and = with t d being the time delay (range offset) of the signal. The IF expressions for the LFM chirp, OFDM pulse and FH signal were derived in and are given below: where = is the instantaneous frequency deviation of the LFM chirp, and = . Comparing (16) to (17) we see that the IF generated by the jammer precisely matches the theoretically defined IF for the LFM chirp, whereas (16) and (18) will not match. It is important to note that the frequency hopping interval determines at any given time and is crucial in determining the IF of the FH signal—we assume that is known to the jammer. 3.2. DRFM-Based Architecture A block diagram of a DRFM repeat jammer is shown in Figure 8. A local oscillator generates a carrier signal at the known center frequency that is then mixed with the intercepted radar signal = . The baseband waveform enters an A/D converter where it is sampled at the sampling interval to produce the discrete signal = . An unavoidable product of sampling is signal quantization error, which, if large enough can yield unacceptable results when generating replica waveforms. However, higher bit resolution reduces sampling speed subsequently reducing the instantaneous bandwidth of the DRFM jammer. A delay is introduced to the discrete signal creating a false range offset by means of a controller and the delayed signal is stored in memory until the next predicted PRI. The discrete delayed signal passes through a D/A converter and is mixed with an exponential at the known center frequency resulting in the transmitted jammer signal which can be expressed as where t d is the time delay of the signal. DRFM jammer simulation will consist of copying and delaying the complete radar signal by a certain time period to introduce the false range offset. It is assumed that the jammer is capable of producing an exact replication of the intercepted radar signal. 3.3. Target Image Construction The reconstructed radar image is formed based on range and cross-range profiles of the target area. Figure 9 shows an example of a SAR scenario, in which the SAR platform is moving along a straight trajectory and illuminates the target scene consisting of a number of point targets (strong reflectors) by emitting a signal at each = position. Each target will reflect the signal back to the radar receiver with an introduced time delay and phase shift that depends on the position of the target. SAR signal processing methods are then used to generate range and cross-range profiles which determine target position. Both range and cross-range profile reconstructions are achieved via matched filtering, but the domain cross-correlation is performed in is slow-time—as opposed to range reconstruction, performed in fast-time (terminology and approach are per ). Following derivation of spherical phase-modulated (PM) signal within limited synthesized aperture representing return signal phase characteristic along the cross-range coordinate as shown in Figure 9, we express the single-frequency return signal in slow-time domain as where is a frequency of the single-frequency component of the radar signal and σ n is th point target reflectivity coefficient. It can be seen that implementing (21) for a general UWB signal would require consideration of individual frequency components within the spectrum of such a signal. This can be achieved for the case of OFDM signals by considering a single subband as an approximation for a single-frequency component. Indeed, selecting th subband of the UWB OFDM signal as a reference, we can generate the phase response of an ideal point target located at the origin of cross-range coordinate by stepping through radar positions y for the center frequency of this subband. Cross-range reconstruction can then be obtained by matched filtering of the actual phase history function for the same subcarrier and the reference phase response. Example of such a reference function generated for a cross-range swath (40, 20) meters, as well as the simulated phase history of a point target located at +10 meters in cross-range and the resultant cross-range profile reconstruction are shown in Figures 10(a)–10(c), respectively. The dependence of (21) on radar position demands that the jammer have the ability to accurately predict the PRI to ensure pulse-to-pulse phase coherence between transmitted jammer signals—otherwise, the jammer and radar reference phase function will be poorly correlated and the false target will not appear in the resulting reconstructed image. The jammer echoed signal must have the form where the is the reflectivity coefficient of the false target and , are the range and cross-range of the false target, respectively, as designated by the jammer. It is also evident from (22) that radar transmit position must be known to the jammer. Thus, the generated jammer signals for the OFDM, LFM chirp, and FH waveform are given, as in , 4. False Image Simulation Results Next, both IF and DRFM jammer signals were generated and used in deception jamming simulations with all three SAR waveforms: OFDM, LFM and FH. The LFM chirp with constant amplitude of 1 served as the baseline signal with respect to energy. Since the OFDM and FH waveforms used in simulation were randomly generated at each PRI, average energies of both signals were used when determining their amplitudes, which were adjusted to match the baseline energy figure. All SAR signals' baseband bandwidths were set to 0.5 GHz, and the sampling frequency of the jammer was set to 5 GHz. For all signals the same pulse duration of 256 ns was used. Signal-to-jammer ratio (SJR) was approximately 0 dB for all simulations. Figure 11 shows the simulated reconstructed images when the radar is in the presence of an IF jammer and a DRFM repeat jammer, which attempted to create an extended false target image at 130 meter in range and 10 to 25 meters in cross-range, whereas the real extended target was located also at 130 meters of range, but 25 to 10 meters in cross-range. The signals created by the IF jammer and the DRFM jammer had weak correlation with the transmitted OFDM signal subsequently causing the false target ranges to be nonexistent in the range profile. Therefore, the absence of a false target in Figures 11(a) and 11(b) is not unexpected. Further examining Figure 11 we can clearly see that the LFM chirp had strong correlation with both jammer signals causing false target ranges to be present in the generated range profiles. Figures 11(c) and 11(d) show that there are false targets in both reconstructed images. Since the FH signal varies at every PRI, the waveform recorded and retransmitted by the DRFM signal at the current PRI will always have weak correlation with the transmitted signal at all successive PRI's resulting in the absence of the false target in Figure 11(f). If the IF jammer can replicate the FH signal it will allow for strong correlation and cause a false target to be present in the reconstructed image, as shown in Figure 11(e). These results show that OFDM signals had the best overall performance against IF jammer and the DRFM jammer. A multifrequency UWB OFDM signal model was developed and compared with two common radar imaging transmit signals, the LFM chirp and FH signal. A discrete AF of an UWB OFDM signal with random subband distribution was used to obtain PSL and cross-correlation performance characteristics in radar imaging scenarios. It was established that for a 500 MHz-bandwidth OFDM signal the minimum number of subbands and subband fill ratio required to exceed the performance of a same-bandwidth LFM chirp were 128 and 80%, respectively. Random spectral composition of such a signal ensures strong ECCM capabilities in presence of deception jamming, at the resultant PSL and peak cross-correlation values of approximately 22 dB and 12 dB, respectively. IF and DRFM jammers were modeled and used to introduce false targets into the imaging area of the radar system at SJR 0 dB. The two jammer models tested pulse diversity of each transmit signal, specifically frequency diversity, and the ability of each signal to suppress jammer waveform effects during image reconstruction. The appearance of false targets in both jamming scenarios for the common LFM chirp clearly demonstrates the lack of ECCM capabilities. The frequency agility of both the OFDM and FH signals proved useful in the DRFM repeat jammer scenario. Although the jammer could produce replicas of the signals, the orthogonality of the waveforms from adjacent transmission intervals amounted to weak correlation between jammer and radar signals. If the IF jammer knows the hop interval of a FH signal, false target image introduction will result—however, due to the spectral structure of the OFDM signal, no false target images are found in OFDM SAR image simulations. These qualities make UWB OFDM waveforms with random subband distribution a viable choice for usage in SAR scenarios with deception jamming. Soumekh M: Reconnaissance with ultra wideband UHF synthetic aperture radar. IEEE Signal Processing Magazine 1995, 12(4):21-40. 10.1109/79.401121 Mosinski JD: Electronic countermeasures. Proceedings of the Tactical on Communications Conference, 1992, Fort Wayne, Ind, USA 1: 191-195. Liu N, Zhang Y: A survey of radar ECM and ECCM. 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Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP '98), May 1998, Seattler, Wash, USA 4: 2241-2244. Girolami G, Vakman D: Instantaneous frequency estimation and measurement: a quasi-local method. Measurement Science and Technology 2002, 13(6):909-917. 10.1088/0957-0233/13/6/312 Schuerger J, Garmatyuk D: Deception jamming modeling in radar sensor networks. Proceedings of IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM '08), November 2008, Washington, DC, USA Soumekh M: Synthetic Aperture Radar Signal Processing. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, USA; 1999. The authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewers, whose valuable and thorough suggestions have resulted in the much improved paper. They also wish to thank Dr. Jon Sjogren of AFOSR for project support and program reviews. This work was supported by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Grant FA9550-07-1-0297. About this article Cite this article Schuerger, J., Garmatyuk, D. Multifrequency OFDM SAR in Presence of Deception Jamming. EURASIP J. Adv. Signal Process. 2010, 451851 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/451851 - Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex - Synthetic Aperture Radar - Instantaneous Frequency - Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex System - Radar Signal

"And God created man to His own image: to the image of God He created him: male and female He created them. And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it.'" (Genesis 1:27-28) Who made marriage? God made marriage and the laws concerning marriage. When did God make marriage? When He created Adam and Eve. Why did God make marriage? For two purposes: How do you know the first purpose of marriage is children? - For bringing children into the world and rearing them... - For the mutual help of the husband and wife. The Bible says so: "Increase and multiply." (Gen. 1:28) "I will therefore that the younger should marry, bear children, be mistresses of families." (1 Timothy 5:14) Does not common sense show that the first purpose of marriage is children? Yes, the very differences, both physical and mental, between man and woman show the first purpose of marriage to be the bringing of children into the world. A woman's body is made for the bearing and nursing of children; whereas, a man's body is stronger so that he can protect his family and give them food and shelter. A woman is kinder, more sympathetic, more emotional than man. She needs these qualities to care for and instruct her children. How do you know that mutual love and help are the second purpose of marriage? The Bible says so: "And the Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone: let us make him a help like unto himself... Then the Lord God cast a deep sleep upon Adam: and when he was fast asleep, he took one of his ribs, and filled up flesh for it. And the Lord God build the rib which he took from Adam into a woman: and brought her to Adam." (Gen. 2:18, 21-22) Does not common sense indicate this too? Yes, common sense shows that men and women are incomplete without one another but find their physical and spiritual completion in marriage. What is the purpose of sexual pleasure? To attract husband and wife to have children and to foster love for each other. Who are the only ones that may enjoy sexual pleasure? Husband and wife who are validly married to each other. "but I say to the unmarried, and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I. But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt." (1 Corinthians 7:8-9) How many wives did God create for Adam? Only one wife; God wanted this marriage to be the model for all marriages -- one man and one woman. "Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be two in one flesh." (Genesis 2:24) How long does God intend husband and wife to stay together? Until the death of one of the partners. "A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband die, she is at liberty: let her marry to whom she will; only in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 7:39) Why does God command husband and wife to stay together until death? Because the lifetime welfare of the children and of the married couple themselves requires that they be permanently united. Divine law requires the couple to stay together until death, even if they have no children. In special cases separation is permitted, but the bond of marriage remains. What is a valid marriage? A union that is a real marriage in the eyes of God and therefore can be broken only by death. No power on earth, therefore, can break a valid "What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." (Mark 10:9). This includes the civil government. What is an invalid marriage? A union that was never a marriage in the eyes of God. A couple invalidly married must either separate or have the marriage made valid. Otherwise they are living in adultery or fornication. "Neither fornicators... nor adulterers... shall possess the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) What is necessary for a valid marriage? Did God make these laws only for Catholics? - A single man and a single woman - Who are of age - Free to marry - Capable of sexual intercourse - Who intend to live together - Who intend to be faithful to each other until the death of one of them - Who intend to have a family - Who are in no other way prohibited by the law of God from marrying. For example, it is forbidden to marry close relatives, such as uncles, aunts, nieces or nephews. No, all human beings have to obey these laws. However, Catholics are also bound by Church laws. For example, a Catholic cannot marry validly except in the presence of a priest and two witnesses (unless there is a special dispensation from the local bishop for a particular case and that for a sufficiently grave reason). Does the state have authority to change God's laws? No. God's law comes before man's law. But the State can make laws requiring a license and registration, and concerning health, property rights, and so on, as long as these laws are not against God's laws. Can men and women find real happiness in marriage? Yes, if they follow God's plan for marriage. "Happy is the husband of a good wife: for the number of his years is double. A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband and shall fulfill the years of his life in peace. A good wife is a good portion, she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds. Rich or poor, if his heart is good, his countenance shall be cheerful at all times." (Ecclesiasticus 26:1-4) What is the greatest source of happiness in marriage? Raising children in the fear and love of God. Court records show fewer marriage breakups among couples with large families. All laws, both human and divine, are made for the good of society. Once in a while, a law will work a hardship on an individual, and this is sometimes true of God's laws on marriage. But you marry "for better or for worse." Therefore, if through no fault of yours, your married life is unhappy, or if your partner has left you, or if you find God's laws hard to observe, ask God for the strength to do His will; ask your crucified Savior for the courage to carry your cross. The Sacrament of Matrimony gives married people special graces to live their lives according to God's laws. In any case, God made no exceptions to His laws on marriage; to break them for any reason is a serious sin. Do not try to judge whether your marriage or anybody else's is valid or invalid. That can be done only by one who is skilled in the knowledge of these laws. The priest who is instructing you will tell you whether your marriage is valid or not. An "annulment" is not the dissolving of an existing marriage, but rather a declaration that a real marriage never existed in the eyes of God on account of some dire defect or impediment that was present at the time the couple exchanged their vows. For example, if one of the two parties did not intend to enter a permanent union until death, no marriage would take place, despite the appearances. An annulment is more properly termed a "declaration of nullity." Fr. C. Vaillancourt

1924 – Marcel Duchamp issues Monte Carlo Gambling Bond The Monte Carlo Gambling Bond [Obligations pour la roulette de Monte Carlo] was a small edition Marcel Duchamp made using cut-and-pasted gelatin silver prints on a lithograph with letterpress. The Marcel Duchamp Studies Online Journal (MDSOJ) describes the bond: A parody of a financial document in a system for playing roulette, this Readymade revolves around the idea of monetary transactions. Giving himself the position of Administrator, Marcel Duchamp conceived of a joint stock company designed to raise 15,000 francs and thus “break the bank in Monte Carlo”. It was to be divided into 30 numbered bonds for which Duchamp asked 500 francs each. However, less than eight were actually assembled[...].

Venous disease, which impacts more than 30 million Americans, refers to conditions related to or caused by veins that become diseased or abnormal. The disease occurs when vein walls become weak, damaged, stretched or injured and veins stop working normally, causing the blood to begin to flow backward as the muscles relax. This creates unusually high pressure in the veins. Venous disease includes conditions such as Varicose veins and Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI). If left untreated, varicose veins can progress to CVI, which is a more serious form of venous disease. Signs and symptoms of CVI can worsen over time and include ankle swelling, fatigue, restlessness and pain of the legs, skin changes and ulcers.

In my previous post, I talked about President Obama’s new guidelines for the Head Start program, and how I believe they will encourage competition between the Head Start agencies. A little history about the new guidelines: In 2007 President Bush reauthorized the Head Start program by signing into law the Head Start Readiness Act of 2007. This amendment established that Head Start grantees would be awarded grants for a period of five years; but only those delivering high quality services would get their grants renewed for an additional five years. The final ruling of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) established a renewal system to determine if Head Start agencies are meeting the educational, health, nutritional, and social needs of the children they are serving. The agencies must also meet program and financial management requirements and standards. These new guidelines recently went into effect on Dec. 8 and included several benchmarks. Those that don’t perform to the benchmarks will have to compete for their funding. President Obama stated in a recent speech that this is the first time in history that Head Start programs will be held accountable for their performance in the classroom. All Head Start agencies receiving grants will be reviewed by Health & Human Services, based on their performance in the following areas: - Family involvement - Safety and nutrition - Financial management - Previous license suspensions - Classroom management I want to focus this discussion on classroom management, since that is my area of expertise. The Head Start Readiness Act of 2007 included a requirement that an evaluation instrument called CLASS: Pre-K be used in monitoring and observing teacher-child interactions in the classroom. This is important because now we have a tool that will measure progress and accountability. These changes will require managers to become better and improve their classrooms! When classrooms are managed better, doesn’t it ultimately benefit the children; the reason why we are here? There’s always room for improvement — in our jobs, our classrooms, and in other areas of our lives as well. I would like to know how you plan to embrace these new guidelines. Are you familiar with the CLASS: Pre-K tool? How will you hold your classroom accountable? Please feel free to post your comments below.

Teach cursive writing Should schools teach cursive handwriting the question is a polarizing one in the k-12 education world. Free printable cursive writing worksheets - cursive alphabet, cursive letters, cursive words, cursive sentences practice your penmanship with these handwriting. Fun, cursive handwriting practice in dn-style font five pages of march-themed handwriting pages writing prompts, and coloring pages great activity for st. As a culture we have been mistakenly led to believe that manuscript is easier for students to learn than cursive by reserving cursive for third grade we have given a. The decline in teaching cursive handwriting, the rise of the keyboard, and the introduction of the common core state standards that do not require children to. Importance of cursive some may wonder why students should learn to write in cursive in the age of tablets and iphones won’t everyone just be typing and dictating. While some argue cursive writing belongs in the archives and common core ushers it out of schools, the evidence shows we need it as much as ever. How to teach a child to write in cursive while cursive was once commonly used and taught in school, it has started to drop from school curriculums, so it can be. Teach cursive writing Middle and high school students can't read cursive they are unable to read teacher's assignments or comments on their papers historical documents, reading. Kidzone grade 3 and up cursive writing worksheets [introduction] [printable worksheets] age rating all children develop as individuals. Cursive readiness here are some of the most important factors in teaching handwriting as a process of cursive readiness lesson plans. Cursive handwriting and other education myths teaching cursive handwriting doesn’t have nearly the value we think it does. Why teach cursive first details created: by teaching cursive cursive handwriting makes letter reversals more difficult and helps to minimize this type of. The benefits of teaching cursive first the early teaching of cursive writing has gone out of style in favor of manuscript (where penmanship is still taught. Teaching cursive writing is an exciting time for students and fun to teach if your school or district hasn't adopted a specific writing program, research the two major styles next, become familiar with the strokes. - While cursive may not be many people’s favorite school subject—it certainly isn’t mine—it sure is an important skill to learn someone with the ability to. - Our teaching students cursive lesson plan is designed to help teachers and parents teach kids to write in cursive worksheets and activities are included. - Kidzone handwriting tracer pages cursive writing worksheets click on the image below to see it in its own window (close that window to return to this screen) or. - Handwriting continuous cursive letters of the alphabet the advantages of teaching continuous cursive handwriting: as continuous cursive letters naturally join. This 31 day series will go through all of the steps of learning cursive writing and teachers, therapists, and parents will love these handwriting strategies to teach. These cursive practice sheets are perfect for teaching kids to form cursive letters, extra practice for kids who have messy handwriting, handwriting learning centers. Find and save ideas about teaching cursive writing on pinterest | see more ideas about writing cursive, cursive writing for kids and english cursive writing. In a society that continues accelerated integration with technology, a heated debate has surfaced about whether or not k-12 teachers and schools should be required to. Teach cursive writingRated 3/5 based on 11 review

Tagetes patula – French marigold Tagetes patula – French marigold is a species in the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is native to Mexico and Guatemala with several naturalised populations in many other countries. The heads contain mostly hermaphrodite (having both male and female organs) florets and are pollinated primarily by beetles in the wild, as well as by tachinid flies and other insects. The leaves of all species of marigold include oil glands 2019 – May 15 march 2018 NYC Diseases and Problems: It’s commonly planted around brassica crops to mask their smell from Cabbage. White butterflies that seek out their host plants by scent and in doing so helps lessen the damage done by voracious caterpillars. Because French Marigolds are rich in nectar, they do however attract some beneficial insects such as ladybirds and lacewings. Commonly planted in butterfly gardens as a nectar source. The dried and ground flower petals constitute a popular spice in the Republic of Georgia in the Caucasus, where they are known as imeruli shaphrani (= ‘Imeretian Saffron’) from their pungency and golden colour and particular popularity in the Western province of Imereti.The spice imparts a unique,rather earthy flavour to Georgian cuisine, in which it is considered especially compatible with the flavours of cinnamon and cloves.It is also a well-nigh essential ingredient in the spice mixture khmeli-suneli,which is to Georgian cookery what garam masala is to the cookery of North India – with which Georgia shares elements of the Mughlai cuisine. Tagetes patula florets are grown and harvested annually to add to poultry feed to help give the yolks a golden color. The florets can also be used to color human foods. A golden yellow dye is used to color animal-based textiles (wool, silk) without a mordant, but a mordant is needed for cotton and synthetic textiles. Many cultures use infusions from dried leaves or florets. Allegedly a daily dose of a supplement containing meso-zeaxanthin, derived from marigolds reversed incurable age-related macular degeneration citation (1) The whole plant is harvested when in flower and distilled for its essential oil. The oil is used in perfumery; it is blended with sandalwood oil to produce ‘attar genda’ perfume. About 35 kg of oil can be extracted from one hectare of the plant (yielding 2,500 kg of flowers and 25,000 kg of herbage). The essential oil is being investigated for antifungal activity, including treatment of candidiasis and treating fungal infections in plants. Research also suggests that T. patula essential oil has the ability to be used as residual pesticide against Bedbugs. Used in companion planting for many vegetable crops. Its root secretions are believed to kill nematodes in the soil and it is said to repel harmful insects, such as white flies on tomatoes. Positioning of marigolds close to plants that are particularly susceptible to outbreaks of whitefly, greenfly and blackfly will draw in these hungry predators and keep aphid infestations to a minimum.

Climate change effects on the hydrology of the headwaters of the Tagus River: implications for the management of the Tagus–Segura transfer - 1Department of Civil Engineering, Catholic University of Murcia, Spain - 2Department of Applied Economics, University of Murcia, Spain Correspondence: Francisco Pellicer-Martínez (email@example.com) Currently, climate change is a major concern around the world, especially because of the uncertainty associated with its possible consequences for society. Among them, fluvial alterations can be highlighted in basins whose flows depend on groundwater discharges and snowmelt. This is the case of the headwaters of the Tagus River basin, whose water resources, besides being essential for water uses within this basin, are susceptible to being transferred to the Segura River basin (both basins are in the Iberian Peninsula). This work studies the possible effects that the latest climate change scenarios may have on this transfer, one of the most important ones in southern Europe. In the first place, the possible alterations of the water cycle of the donor basin were estimated. To do this, a hydrological model was calibrated. Then, with this model, three climatic scenarios were simulated, one without climate change and two projections under climate change (Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 (RCP 4.5) and 8.5 (RCP 8.5)). The results of these three hydrological modelling scenarios were used to determine the possible flows that could be transferred from the Tagus River basin to the Segura River basin, by simulating the water resource exploitation system of the Tagus headwaters. The calibrated hydrological model predicts, for the simulated climate change scenarios, important reductions in the snowfalls and snow covers, the recharge of aquifers, and the available water resources. So, the headwaters of the Tagus River basin would lose part of its natural capacity for regulation. These changes in the water cycle for the climate change scenarios used would imply a reduction of around 70 %–79 % in the possible flows that could be transferred to the Segura basin, with respect to a scenario without climate change. The loss of water resources for the Segura River basin would mean, if no alternative measures were taken, an economic loss of EUR 380–425 million per year, due principally to decreased agricultural production. Currently, there are practically no doubts in the scientific community that the Earth is suffering climate change (CC) and that this is due to the anthropic action of greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC, 2014). At the global level, general circulation models predict a warming of the planet of about 2 ∘C for the year 2050, which will cause a reduction in accumulated ice masses and a rise in the sea level (IPCC, 2014). These changes in the natural environment, which are already causing alterations in the available resources, have a clear socioeconomic repercussion: decreases in fish stocks, increases in energy consumption, changes in the availability of water resources, and land degradation due to erosion. In areas with greater risk and with low capacity for adaptation, the consequences of CC could become critical, the emigration of their population being the only viable solution (Jha et al., 2018). In the context of CC, water as a resource plays a fundamental role, since – as well as being a basic environmental asset – it is key to human survival and well-being. In general terms, an increase in rainfall in humid areas and a decrease in arid and semi-arid ones are predicted. This situation would be accompanied by an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme events (droughts and floods), so in areas where already there are shortages of water resources the current situation would be exacerbated (IPCC, 2014). For areas close to polar regions or mountainous areas, the increase in temperature would reduce the precipitation that falls as snow (Szczypta et al., 2015), as well as the volume of ice in the glaciers and the snow cover on the summits (Bajracharya et al., 2018). As a consequence, the fluvial regime for this type of river basin would be modified (Morán-Tejeda et al., 2014), with an increase in the risk of floods and the loss of the part of their natural regulatory capacity provided by the ice and snow covers (Shevnina et al., 2017). Thus, in areas where the water reserves derived from snow covers are used during the summer, new reservoirs would have to be built in order to replace the loss of the natural regulation capacity (Özdoǧan, 2011). Similarly, in areas with important aquifers, part of the natural regulatory capacity could also be lost, since changes in precipitation patterns would affect recharge rates (Smerdon, 2017). Indeed, a higher intensity of rainfall would favour surface runoff to the detriment of infiltration (Pulido-Velazquez et al., 2014). In short, the CC predicted for many areas of the planet will suppose an increase in temperature together with a greater availability of surface water – which would increase the water evapotranspiration, accelerating the water cycle and reducing the available water resources that could be used (Wang et al., 2013). The environmental and social repercussions of these physical effects are being studied from multiple perspectives (Olmstead, 2014; World Bank Group, 2016). For example, there is work related to water quality (Molina-Navarro et al., 2014), the effects on ecosystems and the services they provide (Warziniack et al., 2018), and the impact on the food security (Tumushabe, 2018) and water security (Flörke et al., 2018) of the population, although the majority of the studies deal with the impacts on the economic activities which are more sensitive to the availability of water resources, such as agriculture (Meza et al., 2012), urban supply (Díaz et al., 2017), or the hydroelectric sector (Solaun and Cerdá, 2017). Water resource transfers between basins (inter-basin water transfer: IBWT) are instruments of water resource allocation that, despite the controversy they sometimes provoke, can play an important role in mitigating the effects of CC in many areas of the world (Shrestha et al., 2017). The IBWTs can be an alternative source of supply to basins affected by a decrease in their available resources and/or an increase in their water use demands (Zhang et al., 2015). In turn, the quantity of available water in the donor basins can change significantly, which makes CC a determining factor that must be analysed when assessing the potential or vulnerability of the IBWT (Zhang et al., 2018). Although there are some works that specifically studied the effects of CC on IBWTs, basically the focus has been on changes in the fluvial regimes in donor basins (Li et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2012). Moreover, there are scarce examples in the specialized literature of the analysis of the effects of CC within a framework of integrated water resource management (Onagi, 2016). In addition, for an adequate comprehensive study of the effects of CC in an IBWT, and to produce operational indicators for water management plans (Giupponi and Gain, 2017), including the management of water trade (Kahil et al., 2015), it is also necessary to consider the effects in the receiving basin. The Tagus–Segura Aqueduct (TSA) is one of the most important IBWT projects in southern Europe. This hydraulic infrastructure, in operation since 1979, transfers flows from the Tagus Headwaters River Basin (THRB) to the Segura River basin (SRB). The destination of the volumes transferred, which are variable depending on the available water resources in the donor basin, is basically irrigation, but also urban and tourism uses (Grindlay et al., 2011). The regional models of CC forecast, for both basins, an increase in temperature together with a significant diminution in rainfall, so that a decrease in the available water resources in both is foreseen (CEDEX, 2011a). In addition, the THRB is located in a high, mountainous area where snowfalls are frequent and which extends over important karst aquifers. Then, it is expected that both the precipitation that falls as snow and the aquifer recharge would be reduced. Although there is work in which this problem is explicitly described, with proposals to mitigate the decrease in TSA flows due to CC (Morote et al., 2017), no specific modelling of climate scenarios has been made, neither from a hydrological perspective, to determine the water balance, nor by simulation of the water resource exploitation system. The overall objective of this work was to determine the hypothetical effects that CC may have on the operation of the TSA. So, the transferable flows were estimated considering explicitly the operating rule of this IBWT – which, basically, is based on the available water storage in the main two reservoirs of the donor basin concerned. For this, first of all, the effects on the water cycle of the donor basin were evaluated by means of hydrological modelling in which the precipitation that falls as snow was included. Then, the historical climate data together with two CC scenarios of the fifth assessment report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2013) were recreated in order to analyse the possible alterations in the fluvial regime of the THRB. The results of these three hydrological models were the inputs of the subsequent three simulations of the Tagus Headwaters Water Resources Exploitation System (THWRES), which provided a prediction of the flows that could be transferred to the SRB within a framework of integrated water resource management. Additionally, as another novel contribution of this work, the socioeconomic impacts produced by the climate change on these transferred flows were assessed. Finally, note that the complete methodology was developed by open-source tools and by free software for the scientific community, which facilitates the reproducibility of the work. The THRB covers an area of 7000 km2 and is located in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula (Fig. 1). It extends over a high, mountainous area with a continental–Mediterranean (CHJ, 2016) climate with a marked seasonality between the summer (June–September) and winter (December–March) months (Lorenzo-Lacruz et al., 2010; Molina-Navarro et al., 2014). The average annual precipitation is 620 mm and the minimum values occur in summer (June–August). While the average annual temperature is 11 ∘C, in the coldest months there are values less than zero (November–April), so snowfalls are frequent at the higher altitudes (Lobanova et al., 2016). Moreover, much of the THRB extends over karst aquifers, meaning that groundwater exerts an important influence on the surface flows that circulate along the main river streams (Pellicer-Martínez et al., 2015). Regarding the water uses within the THRB (urban, industrial, and irrigation), their water necessities represent a very low percentage of the available water resources (around 1000×106 m3 yr−1, on average, in the last 70 years): this area has a low population density, is not conducive to agriculture, and its industrial facilities (hydroelectric power stations and an important thermonuclear power station) do not consume much water. The water resources generated within the THRB are fundamental for the water uses located downstream of the Entrepeñas and Buendía reservoirs (EBR): irrigated agriculture, urban supply (including the city of Madrid), generation of electric power, and maintenance of environmental flows until the city of Aranjuez. Moreover, a large part of these water resources (up to 650×106 m3 yr−1) is susceptible to being transferred to the neighbouring Guadiana River basin and, further away, to the SRB. The former can receive up to 50×106 m3 yr−1 (BOE, 2014, 2015), of which 20×106 m3 are for the maintenance of the wetland of Tablas de Daimiel and 30×106 m3 are for urban supply to the populations located in the upper Guadiana River basin (CHG, 2016). The SRB can receive up to 600×106 m3 yr−1 (gross volume), the maximum monthly flow being 68×106 m3. This IBWT is managed by a complex operating rule that gives priority to the water uses in the Tagus River basin and basically depends on the volume stored in the EBR, which have a total storage capacity of 2494×106 m3. The operating rule (Fig. 2) consists of two conditioning factors (BOE, 2014, 2015). The first restricts the maximum volume that can be transferred in each hydrological year (October–September) to 650×106 m3. The second establishes the transferable flows for each month according to four levels created from two variables: Vacu, the accumulated volume stored in the EBR at the beginning of the month, and Aacu, the accumulated volume of the flows that entered into the EBR in the previous 12 months. The four levels are the following. Level 4. When Vacu is lower than 400×106 m3. Transfers are not allowed (Qtrans=0 m3 month−1). Level 3. When Vacu is between 400×106 m3 and the values indicated in Fig. 2, which vary between 586×106 m3 and 688×106 m3, depending on the month. Transfers (Qtrans) of 20×106 m3 month−1 are allowed. Level 2. When Vacu is between the volumes established in Level 3 and 1500×106 m3, and in addition Aacu is lower than 1000×106 m3. Transfers (Qtrans) of 38×106 m3 month−1 are allowed. Level 1. When Vacu is equal to or greater than 1500×106 m3, or Aacu is equal to or greater than 1000×106 m3. Transfers (Qtrans) of 68×106 m3 month−1 are allowed. The methodology applied to determine the maximum monthly volumes that can be transferred from the THRB to the SRB was structured in two stages (Fig. 3). The first stage consisted of modelling the hydrology of the THRB until the EBR. For that, a hydrological model was calibrated for the most recent observed flows. Then, with the calibrated model, three scenarios were recreated. In the first one the historical climate series were used (No CC) without climatic correction coefficients. In the others, the data from two characteristic CC scenarios of AR5 (Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 (RCP 4.5) and 8.5 (RCP 8.5)) were used (IPCC, 2013). In the first (RCP 4.5), CO2 emissions increase in the future, until in 2050 they stabilize (stabilization scenario), while in the second (RCP 8.5), a continuous and greater increase in emissions of CO2 is assumed (scenario of very high emissions). The second stage consisted of simulating the THWRES by means of a decision support system (DSS). This simulation incorporated the future water uses contemplated by the water management board. As water uses downstream of the EBR have priority over possible transferable flows (CHT, 2015), they were included in this simulation. The methodological framework stages were developed with open-source tools. QGIS (QGIS Development Team, 2016) was used in the data processing of spatial information, R was employed for data analysis and hydrological modelling (R Core Team, 2016), and the DSS SIMGES was used for the simulation of the water resource exploitation system (Pedro-Monzonís et al., 2016a). Finally, once the series of transferrable flows were calculated, as a complementary goal of this work, an assessment of the socioeconomic consequences that climate change effects have on the main destiny of these flows, the SRB, was made. 3.1 Hydrological modelling 3.1.1 abcd water balance model with snowmelt module The hydrological modelling was carried out using the abcd water balance model (Thomas, 1981). It was applied in a semi-distributed manner (Pellicer-Martínez and Martínez-Paz, 2014), allowing the use of all the gauging stations in the calibration (and validation) in order to maintain the spatial heterogeneity that defines the parameters and variables. This conceptual model was improved by taking into account the hydrological processes of snow and melting. This water balance model and this structure were selected in order to facilitate the understanding of the developed process, allowing the potential reproducibility of the work. The hydrological modelling, whose scheme is shown in Fig. 4, began with the snowmelt module proposed by Xu and Singh (1998). This module recreates the hydrological processes of precipitation as snow (Sn), snow accumulation on the summits (Snp), and snowmelt (Sm). One equation, with a parameter that depends on the temperature, establishes which part of the precipitation (P) occurs as rain (Rf) and which part occurs as snow (Sn). Snow is accumulated in a storage called snowpack (Snp). Then, another equation controlled by one parameter, which also depends on the temperature, establishes the snowmelt (Sm) of the snowpack when the temperature increases. In the modelling, the melting snow ends up forming part of the storage that represents the soil moisture (S). This snowmelt module has been used in previous work, for example, by Li et al. (2011, 2013) in basins of China, and by Pellicer-Martínez and Martínez-Paz (2015) for the Segura headwaters river basin. The modelling continued with the incorporation of rainfall (Rf) and melting snow (Sm) into the abcd model. This water balance model simplifies the hydrological cycle in two storages, one that simulates the soil moisture balance (S) and another that represents the groundwater storage (G). The model has four parameters – a, b, c, and d (Thomas, 1981) – that give the model its name. The parameters “a” and “b” manage the soil moisture balance (S), establishing evapotranspiration (ET) and the water susceptible to being lost by surface run-off and/or percolation (Qs+ΔG). The third parameter “c” identifies percolation (ΔG) towards aquifers (G) and surface run-off (Qs). The fourth parameter “d” determines the discharge from the aquifer (Qg). The output variables of the model are evapotranspiration (ET) and surface run-off (Q). 3.1.2 Calibration–validation process The parameters were calculated by a cascading calibration process (Xue et al., 2016), which consists of determining the parameter values from upstream to downstream. In other words, once the model's parameters are established for upstream catchments, their values become input data in the calibration process of the downstream catchments. The split-sample test, proposed by Klemeš (1986), is carried out by splitting the data series of observed flows into two periods: calibration and validation. The objective function used in the calibration is the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency criterion (ENS). This function quantifies the goodness of fit of the model in order to evaluate the performance of the variables selected for study (Nash and Sutcliffe, 1970), which are the flows that go out from each catchment (Q). The ENS varies between and the closer its value is to 1, the better the performance of the model is. The calibration is developed automatically with the Shuffled Complex Evolution Method (SCE-UA) algorithm (Duan et al., 1994; Skøien et al., 2014). Once the semi-distributed model has been calibrated, another three metrics that evaluate the performance of the model, comparing observed with simulated flows, are calculated: the determination coefficient (R2), the percentage of the bias (PBIAS), and the root mean square error (ERMS) (Gupta and Kling, 2011). 3.2 Simulation of the water resource exploitation system The operation of the water exploitation systems for a specific scenario is usually evaluated by a DSS which simulates the part of the water cycle that is anthropically modified. These systems represent the main hydraulic network of an area, generally a river basin, together with its natural and artificial storages (rivers, reservoirs, aquifers, canals, among others), establishing the water uses in them (Pulido-Velazquez et al., 2013). In this hydraulic network, series of flows are introduced, generally in their natural regime. Then, the DSS simulates this kind of system in an integrated manner, fulfilling the priority criteria among the different water uses and the pre-established operating rules (Pedro-Monzonís et al., 2016a). The DSS provides, as results, flow and volume series related to the main fluxes of the hydraulic network (supplies to uses, water consumptions, returns, evaporation in the reservoirs, etc.). Therefore, it is able to estimate the water uses that are not completely met, which are generally those with lower priority and/or those whose spatial location in the hydraulic network does not make it possible to always guarantee their supply (Chavez-Jimenez et al., 2015). For example, water uses located upstream of a reservoir have less guarantee than those located downstream. There are different DSSs for water exploitation systems (Zare et al., 2017). But, as was advanced in the Methodology section, in this work the model applied is the simulation module of AQUATOOL called SIMGES (Pedro-Monzonís et al., 2016b), which is one of the models applied most in Spanish river basins, as well as in other countries (Chile, Italy, Morocco, etc.). SIMGES simulates the water exploitation system on a monthly basis in a conservative flow network, seeking a compatible solution that accomplishes the defined constraints (Pedro-Monzonís et al., 2016b). This DSS was selected since it is able to reproduce complex operating rules such as the TSA operating rule. 3.3 Socioeconomic impacts at the Segura River basin (SRB) The precise quantification of the socioeconomic impact of reductions in the volume of water transferred via the TSA would require new integral simulations of the exploitation system of the receiving basin (SRB), which exceed the scope of this work. However, an initial quantification of this impact has been made, based on the work of Martínez-Paz et al. (2016), where supply failures were assigned an economic value in irrigation in the SRB, and of Martínez-Paz and Pellicer-Martínez (2018), who estimated the economic value of the risk associated with droughts in the Region of Murcia. But, given the order of priority of allocation among the water uses, irrigation would suffer the full brunt of any supply deficit. The almost 270 000 ha of irrigated land in the SRB has a net demand of 1363×106 m3 yr−1 (CHS, 2015), a large part of which is supplied by the TSA. The whole irrigated area in the SRB is divided into seven irrigation zones (IZs); for each of them the water demand curve is estimated from a linear programming model that optimizes the gross value added (GVA) by the optimal cultivation plans according to the water supply. This crop programming includes the irrigation situations of woody crop maintenance, the change from irrigated to rainfed crops and the abandonment of irrigation plots, as well as the impact on employment. The modelling of the optimal crop plan for each IZ is determined by the following objective function (1) that maximizes the GVA: where i denotes crop activities under different management options, Yi is the yield of each crop i, Pi the price received by the farmer, Ci the direct costs of production per unit area, and Li the area dedicated to each activity. The objective function is subject to the following constraints (Eqs. 2–7): LT is the total available surface irrigable in the IZ; qi is the water requirement of each crop per unit area and QT is the availability of water for the entire campaign in the IZ; is the surface of irrigated woody crops; is the irrigable surface that goes to rainfed; is the irrigable surface of woody crops under maintenance irrigation; is the surface of the irrigation plots abandoned; is the surface of existing irrigated greenhouses; is the existing area of each activity in the basin in the reference year; lfi are the labour requirements for each crop, and LFT is the availability of agricultural labour in the IZ. The first constraint (Eq. 2) prevents each unit of demand (IZ) from cultivating more area than the available net irrigable area. The following constraint (Eq. 3) represents the limitation of water availability for each IZ. The set of constraints (Eq. 4), (Eq. 5), and (Eq. 6) allow simulation of specific management options to certain crop groups. Constraint (Eq. 4) fixes the total area of woody crops such as almond, olive, and wine, distributed between irrigated and rainfed depending on the availability of water. Constraint (Eq. 5) represents citrus and fruit trees, whose total area is equal to the area actually irrigated plus, in situations of scarcity of resources, the surface under maintenance irrigation and/or loss of trees because of not being able to perform the minimum maintenance irrigation. Constraint (Eq. 6) sets the maximum available area for greenhouse crops in the reference year. Finally, constraint (Eq. 7) represents the limitation of the available labour for each IZ. The programme used allows estimation of the gross margin generated under different water availability assumptions, as well as derivation of water demand curves and the marginal value of this resource (Griffin, 2006). The necessary data to characterize the technical coefficients of each IZ have been obtained from the sources indicated in Martínez-Paz et al. (2016) and in Martínez-Paz and Pellicer-Martínez (2018), updating all the economic figures to EUR of 2017. The programme was solved for each IZ and for the three climatic scenarios (No CC, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5), so the availability of water in each of them changes (QT). The differences in the average volume transferred to the SRB in each CC scenario (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) calculated with SIMGES were distributed proportionally for each IZ, taking as a reference the volume transferred in the scenario without CC. Thereby, the socioeconomic impact due to changes in the availability of water was obtained, ceteris paribus the rest of the parameters of the model. Finally, the comparison among the results obtained from GVA and employment for each scenario are presented in the Discussion section. 4.1 Hydrological modelling of the Tagus Headwaters River Basin The digital elevation model (DEM) employed has a 25 m resolution and is available on the website of the National Geographic Institute of Spain (http://www.cnig.es/, last access: 15 December 2017). This DEM was used as an auxiliary variable in the interpolation models of the climatic variables, and to delimit the main streams and catchments using the D8 algorithm (O'Callaghan and Mark, 1984). The locations of the 12 gauging stations, which have observed flows in the same period, were used to establish the outlet points of the 12 catchments into which the THRB was divided (Fig. 5). The data series of the observed flows are available in the gauging yearbook of the Official Gauging Station Network of Spain (MITECO, 2018) and cover the period from September 1985 to December 2009. These observed flows have been previously naturalized to be used in the calibration–validation process (Wurbs, 2006). For that, the main human alterations located upstream of each gauging station were undone: regulation and evaporation in the reservoirs, as well as the derivations for urban, agricultural, and industrial uses (also, the returns of these uses were considered). As available data for the 12 gauging stations exist for the same period, it is possible to calibrate the model jointly for all the catchments. Since the objective of this work is to obtain a statistically significant calibration and data for its testing, each series of observed flows was divided into two periods (Klemeš, 1986), the first (from September 1985 to July 1995) being used in the validation and the second (from August 1995 to December 2009) being used in the calibration. Thus, the parameters to be used for the CC projections were determined with the most recent data. The historical climate series used in the calibration–validation comprise the period from September 1980 to December 2009. Thus, the 5 years before the observed flow series were used to warm up the hydrological model. Two information sources were used to obtain the monthly climatic series. The first was the Spain02v5 dataset (Herrera et al., 2016), the historical series used for the calibration–validation of the hydrological model and for its simulation in the scenario without climate change (No CC). For the No CC scenario, these series of data were extended from October 1940 to September 2010 (70 consecutive years), and they were used in the simulation without climatic correction coefficients. The advantages of using Spain02v5 are that the daily series of precipitation and temperature are refined (without outliers and/or in homogeneities), and that they include the spatial variability of the climatic variables in a grid with a 12.5 km resolution (Fig. 5). Since these data are daily, they were aggregated on a monthly basis to apply them in the model. The second source of data was the State Meteorological Agency of Spain (AEMET) and was used for the two CC scenarios of AR5 (IPCC, 2013). This source (AEMET) provides the regionalized projections of 27 models (13 for RCP 4.5 and 14 for RCP 8.5), using the statistical method of analogues (Amblar-Francés et al., 2017). The daily temperature and precipitation series of the 6 thermometric and 48 precipitation stations closest to the THRB were used (Fig. 5). These daily data were also aggregated to monthly series. Next, the reference historical data series of each model were compared with Spain02v5 data, using as a control period the 1971–2005 interval. The 10 models that best fitted for both temperature and precipitation were assembled using the Simple Average Forecast Combination (SA) and Bias-Corrected Eigenvector Forecast Combination (EIG2) (Hsiao and Wan, 2014), available in the GeomComb R-CRAN package (Weiss and Roetzer, 2016). Then, both ensembles were also compared with Spain02v5 data using the same control period (1971–2005). Finally, the series obtained by EIG2 were used, with a lower prediction error compared to the rest of the series. For example, the ENS values obtained with EIG2 for the temperatures were 0.87, while in the separate models they never exceeded 0.77. For the precipitations, the ENS value was 0.30, while in the models it was always lower than 0. In addition, another advantage of the EIG2 method is that it allows one to correct the bias produced by predictive models. The period used in the simulation of CC scenarios (RCPs 4.5 and 8.5) is from October 2020 to September 2090 (also 70 consecutive years). Based on the average monthly temperature data of the three climatic scenarios, the potential evapotranspiration series were estimated using the Thornthwaite method (Gomariz-Castillo et al., 2018; Thornthwaite, 1948). As this method tends to underestimate the potential evapotranspiration, the series generated were corrected from a linear regression between the estimated series and those used by the SIMPA hydrological model (BOE, 2007). These series used by SIMPA have already regionalized for the Iberian Peninsula based on the Penman–Monteith method (Allen et al., 1998), correcting the underestimation of the Thornthwaite method. Once the monthly series of precipitation, temperature, and potential evapotranspiration had been calculated, they were spatially interpolated on the cells using the thin-plate splines method (Wahba, 1990), which is based on local interpolation from polynomials. This method turns out to be relatively robust against non-compliance with the statistical assumptions necessary in methods such as kriging, being used with good results for the interpolation of climatic variables such as rainfall (Hutchinson, 1995) and temperatures (McKenney et al., 2006). Finally, each catchment was assigned the average value of the cells over which it extends. 4.2 Water resource exploitation system of the Tagus Headwaters Basin (THWRES) The THWRES covers the basin upstream of the EBR and the water uses located in the basin downstream of these reservoirs, up to the city of Aranjuez (Figs. 1 and 6). In its design, the possible future water uses for the years 2016, 2021, and 2033 contemplated by the water management board (CHT, 2015) were analysed. And, as there are no relevant differences between them, the uses predicted for the year 2033 were taken as the reference for the three climatic scenarios (No CC, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5) (Table 1). In addition, as the available water resources in the catchments downstream of the EBR are so low with respect to those generated in the EBR drainage basin, they were neglected in the water resource exploitation system simulation. Regarding water uses, the majority of the urban and irrigation uses are concentrated downstream of the EBR, requiring more than 85 % of the total volume demanded. For urban use, a water return of 80 % was considered with respect to the volume supplied. In 2033 irrigation will have a low water return into the system (<1 %) due to improvements in irrigation facilities and in the application systems which will be used, so this low return was implemented in the DSS. The main industrial use of water occurs at the Trillo Nuclear Plant. This industrial use requires a constant flow over time that returns 46 % of the water supplied. Finally, an environmental flow of around 11 m3 s−1 must circulate in the Tagus River from the EBR to the city of Aranjuez. The order of priority in the water resource allocation among the different water uses is urban supplies, Trillo Nuclear Plant, and irrigation. Once the water uses in the THWRES have been supplied, the possibility of authorizing transfers is evaluated (BOE, 2014, 2015). Among the four uses of the transfer there is no stipulated clear criterion in the operating rule that governs it, since sometimes it is done discretionally depending on the needs or level of urgency of the uses. In fact, the transfer to Tablas de Daimiel has occurred only once, to avoid serious damage to this wetland. Therefore, in order to accomplish the general criteria of Spanish legislation, the order of priority followed is urban supply to Segura (TSA), urban supply to the populations located in the upper Guadiana River basin, and irrigation supply to Segura (TSA) and Tablas de Daimiel. 5.1 Climate change effects on the hydrology of the Tagus Headwaters River Basin The values of the criterion coefficients calculated in the hydrological modelling show that the model employed reproduced properly the surface flows in the THRB in the calibration period: high values of ENS and R2, together with low relative errors (ERMS) and volume errors (PBIAS). However, in the validation period, there are some low values for the goodness-of-fit coefficients calculated, indicating that the results of these catchments have greater uncertainty. These results can be explained by the fact that the validation period was used just after the warming-up process. Thereby, it could cause, in some catchments, the warming to extend to a part of the validation period. This would entail the calibration process using a part of the validation to adjust the initial parameters, obtaining worse adjustments in the validation of the model. However, it is important to highlight that the parameters used in the simulations are adjusted with the more recent data, providing a good performance of the surface flows in the THRB. In addition, the best performance in calibration corresponded to the outlets of the catchments of Entrepeñas and Buendía, which were the flows used as the input in the subsequent simulation of the water resource exploitation system. In fact, both catchments had NSE values around 0.80 and low PBIAS (Table 2). The simulation of the historical climate series of 1940–2010 with the calibrated model provided an average annual resource of 954.6×106 m3 yr−1 (Q). This series was temporally moved to the 2020–2090 time period in order to reproduce a future climate scenario without climate change (No CC). The simulations for climate change scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 with the same calibrated model indicated that the THRB could suffer a considerable loss of its natural water resources. The RCP 4.5 scenario forecasted a value of 575.6×106 m3 yr−1, representing a decrease of 39.7 %, while the RCP 8.5 scenario predicted a 46.6 % decline in resources to 508.9×106 m3 yr−1, on average (Fig. 7). This is due to a combination of a reduction in precipitation (15 % and 20 % for each scenario, respectively) and an increase in potential evapotranspiration resulting from an increase in temperature of 2.2 and 3.4 ∘C, respectively, for CC scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. Regarding the snow-melting modelling, the scenario without CC (historical series) provided an average precipitation as snow (Sn) of 185.4×106 m3 month−1 (considering the whole year), reaching a maximum value of 406.9×106 m3 month−1. The hydrological modelling considered the snow for the months between October and May to be relevant, especially that of December, January, and February. The snow accumulated on the summits (Snp) represented an average reserve for each winter of about 112.7×106 m3, with a maximum value of 481.5×106 m3 (Fig. 8a). For the CC scenarios, the snowfall would significantly decrease; in fact, the models did not detect relevant snow-melting processes for the months of October and May. The snowfall would drop by 68 % for RCP 4.5, the average value being around 59.3×106 m3 month−1, while for RCP 8.5 the snowfall would drop by 90 %, giving an average value of about 19.2×106 m3 month−1. These values would decrease the snow covers to a similar extent. In the RCP 4.5 scenario the average snow cover of each winter would be 29.5×106 m3 (Fig. 8b), which represents a reduction of 74 %, whereas the RCP 8.5 snow cover would suffer a reduction of 80 %, reaching an average value of 22.1×106 m3 (Fig. 8c). The aquifers' recharge estimated by the hydrological modelling (ΔG) had an average value of about 771.0×106 m3 yr−1 for the historical climate series, with high monthly variability. This value indicates that almost 80 % of the surface flows (Q) have previously passed through aquifers, which underlines the relevance of the groundwater in this river basin. The maximum recharge occurs during the winter and spring months (January–May), the minimum values being found in the summer months (Fig. 9a). For the CC scenarios, the recharge is significantly reduced and concentrated in the months of February and April. In the RCP 4.5 scenario the aquifers' recharge is reduced by 54 % (to 357.7×106 m3 yr−1) and represents 62 % of the surface flow (Q) (Fig. 9b). For RCP 8.5 the aquifers' recharge is reduced by 62 % (to 290.0×106 m3 yr−1) and would represent only 57 % of the surface flow (Q) (Fig. 9c). The snowfall reduction is one of the reasons for this decrease in aquifer recharge, since the melting snow in the model becomes soil moisture (S), as usually happens in nature. These changes in the aquifers' recharge alter the pattern of the groundwater discharge (Qg), which is part of the surface flows (Q). In fact, the relative differences in the possible groundwater discharges between the summer and spring months would be greater (Fig. 10a). Overall, the CC scenarios predict a significant reduction in the water resources with respect to the historical climate series, together with a loss of the natural capacity of regulation of the river basin itself, manifested as an increase in the relative values of the maximum flows (Fig. 10b). 5.2 Climate change effects on the Tagus Headwaters Water Resources Exploitation System The simulation of the THWRES was carried out with the flows obtained in the previous hydrological modelling. The results obtained using the historical climate series (No CC) and the stabilization scenario (RCP 4.5) indicate that the supply to the water uses in the Tagus River basin is guaranteed, in both cases, for the whole of the time period simulated. However, for the scenario of very high emissions (RCP 8.5), the simulation indicates that there would be supply deficits in the THWRES in some years towards the end of the time period considered. Once the water uses in the Tagus River basin have been supplied, the TSA operating rule comes into effect, providing the monthly volumes that would be possible to transfer in each climatic scenario evaluated. The results are presented in Fig. 11, which shows the volume stored in each month in the EBR (Vacu), the transferred volume (Qtrans) that leaves the Tagus River basin, and the flow that would go through the TSA to the SRB. Table 3 summarizes the main statistics of the annual transfer series, specifying which part goes to the SRB. If the future climate were similar to that of past years (No CC), the average transferable volume would be about 450×106 m3 yr−1 (Fig. 11a). This volume would break down, following the priority criterion established, into about 40×106 m3 yr−1 for the Guadiana River basin (29×106 m3 yr−1 for urban supply and about 10×106 m3 yr−1 for Tablas de Daimiel) and 411×106 m3 yr−1 for the TSA. Thus, given the average losses by infiltration and evaporation from the transfer channel, which are around 10 % (CHS, 2015), the net volume that would reach the SRB would be 370×106 m3 yr−1, a value close to those of the actual series of transfers that have occurred since it came into operation (Morote et al., 2017). So, if there were No CC, despite the fact that the volume reaching the SRB via the TSA would be, on average, much lower than the planned 540×106 m3 yr−1 (600×106 m3 yr−1 minus 10 % losses), it would be possible to transfer an average of 411×106 m3 yr−1 to the SRB. In the RCP 4.5 scenario, the transferable volumes drop to 143×106 m3 year−1 on average, 17×106 m3 yr−1 being for the urban supply in the Guadiana River basin, 2.5×106 m3 yr−1 for Tablas de Daimiel, and 123×106 m3 yr−1 for the SRB by means of the TSA infrastructure. So, considering losses of 10 %, this would mean net water resources of 111×106 m3 yr−1 being transferred to the SRB, barely 20 % of the maximum transferable volume. As worrisome as this important decrease in the average value is the existence of consecutive periods of 3 and 4 years in which no transfer would occur (Fig. 11b). This situation would be aggravated for the climatic scenario RCP 8.5 since the transferable volume would be reduced to about 100×106 m3 yr−1, on average, distributed as 12×106 m3 yr−1 for the urban supply in the Guadiana River basin, 1.5×106 m3 yr−1 for the maintenance of the Tablas de Daimiel wetland, and 86×106 m3 yr−1 for the TSA. Thus, the SRB would receive approximately throughout the year the volume planned for just 1 month in the operating rule. This scenario worsens the duration and frequency of the no-transfer periods, which intensify over time, reaching a situation of total cessation of the TSA from the year 2067 due to a lack of accumulated volumes (Vacu) in the EBR (Fig. 11c). The hydrological modelling carried out with the AR5 CC scenarios predicts a sharp decrease in the water resources of the THRB. These results are in line with the previous simulations made on the same scale (Lobanova et al., 2018), as well as on a larger scale (CEDEX, 2011b; Guerreiro et al., 2017; Lobanova et al., 2018). The hydrological modelling indicated that the increase in temperature would generate a decline in snowfall, which would lead to a reduction in the snow cover period of 2 months. The relevant snowfalls would have a delay of 1 month and the snowmelt would start a month earlier. The decreases provided by the simulations are similar to those published by CEDEX (2017) for the same mountainous area, in which a decrease of up to 70 % was predicted for the interval 2070–2100 in the RCP 4.5 scenario, and greater than 90 % for the RCP 8.5 scenario (same interval). In addition, CEDEX (2017) also predicted a decrease in the 2-month snow cover period. Regarding the aquifer recharge, the hydrological modelling indicated a decline greater than 50 %. Although these values are slightly higher than those published by CEDEX (2017) for the whole Tajo River basin, they are in line with the provisions in the THRB, since the majority of the projections used for these two scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) indicated diminishments of around 50 % in aquifer recharge within this area. These alterations of the hydrological processes will probably generate a change in the fluvial regime. In relative terms, the months of autumn (October, November, December) would suffer the major decrease, this change being consistent with the results of Lobanova et al. (2018). At the annual level, these alterations would result in greater variability of the surface flows of the basin due to increases in the relative difference between the maximum and minimum flows of spring and summer, respectively. In short, these changes are going to diminish the natural capacity of the THRB to regulate its own water resources. However, the results of the THWRES simulations indicate that the EBR will not reach their maximum volume in any situation, and no new infrastructure will be necessary to overcome this loss of regulation. The effects of these physical changes on the THWRES will translate into average decreases around 70 %–79 % in the volume expected to be available for the TSA in both scenarios evaluated (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). In addition, there would be long periods without transfers for the RCP 4.5 scenario, and this IBWT could even stop operating for the last third of the simulation period under the RCP 8.5 scenario, when there would be deficits regarding the water uses in the Tagus River basin itself. At this point it is necessary to consider two reflections. The first is the uncertainty of regionalized projections, whose origin is associated with the uncertainties inherited during the different stages of their generation. To this uncertainty must be added the influence of uncontrolled local factors in the regionalization, which have a great relevance in the case of precipitation. In this sense, in Spain, while the regionalized series for temperature are in line with the historical reference series, those of precipitation have strong uncertainties associated with the models (Amblar-Francés et al., 2017; Mitchell and Hulme, 1999). Even so, the use of these data sources is the best way to understand the repercussions of CC for water resources and hence to adapt strategies to CC. The second is that the simulations carried out for the water resource exploitation system represent scenarios in which the uses of the water and the operating rule do not change with time. The flows that enter in the model are the only input data that vary. So, they are not tools to predict future behaviour, since water needs, infrastructure, and water policy are not static. However, they do serve to evaluate the effects that CC could have on the TSA if measures are not taken regarding the management of the demand for water or the incorporation of alternative sources of water resources into this system. The socioeconomic impact of the decreases in the TSA supply were calculated by the methodology presented in Sect. 3.3. First, the global decrease in TSA flows to the SRB was distributed among the seven IZs, according to the results obtained by Martínez-Paz et al. (2016), which were conditioned by the water demand and by the topology of the exploitation system of the SRB. Once these deficits were determined, they were valued using the linear programming presented, calculating GVA and agricultural employment for each IZ according to water allocations available in each scenario. The results are presented in Table 4, which shows the differences in relation to a scenario with no climate change (No CC). By calculating the ratio between the GVA and TSA the marginal value of water used in irrigation was obtained: 1.29 EUR m−3 for the RCP 4.5 scenario and 1.31 EUR m−3 for the RCP 8.5 scenario (average values for the whole SRB). The marginal value establishes the upper limit of the marginal productivity of water, and therefore it represents the maximum payment capacity of the sector for water in each scenario. The figures obtained are in line with those presented in other studies for the area (Albaladejo-García et al., 2018; Martínez-Paz et al., 2016). Thus, the decrease in the TSA supply for the RCP 4.5 scenario would mean a direct loss of 380 million EUR yr−1 (at the prices of 2017), while for RCP 8.5 it would amount to 425 million EUR yr−1. Given that the GVA of irrigation in the SRB is around 1870 million EUR yr−1 (Martínez-Paz and Pellicer-Martínez, 2018), these figures represent, respectively, direct losses of 20 % and 23 % in terms of GVA. In addition, the decrease in the volumes transferred in the CC scenarios means that the irrigated area is occupied by more labour-extensive crops, causing the loss of around 6690 and 7369 direct full-time agrarian jobs per year in the sector (Table 4). To all these direct effects we should add the drag effects of the primary sector on other economic sectors that depend directly on the use of irrigation in the area (food industry, marketing, transport, inputs, etc.) and make up the well-known agro-industrial cluster of the Region of Murcia (Colino et al., 2014). In this sense, some authors propose a multiplier of no less than 3 to calculate the total economic impact of agricultural production on other related activities. To this economic impact it would be possible to add the environmental one (Martínez-Paz et al., 2018), as it would be, for example, the reduction of the flows circulating in the Segura River, since it is part of the distribution network of the TSA volumes, which would also have effects on the ecosystems associated with this river (Perni and Martínez-Paz, 2017). In this work, the possible effects of CC on the Tagus Headwaters Water Resources Exploitation System have been evaluated. In particular, the work has focused on the hydrological changes that would arise in the Tagus Headwaters River Basin (THRB) if the predicted climatic scenarios arose, and how these would affect the uses of the basin itself and the IBWT (the TSA) that transfers flows to the Segura River basin. The main effects on the water cycle would be the reduction of snowfalls and their accumulation on the summits, and a decrease in aquifer recharge. These changes would generate a significant loss of the natural regulation capacity of the THRB itself, which could not be corrected with new infrastructure since there would also be a significant reduction in the water resources. The hypothetical flows that can be transferred by the TSA would suffer a significant decrease if the simulated CC scenarios came into being. For RCP 4.5 there would be an average reduction of 70 %, while for RCP 8.5 it would be 79 %, both figures being with respect to the series without CC. These reductions would result in direct economic losses in the irrigation sector of around 20 %. Beyond these average figures, the increase in the zero-transfer periods would have a high impact, since it would further increase the uncertainty associated with this source of supply, preventing adequate planning of water uses in the receiving basin. Finally, in addition to the undoubted interest that is presented by the case study analysed, this work shows a complete sequential methodological framework which should serve as a guide for the comprehensive evaluation of IBWT within a framework of integrated water resource management. Moreover, the entire methodology has been developed with open-source tools, facilitating its reproducibility in other areas. The climatic historical data were taken from the Spain02v5 dataset available at http://www.meteo.unican.es/datasets/spain02 (Spain02v5, 2018). Both authors contributed equally to this work. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This article is part of the special issue “Assessing impacts and adaptation to global change in water resource systems depending on natural storage from groundwater and/or snowpacks”. It is not associated with a conference. This research work has been supported by project 19342/PI/14 funded by “Fundación Séneca-Agencia de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Región de Murcia” in the framework of PCTIRM 2011–2014. Moreover, the authors thank AEMET and UC for the data provided for this work. We appreciate the valuable comments and suggestions provided by the editor and two Edited by: David Pulido-Velazquez Reviewed by: two anonymous referees Albaladejo-García, J., Martínez-Paz, J., and Colino, J.: Financial evaluation of the feasibility of using desalinated water in the greenhouse agriculture of Campo de Níjar (Almería, Spain), ITEA-Inf. Tec. Econ. Ag., 114, 6, https://doi.org/10.12706/itea.2018.024, 2018 (in Spanish). a Allen, R. 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This week has been a big week in the world of Google and Android, and while some of the bigger announcements have been around Android and of course the Play Store coming to Chrome OS, smaller news has been important as well. New messaging apps are launching from Google later this summer in the form of Allo and Duo, but Google have also launched another fun educational tool on the sly. The Science Journal app is just what you think it is, but it's also a window into all of the sensors a smartphone has to offer, and it's designed for the next generation of makers - as well as those looking for something to do. For younger users, a smartphone can be a great tool when used in science projects, and is perfect for looking up theories and such, but this new app allows people to use the smartphone as a tool for both recording as well as organizing their projects. Science Journal gives users full access to all of the data recorded from a phone's set of sensors and allows them to record results and then organize them into projects. These sensors include the ambient light sensor, the accelerometer - split into x, y and z axes - and the microphone. All of the measurements and such are neatly displayed here and users can create trials that record this data from one or more of these sensors and then record the data. Renaming and organizing these trials is what makes Science Journal so interesting, as it allows kids to explore what different light bulbs do, how fast you can move your arm, how loud a certain car or bike is and so on. These are simple examples of course, but being able to get access to all of this data and such in a polished and easily-understood app is pretty powerful. There are more apps out there like this than ever before, and it's really refreshing to see Google offer up one of their own. For those wondering, this is a completely free app, and while it does ask for your date of birth, it doesn't appear to lean on any other services from Google, making it safe and private. Just click the button below and you can try it out for yourself.

|"Rouen Cathedreal, Morning Effect" - Claude Monet| This is a guest post promoted from the Forums (Background on Forum Promotion here) By: Ted Cross Think of the person you know who has the best memory. Can they quote from hundreds of books? Do they wow you with what can only be their photographic memory? It may be hard for modern people to fully comprehend, but the great memories of today can hardly compare to those of ancient times. As the book I am reading now states (the following quote and all other quotes here are taken from The Discoverers by Daniel Boorsten) -- "Before the printed book, Memory ruled daily life..." Memory, both from individuals and communities, was the common means of passing knowledge on through the generations. People in those far off times had to intentionally cultivate an incredible memory in order to memorize amounts of information that would astound modern people. "The elder Seneca (c. 55 B.C.-A.D. 37), a famous teacher of rhetoric, was said to be able to repeat long passages of speeches he had heard only once many years before. He would impress his students by asking each member of a class of two hundred to recite lines of poetry, and then he would recite all the lines they had quoted--in reverse order, from last to first." Before the days of printing, "a highly developed Memory was needed by the entertainer, the poet, the singer, the physician, the lawyer, and the priest." We all know about the great ancient epics, such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, which were passed down orally for many centuries. Even when the first writings became more common, Memory remained the primary means in use by lawyers and judges or anyone wishing to quote from the scrolls or manuscripts of the times. With no page numbers or other markings, it was too inconvenient to attempt to locate the necessary parts of text, often rolled up in scrolls dozens or even hundreds of feet long. After the printing press was developed, books evolved into "an aid, and sometimes a substitute, for Memory." It was Socrates, two millennia earlier, who had first "lamented the effects of writing itself on Memory..." The more accurate and widespread the book became, the less important became the cultivation of a good memory. The great anachronism of our age is Islam, which still sees as ideal for any Muslim child the full memorization of the Koran. A lesser one is the incredible use of memory of the elite chess grandmasters, who must memorize hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of positions, tactics, strategies, and lines of openings, middle games, and endgames. The reason I decided to write this was because the (far more detailed) story from The Discoverers reminded me of some thoughts I had been having regarding the effects on memory of the internet age. If the rise of books had been a death knell for developing memory as a tool, how much worse is the internet, which in effect serves as a substitute memory for the world? Regardless of issues of accuracy, almost all data is now placed onto the internet. Google and similar search engines become the key to accessing this modern day Memory. And what effect on memory will come of the decline of leisure reading? Reading, which long served to teach and broaden the minds of educated people, is clearly on the decline amongst (primarily) young males, at least when it comes to spending long hours and days poring over long books for leisure purposes. Now kids turn to email, blogs, text messages, and tweets as primary substitutes for the hours once spent reading. Are we going to reach a point where the average person feels they no longer need to have much 'data' stored within their minds, since they can access it at will on the internet? Will high quality writing and the desire to enjoy such writing decline as people become used to the shorthand of modern communications? When 'lol' and 'rofl' take over for actual knowledge of good English, what does it say of our future? It is hard to say exactly how much impact the internet will have on the area of memory, but my belief is that the coming of the internet age will eventually have nearly as great an effect on memory as the invention of the printing press.

This bar-code number lets you verify that you're getting exactly the right version or edition of a book the 13-digit and 10-digit formats both work. The ace 10th grade curriculum fully integrates biblical principles, and character-building into their easy to use pace workbooks. The students of grade 10 enjoy being mentally challenged and appreciate a high level of knowledge and discussion they also use logic to analyze any information they receive. Tenth grade (grade 10) science worksheets, tests, and activities print our tenth grade (grade 10) science worksheets and activities, or administer them as online tests our worksheets use a variety of high-quality images and some are aligned to common core standards. Find great deals on ebay for grade 10 bolts shop with confidence. 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Grade 10 math is a student & teacher friendly website compiling the entire grade 10 math curriculum it includes interactive quizzes, video tutorials and exam practice. Grade 10 data analysis successive discounts of 1% and 2% are equivalent to a single discount that is grade 10 data analysis successive discounts of 50% and 50% are equivalent to a single discount that is grade 10 data analysis what is the average (arithmetic mean) of all the multiples of ten from 10 to . Spelling test for 10th grade using 10th grade spelling words and spelling bee words for grade 10 | 10th grade listening comprehension test for improving english reading comprehension | listening activities for school kids and esl learners, quiz and lessons. Grade 10 english language arts exam study guide with practice questions 2 in a debate, the first speaker claims that students should be allowed to graduate from school after completing the 10th grade, instead of making them attend until they are 18. Browse the courses offered and materials lists for each 10th grade video enrollment option. Monarch bible grade 10 students will take an old testament survey course that covers creation, the kingdom of israel, abraham and joseph, and numerous other biblical characters. Tenth grade language arts here is a list of language arts skills students learn in tenth grade these skills are organized into categories, and you can move your mouse over any skill name to preview the skill. Tenth grade, sophomore year, or grade 10 (called year 11 in england and wales) is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten or the tenth year after the first introductory year upon entering compulsory schooling in many parts of the world, the students are 15–16 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. 10th grade homeschool curriculum sonlight's 10th grade homeschool curriculum offers priceless opportunities for inspiring moments in your family's educational journey together your student will finish tenth grade with a deeper appreciation for the people and cultures of the modern world and they'll know the story behind modern conflicts and. Unlock the best in reading comprehension download premium quality lessons for use with your students today learn more here fill an entire class period by reading a professionally crafted passage and answering multiple choice and short answer questions guaranteed to get the gears turning.

Part of the Macmillan Computer Science Series book series (COMPSS) In this chapter, and the next, we attempt to answer the questions: By answering these questions we hope to give the reader an idea of what we are trying to achieve when we discuss, in later chapters, how operating systems are constructed. What is an operating system? What does it do? Why do we need one? KeywordsVirtual Machine Physical Machine Real Machine Command Language Impatient Customer These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves. Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF. © A. M. Lister and R. D. Eager 1993

In just 2 weeks, we will welcome author/illustrator Matthew Cordell to our school. Small groups of our Kindergarten students have been coming to the library to work on a special project. This project came about because our Kindergarten classes are unable to attend our regularly scheduled makerspace times. I wanted to offer them some special opportunities throughout the year because of this. Thankfully, I now have a high school intern, Andrea Arumburo, who is collaborating with me in the library most afternoons. Her focus is art, so I knew she would align perfectly with Kindergarten makerspace opportunities. For this first round of classes, groups of 5 students from each Kindergarten class came to the library to create puppets based on Matthew Cordell’s Wolf in the Snow. We began by refreshing students’ memories on what happened in the story with a quick flip through the book. Then, Andrea talked with the students about creating characters on paper plate circles. She offered that they could replicate the characters in the story, or they could design a character that looked more like themselves. She had several examples to show them. Next, students moved to tables and sketched out their characters on paper plate circles and colored them. We placed examples on each table as well as a copy of the book. As students finished a puppet, they glued a tongue depressor stick onto the circle to create the puppet. Most students chose to make a 2nd character so that they had one human and one wolf. Once students finished, we sent them to spots around the library to practice retelling the story. Kindergarten talks a lot about 3 ways to read a book: read the words, read the pictures, retell the story. This was a great opportunity to practice retelling. Some students referred back to the book. Others remembered every detail. Others used their artistic license to completely change the story and make it their own. After practicing, they found a partner and shared their puppet show story with a partner. For many, this was the stopping point in our time limit of 40 minutes. However, a few students were able to come over to the green screen and practice retelling their story in front of the camera. In one session, we decided we didn’t have enough time to film anyone so instead, we all sat on the carpet with our puppets and we walked back through the pages of the book together. I told the story and students used their puppets to act out the story. I loved watching them hide puppets behind their backs when that character wasn’t in a scene. This unexpected closing was actually something I wish I had done with the other groups because it made a connection between the puppets and the story. I think it would have helped students in making their own puppet shows. Our hope is that Andrea and I can continue to offer these opportunities throughout the year. Some will be low-tech, high-tech, or a mix of it all.

|Pesticide spraying could harm more than weeds, | book author warned. The book forced readers to take a close look at what was being done to animals, human health and the environment. Carson accused the chemical industry of spreading disinformation, and public officials of accepting industry claims uncritically. The book exposed the effects of pesticides on the environment and fueled public opposition against those chemicals hazards, eventually leading to a ban on DDT in 1972 in the U.S. Rachel Carson (1907-1964) was a marine biologist and conservationist, who became interested in the effects of extensive pesticide spraying after a friend described the death of birds around her property because of DDT that was being sprayed to kill mosquitoes. She was worried also about human exposure, since many chemicals and pesticides can be stored in the body or end up in the food chain. While there was a lot of support, there were also many critics of the book, who say that some of her conclusions were incorrect or exaggerated. But studies continue to show the harmful effects of pesticides, including a possible link to the mysterious death of bees. Reduce chemical exposure – outdoors and in In the past 50 years, the use of chemicals in household products and materials has gone up, and we are all exposed to a wide range of chemicals and substances in our everyday lives. Choosing more natural and non-toxic materials when possible, providing adequate ventilation and a serious air filtration system can help reduce chemical exposure indoors (where we spend most of our time). AllerAir has developed portable and powerful air purifiers for homes and offices that provide a complete air cleaning system with activated carbon (charcoal), HEPA and optional UV germicidal filtration. With specialized units for chemicals and odors, tobacco smoke, mold, MCS, allergies and asthma as well as many others, AllerAir helps solve indoor air quality problems in North America and beyond. Contact AllerAir for more information.

What's up in Although Einstein’s theory of space-time seems more complicated than Newtonian physics, it greatly simplified the mathematical description of the universe. Lurking behind Einstein’s theory of gravity and our modern understanding of particle physics is the deceptively simple idea of symmetry. But physicists are beginning to question whether focusing on symmetry is still as productive as it once was. Mathematicians used “magic functions” to prove that two highly symmetric lattices solve a myriad of problems in eight- and 24-dimensional space. In a world seemingly filled with chaos, physicists have discovered new forms of synchronization and are learning how to predict and control them. Decades after physicists happened upon a stunning mathematical coincidence, researchers are getting close to understanding the link between two seemingly unrelated geometric universes. An eminent mathematician reveals that his advances in the study of millennia-old mathematical questions owe to concepts derived from physics.

What is erp mrp software? If you are new to erp software you might find some of the terms confusing. Many people use the terms erp and mrp interchangeably. So, what's the difference? MRP is a term from the mid 1970s, and stands for Materials Requirements Planning. In short, it focuses on meeting demand (sales orders) with supply (works orders and purchases). MRP II (2) appeared in the late 1970s and stands for Manufacturing Resource Planning. This 'engine' is concerned with capacity / resource levels and when operations take place. These two operated quite happily until the early 1990s, when ERP appeared. ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning and effectively ties the organisation together. From enquiry through to invoices, ERP joins business processes together into one solution. There are now many ERP solutions available, including cloud ERP. As ERP has become synonymous with business software the range of tools and functions between options differ a lot. Each ERP system offers something different. They are often tailored to suit different business types. How do you choose? We've written a free guide to help you navigate this journey. To get your free copy, fill in this form. It will also help you get the most out of your system, whether you use Fraction ERP or not. So, next time someone asks about erp mrp software, you'll know the difference!

Utah - The Beehive State Utah has a long history of human habitation. In some areas the record goes back at least 12,000 years. There was a time after the last Ice Age when northern Utah was flooded by an inland sea of glacial meltwater (Ancient Lake Bonneville). The remains of that today are known as the Great Salt Lake. About 10,000 years ago, the Desert Archaic people were living in caves around the Great Salt Lake. They were a hunter-gatherer people who wove fishing nets of plant fiber and rabbit skin, used the atlatl and made sandals and gaming sticks. About 3,500 years ago, water levels in the basin rose dramatically and their population fell way off. Most of the ancient relics we find now are from the time of the Fremont and Anasazi people, contemporaries who traded ideas, methods of construction and certain artifacts with each other. They also left some incredible petroglyphs in places like Newspaper Rock and Horseshoe Canyon. The Anasazi (Ancient Puebloans) were mostly in the area of the Colorado Plateau: southern, southeastern and eastern Utah. Their culture began to develop around 100 CE and grew until the time of the great drought in the 1200's when they essentially abandoned the area, moving to more stable water sources to the south and southeast. The Fremont culture developed west of the Colorado River and stretched into Nevada, Idaho and northwestern Colorado. They inhabited areas very close to water sources used by the Desert Archaic folks but their technology and lifestyle was significantly different. Archaeologists have defined the lifetime of their culture as running from about 600 CE to about 1300 CE. The more modern Native American tribes in Utah are the Paiute, Ute, Shoshone and Navajo. (Perhaps I should spell that "Piute" when referring to anything in Utah as the Utah Legislature passed an ordinance to "correct" the spelling of the name). The Shoshonean-speaking tribes moved in from the southwest beginning around 1200 CE. Over time they differentiated into the Shoshone, Ute, Piute and Goshute, and occupied most of what is now Utah. An Athabascan-speaking people began to arrive in the San Juan Basin area (southeastern Utah) beginning in the early 1500's. The Athabascans came from the Great Plains region, pushed westward by the Arapaho and Cheyenne. Over time this group differentiated into the Navajo and the Mescalero, Lipan and Jicarilla Apache. The first real penetration of Utah by Europeans was probably the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition in the late 1770's. They left Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1776 on a mission to find a new, better route overland to Monterey, California. They traveled extensively in southeast Utah but when they hit that desert west of Utah's central mountain ranges, they turned back and returned to Santa Fe. The 1820's and 1830's saw various groups of English, French, American and Spanish fur trappers traveling around the area. The early 1840's saw emigrants working variations of the California Trail in northwestern Utah. Kit Carson guided John C. Fremont across Utah in 1845 as they headed for California. Then the Mormons began to arrive en masse in 1847. Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City Bridal Veil Falls along the Provo Canyon Scenic Byway Largest City: Salt Lake City Admitted to the Union: January 4, 1896 : 45th Highest Point: Kings Peak : 13,528' Lowest Point: Beaver Dam Wash : 2,000'

“Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked.” Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali “Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.” Meditation | Mindfulness - The Difference Meditation is the awareness of “no-thing.” Mindfulness is the awareness of “a thing,” Meditation and Mindfulness are reflections of each other. Meditation nurtures and expands Mindfulness, while Mindfulness supports and enriches meditation. Meditation is practised for a specific time, and Mindfulness can be applied to anytime and situation during the day. During meditation, you place your focus on your breath, and your mind can wander. Mindfulness teaches you to notice your mind wandering, and bring it back to focus on the task at hand. Mindfulness is a state of being. It means being present in the moment, and having a non-judgemental awareness of your thoughts, feelings, body, and environment. Meditation and Mindfulness benefits is that it reduces stress, controls anxiety, improves sleep, enhances self-awareness, may help with depression, promotes emotional health and can generate kindness to yourself and others

Developing an Ethical Technology Mindset Brought to you byDeloitte What to Read Next As technology has advanced and become ubiquitous in our lives, a common philosophical question is whether technology itself is neutral. There are many good arguments to be made that it is — and that it is how technology is used and deployed that creates good or bad outcomes for individuals, companies, and society. This question is important for the digital transformation shaping businesses today. With data acting as the fuel for artificial intelligence, the issues surrounding customer privacy and data tracking are increasing. Organizations and governments are recognizing this, as evidenced by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, which went into effect in 2018 to protect the privacy of European citizens. Research Updates From MIT SMR Get weekly updates on how global companies are managing in a changing world. Please enter a valid email address Thank you for signing up AI differs from many other tools of digital transformation and raises different concerns because it is the only technology that learns and changes its outcomes as a result. Accordingly, AI can make graver mistakes more quickly than a human could. Despite the amplified risk of its speed and scale, AI can also be tremendously valuable in business. PwC estimates that AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy in 2030. To different degrees, all companies will need to become “AI companies” so they can leverage the considerable benefits to be gained through greater knowledge of their customers, explore new markets, and counteract new, AI-driven companies that might seek their market share. In recent years, we’ve watched as Netflix has overtaken the likes of ExxonMobil in value — a reminder to legacy companies that a strategic approach to becoming AI- and data-driven is key to embracing a new vision of the future. To extract the benefits from AI while mitigating the risks, companies must ensure that they are sufficiently agile so they can adopt best practices to create responsible transformation with AI. Many tools are now available to help leaders and organizations navigate the complex use of AI. At a fundamental level, companies must transform their way of thinking about their organization, workforce, product design, development, and use of AI to engineer their success. One such example is the work of the AI platform at the World Economic Forum to provide recommendations for companies on various aspects of responsible use of technology. Our platform identifies three foundational changes that are important for companies to make as they implement responsible AI. When these are overlooked in the digital transformation process, companies risk failure and damage to brand reputation. The three principles of responsible AI are: - The whole organization must be engaged with the AI strategy, which involves a total organizational review and potential changes. - All employees need education and training to understand how AI is used in the company so that diverse teams can be created to manage AI design, development, and use. Additionally, employees should understand how the use of AI will impact their work and potentially help them do their jobs. - Responsibility for AI products does not end at the point of sale: Companies must engage in proactive responsible AI audits for all ideas and products before development and deployment. To extract the benefits from AI while mitigating the risks, companies must ensure that they are sufficiently agile so they can adopt best practices to create responsible transformation with AI. Responsible AI and the Employee Experience In addition to delivering better ethical outcomes and helping protect stakeholder trust, responsible AI is a good bet for companies that want to save money. Gartner estimated that 85% of all algorithms will deliver erroneous outcomes by 2022 because of bias in data and the teams creating them — the costs of which add up. Companies can protect against this risk by providing better training and taking proper measures to address bias in algorithms. Other areas where bias in AI has proved to be detrimental are hiring and retention — yet many companies are rushing to implement technology for these purposes. Organizations must recognize the drawbacks that some algorithms bring into the screening and hiring process as a result of the way they are trained, which can have a direct impact on outcomes such as diversity and inclusion. When it comes to reskilling and retaining employees, AI can be helpful to companies when deployed for screening and training employees for new positions. Many employees have skills that can be built upon to cross into a new position, but companies often don’t realize the full extent of their employees’ capabilities. For companies seeking to attract and retain employees with AI skills, it helps to develop responsible AI policies, because many of the most talented AI designers and developers value their company’s positions on ethics and transparency in their work. There are so few skilled AI designers amid huge demand for products that developing a robust responsible AI program can bolster a company’s recruitment strategy and provide a competitive edge. Responsible AI for Customers and Stakeholders As AI touches more of society, the general public has become increasingly concerned about the technology and its uses. Indeed, as many as 88% of Europeans and 82% of Americans believe that AI needs to be carefully managed. It’s more important than ever that companies develop strategy around responsible AI and communicate it well to internal and external stakeholders in order to maintain accountability. Companies should also keep in mind that a one-size-fits-all approach does not always work with emerging technology; instead, they need to match the right AI solution to the right customers and create business offerings that align with customer needs. Organizations should also be forward-looking and recognize that where there’s disruption, there will likely be more regulation. This year, the European Union proposed new rules and regulations for AI that would have implications for organizations across the globe. This is a risk-based approach, and all companies using AI within the EU should be gearing up to comply. Of course, as with all legislation, it should be a first step, not the last word, in using AI wisely. Another developing area is the addition of responsible AI to the environmental, social, and governance schema. Increasingly, investors want to know about the use of AI and how companies are solving responsible AI problems. Likewise, venture capital companies are beginning to question whether it’s a good investment to put money into startups that haven’t thought about responsible AI. This affects traditional business in three ways: - Startups with responsible AI strategies will be more valuable. - The purchase of a responsible AI startup may depend on the startup’s approval of the acquirer’s approach. - Investors may refuse to buy stock in companies that don’t have responsible AI. Indeed, there may be an increase in activist investors in this space. Responsible AI Needs Support at the Top To gain traction throughout an organization, support for responsible AI needs to come from its leadership. Unfortunately, many board members and executive teams lack understanding about AI. The World Economic Forum created a toolkit for boards to learn about the different oversight responsibilities in companies involved with AI. They can use it to understand how responsible AI can be adopted across different areas of the business — including branding, competitive and customer strategies, cybersecurity, governance, operations, human resources, and corporate social responsibility — and prevent ethical issues from taking hold. Responsible AI is too important to leave to one member of the C-suite. Instead, it requires collaboration and a shared understanding of the risks and benefits by all. If every company will become an AI company, then every company must have a board and C-suite with knowledge and understanding of compliance best practices. Most organizations still have far to go in their AI journeys, but by adopting responsible AI practices, the benefits for business, employees, customers, and society can be far-reaching.

Some early childhood education centres are aligned with certain cultures such as Maori, Chinese, or Pasifika. These centres are often found in communities with high proportions of families from these backgrounds. Some like Te Kōhanga Reo emphasise the use of the home language while others work in English but encourage the inclusion of cultural practices. Many of these centres are community- based and have low fees to encourage participation. A special note about Nga Kōhanga Reo Nga Kōhanga Reo are unique and these language nests provide more than an ECE service. This was recognised in a report by the Waitangi Tribunal (October 2012). The Tribunal found that the Government had failed to promote the benefits of Te Kōhanga Reo as a way of preserving the language and failed to accurately measure its achievement. Classification of it as an ECE service under the Ministry of Education had led to discrimination in funding and the imposition of regulations that were not always helpful or appropriate.

Chondrodermatitis Nodularis Chronica Helicis (CNH) is a painful inflammatory condition affecting the ear sometimes called Winkler disease. CNH is most often seen in middle-aged or elderly men but may also affect women and younger adults. It results in a benign tender lump in the cartilaginous portion of the ear, the helix. The cause of CNH is not certain; however, it has been linked to pressure, cold, actinic damage, and repeated trauma. The primary goal in treatment is to relieve or eliminate pressure at the site of the lesion, which can often be difficult because of the patient’s preference or necessity to sleep on the side of the lesion. Treatments may include topical antibiotics to relieve pain caused by secondary infections, topical and intralesional steroids to relieve discomfort and collagen injections may bring relief by providing cushioning between the skin and cartilage. If specific efforts to relieve pressure are unsuccessful, surgical approaches almost always are needed. Lesions are most often encountered on the helix in white men older than 40 years Unknown, although most authorities believe it is caused by prolonged and excessive pressure. Benign tender lump in the cartilaginous portion of the ear Nodules are firm, tender, well demarcated, and round to oval with a raised, rolled edge and central ulcer or crust Ulceration demonstrates homogeneous acellular collagen degeneration with fibrin deposition 1.”Chondrodermatitis Nodularis Helicis” (Online) July 2007.http://www.emedicine.com/derm/TOPIC76.HTM (visited: March 14, 2008)

The British steamer, Lugano, from Liverpool, was headed for Havana with general cargo that included fine silks, wines, rice, and other foods valued at $1 million. She was also carrying 116 passengers, including 12 women and children. All of the passengers except 2 were Spanish immigrants en route to Cuba. On March 9, 1913 in high winds and heavy seas and significantly off course, Captain P. Penwill grounded on Long Reef. The tug Rescue was radioed, and safely took the passengers of Lugano to Key West while the Captain and crew remained aboard. Cargo was removed, and the hold was intentionally flooded to prevent further pounding on the rocks. By March 20th, seven large loads of cargo had been removed and taken to Key West. Wreckers were busily pumping water out of Lugano so that her boilers could be re-lit, allowing her own pumps to dewater the hull. By March 22nd, their efforts succeeded, but even with the ship’s pumps working night and day, the ill-fated vessel was still lodged on the reef and listing heavily to port. On March 27th, The Miami Herald reported there were over 75 wrecking boats attempting to save the cargo. The ensuing confusion and foul weather made it easy for unscrupulous salvors to slip away and stash cargo on nearby reefs. Much cargo was stolen by the Key West wreckers of Dr. Lykes, including linens and 350 cases of brandy. Rumors of the thefts prompted U.S. Customs to dispatch officials to monitor the wreck. By April 4th, the crew had abandoned Lugano, which was again full of water. The Lee Brothers, wreckers from Miami, were later contracted to deliver the ship to Key West for $17,000.00. The estimated value of the saved cargo was $150,000.00. Lugano was three stories deep below the water line and was the largest boat to ever go on the rocks of the Florida reefs up to that time. All efforts to refloat Lugano were abandoned on April 15th. Two days of high winds pounded the already battered vessel until it was considered a total loss. Wreckers removed nearly everything, leaving only the hull. A settlement on May 28, 1914, gave the primary salvors $64,126.67, the secondary salvors $14,084.30, and the remaining salvors $2,228.18. The schooner Dr. Lykes’ share was forfeited because of discrepancies between cargo collected and cargo delivered. In February, 1917, the yacht Ada M struck Lugano, which was the first report of a ship hitting this wreck. A warning to mariners was issued on January 13, 1920 stating that the wreck of Lugano was a danger to navigation. The wreck was estimated to be 3000 tons and had a broken mast and stack visible under water. Lugano now lies 25 feet underwater on Long Reef in Biscayne National Park.

Joint Replacement Surgery Joint cartilage is a tough, smooth tissue that covers the ends of bones where joints are located. It helps cushion the bones during movement, and because it is smooth and slippery, it allows for motion with minimal friction. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a wear and tear condition that destroys joint cartilage. Sometimes as the result of trauma, repetitive movement, or for no apparent reason, the cartilage wears down, exposing bone ends. This can occur quickly over months or may take years to occur. Cartilage destruction can result in painful bone-on-bone contact, along with swelling and loss of motion. Osteoarthritis usually occurs later in life and may affect only one joint or many joints. When conservative treatment of osteoarthritis is not adequately addressing your needs, an orthopedic specialist may recommend total joint replacement surgery. What is a joint replacement? Total joint replacement is a surgery in which an arthritic or damaged joint surface is replaced with an orthopedic prosthesis. Joint replacement surgery can be performed on several major joints, with two of the most common being the knee or hip joints. A total knee replacement is a bone and cartilage replacement with an artificial surface. The knee itself is not replaced, as is commonly thought, but rather an implant is inserted on the bone ends. This is done with a metal alloy on the femur and plastic spacer on the tibia and patella (kneecap). This creates a new, smooth cushion and a functioning joint that can reduce or eliminate pain. A total hip replacement is an operation that removes the arthritic ball of the upper femur (thighbone) as well as damaged bone and cartilage from the hip socket. The ball is replaced with a metal ball that is fixed solidly inside the femur. The socket is replaced with a plastic or metal liner that is usually fixed inside a metal shell to create a smoothly functioning joint. What are the results of total joint replacement? Results will vary depending on the quality of the surrounding tissue, the severity of the arthritis at the time of surgery, your activity level, and your adherence to the doctor’s orders. When is this type of surgery performed? An orthopedic surgeon will decide if you are a candidate for the surgery. This will be based on medical history, exam, X-rays, and response to conservative treatment. The decision to have surgery will be yours. How long will a joint replacement last and can a second replacement be done? All implants have a limited life expectancy depending on your age, weight, activity level, and medical condition(s). A total joint implant’s longevity will vary in every patient. It is important to remember that an implant is a medical device subject to wear that may lead to mechanical failure. While it is important to follow all of the surgeon’s recommendations after surgery, there is no guarantee that a particular implant will last for any specific length of time. Why is a revision sometimes required? Just as an original joint wears out, a joint replacement will wear over time as well. The most common reason for revision is loosening of the artificial surface from the bone. Wearing of the plastic spacer may also result in the need for a new spacer. A surgeon will explain the possible complications associated with total knee replacement. What are the possible complications associated with joint replacement? While uncommon, complications can occur during and after surgery. Some complications include infection, blood clots, implant breakage, malalignment, and premature wear, any of which may necessitate implant removal/replacement surgery. While these devices are generally successful in attaining reduced pain and restored function, they cannot be expected to withstand the activity levels and loads of normal healthy bone and joint tissue. Although implant surgery is extremely successful in most cases, some patients still experience pain and stiffness. No implant will last forever, and factors such as a patient’s post-surgical activities and weight can affect longevity. You should be sure to discuss these and other risks with their surgeon.

Don't you just love your steak with fries? Potatoes are an essential part of our diet. So much so, we spend so much on it. Fortunately, I'll let you in on the secrets of growing potatoes in containers! Essentially, potatoes are nutritious. But the real best thing about them is you can prepare and grow them in so many ways. You'll be surprised to find growing potato in containers convenient, exciting, and practically stress-reducing. If you want to stay on budget, try growing potatoes in containers. This lets you have fresh potato harvest of your own. Read on to know how. A Practical Guide To Growing Potatoes In Containers Growing potatoes in containers can be really fun with this practical guide for those who want to finally grow their own food like you. You'll also save on space with container gardening, so no worries for those who have little space to spare for a garden. Growing potatoes in containers is a practical way to grow your own food and stay on budget. Read on to learn all about it! 1. Selecting And Chitting Seed Potato While it's convenient to follow expert tips, and choose only premium seed potatoes sold at garden supply stores, you can grow them from scraps quite easily. Even that neglected tuber in your pantry can actually grow into a plant that can give loads of potatoes back. I would suggest to only grow from the organic and healthy kind of tubers. Potatoes sold commercially are treated with solutions that prevent them from chitting. To make your potato sprouts, they must be stored in a cool, unlit area. Exposure to sunlight will not allow your potatoes to sprout easily. 2. Types Of Containers To Plant Your Potatoes In You can practically grow potatoes in a variety of containers. The selection seems endless. You'd be excited to know you can even grow potatoes in recycled containers like trash bags or old car tires. Other containers you can grow potatoes in are laundry baskets, empty compost bags, plastic bins or buckets, burlap sack, and utility bags. You just have to make sure they will drain properly to avoid diseases in your crops. When using plastic bins, make sure to drill lots of holes to let water drain easily. Isn't this a very practical way to recycle, and give back to your environment? 3. Preparing The Soil Gardening is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Don't let taking care of your garden soil stress you out! As long as it's well-draining, loose, and smells of nice dirt, it's in great condition. But there's also no harm in getting good organic compost to increase your yield. Just don't add fresh animal manure, as it could encourage disease in your tubers. Have it aged or well-composted first before using it for growing potatoes in. 4. Planting the Potatoes Potatoes are toxic but the toxins are mostly concentrated in the leaves, stems, sprouts, and fruits. However, if your tubers are exposed to sunlight, they'd turn green and increase toxicity levels. You can avoid this by making sure that they are well covered with soil. To plant your seed potatoes in containers, first you have to fill 4 to 6 inches of soil or compost in your container. Then, lay your seed potatoes on top of the soil. Cover the seed potatoes with another 4 to 6 inches of compost, and continue hilling or adding soil as your potato plant grows. 5. Feeding And Watering Potatoes don't need much fertilizer. If you overfeed them, you'll end up with an abundant foliage and fewer yields. A moderate amount of organic fertilizer will do for your spuds. Watering your potatoes will be essential, especially when growing them in containers. Make sure the water drains right off when watering to keep your soil moist but not soggy. 6. Disease And Pests One good thing about growing potatoes in containers is being able to easily eliminate pest problems. Yes, even those rodents that go over and under fences to get to your potatoes. Potatoes need sunlight to grow well and keep its foliage dry and healthy. Make sure your seed potatoes are healthy and your soil is disease- and pest-free. Or you can naturally fend off pests by growing pest and insect repellent plants, like chives, near you potatoes. Never grow your potatoes in the same soil again. Or if you have to, make sure to amend your soil by mixing organic fertilizers. 7. Harvesting And Storage Your potatoes are ready to harvest once the flowers are open. But it's best to harvest them when the plant has wilted. This will let the tubers mature and toughen up its skin to prevent damage from all the yanking and pulling. But you can easily knock over the contents of your container during harvest. Let your kids join in, and have them pick up your harvest which they'll surely enjoy! Wash your potatoes thoroughly and store them in a cool dry place. They store well over the winter so you won't have a shortage of potatoes for some time. Watch this video from osmocotegarden for a more in-depth guide to growing potatoes in containers: Growing potatoes in containers is an excellent gardening venture that's easy and exciting. Eating food you've grown yourself is like growing your own money. Though money doesn't grow on trees, they sure do in containers! Got inspired growing potatoes in containers? Share with your friends this practical guide and have some fries and mashed potatoes party! Was this practical guide to growing potatoes in containers helpful? Share your thoughts in the comments section below! I hope this practical guide becomes a helpful tool in your gardening endeavors. Are your containers ready for a blast of potatoes coming? Share your thoughts about growing potatoes in the comments section below! Featured Image via Wallpaper Zone

as already noted, the risk (if any) is trivial compared to the benefits of swimming, so....keep swimming, don't worry about it regarding the "new" study (part of a trilogy published September 2010).... From the study... "Swimming is not associated with DNA damage." "Levels of disinfectant byproduducts in swimming pool water are not necessarily higher than those in drinking water." "brominated DBPs are generally more genotoxic and carcinogenic than chlorinated DBPs" (DBP = disinfectant byproducts) Chlorination is not the problem according to the study (regarding statistically significant changes). Bromination may be. Higher levels of exhaled brominated trihalomethanes were associated with increased numbers of micronucleated lymphocytes, but not in changes in micronucleated urinary tract lining cells. 'Urine mutagenicity" increased in association with higher levels of exhaled bromoform (determined by mutagenic effect of urine samples on the bacteria Salmonella). May Be! Increasing cancer risk from indoor pools and absorption through the skin and lungs is HIGHLY speculative. Direct data does not exist...ie, data showing an increased cancer risk in cancer rates (vs a suspected biomarker effect from brominated compounds). Study design, by the way, involved pre-swimming testing vs post-swimming testing, wherein swimming meant 40 minutes of undefined swimming in an indoor pool in Barcelona, Spain in 2007. Doing jumping jacks, pushups and situps, or merely sitting, near the pool for 40 minutes may have produced similar results!

How does the watchman waiting for Agamemnon feel about the state of things in the beginning of Aeschylus' Agamemnon? 1 Answer | Add Yours Aeschylus' Agamemnon, first staged in 458 BCE, is the first play of the so-called Oresteia trilogy. The play opens with a watchman sitting on the roof of the palace. He has been waiting for a signal flare for a long time and expresses his exhaustion at waiting for so long for the return of Agamemnon from Troy. Most of his comments have to do with his sleeplessness and that he is essentially being worked like a dog. He also alludes to the fact that Agamemnon's wife has been waiting anxiously for her husband to return. Once the watchman finally sees the signal flare indicating the fall of Troy and the return of Agamemnon, the watchman rejoices and looks forward to shaking Agamemnon's hand upon his return from Troy. The watchman, however, end his prologue on an ominous note that seems to foreshadow the horrors that await Agamemnon upon his return: Join to answer this question Join a community of thousands of dedicated teachers and students.Join eNotes

Over the centuries, the one thing that has not changed perhaps is the bond that exists between children and their grandparents. Upon looking back on their childhood, most people would associate those carefree days with the warmth and love that they received from their grandparents. During these days of jocund serenity, one remarkable memory most of us share is that of our grandparents relating to us the tales of great heroes and legends whose lives and adventures inspired children to embark upon exciting adventures of their own. Storytelling, however, was not a mere means of passing time in the Pre-independence era; rather it was an important source of entertainment. Listening to stories narrated by professional raconteurs, known as Qissagohs, was an essential aspect of courts and gatherings. These raconteurs had such mastery over their art of narrating stories that they painted pictures with words and left deep and lasting impressions on the minds of their listeners. According to Abdul Halim Sharar, the practice of storytelling had such a stronghold in Lucknow that there was no affluent household, which did not have its own appointed Qissagoh. Qissa was a short tale, one that could be finished in a day whereas Daastaan was a longer tale, which could go on over a week, month or even a year. Not only were these Qissas and Daastaans narrated but also published later by the Munshi Naval Kishore Press in Lucknow. It was believed that nowhere else had people attained even a part of the proficiency over language as had the inhabitants of Lucknow. Several literary devices such as Phabti (quip/pleasantry), Zila (double entendre), Tukbandi (rhyme forming), and so on were developed to enrich the language. At Munshi Naval Kishore Press in Lucknow, Daastaan-e-Amir Hamza was first published between 1893 and 1908 in forty six volumes, each of which is said to have comprised of at least a thousand pages. Persian literature was much appreciated and a large volume of literature in India during the Mughal times was produced in the Persian language. Prose in the Epic form, known as Daastaan, gained most prominence in India and was translated from Persian into Urdu and today, into English and other languages. Daastaans were tales of romance, warfare and adventures, which were far from reality and were created with the intention of helping people to find break from the ordinary life by escaping into a world full of supernatural elements. The distinctive art of Storytelling died with the death of Sheikh Tassaduq Hussain in 1918 in Lucknow and Mir Baqar Ali Dehalvi in 1928 at Delhi. In 2005, this art was revived by the combined efforts of Shamsur Rahman Farooqui, a notable Urdu poet, critic and theorist and his nephew Mahmood Farooqui, a well-known writer, artist and director. Though attempts to revive this art in Lucknow have been made earlier, it is after about ninety years that the city has produced its very own Daastangoh. Himanshu Bajpai, the first modern Daastangoh of Lucknow, has won the hearts of his audience with his originality and eloquence right from his first performance in the city. Not only does he narrates the ancient tales with unique expressions and skill but has also recounted new Daastaans based on contemporary issues such as corruption, women empowerment and partition. The Daastangoi performances are not mere live shows but also a way for us to learn about the socio-cultural conditions of the previous times as they form an integral part of our rich cultural and literary history. About the Author: Fatima Siddiqui loves to write and especially if it is about Lucknow. She is currently pursuing her Ph. D from Lucknow University. Fatima believes that words are extremely powerful and the right ones are capable of making a big difference. How useful was this post? Click on a star to rate it! Average rating / 5. Vote count: We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Let us improve this post! Thanks for your feedback!

April 10, 2010 An interactive session led by Dr. Rafael Davalos Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Tech Different forces are dominant at different length scales. This is why some bugs can walk on water and mammals can only be so small. This talk will discuss some of the basic physics of scaling laws. We will talk about the role of these laws in nature and how engineers and scientists use these principles when designing and creating microsystems and nanotechnology. Dr. Rafael Davalos is an Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Tech. He has a joint appointment with the Virginia Tech- Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences. His research interests includes biomedical microdevices and cancer detection and treatment. April 2010 - Hands-On Exhibits After each KTU interactive session the students are escorted by their parents to have lunch and then to the hands-on portion of the event. There the students enjoy the experience of interacting with various exhibits from the Virginia Tech community. April 2010 - Exhibitors 1. Alpha Epsilon 2. Alpha Omega Epsilon 3. Alpha Pi Mu 4. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 5. Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Team (AUVT) 6. Engineers Without Borders - Local and Community Outreach (EWB-LACO) 7. Environmental & Water Resources (EWR) - Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering 8. Dr. Wu Feng - Computer Science Dept. 9. Formula SAE 10. Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (HFES) 11. Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team (HEVT) of Virginia Tech 12. Marilyn Lanier - Dept. of Teaching and Learning 13. Dr. Alex Leonessa - VT Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science Engineering 14. Lunar Outpost to Settlement Senior Design Team - Dept. of Aerospace & Ocean Engineering 15. Dr. Leigh McCue - Dept. of Aerospace & Ocean Engineering 16. North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT) 17. Kathleen Short - Dept. of Building Construction 18. VA Career VIEW 19. VT Synthetic Biology Group 20. Wood-Based Composites Center 24. Anemometer 1 25. Anemometer 2 26. GSO - Gannon Price

Distribution in the San Bernardino Forest The bark beetle outbreak was first observed in the southwestern portions of the forest, near the communities of Crestline, Lake Gregory, and Lake Arrowhead. The beetles have rapidly spread eastward into the communities of Running Springs, Big Bear Lake and beyond. The pines of the southwest regions of the forest have been more heavily harmed by ozone pollution and are therefore more susceptible to bark beetle attack. It is reasonable to speculate that the beetle outbreak started in the southwestern areas of the forest because of the increased stress of pollution in addition to the other stresses present throughout the forest.

EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) — The deadliest e. coli outbreak in modern history, centered in Germany, has now killed 23 people and sickened more than 2,200 – including four in the United States. As WBBM Newsradio 780’s Debra Dale reports, a local pathologist says the European outbreak appears to be triggered by a brand new type of e. coli infection. “We’ve seen this as two separate diseases,” Dr. Tom Thomson, director of the microbiology lab at NorthShore University Health System. “It seems as though the strain that they have in Europe has combined these two mechanisms into one strain.” LISTEN: Newsradio 780’s Debra Dale reports Thomson said the source has been elusive. “These vegetables come from all over the place – literally all over the world,” he said. “Trying to find a specific batch of vegetables that was in a specific store or restaurant where people ate could be difficult.” Thomson said new cases are still cropping up, but he believes the source will be found. World Health Organization communicable diseases expert director Dr. Guenael Rodier said the likely culprit could be found in a period of a week, or “we may never know,” CBS News reported. Officials in Germany first blamed the crisis on Spanish cucumbers, then on German mung bean sprouts, but both conclusions turned out to be incorrect, CBS News reported. The outbreak has killed 22 people in German, and one in Sweden.

/* The purpose of this program is to find two numbers and add them together, then divide by two to get their average value. However, the program must accept and process both float and long variables */ float average(long, long); //These three prototypes describe the overloaded function "average". float average(float, float); float average(float, long); long a; //The following four variables attempt to ensure that the input can be either float or long. short end; /*I use the 'end' variable to ensure that the program does not close prematurely. it is not part of the actual program.*/ std::cout<<"This program averages two integers.\n Please input the first value."; std::cin<<a || b; /*I attempted to use the operator "or" to ensure that if the input is a long variable then the program will receive it, as well as limit it if the input is only a long variable. However, an error occurs here "no match for 'operator<<' in 'std::cin<< a'" and the same for c.*/ std::cout<<"\n Please input the second value.\n"; std::cin<<c || d; a || b == x, c || d == y; /*The point here was to set the received variables as x and y so that they could be applied into the 'z' variable without an ambiguity error.*/ z = average(x,y); /*The largest problem here is that I cannot define x, y or z without giving them a data type. To do so would be to compromise the purpose of the program, whereas the return would be restricted to a single data type.*/ std::cout<<"The average of the two integers is" << z << "\n."; std::cout<<"Input any value to end.\n"; float average //describes average function

Look, up in the air! The year's best meteor shower returns for its August shooting star show, courtesy of a cloud of comet dust smacking into the Earth. |A bright Perseid meteor streaked down Saturday night (Aug. 7, 2010) over buildings at the Stellafane amateur astronomy convention in Springfield, Vermont.(Photo: Dennis di Cicco Sky & Telescope)| Put out the lawn chair, set the alarm and maybe bring something to wet your whistle while you gaze into the nighttime sky — the year's best shooting star show has started. August's annual Perseids meteor shower peaks Sunday and Monday, promising perhaps 70 meteors an hour those evenings. "The Perseids are the good ones," says meteorite expert Bill Cooke of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The Perseids take their name from their apparent origin in the constellation Perseus, the hero of ancient Greek myth born from a shower of heavenly gold. Known for producing fireballs that might streak across a third of the sky, they owe their brilliance to the speed — nearly 134,000 mph — with which they smack into the upper atmosphere. "It's also because of the size of the meteors," Cooke says. The dust grains are about one-fifth of an inch across and burn nicely as they zip overhead. Those dust grains come courtesy of Comet Swift-Tuttle, which circles the sun once every 133 years and leaves behind a debris trail. (Comets are basically dirty snowballs that develop tails when they approach the sun and start to melt. Different ones are responsible for other regular meteor showers, such as April's Lyrids, brought by Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, and November's Leonids brought by Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.) You will have to stay up late to see the Perseids at their peak; the best viewing comes from midnight to dawn, particularly after the half-full moon sets at 1 a.m. on Monday, says Astronomy magazine's Michael Bakich. But they should appear at night during the week before and after the peak as well. "Get out of the city and the lights to give yourself a chance to see them," Bakich says. The rule of thumb is that you should be able to see all the stars of the Big Dipper — seven stars if you are counting — to give yourself enough darkness to catch the shooting stars. And give your eyes an hour to adjust. "There will be a dozen 'ooh' moments in that hour," Bakich says. "Ones when everyone will say, 'Did you see that?'" Although the shooting stars seem to come from the constellation Perseus, don't look there to see them, Bakich advises. Instead, look about one-third of the sky down and away from the constellation to spot meteors streaking across the sky. "That makes them easier to pick out," he says. While you are enjoying the sky show, satellite operators are buttoning up spacecraft to protect them from the onslaught of comet dust, says Cooke, who prepares meteor shower forecasts each year for space businesses. While the 2013 Perseid shower won't affect the Hubble Space Telescope, according to Janet Anderson of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., at other times it might point the opening to its mirrors away from the direction of an outburst of meteors. Other satellites might turn vulnerable antennas away from them as well. Clouds permitting, Cooke advises skywatchers this year to take their time and enjoy the nighttime show. "All you need is to lie flat on your back, and the reward is meteors."

What is Outcomes Based Education (OBE)? Biggs and Tang (as cited in Goff, L., n.d., slide 9) in their Outcomes Based Education (OBE) Version 3 Teaching and Learning, outlined three main features of OBE: - state outcomes of teaching; - teach to increase the likelihood of most students achieving the outcomes; - assess how well outcomes have been achieved using authentic assessment. With OBE, the focus of outcomes is to integrate student performance with those needed in the workplace (PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development Course Guide August, 2013). McMaster University sees this as a strength as it provides “. . . continuity between undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education” (Outcomes- Based Education 2010, para 2). Assessment of outcomes is done using authentic assessment tools. Battersby stated: “Key to the outcomes approach [in BC] is an approach to assessment that emphasizes ‘authentic assessment’ …[i.e.,] creating assignments that stimulate as much as possible the [real-life outside-of-class] situations in which students would make use of the knowledge, skills and values emphasized in the course” (as cited in PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development Course Guide August, 2013, page 47). Critics state that constructing learning outcomes can be difficult and time consuming (Ellington, H., Earl, S et al., 1996). While teaching to increase the likelihood of most students achieving the outcomes would appear to be an advantage, it can create challenges for teachers particularly in the K-12 school system where built in redundancy is the method used to manage student variation in knowledge (Lawson & Askell-Williams, 2007). I recently learned that a local university is moving towards having all of their programs based on the OBE framework. Given that I was about to embark on revamping an online perinatal course for graduated RNs taking their a rural nurse specialty certification I was very keen to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of using OBE. In my investigations I learned that several countries, notably Western Australia, the USA and South Africa trialled OBE in their primary and secondary systems but there was a lot of push back from the public about how it failed to deliver basic skills in math and sciences as in the case of South Africa’s experience (Rice, 2010) and challenges with assessments in Australia. Donnelly (2007) noted criticism of OBE in the USA included a loss of vital educational material as a result of focusing so much on the process of education and the huge amount of time required of teachers for assessments. As I worked my way through the readings detailing the disadvantages about OBE I couldn’t help but feel that these challenges could be outweighed by the advantages of aligning learning outcomes to workplace roles and responsibilities. The focus of OBE is to ensure continuity for students are they move through the educational system and into the work place. This alignment of education and training is rooted in adult education practices of experiential learning and self-reflection (PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development Course Guide August, 2013). This means that I need to create learning outcomes that would engage the adult learner in such a way as to enable them to integrate the concepts, attitude and skills required for the workplace. The learning outcomes would need to clearly state these. Assessment practices need to be such that they can produce graduates that “. . . can perform both academically and interpersonally on the job and in the community” PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development Course Guide August, 2013 p 49). Assessments need to be relevant and the marking scheme needs to be clear and accurate. After reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of OBE I feel that OBE will be a perfect match for the program I am redesigning. I do, however, need to be very mindful of watching out for the challenges this framework can produce. - Need to be clear, relevant and integrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes that the RN will require to work on a perinatal unit - Need to be measurable – and while I appreciate that OBE places the focus on the student’s standard and not a universal standard, when it comes to obstetrical care there are established guidelines that must be met. Outcomes will reflect this. Teach to increase the likelihood of most students achieving the outcomes - This course is for graduate nurses. Outcomes will build on existing knowledge and skills. - There will be mid term marks for ongoing assignments (discussion forum and case studies) with feedback provided so that students will have an opportunity to build and improve on their skills. Assess how well outcomes have been achieved using authentic assessment - Assessments for the online course need to be authentic, in other words, related to the workplace, (PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development Course Guide August, 2013). They also need to provide an accurate representation of the students’ mastery of the subject (PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development Course Guide August, 2013). The online course I am redesigning is for post RNs seeking to specialize in maternity care and/or in a rural site where they will be required to be the primary nurse caring for a woman in labour. Nurses work as part of a health care team. Communication with team members is a vital part of the job. Having students engage in an online discussion forum will help develop those skills as they relate to a maternity patient. I will therefore incorporate discussion forum topics with each learning module so that students can learn collaboratively with each other. I will apply an analytical rubric to the formal assessment so that a mark can be determined. Another skill required by RNs is critical thinking. I will also apply an analytical rubric to the responses received for the case studies. Patient teaching skills will be assessed using an analytical rubric when students present on two topics of choice (with the target audience being the woman and her family). I will encourage students to journal but it will be not for marks. Donnelly, K. (2007) Australia’s adoption of outcomes based education: A critique Educational Research 17(2) Retrieved from: https://www.ied.edu.hk/obl/files/164891.pdf Ellington, H., Earl, S et al., (1996) Advantages and disadvantages of the Learning Outcomes Approach Post Graduate Certificate in Tertiary-Level Teaching Module 1 Instructional Planning Robert Gordon University and Napier University. Retrieved from: http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/celt/pgcerttlt/main.htm Goff, L., (n.d.) Outcomes Based Education Webinar. Centre for Leadership in Learning McMaster University Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance. Retrieved from: http://cll.mcmaster.ca/articulate/COU/Outcomes%20Based%20Education%20Webinar/player.html Lawson, M.J. & Askell-Williams, H., (2007) Outcomes–Based Education Discussion Paper. Association of Independent Schools of SA. Retrieved from: https://www.ied.edu.hk/obl/files/pratical_guide_5.pdf Outcomes- Based Education (2010) McMaster University. Retrieved from: http://cll.mcmaster.ca/COU/degree/outcomes.html Rice, A. (2010) Analysis: RIP outcomes-based education and don’t come back Daily Maverick Retrieved from: http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2010-07-07-analysis-rip-outcomes-based-education-and-dont-come-back/#.V3GfypMrJAY School of Instructor Education. (August 2013). PIDP 3210 Curriculum Development Course Guide. Vancouver, BC: Vancouver Community College.

This module introduces Simpson's diversity index in the context of understanding how to mathematically measure the species diversity in a community. It is intended for an introductory biology audience. This activity maps to the OpenStax biology textbook, 45.6 Community Ecology Student Introduction: A diversity index is a mathematical measure of species diversity in a community. Diversity indices provide more information about community composition than simply species richness (i.e., the number of species present); they also take the relative abundances of different species into account. Consider two communities of 100 individuals each and composed of 10 different species. One community has 10 individuals of each species; the other has one individual of each of nine species, and 91 individuals of the tenth species. Which community is more diverse? Clearly the first one is, but both communities have the same species richness. By taking relative abundances into account, a diversity index depends not only on species richness but also on the evenness, or equitability, with which individuals are distributed among the different species. Cite this work Researchers should cite this work as follows:

By Jason Knight There are a variety of plants that repel mosquitoes, including both wild and cultivated species. Almost anywhere you go, it is reasonable to find several plant species that you can use to ward off these pesky critters. Plant-based mosquito repellents are especially useful for people who spend a great deal of time in the wilderness. It is important to note that it is compounds found within the plants that do the repelling. These compounds need to be released from the plant to unlock the mosquito-repelling qualities. Depending on the species of plant, they can be released by either crushing, drying, or infusing the plant into an oil or alcohol base that can be applied to skin, clothing, or living spaces. Others are best used as as a smudge, which releases the compounds in a smoke. Just standing near living plants that repel mosquitoes is often not effective. Below are separate lists of wild and cultivated plants that repel mosquitoes: Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon nardus) is the most popular cultivated plant used for repelling mosquitoes. Its oil, citronella oil, is the primary ingredient in most natural insect repellents sold in stores. Products applied to the skin are most effective. It grows in tropical regions. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a common garden plant that can be used to repel mosquitoes. The crushed plant can be applied directly to the skin or the dried plant can be infused in an oil, such as olive oil. There is an interesting article about research conducted on the mosquito-repelling qualities of catnip. Additional cultivated plants that repel mosquitoes: Peppermint (Mentha piperita) Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) Garlic (Allium sativum) Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) Lavendar (Lavandula angustifolia) Vanilla Leaf (Achlys triphylla) is a plant native to the northwest and Japan. Indigenous peoples were known to hang bundles of the dried plants in and around their dwellings to keep mosquitoes and flies away. The plant can be rubbed on the skin fresh or dried to deter mosquitoes. I think its interesting that it often grows in shady, moist areas - the very places where mosquitoes can be the thickest. Sagebrush, Wormwood, and Mugwort (Artemisia spp.) are in the same genus (plant grouping). All of these species can be used as an aromatic smudge that is known to be a very effective mosquito repellent. The crushed leaves can also be applied directly to the skin. These species grow in the drier habitats of the west, including the plains, deserts, and mountainous regions. Pineapple weed (Matricaria matricarioides) (pictured above) is a common weedy species that grows all over North America. It can be found growing in lawns, edges of roads, and other disturbed areas. The aromatic crushed plant can be applied to the skin to help repel mosquitoes. Additional wild plants known to repel mosquitoes: Nodding onion (Allium cernuum) Wild bergamot (Mondarda fistulosa) Snowbrush (Ceonothus velutinus) Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina) Cedars (Thuja spp.) Its important to note that insect repellents applied to the skin generally only last one to two hours. Frequent re-application is necessary. Also, when utilizing wild plants, internally or externally, always be sure to correctly identify the plant you are going to use. It is best to utilize field guides and work with someone who knows the plant well to avoid accidentally using a poisonous look-alike. In addition to using mosquito repelling plants, you may want to consider some other factors that can help keep mosquitoes away. Mosquitoes find their prey by following carbon dioxide and other components that animals breath out. Many outdoors-people have noticed that mosquitoes have a greater attraction to people that have been eating processed, sugary foods, and less attracted to people eating more of a natural diet such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The processed food diet may make your odor and blood chemistry more attractive to mosquitoes. You can choose to eat less processed foods and sugars during the mosquito season. Additionally, diets high in garlic and onions have been noted to help reduce the attraction of mosquitoes. When it is mosquito season, you can also choose to camp and hike away from their core habitat, areas of standing water. Instead, you can camp in places away from water with a breeze, which can help keep mosquitoes at a minimum. At home you can minimize mosquitoes by eliminating their breeding areas (standing water), such as old tires, buckets, trash cans, or anything that holds standing water. References: Foster 1990, Pojar 1994, Turner 1998. Courses on Uses of Wild Plants:

If you are a regular consumer of political news, enjoy staying up to date on current events, and are involved in the actions of the government at the local, state, and federal level, you may want to consider turning this passion into a career by pursuing an online political science degree. Political science is the study of political systems, the political process, and any issue dealing with the government. Earning a degree in political science online will teach you how to study and evaluate current events and governmental action, analyze policies, learn what the community, city, state, or country needs, and develop policies to meet those needs. Many institutions are offering accredited online political science degrees that can help you start your career. Classes and Assignments of a Political Science Major A political science degree program will focus heavily on multiple aspects of politics and government. Some of your courses may cover topics such as political theory, American politics, international politics, the presidency, and urban politics and governance. You will also have courses that cover American history, analysis, law, public administration, and the Constitution. Many of your assignments may involve studying and analyzing policies, procedures, or events and writing reports about your conclusion regarding the issue. Some political science programs encourage students to attend events such as town hall meetings, community outreach events, city council meetings, and political speeches to see politics in action in the real world. Degree Levels for Political Science Majors - Associate. Online associate political science degrees will include basic and introductory courses such as U.S. history, U.S. government, introduction to political theory, and cultural anthropology. This degree may help you get an entry-level position in many different industries. - Bachelor’s. Online bachelors political science degrees will include courses such as critical thinking in world politics, international relations, American political theory, and statistics and data analysis. This degree may qualify you for an entry-level position with a government agency, research organization, or consulting firm. - Master’s. Online masters political science degrees will expand on what you learned in a bachelor’s degree program and progress into more advanced and specific courses, such as political reform, ethnic and minority politics, politics of budgeting, U.S. immigration policy and law, and the United Nations and world community. This degree may qualify you for administrative or research positions with government agencies, research organizations, or consulting firms. - Doctoral. A doctoral degree program in political science will emphasize political research and instruction with courses such as research methodology, judicial research, teaching political science, and formal political modeling. A doctoral degree can be used toward a teaching or research position with a university. A Future as a Political Science Major The analytical skills that you acquire through a political science program make you a valuable asset to organizations in just about every industry. Many political science majors work as policy analysts for local, state, and federal government agencies, for labor, community, and political organizations, and for corporations. This usually involves researching past and current events and policies, conducting market research to learn about the community and its needs, and consulting with other professionals to develop new and better policies. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states the average salary for a political scientist is around $108,000 a year, but this amount depends on several factors, including the industry you’re in, your degree level, the organization you work for, and the amount of experience you have. The BLS also shows an expected 21% increase in employment for political scientists, which is better than many other occupations.

Scientists Find Bird and Human E. coli in Wild Fish July 1, 2008 Scientists at the University of Minnesota have found that some of the potentially harmful bacteria in the Duluth-Superior Harbor come from an unlikely source: the fishes. It's not the fishes' fault, though. They are just carrying around bacteria that are already in their environment. University of Minnesota researchers Dennis Hansen, John Clark, Satoshi Ishii, Michael Sadowsky, and Randall Hicks are the first to discover the sources of E. coli (Escherichia coli) in several species of wild fish. They collected carp, brown bullheads, Eurasian ruffe, round gobies, white perch, and rock bass from the Duluth-Superior Harbor as part of a Minnesota Sea Grant-funded study to determine the sources of bacteria that result in local beach closures. In a peer-reviewed paper recently published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, the scientists describe that most of the E. coli were found in bottom-dwelling fishes (brown bullheads, ruffe, carp, and round gobies) and the genetic matches were most similar to E. coli found in bottom sediments, Canada geese, mallard ducks, and human wastewater. The researchers didn't test the bacteria for pathogenicity. "We didn't find the bacteria in the fish meat -- it's carried in their intestine," said Randall Hicks, biology professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth. "Anglers shouldn't worry about using the fish as food. They should just be careful not to cut open a fish's intestine." If an angler happens to cut open fish intestines during cleaning, Jeff Gunderson, associate director with Minnesota Sea Grant, suggests they thoroughly wash the fish with clean water and cook it fully. E. coli is an indicator of potential pollution. Levels of it are used to determine whether local beaches should be posted with "no water contact" advisories. There are a variety of types of E. coli. The most worrisome for humans is usually the E. coli from other humans (often from sewage overflows). While many strains are harmless, some cause gastrointestinal illnesses. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, or other more serious conditions people would not want as a reminder of a fun day at the beach. "Fish probably acquire E. coli when they eat food contaminated with feces," said Hicks. Researchers don't expect E. coli to flourish in cold-blooded fish, since the bacterium is more common in warm-blooded animals. "However, it is possible that fish may reintroduce E. coli bacteria into waterways when they excrete their own waste," Hicks said. "Currently, it's probably more appropriate to consider fish as carriers of E. coli from other sources, rather than a new source of contamination in our waterways," Hicks added. Until 1966, E. coli was thought to survive only in warm-blooded animals such as birds and mammals but it has since been discovered in the intestines of wild fish. The source of the bacteria in these cold-blooded animals was thought to be from polluted water and food, but researchers did not attempt to trace it. Subsequently, E. coli was discovered in the intestines of farm-raised tilapia and rainbow trout. The fish were not the source for the E. coli, rather, the suspect was their food, which had been contaminated by pigeon droppings. For more information on this project, order the free journal article: Sources and Sinks of Escherichia coli in Benthic and Pelagic Fish, from Minnesota Sea Grant by visiting www.seagrant.umn.edu/publications/JR544 or calling (218) 726-6191. Ask for JR 544.

The term “toxic masculinity” is an emotionally charged one that can lead to a lot of heated arguments, but I feel it is one that fits Bertram from All’s Well That Ends Well perfectly. When folding these buzzwords into an academic discussion, it is often best to start by defining the term. Generally, toxic masculinity refers to the traditionally masculine traits that are considered harmful to men specifically or society in general. These include things such as violence, expectation of sex, repressing emotions, etc. It is entitlement to sex (in a way) that plagues Bertram and nearly ruins his life. Bertram, being a member of the nobility, would traditionally marry a woman of similar status. Helena, a physician’s daughter, does not fit that criteria, so Bertram gets angry at the prospect of marrying her. Then, he finds a partner that he considers suitable, Diana. She is of a higher standing, and more desirable to Bertram. He has no problem lying to her to get her to sleep with him. How he treats these two women and the other people in his life is an excellent example of how this entitlement can be toxic. Now, this analysis of Bertram is not intended to ruin Shakespeare or be a statement on men as a whole. Rather, it is an exercise in applying a modern lens to an Elizabethan text. Few would argue that Shakespeare is just as relevant today as he was 400 years ago. Shakespeare’s characters have a truly human quality that allows us to relate to them even though they were written centuries ago. Many things have changed in 400 years, but there are aspects of human nature that haven’t. As we become more aware, as a society, applying modern knowledge to an old text can provide unique insight into that character. It doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate Shakespeare. In fact, I believe it helps us appreciate his works even more. With that out of the way, let’s talk about Bertram… Bertram and Helena According to nearly everyone in the play, Helena is the epitome of a perfect woman. Even Bertram occasionally admits she’s pretty great. The Countess, Bertram’s mother, goes on at length about how beautiful and virtuous she is. Then, she goes on to cure the King without any formal education. She was able to take her father’s notes and use them to cure the King, which none of the doctors he consulted could do. Not only that, but she was able to concoct some ingenious plans to get what she wants. First, she gets the King to promise she can have her choice of nobles as a husband. Then, she pulls off the ultimate deception to fill Bertram’s requirements of getting his family ring on her finger and getting pregnant with his child. It’s all rather cunning. Helena’s only real flaw appears to be loving Bertram. Bertram, however, wants nothing to do with this nearly perfect woman strictly because of her social standing. As mentioned above, Bertram’s status as a Count would ordinarily guarantee him a wife of similar standing. Marriages were arranged as a sort of alliance to the benefit of both families. In addition, the man would typically do the choosing and the woman would be told who to marry by her father. So, when Bertram is told he has to marry Helena, he is not too happy about it. She is not of the social standing he feels he deserves. The King promises to fix this issue by bestowing riches and titles on Helena. That’s not good enough for Bertram though, she would still be lesser. Bertram obviously doesn’t see a problem with this thought process because he assumes his mother will be understanding. He wrote her a letter explaining that he was abandoning Helena and then seem surprised when his mother sent a reply scolding him. Bertram is willing to tear his entire life apart to avoid Helena, giving us a glimpse into his twisted mindset. First off, he blatantly goes against the King’s wishes in a way that will inevitably lead to Bertram losing the King’s favor. You do not want to lose the King’s favor, and you especially do not want to make him as angry as Bertram makes him. Bertram has made himself a powerful enemy, who has the power to quickly ruin his life. It’s an odd move since he claims to be so concerned with status and power. He doesn’t just lose the King’s favor. His own mother disowns him (sort of). Upon receiving the news, she declares Helena as her only true child and sends a letter to Bertram, presumably to that effect. It isn’t until Helena dies that she accepts him back into her life. On top of them, it appears that the general population believes Bertram is in the wrong. Random citizens of Florence are aware of what he did. His friends talk about it behind his back. Lafeu expresses his disappointment, despite wanting him as a son-in-law. His path to self-destruction only makes sense if we consider his offense at being found into a disadvantageous marriage. And then there’s Diana… Bertram abandons his wife and sets off for Florence. The moment he arrives in Florence, he sets his sights on a new woman, Diana. She is just as virtuous and from a family of better standing than Helena, so she seems a better choice. Diana, however, seems to have little say in the matter. She repeatedly sends back his tokens of love and telling him she is not interested, but he doesn’t seem to be dissuaded in the slightest. Once Diana begins to show a little interest (on Helena’s behalf), Bertram goes above and beyond in his promises. He swears he loves Diana and essentially marries her. Bertram gives Diana his family’s heirloom ring to get her to sleep with him. It seems as though it could be about more than just sex, but… The minute Bertram learns he can return to France, he abandons Diana to presumably chase better marriage prospects. The worst part is, he doesn’t just abandon Diana, he sleeps with her knowing that he’s leaving for France. It’s made very clear that all of Bertram’s friends think he is wrong for even pursuing Diana. However, it isn’t until he returns to France that everything really falls apart for him. He tells lie after lie to cover up all of his wrongdoing, making everyone mad at him all over again. He even tries to tell them Diana is a common prostitute. It’s made clear to everyone that Bertram is not a nice person. It’s too bad he doesn’t end up suffering any real consequences. Bertram’s attitude hurts himself most of all If Bertram had accepted Helena as his wife, he could have spent many years in a happy marriage to a loving wife. However, he believed he deserved something better, so he gave up all the advantages given to him. He asserts that social status matter to him, but in practice that doesn’t appear to be true. If status truly mattered to him, he wouldn’t risk his own status just to avoid Helena. The truth is he is offended that the King would even suggest Helena as a bride for him. It is an insult to ask him to marry someone of such a low standing. It is so offensive that it’s worth abandoning his entire life. Bertram cannot cope with not getting his own way. Then, when he is in pursuit of what he wants, anything is acceptable. There is nothing Bertram won’t do to win over Diana. He gives away the ring he claimed to prize so dearly. Even Parolles warns Diana against Bertram’s advances. Everyone, including Diana, can see that Bertram is just trying to get her into bed. Bertram appears to have no shame. It’s what he wants and what he feels he deserves and it doesn’t matter if he ruins lives in the process. He’s nearly giddy to learn that Helena died and doesn’t seem perturbed that he ruined the reputation of a lovely young woman. It is clear that Bertram’s idea of what he deserves is not just skewed, but detrimental to his own life and the lives of others. It is this attitude and a disregard for consequences that, to me, makes Bertram fit the term “toxic masculinity”. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

The blame for poorly handling the out-of-control wildfires raging through Russia’s region lies squarely on the shoulders of the local regional authorities, according to Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Sergey Donskoy. The minister believes that local authorities’ negligence and mismanagement are the root cause of the nationwide wildfires. “The human factor is not the only root cause of the wildfires in Russia as it is widely believed. The administrative factor, or the quality of work of administrative bodies, is also important. It is just wrong to blame the lack of responsible safety measures on fire or weather conditions from year to year,” the Russian minister said. Donskoy noted that those regions, which had prepared for the fire-hazard season under the guidance of Russia’s Federal Forestry Agency, had experienced fewer forest fires in their territories. “The areas engulfed by fires clearly indicate where work has been properly organized and where work has not been done. Tiny localized fires grow into huge natural disasters. The direct cause-and-effect relationship is obvious: you get what you give,” the minister concluded.

Nuclear Arms Control and US-Russia Relations Recent developments in relations between the United States and Russia have made enhanced—or even continued—cooperation over nuclear arms control increasingly difficult. In this report, we identify five challenges to cooperation. These are: - Declining relations and negative public opinion: The general relationship between Russia and the United States deteriorated over recent years. Public opinion polls and elite discourse in both countries reflect this decline. This raises the political costs associated with pursuing cooperation of any kind, including cooperation over arms control. - Allegations of noncompliance and mistrust: Both the United States and Russia claim the other is in violation of existing agreements. The existence of these allegations—and the fact that they were not resolved quickly—significantly undermines trust between the two countries over the issue of nuclear arms control. - End of strategic insulation of arms control: Public fears over the occurrence of nuclear conflict have declined since the Cold War. This, together with broader shifts in relative power, makes it more difficult for Russia and the United States to insulate the issue of nuclear arms control from both their domestic politics and the broader relationship between the two countries. - Effect of conventional technologies: Recent technological developments have blurred the line between nuclear and non-nuclear military capabilities. Non-nuclear weapons now have indisputable implications for the strategic effectiveness of nuclear weapons. If the United States and Russia fail to address these issues in future treaties, we open the door to a new arms race in these nuclear-adjacent arenas. - Divergent threat perceptions: The United States and Russia no longer understand each other’s views of nuclear war-fighting. This generates misperceptions, as countries must base their assessment of nuclear threats purely on changes to technological capabilities without accounting for the intentions behind such changes. This leads countries to overestimate particular threats, which, in turn, affects how they develop their own nuclear policy. Although the challenges to cooperation over nuclear arms control are significant, we offer five policy recommendations aimed at alleviating some of these concerns and improving the prospects for cooperation more generally: - First, the leadership of Russia and the United States must reaffirm their commitment to maintaining strategic stability and preserving bilateral arms control. This should be done even if they cannot immediately agree on terms for a new treaty. - Second, the United States and Russia should revive the INF’s verification provisions to allow the investigation of alleged violations. Furthermore, all future treaties must include robust verification provisions. - Third, Russia and the United States need to improve dialogue over nuclear arms control issues. As part of this, they must commit to taking each other’s concerns more seriously. This includes concerns about particular perceived threats and compliance issues. - Fourth, the arms control discussion must be broadened to include nonstrategic nuclear weapons and related conventional weapons and technologies. Although this may complicate negotiations, it is necessary for future treaties to be meaningful. - Fifth, the United States and Russia should actively try to improve cooperation over the more noncontroversial issues on the nuclear agenda, such as strengthening global nuclear security and preventing nuclear terrorism. Doing so will open channels of communication that can later facilitate more difficult conversations about arms control. Sarah Hummel is an assistant professor of political science and an affiliate of the Russian, East European and Eurasian Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Andrey Baklitskiy is a consultant at the PIR Center, a Moscow-based think tank, and a research fellow at the Center for Global Trends and International Organizations at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Photo by Jürgen Stemper shared under a CC BY-ND 2.0 license.

Chinese fossil find gives clue to ear`s evolution Researchers digging in north eastern China say they have discovered the fossil of a previously unknown chipmunk-sized mammal that could help explain how human hearing evolved. Washington: Researchers digging in north eastern China say they have discovered the fossil of a previously unknown chipmunk-sized mammal that could help explain how human hearing evolved. Paleontologists unearthed the 123-million-year-old creature, which is just 15 centimeters (five inches) long, in fossil-rich Liaoning Province, near the Chinese border with North Korea. "What is most surprising, and thus scientifically interesting, is the animal`s inner ear," said Zhe-Xi Luo, a curator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh and one of the study`s authors. The condition of the "remarkably well preserved" three dimensional fossil has allowed an international team of researchers to reconstruct how the creature`s middle ear was connected to its jaw. The find could be the link that explains how the three bones of the mammalian middle ear became separated from the jaw hinge -- where the reptilian ear is found -- to form a complex and highly-performing hearing system. "Mammals have highly sensitive hearing, far better than the hearing capacity of all other vertebrates, and hearing is fundamental to the mammalian way of life," said Luo. The development of the ear is seen as key to understanding survival techniques that steered mammals, including human ancestors, through the dinosaur-infested mesozoic period around 250 to 66 million years ago. "The mammalian ear evolution is important for understanding the origins of key mammalian adaptations," he said. But there are still doubts where the creature, Maotherim asiaticus, fits in the evolutionary chain, and the novel ear connection could simply be a adaptation caused by changes in development, rather than an evolutionary link. The report is published in the October 9 issue of the journal Science.

In the Beatles, the alliance of John Lennon and Paul McCartney produced some of music's greatest songs. Never content with the status quo, Lennon then launched a solo career marked by experimentation, political activism, embrace of the counterculture and more enduring songs: "Imagine," "Working Class Hero," "Instant Karma!" and "#9 Dream." Most of all, he proved that musicians could successfully reinvent and transform themselves, and carve out success on their own terms. John Lennon had already started a solo career by the time the Beatles dissolved in 1970. In fact, he and new wife Yoko Ono had released three experimental LPs chronicling their lives together, and he had two hit singles under his belt: the anti-war anthem "Give Peace A Chance" and the Beatles-reminiscent "Instant Karma!" Unsurprisingly, Lennon's post-Beatles solo work would also follow a more offbeat path. He made very few live appearances, and preferred to chase his own artistic muse and focus on political activism. In short, it was the perfect second musical act for the life-long outspoken nonconformist. Lennon was born in 1940 in bombing-ravaged Liverpool, England. His parents' marriage was rocky and ended in divorce when the future Beatle was very young. In fact, Lennon never developed a relationship with his merchant seaman dad. He was instead raised by his aunt Mimi and uncle George, who provided him with the kind of stable home environment his biological parents could not. Lennon's mother nevertheless encouraged his nascent musical talent, showing him rudimentary banjo chords and buying him his first guitar when he was a teenager. Thankfully, Lennon showed aptitude on the instrument and had designs on making his band the Quarrymen successful. Since he was a poor student and lasted only a year at art school, music was a good backup plan. The Quarrymen—which at a future point also featured Paul McCartney and George Harrison—would eventually morph into the Beatles. Lennon's tenure in the Fab Four would’ve been enough to cement his musical legacy. In hindsight, however, it's even more impressive that he made such a clean break from the band that made him so popular. 1970's Plastic Ono Band LP was a direct result of the primal scream therapy he and Ono had with Dr. Arthur Janov. The straightforward, unadorned music was often emotionally piercing: on "Mother," Lennon sounds as if he's in agony recounting being caught in the middle of his parents' traumatic separation; the acoustic-driven "Working Class Hero" is an unsparing condemnation of how workers are treated; and on "God," he sounds weary renouncing everything in his life and belief system but "me, Yoko and me." The next year's rowdy, inspiring "Power To The People" single and Imagine LP were more political and musically adventurous. (Sometimes both at once: witness the gnarled, psychedelic "I Don't Want To Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die" and the touching, piano-based title track.) Imagine was also marked by brutal honesty, between Lennon's admissions of cruel behavior on "Jealous Guy" and alleged digs at Paul McCartney throughout "How Do You Sleep?" Lennon's next few years were marked by ups and downs. 1972's Sometime In New York City and 1973's Mind Games didn't replicate the success of his first few solo albums. He separated from Ono for over a year and moved to Los Angeles to have a multi-month "lost weekend" marked by partying, heavy drinking and a production credit on pal Harry Nilsson's Pussy Cats (1974). To add insult to injury, Lennon was also trying to fight off being deported, an order that came down from the Nixon administration in 1973 due to his politics. Still, there were bright spots. Lennon's horn-peppered, soul-influenced single "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" hit Number One in November 1974. The pianist on that song, Elton John, even persuaded Lennon to guest at his Thanksgiving Madison Square Garden show, where the pair performed "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "I Saw Her Standing There." And Lennon and Ono got back together and decided to have a baby. Save for a few more high-profile appearances—including co-writing and performing on David Bowie's 1975 Number One hit "Fame"—he effectively took off the second half of the '70s to raise their newborn son, Sean Ono Lennon. He only returned to music in 1980, with the Ono collaborative album Double Fantasy. Lennon never had a chance to experience a career resurgence while alive. On December 8, 1980, three weeks after Double Fantasy's release, the unthinkable happened: Mark David Chapman shot and killed Lennon outside his apartment in New York City. The entire world stopped to grieve, and musical tributes poured in from all corners for years to come. These even included one from his Beatles bandmates, who all appeared on George Harrison's 1981 single, "All Those Years Ago." Yet most of all, people found solace in Lennon's music. After his death, Double Fantasy's "(Just Like) Starting Over" hit Number One on the singles charts. Roxy Music covered "Jealous Guy" and made it their own. And Lennon's posthumous 1984 album Milk & Honey, was marked by the great "Nobody Told Me"—whose line about "strange days, indeed" was both bittersweet and comforting. (Born October 9th, 1940, Died December 8th, 1980)

The final full moon of 2022 will rise Wednesday night. The “cold moon” will peak at 11:08 p.m. ET, CNN reported. Along with the moon, stargazers will also be able to see Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Mars will then disappear behind the moon when it reaches peak fullness in a phenomenon known as a lunar occultation, according to EarthSky. The Old Farmer’s Almanac says the moon will have a higher trajectory than usual and will stay high above the horizon longer than other full moons. It comes on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 17 mission launch, the last time a person set foot on the moon, CNN reported. The name “cold moon” comes from the cooling, downright frigid, temperatures in December, according to the almanac. It also goes by similar names such as “snow moon” and “winter maker moon,” Space.com reported. Other names include “frost exploding trees moon” from the Cree, “moon of the popping trees” from the Oglala people and the “moon when the deer shed their antlers,” used by the Dakota people. ©2022 Cox Media Group

For definition of Groups, see Preamble Evaluation. VOL.: 63 (1995) (p. 393) Chem. Abstr. Name: Furan Furan is produced commercially by decarbonylation of furfural. It is used mainly in the production of tetrahydrofuran, thiophene and pyrrole. It also occurs naturally in certain woods and during the combustion of coal and is found in engine exhausts, wood smoke and tobacco smoke. No data were available to the Working Group. Furan was tested for carcinogenicity by oral administration in one study in mice and in one study in rats. It produced hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas in mice. In rats, it produced hepatocellular adenomas in animals of each sex and carcinomas in males; a high incidence of cholangiocarcinomas was seen in both males and females. The incidence of mononuclear-cell leukaemia was also increased in animals of each sex. Furan is rapidly and extensively absorbed by rats after oral administration; part of the absorbed dose becomes covalently bound to protein, mainly in the liver. No DNA binding could be demonstrated in the liver. Repeated administration of furan to mice and rats leads to liver necrosis, liver-cell proliferation and bile-duct hyperplasia; in rats, prominent cholangiofibrosis develops. Induction of chromosomal aberrations but not of sister chromatid exchange was observed in rodents treated in vivo in one study. Gene mutation, sister chromatid exchange (in single studies) and chromosomal aberrations were induced in rodent cells in vitro. Furan was not mutagenic to insects or bacteria. There is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of furan. There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of furan. Furan is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). For definition of the italicized terms, see Preamble Evaluation. See Also: Toxicological Abbreviations Furan (ICSC)

MOST rich democracies spend a lot of time and money trying to convince more people to exercise their right to vote. So it might seem strange that some of the same countries take some trouble preventing thousands of citizens from going to the polls. In 48 American states and seven European countries, including Britain, prisoners are forbidden from voting in elections. Many more countries impose partial voting bans (applying only to prisoners serving long sentences, for instance). And in ten American states some criminals are stripped of the vote for life, even after their release. There is scant public sympathy for characters such as Peter Chester, a British child-killer whose bid to use human-rights legislation to win the right to vote from his cell was rejected on October 28th (see article). But voting should not require a character test. The punishment of monsters such as Mr Chester consists of the prolonged deprivation of liberty. Withdrawing the vote from them only hammers home what they already believe: that normal social rules do not apply to them. Liberty is by no means the only right to be squeezed in jail, where second-order freedoms such as the right to privacy, to family life and so on inevitably take a battering. To some, the right to vote belongs in this category of minor, unavoidable privations. But it is neither. Those who believe in democracy ought to place the freedom to vote near the top of any list, and consider its removal a serious additional sanction. And losing the ability to vote is no longer a practical consequence of imprisonment, as it may once have been. Voting by proxy or post is easy nowadays; indeed, prisoners awaiting trial in jail (who are not banned from voting in most countries) do so already. These changes point up the fact that the withdrawal of the franchise is often a hangover of history rather than a carefully thought out sanction. Take Britain, where the ban dates back to 1870 and makes little sense whichever side of the argument one is on. Prisoners may vote if they are doing time for non-payment of fines or, strangely, contempt of court. Those serving the new sentence of “intermittent custody” (which means prison on some days and home on others) may vote if the election falls on a day when they are outside, but not if they happen to be locked up. Prisoners who have done their time but remain banged up for reasons of public protection are still forbidden from voting even though the punitive part of their sentence is over. It is all too obviously a system based on habit rather than principle. The principles retrospectively volunteered are wrong anyway. Some say that withdrawing the right to vote teaches jailbirds that if they don't play by society's rules they cannot expect a hand in making them. But it has yet to be shown that withholding the vote is an effective deterrent against offending. If anything, it is likely to militate against prisoners' rehabilitation. One of the aims of imprisonment is to give miscreants a shove in the right direction, through job-training, Jesus or whatever does the trick. Allowing prisoners to vote will not magically reconnect them with society, but it will probably do more good than excluding them. Serving prisoners are not numerous enough to swing many elections. But once a government uses disenfranchisement as a sanction, it is tempted to take things further. Consider those American states where the suspension of prisoners' votes has morphed into a lifelong ban: in Republican-controlled Florida, for instance, nearly a third of black men cannot vote—enough to have swung the 2000 presidential election. Even those who don't care much about prisoners' rights should be wary of elected officials exercising too much say over who makes up the electorate.

- to sag, sink, bend, or hang down, as from weakness, exhaustion, or lack of support. - to fall into a state of physical weakness; flag; fail. - to lose spirit or courage. - to descend, as the sun; sink. - to let sink or drop: an eagle drooping its wings. - a sagging, sinking, bending, or hanging down, as from weakness, exhaustion, or lack of support. Origin of droop SynonymsSee more synonyms for droop on Thesaurus.com Examples from the Web for droop But the tempter came, and from that time she began to droop. It is a toss of the head and a droop of the eyes if I say one word of what is in my mind.The White Company Arthur Conan Doyle The more intense his thinking, the slacker was the droop of his lower jaw.The Secret Agent As soon as Freya was gone, the flowers began to droop their heads.Opera Stories from Wagner There was a droop to Evadna's shoulders, and a tremble to her mouth.Good Indian B. M. Bower - to sag or allow to sag, as from weakness or exhaustion; hang down; sink - (intr) to be overcome by weariness; languish; flag - (intr) to lose courage; become dejected - the act or state of drooping Word Origin and History for droop early 13c., from Old Norse drupa "to drop, sink, hang (the head)," from Proto-Germanic *drup-, from PIE *dhreu-, related to Old English dropian "to drop" (see drip). Related: Drooped; drooping. As a noun, from 1640s.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The government will be using electronic tattoos to monitor “suspicious” citizens. The micro-electronics technology, called an epidermal electronic system (EES), was developed by an international team of researchers from the United States, China and Singapore, and is described in the journal Science. “It’s a technology that blurs the distinction between electronics and biology,” said co-author John Rogers, a professor in materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Our goal was to develop an electronic technology that could integrate with the skin in a way that is mechanically and physiologically invisible to the user.” The patch could be used instead of bulky electrodes to monitor brain, heart and muscle tissue activity and when placed on the throat it allowed users to operate a voice-activated video game with better than 90 percent accuracy. The U.S. government is going to use the technology to “brand” certain citizens. “It’s going to be another tool used by HomeLand Security,” said Jay Carney, the White House Spokesman. “The FBI will choose certain individuals, call them in for questioning and give them a permanent electronic tattoo, so we can track their movements and, perhaps, their thoughts.” Rogers said that his technology “could also form the basis of a sub-vocal communication capability, suitable for covert or other uses.” The wireless device is nearly weightless and requires so little power it can fuel itself with miniature solar collectors or by picking up stray or transmitted electromagnetic radiation, the study said. Less than 50-microns thick — slightly thinner than a human hair — the devices are able to adhere to the skin without glue or sticky material. “Forces called van der Waals interactions dominate the adhesion at the molecular level, so the electronic tattoos adhere to the skin without any glues and stay in place for hours,” said the study. Northwestern University engineer Yonggang Huang said the patch was “as soft as the human skin.” Rogers and Huang have been working together on the technology for the past six years. They have already designed flexible electronics for hemispherical camera sensors and are now focused on adding battery power and other energy options. The “epidermal electronic system” relies on a highly flexible electrical circuit composed of snake-like conducting channels that can bend and stretch without affecting performance. The circuit is about the size of a postage stamp, is thinner than a human hair and sticks to the skin by natural electrostatic forces rather than glue. “We think this could be an important conceptual advance in wearable electronics, to achieve something that is almost unnoticeable to the wearer. The technology can connect you to the physical world and the cyberworld in a very natural way that feels comfortable,” said Professor Todd Coleman of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who led the research team. The government jumped on the technology. Now, the only question is, who will be branded with the U.S. electronic tattoo?

A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park July 24, 2020 Holne Moor Leats Steve Grigg and Frank Collinson This post cover the exploring of leat water regulation around the East side of Holne Moor, which serves / served mines, farmsteads and whole communities. I lay much credit to Dave Brewer who wrote two articles in Dartmoor Magazine (issue 4 – Autumn 1986 and issue 7 – Summer 1987) for inspiring this exploration. Additional information was gleaned from John Robins (Follow the Leat) and Eric Hemery (Walking the Dartmoor Waterways). This post specifically covers the area immediately to the East and South East of Venford Reservoir. There will be further posts on these and other leat systems in due course. The Wheal Emma Leat is the longest leat in the area and the Higher Headweir can be traced from River Swincombe, to the O Brook and Venford Reservoir before it enters the River Mardle. The water is then taken off further downstream at a Lower Headweir near Scae Wood which cuts its way through Brook Wood to Wheal Emma and Brookwood Mines. The Hamlyn’s (Holne Moor) leat takeoff is from the O Brook. For much of its journey on the high moor, it runs parallel with the Wheal Emma Leat. It still runs and cascades into the Holy Brook (via Great Combe). A Lower Headweir on Holy Brook fed a second leat which fed (via a wooden launder) a water wheel at Buckfast Plating Mill (1953) , which was formerly the Hamlyn Family Woollen Mill (19th Century). The water wheel (now renewed) is now part of the Buckfast hydroelectric scheme. Holne Town Gutter was cut to serve the local farmsteads and Holne itself. Much of the use of this leat to the “Stoke” farmsteads is covered by this post. Eric Hemery describes that the term “Gutter” is a Dartmoor Word describing a water channel of any sort. In his “Walking the Dartmoor Waterways”, explains its seniority over Wheal Emma and Hamlyn Leats.

You might ask how Parthenon architecture is different from all other Greek temple ruins; they all kind of look the same after all? Right? Well, an observant look might disagree with you. First, let’s go back a step. What is so special about the whole ancient Greek architecture? The reason we ask this question is that (Spoiler Alert!) Parthenon architecture is considered the crown jewel of the great Greek Empire’s glory. Almost all over the world and all through history, especially after the Renaissance, the values of the Greek and Roman Empires have been borrowed as a way to signal rationalism and human dignity. The Greek’s curious eye for the nature and their study of human physique and mentality as an acting part in it has been regarded as the spirit of wisdom, inquiry, and the liberation they give birth to. You’re not sure if that’s true? Just take a look at the Renaissance buildings across Europe that were built after the Middle Ages, the classical trends in the 18th and 19th centuries as a response to the Baroque and Rococo’s futile obsession with ornaments, and most recently, a lot of supreme court buildings around the world that haul the name of justice and human rights. Now with that background, it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that the main landmark on the most eye-catching urban element in Athens’ landscape (the Acropolis hill) is the one that has withstood and witnessed over two thousand years of ravage and prosperity; Parthenon architecture is an epitome of all the values and the genius the Greek were known for. Let’s get to know this priceless token of the ancient world by dusting away its long history, the philosophy behind its design, and discover its perfect imperfections. The History and Philosophy behind Parthenon Architecture One of the most ironic Parthenon architecture facts is the peculiar and nasty turn of events that led to its construction. Back then, the two rival world powers, the Greek and the Persians would occasionally invade one another’s territory; same as every world power has ever done to its nemesis through the history. Xerxes’ invasion of almost all Greece in 480 B.C. devastated the Empire and most severely the capital, Athens; which suffered gravely from the Persian sacking of the city and its fortune. This was all before the Acropolis would be adorned by the Parthenon architecture in 432 BCE; when its 16-yearlong construction would finish. Although Alexander repaid the Persians’ visit in full and maybe more a century and a half later by scorching the great Persian capital, Persepolis, and sacked all the cities and villages along the way; leaving half-erected marble columns and worn-out stone platforms to erode under broad sunlight today. Even Alexander’s supposed enthusiasm for art and architecture didn’t stop him from responding to Thais’ call to torch up the palaces of Persepolis after they were through with the city’s capture and pillage, just as Iranians didn’t abstain themselves from razing Athens to ashes. Anyway, what’s done is done; maybe that was what the Athenian official, Pericles said when he directed a group of architects and sculptures to rebuild the glory he envisioned for the Greek. Parthenon was seen to be the answer; a temple dedicated to Athena, the patron goddess for the people of Athens. So, Ictinus and Callicrates as architects started designing and building the Parthenon architecture in 447 B.C. and finished construction by 438 B.C. The building’s final sculptural work by Phidias and its red, blue, bronze, and gold palette finished by 432 BCE; making up a total of 16 years that was remarkable in terms of construction pace in that age. History reveals a lot of Parthenon architecture facts about its dangerous, manipulative, and sometimes destructive journey of roughly 2500 years. After almost a thousand years as a dedicated worship house entitled to Athena, Parthenon was closed, and almost in a century and a half later, around the ending years of the 6th century AD, the temple was converted to a Christian church. The east-west orientation of Parthenon, with the eastern façade as the entrance, was flipped according to Christians’ tradition who had their churches built toward the east as to where they expected Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. So, the western façade was designated as the new entrance, with a Christian altar placed at the Eastern end of the former-temple. Scrolling forward almost a thousand years in time to 1458 AD, when the Florentine army surrendered to the Ottoman Turks’ two-year-long siege over Athens. The new Ottoman ruler in the city kept the Parthenon architecture as a church for almost two decades but following a conspiring plot by native Athenians to topple the usurpers, Mehmed II ordered the church to be converted to a mosque as a punishment. The integral tower inside Parthenon that traced back to the Roman Catholic era, was extended to act as a minaret. Parthenon’s Christian add-ons were removed and a Minbar and Mihrab were added into the building. Following a recapture of Athens by Venetians, a round mortar was fired by the invaders and detonated the load of gunpowder that was placed inside the Parthenon architecture by the Turks and so the most destructive impact on the temple’s long history was inflicted. Three out of four internal walls of the Cella (Parthenon’s main inner chamber) collapsed, more than half of the frieze’s (the horizontal beam over perimeter columns) sculptures and almost all the wooden roof structure fell; most of it shattering beyond repair and with the central section of the temple effectively turning into rubble. The following years up until Greece’s independence in 1832 witnessed plunder and reuse of the sculptures and stone compartments that were left off the explosion. The nineteenth century seemed like an opportune time for the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and others to remove some of the marble sculptures, like the 7th Earl of Elgin, from the Parthenon architecture. Pieces that are now being kept at the British Museum in London, Louvre in Paris, and The National Museum in Copenhagen. In the modern era and to this day, restoration efforts are being made by the Greece Government to recapture how the building was at its prime. The Design of Parthenon Architecture Parthenon architecture’s bright marble has withstood centuries of time and human ravage and they still stand out as the most eye-catching element across Athens. The temple’s rectangular plan is surrounded by Doric columns with vertical ripples all around and square capitals at their top and bottom. The whole temple stands on a three-stepped platform. 17 columns on each of the northern and southern fronts and the 8 columns at either of the east and west façades encircle two walled chambers inside that are called Cella and sit back-to-back across the building’s orientation. The entrance for each room on the west and east is shielded by six columns behind the enclosing columns on the outer tier of the temple. Both cella chambers are divided into three aisles by a pair of colonnades across the length of the room. The main columned part of the Parthenon architecture is topped by a relatively slim horizontal beam; consisting of a plain layer right on top of the square capitals over the Doric columns and then an alternating band of vertical grooves (Triglyphs) and ornamental sculptures (Metopes). The final upper part of the Parthenon architecture is a slow triangle called Pediment that’s visible on the eastern and western fronts. It contains sculptural work that each depict a story of some sort; a fight between the divine and evil or a godly occurrence like the birth of Athena on the east side. Of the three Doric, Ionic, and Hellenistic styles over the course of Greek history, Parthenon architecture is the climax of the Doric era. Although to the observer’s surprise, the inner wall is decorated by Ionic sculptures. An assertive statement proclaiming Athens and its crown jewel, Parthenon architecture, the forerunners of the Greek culture. Parthenon Architecture and Defeating Optical Illusion Although the temple might seem straight from every angle, the truth is, you almost can’t find any straight lines across Parthenon architecture. That’s the genius of this temple; to perfectly create a presumed imperfection all for a reason. Endorsed by the Roman author, Vitruvius, the architects have deliberately made some unusual refinements to defy the optical illusions of the human eye. Another evidence that hints at the Greek’s remarkable attention to the nature that surrounded them. One of the visual anomalies in the Parthenon architecture is the outward curvature of the temple base, and subsequently, the upper compartment to make visually straight lines across all façades when seen in perspective, as the building is designed to be approached within an angle to the temple’s main axe. Outer columns (Peristyle) at the corners are thicker than the rest to tackle the illusion caused by the background sky at the temple’s edges; different from what is seen behind other columns. The peristyle or the outer tier of columns around the Parthenon architecture is also not perfectly vertical; they slightly lean inward to combat the same perspective-driven illusion of our eyes. Such perfect care to adjust to the imperfections of the human eye comes from the Greek’s deep understanding of their world and their active manipulation in it. As the crown jewel of the Doric art period in Greece, Parthenon architecture sits over the most iconic element of the peninsula; the Acropolis hill in Athens. It’s precise geometry and proportion as a whole that is also consistent to its tiniest elements, show the genius design prowess and the splendid construction skills of the Greek. But we also learned that its deliberate imperfection has made Parthenon architecture an appealing window to the rational world of a distant past. Have you ever been to Acropolis? If so, tell us about the magical experience of following the steps of Parthenon’s great builders, conquerors, and vicious contenders over its long and eventful lifetime.

Olof Rudbeck's AtlantisInstalled some time prior to Jul 31, 2007. Latest update 12 Dec 2009. Changes and additions are in bold. As part of his first Earth-Venus global catastrophe, Immanuel Velikovsky dated the innundation of Atlantis at approximately 1500 B.C.E. He thought the event must have occurred only 900 years (instead of 9,000 years) prior to Solon's trip to Egypt, as described by Plato. 1500 BC is also the date that Olof Rudbeck (based on archaeological evidence) assigned for the innundation of his proposed location for Atlantis in Sweden (see below). [Added 27 Nov 2008.] Swedish physician turned archaeologist Olof Rudbeck (1630-1702) came to hold the opinion that ancient Sweden was Atlantis and published his archaeological and historical researches that supported that opinion in his multi-volume book Atlantica.(1) According to David King, "By 1702, Atlantica had swelled to four and a half colossal volumes, and many scholars believed this work had revolutionized the understanding of the ancient past..." "Avid readers were Leibniz, Montesquieu, and the famous skeptic Pierre Bayle. Even Sir Isaac Newton wrote to request a personal copy."(2) King does an excellent job of informing the reader just what it was that Rudbeck had done (and paid dearly for) but he appears to be of the same mind of Rudbeck's university detractors by concluding that the man had gone mad in his quest. (Having said that, I still highly recommend King's book.) The attacks on Rudbeck by many of his contemporaries (They were pushing a more tame Swedish history, based on more recent writings.) would have been enough to drive most men mad, but I see no fault with his thesis, and so far, no contradiction with what is known of Swedish ancient history and Baltic geography. Thanks to Geneva Borod for calling David King's book to my attention. The Siljan meteorite crater is located 121 miles (198 km) northwest of Uppsala. Physicist, Thomas Gold describes drilling in Siljan crater in search of deep Rudbeck found extremely tall (giant-like) human bodies in burial mounds at Old Uppsala, which he had become convinced was the capital of Atlantis. Today the mounds are about one half the height as those shown in the image below. Burial Mounds at Old Uppsala (1690-1710) Looking Southeast. The Uppsala Castle can be seen between the two trees on the right. Uppsala Cathedral is partially hidden behind the right-most tree. Erik Dahlberg, Svecia Antiqua et Hodiema, facimile, 1983 The burial mounds, located just west of Gamla Uppsala are 2.7 miles (4.3 km) North of the Uppsala Cathedral. They may have also been beefed up as high water retreats. The red outline in the image foreground corresponds to the approximate boundaries of Uppsala in the 17th century. (See the city drawing on Page 8 in King's book.) See Lars Walker's excellent review of King's book at: http://brandywinebooks.net/?post_id=1899 It would be of interest to find out if the Straits of Denmark were ever made non-navigable by mud, say back around 1500 B.C.E. If so, are there any historical records to the effect that the rivers and precipitation which feed the Baltic sea broke through the hypothetical mud flats? Map showing waterways in and around Denmark In the Archaeology section of the Wikipedia article on Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala) it is stated: "People have been buried in Gamla Uppsala for 2,000 years, since the area rose above water." A different possibility is that water covering the land receded. I speculate that the recession might have been associated with the final unplugging of the mud flats mentioned above. (Added 18 Nov 2008.) Was Goliath an Atlantean?[Added 13 Jan 2009.] One suggestion of such a relation is found in the Old Testament. I Samuel 17:3-4 (KJV) says: (3) And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. (4) And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. Here, I have underlined the word Gath to suggest a possible relation to the Swedish island province of Gotland, which some hold to be the original home of the Goths. Goliath was known as a giant. His described height equates to his being ten feet tall. He was not, however, a unique freak of nature. He was apparently a member of a race of giants living in Caanan. More to come. (2) King, David, Finding Atlantis: A True Story of Genius, Madness, and an Extraordinary Quest for a Lost World, Harmony Books, New York, (2005) ISBN 1-4000-4752-8, Page 5. (3) Gold, Thomas, Deep Hot Biosphere, Springer, (1998). Up one level | Previous | Top | Next

Dr Karine Lacombe, infectologist and head of infectious diseases at Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris, told a news source BFMTV that, with a vaccine that is 95% effective: “If 50 to 60% were vaccinated, it would suffice to vaccinate the entire population.” Vaccination is considered an effective strategy against the Covid-19 virus, because immunizing people against the disease through vaccination reduces the number of hosts that can catch and spread the virus. But polls have shown that people France is less likely to get vaccinated than anywhere else in the world. Read more: Covid vaccinations in France will start on Sunday The success of the vaccine depends on the number R Professor Jean-Stéphane Dhersin, epidemiologist and deputy director of mathematical sciences at the CNRS research center, said BFMTV that the percentage needed to obtain the vaccine is closely related to the number R. He said: “In terms of collective immunity, it’s hard to know where we are because it depends on which R number is less than 0. We have to make sure that the R number does not go over 1. [Then] to guarantee collective immunity, we need to be around 60% of the vaccinated population. Official figures show that the current R number in France is 1.03. This means that each person infected with Covid-19 will continue to infect 1.03 other people. Figures from the national ministerial center of statistics DREES show that 11% of the population (6.33 million people over the age of 15) in France have had Covid-19. While having had the virus does not guarantee immunity, cases of reinfection are rare, so this 11% can be considered immune to the virus. Professor Dhersin said: “We are now over 10% [immunity], but if we have effective vaccines that could increase up to 55%, then we would be between 50 and 60% and herd immunity would be achieved. But other doctors take a more cautious view. Professor of virology at the Sorbonne, Vincent Maréchal, tells BFMTV that current projections were all based on “assumptions”. He said: “We still don’t know if the vaccine blocks transmission of the virus. We know it stops disease and severe cases. [But] the polio vaccine does not stop the transmission of the virus. ” France debates a new bill on vaccination “health passports” “The idea of a vaccine passport already exists”: the boss of the French airport

Figure 4.13 provides a summary of the Leabra framework, which is the name given to the combination of all the neural mechanisms that have been developed to this point in the text. Leabra stands for Learning in an Error-driven and Associative, Biologically Realistic Algorithm -- the name is intended to evoke the "Libra" balance scale, where in this case the balance is reflected in the combination of error-driven and self-organizing learning ("associative" is another name for Hebbian learning). It also represents a balance between low-level, biologically-detailed models, and more abstract computationally-motivated models. The biologically-based way of doing error-driven learning requires bidirectional connectivity, and the Leabra framework is relatively unique in its ability to learn complex computational tasks in the context of this pervasive bidirectional connectivity. Also, the FFFB inhibitory function producing k-Winners-Take-All dynamics is unique to the Leabra framework, and is also very important for its overall behavior, especially in managing the dynamics that arise with the bidirectional connectivity. The different elements of the Leabra framework are therefore synergistic with each other, and as we have discussed, highly compatible with the known biological features of the neocortex. Thus, the Leabra framework provides a solid foundation for the cognitive neuroscience models that we explore next in the second part of the text. For those already familiar with the Leabra framework, see Leabra Details for a brief review of how the XCAL version of the algorithm described here differs from the earlier form of Leabra described in the original CECN textbook (O'Reilly & Munakata, 2000). Exploration of Leabra Open the Family Trees simulation to explore Leabra learning in a deep multi-layered network running a more complex task with some real-world relevance. This simulation is very interesting for showing how networks can create their own similarity structure based on functional relationships, refuting the common misconception that networks are driven purely by input similarity structure.

The Arab–Israeli conflict was primarily seen, for many decades, as a conflict between Arab-states and Israel, rather than between Muslims and Israel. Periphery doctrine; an Israeli foreign-policy strategy; was used by P.M Ben Gurion to develop close alliances with Non-Arab Muslim states in the Middle East, to counter the united opposition of Arab states to the illegitimate existence of the state of Israel. Strategic-interests of the Israeli government converged with those of the Turkish and Iranian governments of the time. Turkey’s (Military lead government) sought integration with the free-market economies and democracies of Europe, a member of NATO and the EU. The Shah of Iran, being a major ally of the United States, facilitated the dialogue between Israel, Iran and Turkey. In 1950, both Turkey and Iran became the first, and for a long time, the only Muslim states to have diplomatic relations with Israel. Both Turkey and Iran developed extensive military cooperation. During the 1967 Six-Day War, Iran supplied Israel with essential oil and petroleum. Israel helped in the industrial and military development in Turkey and Iran.

Heme Trafficking Under Lead Stress in S. Cerevisiae Hu, Rebecca A. MetadataShow full item record Heavy metals, including lead, are significant for their toxicity to the environment and to organisms’ physiology. Lead has been shown to induce oxidative stress in cells through mitochondrial perturbation, as well as affecting heme homeostasis. The initial hypothesis was to study heme as an interorganellar signaling molecule in S. cerevisiae cells using a novel genetically encoded fluorescently heme sensor, specifically as a mitochondrial retrograde signaling molecule. In addition to labile and total heme measurements, growth and changes in the protein profile were also assessed to determine how lead affects the cells’ viability and stress response. It was found that there was no significant evidence of mitochondrial retrograde signaling with the labile heme pool, but that there was a preservation of the labile heme pool despite a marked decrease in total heme under lead conditions. The results support a model in which high affinity hemoproteins such as catalase are degraded under lead stress, while lower affinity ones such as glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) are maintained. These results will help shape the understanding of the presence and purpose of the labile heme pool and how cells respond to oxidative stress in the context of heme.

Sharp periodontitis – sharp inflammatory process in the tooth sheaf holding a fang in a bone alveolus of a jaw. At sharp periodontitis there are aching or sharp pulsing local pains, hyperaemia and hypostasis of a gum, feeling of the "increased" tooth, its mobility, sometimes puffiness of facial tissues, lymphadenitis. The diagnosis of sharp periodontitis is made according to survey of an oral cavity, the anamnesis and complaints of the patient, an elektroodontometriya, a X-ray analysis. At sharp periodontitis opening, processing and sealing of root channels is carried out, antibiotics and analgetics, physiotreatment are appointed; if necessary removal of tooth is made. Sharp periodontitis – an inflammation of the connecting fabric connecting fang cement with an alveolar plate. In structure of dental diseases sharp and chronic periodontitis occupies the third the place after caries and a pulpitis. Among periodontium pathology the quantity of cases of sharp periodontitis remains at steadily high level. Sharp periodontitis is observed mainly at patients of young age (18-40 years) while chronic periodontitis is diagnosed for persons 60 years are more senior. In therapeutic stomatology sharp and chronic periodontitis is the most frequent reason of premature loss of teeth. Reasons of sharp periodontitis The infection, sharp injury of tooth or mechanical trauma of a periodontium endochannel tools, contact with strong chemical and medicinal substances can become the reasons of sharp periodontitis. In 95-98% of cases sharp periodontitis is a complication of the started form of caries leading to a sharp pulpitis. Distribution of an infectious inflammation on fabric of a periodontium comes from a pulp through a top opening of the root channel. Causative agents of sharp periodontitis are associations of microorganisms: streptococci (not hemolytic, green, hemolytic), stafilokokk, drozhzhepodobny mushrooms, actinomycetes, etc. Impact on a periodontium of microbes, their toxins, products of a necrosis of a pulp provokes in it sharp inflammatory changes with development of periodontitis. At sharp periodontitis spread of an infection from surrounding fabrics (is possible at a gingivita, antritis), and also a hematogenic and limfogenny way (at flu, quinsy, scarlet fever). Sharp periodontitis can be result of a sharp injury of the teeth (a bruise, dislocation, a root change) which are followed by a rupture of a neurovascular bunch and shift of tooth. In development of sharp periodontitis a part is played by the mechanical injury done when processing the root channel by sharp tools, the wrong statement of pins. Sharp medicamentous periodontitis develops at removal for a top of a root of sealing material, hit in fabric of a periodontium of strong medicinal or chemical means (arsenic, formalin, resorcin), development of allergic reactions to these medicines. Classification of sharp periodontitis On a clinical current periodontitis subdivides on sharp (serous, purulent), chronic (fibrous; granulating; granulematozny) and chronic in an aggravation stage. On an etiology it is accepted to allocate infectious and noninfectious (traumatic, medicamentous) sharp periodontitis. Sharp infectious periodontitis can be primary (a consequence of uncured deep caries, a pulpitis or diseases of a parodont) and secondary (caused by the yatrogenny reasons). On localization of the inflammatory center allocate top and regional sharp periodontitis; on extent of distribution - local and diffusion. Sharp periodontitis passes 2 phases in the development: intoxications and ekssudation. Symptoms of sharp periodontitis In a phase of intoxication of the patient with sharp periodontitis shows complaints to the aching, accurately localized tooth pain amplifying at percussion on it and biting. Long pressure upon tooth at a smykaniye of jaws leads to temporary subsiding of pains. The affected tooth usually has a carious cavity or a constant seal. The mouth freely opens; mucous gums in tooth it is changed, the swelling is not noted; tooth is steady, has usual color. Expressiveness of symptomatology of sharp periodontitis in a phase of an ekssudation depends on character of exudate. At a serous form continuous local pains, small hyperaemia and puffiness of a gum around a painful tooth are felt. Regionarny lymph nodes are increased slightly, slightly painful; general condition of the patient satisfactory. The serous inflammation lasts no more than 1-2 days and passes into a purulent form of sharp periodontitis with a pronounced clinical picture. The intensive pulsing pains going on the course of branches of a trigeminal nerve which are sharply becoming aggravated at meal, thermal influence, a touch, physical activity are observed. There is a feeling of the increased, alien tooth; hyperaemia, swelling and consolidation of a gum; mobility of tooth. The expressed collateral hypostasis of okolochelyustny soft fabrics which is shown asymmetry and a swelling of facial tissues can be noted. Sharp purulent periodontitis is followed by regionarny lymphadenitis, deterioration in the general state: indisposition, weakness, fever, sleep disorder and appetite. Sharp periodontitis causes jet perifokalny changes in surrounding fabrics (bone walls of an alveolus, a periosta of an alveolar shoot, okolochelyustny soft fabrics) and can lead to development of a sharp periostit, okolochelyustny abscess, phlegmon, osteomyelitis of a jaw, an inflammation of okolonosovy bosoms. Sharp purulent periodontitis can be a source to a streptococcal sensitization of an organism and provoke development of a glomerulonefrit, rheumatic damage of joints and heart valves, sharp sepsis. Diagnosis of sharp periodontitis Diagnosis of sharp periodontitis is performed by the stomatologist on the basis of subjective complaints of the patient, survey of an oral cavity, these anamnesis, an elektroodontometriya, radiological and bacteriological researches. Elektroodontodiagnostika at sharp periodontitis shows the lack of reaction of a pulp testifying to its necrosis. Pathological changes on roentgenograms can be absent, expansion of a periodontal crack, an illegibility of kortikalny plasticity of an alveolus is sometimes noted. Differential diagnostics helps to distinguish sharp periodontitis from an exacerbation of chronic top periodontitis, a sharp diffusion pulpitis, the aggravated chronic gangrenous pulpitis, suppuration of a root cyst, odontogenny sinusitis, a periostit or osteomyelitis. Treatment of sharp periodontitis Treatment of sharp periodontitis mainly conservative is also directed to elimination of inflammatory process in a periodontium, prevention of distribution of purulent exudate to surrounding fabrics and restoration of function of the affected tooth. At sharp purulent periodontitis under conduction or infiltration anesthesia is carried out opening of root channels with removal of products of disintegration of a pulp and expansion of a top opening for exudate outflow. If sharp periodontitis is followed by severe hypostasis and abscess, channels leave open, carry out their antiseptic sanitation (rinsings, washings, introduction of medicines). Drainage sometimes carry out through desnevy a pocket, at abscess - through a section on a transitional fold. Antibacterial medicines, analgetics, antihistamines are appointed. For the purpose of knocking over of an inflammation infiltration blockade by solutions of anesthetics with lincomycin on the course of an alveolar shoot in the field of struck and 2-3 next teeth are carried out. Effectively microwave therapy, a medicinal electrophoresis influence UVCh inflammation center. After subsiding of the sharp inflammatory phenomena mechanical and medicamentous processing of root channels is carried out; in the absence of pain and an ekssudation - sealing of channels. Treatment of sharp medicamentous periodontitis is directed to removal of the irritating agent from root channels with application of machining, the antidotes and anti-inflammatory nonsteroid medicines reducing office of exudate. At sharp traumatic periodontitis with a complete dislocation of tooth carry out its replantation. In case of considerable destruction of tooth, impassability of channels, not effectiveness of conservative therapy and increase of the inflammatory phenomena surgical methods - extraction of tooth, a gemisektion, a root top resection are applied. Forecast and prevention of sharp periodontitis Adequate and timely conservative therapy of sharp periodontitis in most cases leads to subsiding of an inflammation and preservation of tooth. For lack of treatment purulent process of a periodontium extends to surrounding fabrics with development of inflammatory diseases of maxillofacial area. Illiterate medical tactics concerning sharp periodontitis promotes formation of chronic inflammatory process in a periodontium. Prevention of sharp periodontitis consists in regular hygienic procedures, sanitation of an oral cavity, timely treatment of the pathological odontogenny centers.

An NamedEvent is a global synchronization object that allows one process or thread to signal an other process or thread that a certain event has happened. Unlike an Event, which itself is the unit of synchronization, a NamedEvent refers to a named operating system resource being the unit of synchronization. In other words, there can be multiple instances of NamedEvent referring to the same actual synchronization object. NamedEvents are always autoresetting. There should not be more than one instance of NamedEvent for a given name in a process. Otherwise, the instances may interfere with each other. Direct Base Classes: NamedEventImpl All Base Classes: NamedEventImpl const std::string & name Creates the event. Destroys the event. Signals the event. The one thread or process waiting for the event can resume execution. Waits for the event to become signalled.

There’s no doubt about it, the winter of 2018-2019 has been a wet one for Santa Clara County. A handful of atmospheric rivers have delivered a healthy amount of rain to our region. So much so, that this season six out of our 10 reservoirs have spilled at one point during January and February. As of mid-March, water levels in our reservoirs are at around 101 percent of their historical average, which means normal storage for this time of year. Collectively our 10 reservoirs are at around 63 percent of total capacity. With so much rain, why aren’t our reservoirs all filled? Valley Water manages 10 water supply reservoirs to provide Silicon Valley with clean, safe and reliable drinking water. Rarely will we ever see all of our reservoirs 100 percent full because the water captured is used to keep our taps running every day. In addition, five of our dams have storage restrictions in place due to seismic concerns, limiting our ability to have those reservoirs full. Water released from our reservoirs is sent to water treatment plants or used to replenish our groundwater basins where it is later pumped from wells. In addition to playing a critical role in our water supply, reservoir releases also help sustain healthy creek ecosystems and can help reduce flood risks downstream. Throughout the year, Valley Water works to replenish our groundwater supply. With the water captured in our reservoirs, we are able to replenish our groundwater basins as needed through a system of percolation ponds. Groundwater replenishment also happens naturally when water is released to creeks. In the past year, due to the community’s outstanding conservation efforts and Valley Water’s sustainable groundwater management, our groundwater levels are in good shape. Reservoir releases also occur year-round to help the environment. These releases help keep our creeks flowing and support habitat for plants and wildlife. Water management requires a careful balance of these critical factors for our county’s prosperity and public safety. Currently, there are five reservoirs that have restrictions set by the state Division of Safety of Dams. Evaluations by the state agency in the recent past deemed the dams at these reservoirs as seismically unstable in the event of a significantly large earthquake. To protect the public, storage restrictions have been placed on the Almaden, Anderson, Calero, Coyote and Guadalupe reservoirs. To prevent the reservoirs from exceeding these limits during winter, we may make controlled releases before and after storms. This helps return the reservoirs to safe operating levels. During the winter season, Valley Water operates its reservoirs to capture stormwater for later use throughout the year. The goal is to fill the reservoir by the end of the rainy season to maximize the amount of water available for water supply. If rain early in the season is going to fill the reservoir, Valley Water will often release some water to make room for a moderate amount of future runoff with the expectation that there is significant rainy season ahead to still fill the reservoir. This winter we increased reservoir releases from Lexington Reservoir as an interim safety measure for concerns downstream. This was a precaution after recent analyses revealed that a four-mile stretch of the Lower Guadalupe River Flood Protection Project between Tasman Drive and Airport Parkway will no longer provide protection against a flood that has one in 100 chance of occurring in any given year. The Guadalupe River is a large waterway that is fed by several creeks in our county. During heavy storms, higher flows in these contributing streams can increase flood risks in the river. Lowering Lexington Reservoir provides more room to store storm runoff, reducing the amount of flow going downstream. However, this was a special circumstance and not a normal operation. As of mid-March, we cut back on releases from Lexington and plan to allow storage to increase with the hope that late season rains can continue to fill the reservoir. Fortunately, with our groundwater basins in good condition and the significant rainfall in our region and statewide, we have ample water supply for next year. Planning for future wet and dry years is no easy task. With no crystal ball to reveal what the rainfall outlook will be each year, we have to be diligent about capturing an ample water supply. We acknowledge and thank Santa Clara County residents’ conservation efforts and encourage everyone to keep it up. To continue receiving updates on our county’s water supply, environmental stewardship, flood protection efforts and more, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You can also learn more about our reservoirs and current projects at www.valleywater.org.

If a day is 24 hours long, does this mean night does not exist? Pupils still struggle with this type of scientific conundrum years after they have tackled the topic in school, according to new research. Academics at the University of California in Santa Barbara questioned 475 pupils about their understanding of the concept of a day. The pupils, aged between six and 14, were asked to write or draw anything that illustrated their appreciation of the term. The youngest pupils drew on their own lives for inspiration. One six-year- old wrote: "A day is when I go to school." Another volunteered: "A day is when the sun is up and you can play", accompanied by a picture of a boy playing outdoors. By Year 4, pupils had learnt that the earth rotated around the sun, and they were therefore expected to demonstrate more sophisticated scientific understanding. But 60 per cent were still preoccupied with the personal. Only a few were able to differentiate between a day and daylight. One wrote: "A night is a time when people are asleep, and day is a time when people are playing. Now put it together and it makes a day." Their answers revealed significant confusion over the difference between the personal and the scientific. While they had absorbed lessons about the earth's cycle, they struggled to link these concepts to their own lives. One pupil wrote: "A day is sometimes rainy and miserable or it could be sunny and joyful. Days always, always, always have 24 hours." Making the same point in less florid terms, another pupil said: "A day is when it is light outside . A day is 24 hours long." A third made the problem more explicit: "A day is 24 hours, but that would mean night doesn't exist." The researchers said: "A well-educated adult will use the word `day' to mean the 24-hour period between two consecutive sunrises . and also to mean the roughly 12-hour period between sunrise and sunset characterised by daylight. "Despite this complexity, we expect children to develop an understanding of day and night cycles as early as (Year 4)." It was not until Year 6 that pupils' understanding began to change significantly. Almost three-quarters of these pupils used the words "24 hours" in their answer. By Year 8, answers had changed again. This time, pupils referred to the earth's rotation. The most sophisticated discussed different time zones and the fact that countries facing the sun experience daylight. In fact, the academics discovered, many concepts taught to pupils between Years 3 and 6 were not fully understood until Year 7. They believe it is vital for primary teachers to recognise this delay. While it may be obvious when pupils do not understand specialised terms, such as "electromagnetic", their failure to grasp the meaning of everyday words, such as "day", often go unnoticed. "In science classrooms, students and teachers may misunderstand one another, not because they necessarily disagree on science concepts, but because they are using different (and sometimes tacit) definitions of words," they said. "If a few variations are identified, teachers can better attend to the needs of all students."

“For cattle, stress begins the day they were born.” That’s the first thought that popped into the mind of Dr. Joe Gillespie, DVM at Boehringer Ingelheim, when it comes to cattle and stress. Beef cattle face a lot of potential stressors, and trying to account for each one can seem overwhelming. However, Gillespie says if you give cattle the care they need, they’ll give you what you need in return, which is a boost to your bottom line. “If you think about it, birth is probably one of the most stressful events of their lives,” Gillespie said. “They go from a perfect internal environment where everything is just great to then being thrown into the world to experience all of the different challenges that they’ll have the rest of their lives.” Gillespie, who practices in McCook, Nebraska, says there are three major factors when it comes to cattle stress – some producers have control over and some they don’t. The first stress is the weather, which producers obviously can’t control. The second is nutrition, something producers have much more control over. The last is disease, which Boehringer Ingelheim is in business to help farmers combat. “If stress increases in cattle, that decreases the body’s ability to mount an immune response to invaders that carry disease,” Gillespie said. The body’s immune response can come in different ways. Vaccinations can boost that immune response, but stress has an impact there. When an animal is under a great deal of stress as they’re vaccinated, the vaccine’s protection might not be as effective, according to Gillespie. Calves are generally vaccinated before they’re turned out to pasture in the spring. At the same time, they may be separated from their mother for the first time and run through a corral and chute. Sometimes they’re also branded with people and horses around. It’s a stressful time for that calf, Gillespie pointed out. Those stressful interactions will boost the animal’s stress hormone levels and will limit the ability of the vaccine to respond to disease, he said. If the calf gets multiple vaccines at once, it could limit effectiveness of each vaccine. Just because you vaccinated your cattle, don’t assume that they’re 100% protected, he advises. The calf’s body has to do all the work to develop immunity once the vaccine has been introduced. If there are factors that inhibit the ability of that protection to work, such as stress, that calf isn’t truly protected. It creates a bell curve, he explained. A percentage of animals at the top will be protected against disease by vaccine regardless of their stress level. About 80% of the animals in the middle you try to handle correctly and immunize. Then there is the bottom 10% that won’t be protected even if you use low- to no-stress handling while working them. “Our goal isn’t about the cattle in the top or bottom ten percent,” Gillespie said. “It’s about making sure we reduce the stress on the middle portion of cattle.” Focusing on that group allows the largest number of animals possible to have an effective immune response to whatever they face. There are steps producers can take to reduce stress, and they can results in a benefit to the bottom line. When turning a calf out for the first time, the longer they’re separated from their mother, the more stress you create in the animal, Gillespie explained. He estimates it’s the biggest stressor for a one- to three-month old calf. Process them as quickly as possible, he advises, and keep them together when you’re moving cow-calf pairs to and from pastures. “Don’t let mom accidentally leave her calf out there in the dirt,” he said. Keep weather conditions in mind when you’re working. If calves are separated when it’s excessively dry, cold or hot, it’s more difficult on them. “Try to make sure you’re working with the calves during pre-turnout in as moderate conditions as possible,” Gillespie said. “Separation anxiety leads to stress that will eventually lead to disease.” Always use good stockmanship, he added. “Try not to ramrod them through as you’re vaccinating them. It will increase their cortisol level because they’re scared,” he said. Weaning is another important time in the life of a calf. He says the days of pulling mothers away from their calves and shipping them to pasture while the calf bawls in its pen for three days should be over and done. Boehringer Ingelheim veterinarians recommend managed weaning. Stressed animals generally want to return to where they came from. It will lower a calf’s stress level if it can be in a familiar place when it’s weaned. “If you put a newly-weaned calf in a pen it’s never seen before, with a mixed-feed ration it doesn’t even know is food, that stress level will skyrocket,” Gillespie said. He encourages producers to slow down when working and moving cattle. It might take a little more time and a little more prep work, but it will pay off, he said. “If you do those simple things, your cattle will respond more appropriately, which means they’ll fetch a better price down the road,” he said.