group has been able to show that not only do the algorithm ' s designs work, but they also don ' t appear to exact a significant financial, speed or energy price compared to traditional designs, mitra says. the key to determining whether a circuit element is immune to nanotube misalignment is breaking up each circuit element into a fine grid that can be analyzed mathematically. doing this in the abstract with models allows engineers to determine which grid squares nanotubes must pass through and which they shouldn ' t traverse to make a design work correctly. to eliminate unwanted connections, nanotubes in so - called " illegal " regions can then be either chemically etched away or rendered electrically irrelevant in other ways. the stanford algorithm takes this all several steps further, applying sophisticated mathematics to automatically determine where the legal and illegal regions should be in the design of a circuit element with a particular function. " you not only determine whether something is immune or not, but can automatically generate circuit designs that are guaranteed to be immune, " mitra says. while the algorithm can overcome all the bad connections that errant nanotubes make, it cannot guarantee that a nanotube will always make a desired connection. nanotubes also have other problems that remain unsolved, mitra points out. some, for example, always conduct electricity instead of switching on and off like a semiconductor should. the group ' s next step is to move beyond simulation to build and test real circuit elements according to the algorithm ' s output. while more work is necessary to deliver the promise of nanotube technology, solving the misalignment problem would be a significant step. " carbon nanotube transistors show great promise as extensions to silicon transistors due to their fast speed, small size and lower energy consumption, " patil says. " using this technique, we can make larger and more complex circuit blocks with them. " wong speculates that the advance could eventually spill over from chips to assist engineers facing analogous challenges. " a similar methodology can be applied to many emerging technologies, " he says. " the concept of not having to define everything with high precision is germane to engineering robust systems. " the microelectronics advanced research corporation supported the research. other social bookmarking and sharing tools : the above story is reprinted from materials provided by stanford university. the original article was written by david orenstein, communications and public relations manager at the stanford school of engineering.. note : materials may be edited for content and length. for


june 10, 2008 researchers in sweden and japan report development of a new type of paper that resists breaking when pulled almost as well as cast iron. the new material, called " cellulose nanopaper, " is made of sub - microscopic particles of cellulose and may open the way for expanded use of paper as a construction material and in other applications, they suggest. in the new study, lars a. berglund and colleagues note that cellulose - - a tough, widely available substance obtained from plants - - has potential as a strong, lightweight ingredient in composites and other materials in a wide range of products. although cellulose - based composites have high strength, existing materials are brittle and snap easily when pulled. the study described a solution to this problem. it involves exposing wood pulp to certain chemicals to produce cellulose nanopaper. their study found that its tensile strength - - a material ' s ability to resist pull before snapping - - exceeded that of cast iron. they also were able to adjust the paper ' s strength by changing its internal structure. other social bookmarking and sharing tools : note : materials may be edited for content and length. for further information, please contact the source cited above. - henriksson et al. cellulose nanopaper structures of high toughness. biomacromolecules, 2008 ; 9 ( 6 ) : 1579 doi : 10. 1021 / bm800038n note : if no author is given, the source is cited instead.


aug. 14, 2009 edith hessel and colleagues, at dynavax technologies corporation, berkeley, have identified the reason that humans and rodents respond differently to a molecule that is being developed to treat allergic diseases. molecules that trigger the protein tlr9 are being developed as a potential therapeutic for allergic diseases. while they have been shown to be safe and well - tolerated when inhaled by people, they cause severe lung inflammation and toxicity when inhaled by rodents. in the study, the toxicity of one of the molecules under development was found to depend on tlr9 and the soluble immune molecule tnf - alpha in mice. importantly, tlr9 is expressed on many immune cell types in the mouse ( monocyte / macrophage cells, b cells, and pdcs ) and only on b cells and pdcs in humans. the toxicity in mice was found to be independent of b cells and pdcs, meaning that other immune cells expressing tlr9 were responsible for tnf - alpha production. as human tlr9 - expressing cells did not produce tnf - alpha in response to stimulation by the molecules under development, the authors conclude that the differential pattern of tlr9 expression is important in determining the nontoxicity of molecules that target tlr9 in humans and that toxicity in rodents is a result of tnf - alpha production. other social bookmarking and sharing tools : note : materials may be edited for content and length. for further information, please contact the source cited above. - hessel et al. cpg - containing immunostimulatory dna sequences elicit tnf - alpha % u2013dependent toxicology in rodents but not in humans. journal of clinical investigation, 2009 ; note : if no author is given, the source is cited instead.


june 9, 2010 three - dimensional imaging is dramatically expanding the ability of researchers to examine biological specimens, enabling a peek into their internal structures. and recent advances in x - ray diffraction methods have helped extend the limit of this approach. while significant progress has been made in optical microscopy to break the diffraction barrier, such techniques rely on fluorescent labeling technologies, which prohibit the quantitative 3 - d imaging of the entire contents of cells. cryo - electron microscopy can image structures at a resolution of 3 to 5 nanometers, but this only works with thin or sectioned specimens. and although x - ray protein crystallography is currently the primary method used for determining the 3 - d structure of protein molecules, many biological specimens - - such as whole cells, cellular organelles, some viruses and many important protein molecules - - are difficult or impossible to crystallize, making their structures inaccessible. overcoming these limitations requires the employment of different techniques. now, in a paper published may 31 in proceedings of national academy of sciences, ucla researchers and their collaborators demonstrate the use of a unique x - ray diffraction microscope that enabled them to reveal the internal structure of yeast spores. the team reports the quantitative 3 - d imaging of a whole, unstained cell at a resolution of 50 to 60 nanometers using x - ray diffraction microscopy, also known as lensless imaging. researchers identified the 3 - d morphology and structure of cellular organelles, including the cell wall, vacuole, endoplasmic reticulum, mitrochondria, granules and nucleolus. the work may open a door to identifying the individual protein molecules inside whole cells using labeling technologies. the lead authors on the paper are huaidong jiang, a ucla assistant researcher in physics and astronomy, and john miao, a ucla professor of physics and astronomy. the work is a culmination of a collaboration started three years ago with fuyu tamanoi, ucla professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics. miao and tamanoi are both researchers at ucla ' s california nanosystems institute. other collaborators include teams at riken spring 8 in japan and the institute of physics, academia sinica, in taiwan. " this is the first time that people have been able to peek into the 3 - d internal structure of a biological specimen, without cutting it into sections, using x - ray diffraction microscopy, " miao said. " by avoiding use of x - ray lenses, the resolution of


have been able to peek into the 3 - d internal structure of a biological specimen, without cutting it into sections, using x - ray diffraction microscopy, " miao said. " by avoiding use of x - ray lenses, the resolution of x - ray diffraction microscopy is ultimately limited by radiation damage to biological specimens. using cryogenic technologies, 3 - d imaging of whole biological cells at a resolution of 5 to 10 nanometers should be achievable, " miao said. " our work hence paves a way for quantitative 3 - d imaging of a wide range of biological specimens at nanometer - scale resolutions that are too thick for electron microscopy. " tamanoi prepared the yeast spore samples analyzed in this study. spores are specialized cells that are formed when they are placed under nutrient - starved conditions. cells use this survival strategy to cope with harsh conditions. " biologists wanted to examine internal structures of the spore, but previous microscopic studies provided information on only the surface features. we are very excited to be able to view the spore in 3 - d, " tamanoi said. " we can now look into the structure of other spores, such as anthrax spores and many other fungal spores. it is also important to point out that yeast spores are of similar size to many intracellular organelles in human cells. these can be examined in the future. " since its first experimental demonstration by miao and collaborators in 1999, coherent diffraction microscopy has been applied to imaging a wide range of materials science and biological specimens, such as nanoparticles, nanocrystals, biomaterials, cells, cellular organelles, viruses and carbon nanotubes using x - ray, electron and laser facilities worldwide. until now, however, the radiation - damage problem and the difficulty of acquiring high - quality 3 - d diffraction patterns from individual whole cells have prevented the successful high - resolution 3 - d imaging of biological cells by x - ray diffraction. other social bookmarking and sharing tools : - h. jiang, c. song, c. - c. chen, r. xu, k. s. raines, b. p. fahimian, c. - h. lu, t. - k. lee, a. nakashima, j. urano, t. ishikawa, f. tamanoi, j. miao. quantitative 3d imaging of whole, unstained cells by using x - ray diff


jan. 7, 2013 cleaning up mercury pollution and reducing prenatal exposure to the neurotoxin methylmercury ( mehg ) could save the european union €10, 000 million per year, finds a new study published in biomed central ' s open access journal environmental health. new estimates suggest that between 1. 5 and 2 million children in the eu are born each year with mehg exposures above the safe limit of 0. 58µg / g and 200, 000 above the who recommended maximum of 2. 5µg / g. while some mercury occurs naturally in the environment for example from volcanic eruptions or forest fires, most is generated by burning fossil fuels. marine and fresh water species bioconcentrate mehg ; consequently the main source of exposure for humans is from eating fish. a team of researchers from across europe used the democophes study of exposure to environmental chemicals to assess the impact of mehg on humans. hair samples of child - mother pairs, collected from 17 european countries, demonstrated that, as a lower estimate, 1, 866, 000 children are born in europe exposed to toxic levels of mehg. 232, 000 of these are exposed to hazardous levels, five times higher. but not every child in europe is equally at risk. when analysed per country, children born in portugal and spain were the most exposed to mehg, and hungary the least. exposure to mehg in humans affects brain development, resulting in a lower iq, and consequently a lower earning potential. the long term cost to society can be calculated as lifetime earning loss per person, although this estimate does not take into account other aspects of brain toxicity or risks of cardiovascular disease in adults. prof philippe grandjean explained, " if we convert the effects of mehg on developing brains into iq points then the benefits of controlling mehg pollution equates to 700, 000 iq points per year and monetary benefits of €8, 000 to €9, 000 million per year for the whole of the eu. exposure abatement would mainly benefit southern europe. " once mehg is formed, it cycles though the environment for thousands of years, exposing humans and other species to potentially toxic levels for generations. commenting on the research dr elsie sunderland said, " mitigating the harm caused by methylmercury requires global - scale cooperation on policies and source reductions. negotiations by the united nations environment program are currently underway to address mercury emission levels. " other social bookmarking and sharing tools : - martine bellanger, celine


caused by methylmercury requires global - scale cooperation on policies and source reductions. negotiations by the united nations environment program are currently underway to address mercury emission levels. " other social bookmarking and sharing tools : - martine bellanger, celine pichery, dominique aerts, marika berglund, argelia castano, maja cejchanova, pierre crettaz, fred davidson, marta esteban, karen exley, marc e fischer, anca elena gurzau, katarina halzlova, andromachi katsonouri, lisbeth e knudsen, marike kolossa - gehring, gudrun koppen, danuta ligocka, ana miklavcic, m fatima reis, peter rudnai, janja snoj tratnik, pal weihe, esben budtz - jørgensen, philippe grandjean. economic benefits of methylmercury exposure control in europe : monetary value of neurotoxicity prevention. environmental health, 2013 ; 12 ( 1 ) : 3 doi : 10. 1186 / 1476 - 069x - 12 - 3 - elsie m sunderland, noelle e selin. future trends in environmental mercury concentrations : implications for prevention strategies. environmental health, 2013 ; 12 ( 1 ) : 2 doi : 10. 1186 / 1476 - 069x - 12 - 2 note : if no author is given, the source is cited instead.


web edition : june 20, 2012 animal herders living in what was a grassy part of north africa ’ s sahara desert around 7, 000 years ago had a taste for cattle milk, or perhaps milk products such as butter. researchers have identified a chemical signature of dairy fats on the inside surfaces of pottery from that time. dairy products played a big part in the diets of these ancient africans, even though they did not live in farming villages as the earliest european milk users did, reports a team led by biogeochemists julie dunne and richard evershed, both of the university of bristol in england. dairying may have spread from the middle east and nearby areas — where farming emerged around 10, 000 years ago — to africa and europe within a couple thousand years, the scientists propose in the june 21 nature. chemical evidence shows that cattle milked in the ancient sahara ate plants from both cool, wet areas and hot, dry expanses. “ animals were being moved around the landscape between different ecosystems containing different plants, possibly as a result of seasonal variations in available pastures, ” evershed says. researchers generally assume that north africans domesticated cattle, sheep and goats before growing crops. previously excavated bones of domesticated animals date to roughly 8, 000 years ago in north africa. rock paintings in the region depict cattle herding and a few instances of milking, but no reliable dates exist for these artworks. an early date for dairying in north africa “ implies that one of the reasons local african peoples adopted cattle was for their milk products, ” says anthropologist diane gifford - gonzalez of the university of california, santa cruz. a 2008 pottery study led by evershed placed the origins of cattle milking in what ’ s now northwestern turkey at about 9, 000 years ago. farming, raising animals, dairying and making pottery all apparently spread across europe at the same time, says anthropologist kevin gibbs of the university of aberdeen, scotland. in contrast, the new study shows that saharan herders adopted cattle and dairying into a nomadic lifestyle after having made pottery for several thousand years. some african groups possess genetic mutations that enable milk drinking without nausea and other unpleasant reactions to lactose, a sugar found in milk. these mutations commonly appear in europeans, whose farming ancestors used milk at least 6, 000 years ago ( sn : 2 / 1 / 03, p. 67 ). “ we could be looking at multiple origins for dairying, ” remarks bioarchaeologist oliver craig of the university of york, england. dunne and evershed ’


ago ( sn : 2 / 1 / 03, p. 67 ). “ we could be looking at multiple origins for dairying, ” remarks bioarchaeologist oliver craig of the university of york, england. dunne and evershed ’ s group identified different forms of carbon in small, ground - up samples taken from 81 pottery fragments previously found at a libyan rock shelter and mostly dating to between 7, 200 and 5, 800 years ago. each specimen contained carbon with a distinctive signature found in milk fats. further chemical comparisons to milk fats from grazing animals now living in africa showed that ancient saharans milked cattle, but not goats or sheep. large amounts of dairy fat on the african pottery reflect either good preservation in arid conditions or the use of fat - rich products such as butter that store well and can be digested by lactose - intolerant individuals, craig says. j. dunne et al. first dairying in green saharan africa in the fifth millennium bc. nature, vol. 486, june 21, 2012, p. 390. doi : 10. 1038 / nature11186. [ go to ] b. bower. dairying pioneers : milk ran deep in prehistoric england. science news, vol. 163, february 1, 2003, p. 67. available online to subscribers : [ go to ] r. evershed et al. earliest date for milk use in the near east and southeastern europe linked to cattle herding. nature, vol. 455, september 25, 2008, p. 528. doi : 10. 1038 / nature. 07180. abstract available : [ go to ] d. gifford - gonzalez and o. hanotte. domesticating animals in africa : implications of genetic and archaeological findings. journal of world prehistory, vol. 24, march 2011, p. 1. doi : 10. 1007 / s10963 - 010 - 9042 - 2. abstract available : [ go to ] more on archaeological chemistry : [ go to ] richard evershed ’ s website : [ go to ]


web edition : may 27, 2011 it took no time in december for critics to cast doubt on the remarkable claim that a bacterium force - fed with arsenic incorporated some of the poison into its cells and even its dna. as soon as the science paper by felisa wolfe - simon and colleagues was published, critics took to the airwaves and the blogosphere ; there was even coverage of the coverage. the debate over whether an organism could substitute a normally toxic substance, arsenic, for phosphorus, one of life ’ s six elemental building blocks — and whether wolfe - simon and her colleagues demonstrated an instance that substitution — continues with a formal octet of criticisms published online today in science. and you can take a look for yourself at the whole thing, because the journal has made the papers freely available. some of the objections are with the science done ( or not done ) by the research team. the growth medium for example, in which the microbes known as strain gfaj - 1 were cultured, contained some phosphorous, one researcher notes. others take issue with the math with which the data was analyzed. other scientists cast doubt on the claims not because of the nitty - gritty of the lab work, but because the report challenges a lot of known science, such as the chemical reactions that go into building a dna molecule and how that might work — or not work — if arsenic were swapped for phosphorous. science also published a response by wolfe - simon and her colleagues, in which they address the presented critiques. and so this scientific version of clue continues : was it gfaj - 1, in the lab, with the arsenic? that still isn ’ t clear, but as science notes in its introduction to the debate, science is proceeding as it should.


though ancient egyptians are famous for their mummies, americans — south americans — practiced the preservation method first. in a desert coastal region of what is now northern chile and southern peru, the chinchorro people began mummifying their dead about 7, 000 years ago. now scientists have proposed an explanation for how this practice got its start : the chinchorro were just copying nature. the ancient south americans buried corpses in shallow graves in the desert. there, the arid climate would have dried out the dead bodies, preventing their decay. when the chinchorro population grew, more villagers probably started to see these bodies in the desert. they were inspired to mimic the natural process and start mummifying the dead, scientists report in a new study published in august. seven millennia ago, the chinchorro population was booming. the growth was probably fueled by readily available water and food. according to climate records, rainfall had been increasing, giving more people access to freshwater. scientists have also unearthed fishing tools, including hooks and harpoons, from the same time period. those suggest the chinchorro were eating plenty of fish and seafood then. in the new study, scientists propose that this population boom led the ancient people to develop complicated customs, such as mummification. more people would have meant more permanent settlements and more corpses — and more frequent sightings of naturally preserved bodies sticking out of shallow graves. at some point, a light bulb went off and a new tradition of preserving the dead began. “ environmental changes are usually associated with the collapse of complex societies, ” pablo marquet told science news. “ but if resources are abundant, environmental change can provide fertile ground for cultural evolution, ” or change. marquet, the study ’ s leader, is an ecologist at pontificia universidad catolica de chile in santiago. he studies the interaction between societies and their environments. the chinchorro may have viewed mummification as a religious practice. other researchers have found that some ancient tribes believed that if a body were not fully decomposed, then the person would never completely disappear. so mummification may have been seen as a way to keep the dead among the living. the chinchorro mummified their dead for about 2, 600 years. the practice appears to have stopped after rainfalls diminished greatly and the tribe ’ s population dropped. although marquet ’ s team ’ s explanation for mummification might be accurate, scientists will need to find more supporting evidence for the idea, says anthropologist daniel sandweiss of the


what is scientology? scientology definiton : scio ( latin ) “ knowing, in the fullest sense of the word, ” logos ( greek ) “ study of. ” thus scientology means “ knowing how to know. ” developed by l. ron hubbard, scientology is a religion that offers a precise path leading to a complete and certain understanding of one ’ s true spiritual nature and one ’ s relationship to self, family, groups, mankind, all life forms, the material universe, the spiritual universe and the supreme being. scientology addresses the spirit — not the body or mind — and believes that man is far more than a product of his environment, or his genes. scientology comprises a body of knowledge which extends from certain fundamental truths. prime among these are : man is an immortal spiritual being. his experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. his capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized. the creed of the church of scientology the creed of the church of scientology was written by l. ron hubbard shortly after the church was formed in los angeles on february 18, 1954. after mr. hubbard issued this creed from his office in phoenix, arizona, the church of scientology adopted it as its creed because it succinctly states what scientologists believe. within the vast amount of data which makes up scientology ’ s religious beliefs and practices there are many principles which, when learned, give one a new and broader view of life. knowing the tone scale, for instance, a person can see how best to deal with a grumpy child, mollify an upset friend or get an idea across to a staid employer. these principles amount to a huge area of observation in the humanities. it is a body of knowledge there for the learning. there is nothing authoritarian in it. it is valuable purely as a body of knowledge. who was l. ron hubbard? l. ron hubbard was an author, philosopher, humanitarian and founder of the scientology religion. he was born march 13, 1911, in tilden, nebraska, and passed away january 24, 1986. his long and adventurous road to discovery began at an early age. under the tutelage of his mother, a thoroughly educated woman, he was reading well beyond his years : shakespeare, greek philosophy and an array of later classics. yet his early years were far from bookish and with his family ’ s move to helena, montana, he was soon breaking broncos with the best of the local wranglers. as an inquisitive youth in what was then still a rough


the gorgeous looking earth is home to a diverse range of birds and animals. this indeed adds to the majesty and magnificence of this planet. the diversity that this planet has makes it brilliant and facilitates the ecosystem to function in the positive manner. as the world speeds towards rapid development, the desires to accomplish numerous goals of human beings also increase proportionately. this leads to various disturbances in the natural cycle and environmental conditions. this has also resulted into destroying the natural habitats of various species of birds and animals. some of them include tigers, elephants and dolphins. the reckless, irresponsible and inattentive behavior of mankind has affected the natural functioning of the ecosystem greatly. with that and disturbance to the territories of various creatures, many species have become rare and for that matter even extinct. elephant protection in india has recently started with the objective of protecting the rare species. elephant protection is very important and significant for the healthy and wholesome operation of nature and natural cycle. with this objective, there are numerous governments as well as non government organizations that strive to work effectively towards elephant protection in india. through laws, acts, campaigns and movements, various groups and organizations have been working towards spreading awareness in this direction. elephant protection in india is now carried out on a serious basis. with the purpose of maintaining an eco - friendly nature, various movements have been initiated. regulated trade in wildlife is one of the very important projects in this direction. with the objective of safeguarding creatures and maintaining harmony with nature, such steps are taken by groups, big and small. elephant protection in india is also carried out by setting up numerous national parks and sanctuaries. some of them include ranthambore national park, kaziranga national park, chandaka wildlife elephant sanctuary, mudumalai wildlife sanctuary and others. other initiatives taken by the government and various non government agencies include project tiger and project elephant. these projects safeguard nature by conserving various endangered species. this results in maintaining an ecological balance. elephant protection is a significant step in this direction. some of the other projects include asiatic lion conservation, dolphin conservation and lion protection. working in an efficient manner, these programmes significantly help in the smooth working of nature. the flora and fauna also affects the climate change and environment of a place. such conservation practices help to maintain proper flourishing environmental and climatic conditions.


fighting a war isn ' t all about big, strong men in uniform. it ' s about training, training and more training to do the job you ' re assigned. it ' s about making correct on - the - spot decisions, including while in combat. women have been warriors across the ages and are now in nations from canada to new zealand. american women already have fought and died in combat in iraq and afghanistan, just as they have since the revolutionary war. women in the five u. s. military services work as hard as men, but the absence of battlefield experience often hinders their ability to rise in rank and pay. but now that top leaders have deemed them fit for fighting if they prove themselves so, doors will open for women to advance just as men do now. it ' s a huge leap forward. but, sadly, it ' s not surprising that, for many americans, the thought of a woman in full battle rattle fighting alongside men is anathema. the naysayers talk about men ' s need to protect women, about possible sexual relations or sexual violence and about how soldiers relieve themselves in the field. and these things aren ' t happening now? such arguments don ' t sway former utah congressional candidate donna mcaleer, a west point graduate who served as a platoon leader and military policewoman, among other assignments, in the u. s. army. " what this is about is readiness, retention and recruitment, " she says. " women are not going to flood infantry and armor [ divisions ]. " they, like their male colleagues, must meet physical and mental standards, she says. " it should be [ about ] the job, not the gender. " you train, just as anyone in any job does, to become the best you can be, no matter your sex. this change is also about choice ; women now will be able to compete with men and one another for the jobs they want. that ' s what defense secretary leon panetta and army gen. martin e. dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, concluded after seeing women in action in iraq and afghanistan. dempsey told the new york times his story about boarding a humvee in baghdad and slapping the leg of the turret gunner. " who are you? " he asked. " i ' m amanda, " the soldier replied. it was then that dempsey decided things had to change, and he and panetta who also had talked with women warriors recently announced the policy shift. predictably, you could hear howls from some


" i ' m amanda, " the soldier replied. it was then that dempsey decided things had to change, and he and panetta who also had talked with women warriors recently announced the policy shift. predictably, you could hear howls from some men and some women who think all women are too weak to endure a long march, a mortar barrage or a firefight. to mcaleer, that ' s a specious argument and a nonissue. no one, she says, is suggesting a lower physical standard. man or woman, a soldier must, for example, be able to throw a grenade 30 meters. it ' s about setting a standard and ensuring the model is consistent for everyone. that may exclude women from the navy seals or the army ' s delta force, rangers and green berets, but few men make it into those ranks either. the bottom line is women already are fighting and dying in combat. one day, a woman will be secretary of defense or chair of the joint chiefs. either one, or both, would be an epic victory for all of us. even better : a woman as commander in chief. peg mcentee is a news columnist. reach her at firstname. lastname @ example. org, facebook. com / pegmcentee and twitter, @ pegmcentee.


all fuel - burning equipment and appliances create the risk for carbon monoxide, including water heaters, gas furnaces, wood and gas fireplaces, generators and automobile engines. but at its worst, exposure to carbon monoxide can be fatal. in 2008, exposure to carbon monoxide resulted in at least 47 u. s. deaths, according to data from the american association of poison control centers ' national poison data system. those deaths only account for those reported to or managed by a poison center. the american association of poison control centers offers these tips for combating carbon monoxide during cold times : never use a charcoal or gas grill inside a house, garage, closed - in porch or tent. have your furnace inspected and adjusted before every heating season. never use a generator inside your home - - not even in the garage or porch. keep it outside, far from the house. never use a gas stove or oven to heat the house. never leave a car running inside a garage, even if the garage door is open. never sleep in a parked car while the engine is running. if you have a working fireplace, make sure the flue is open and the chimney is not blocked when burning wood or gas logs. have your chimney, fireplace, and wood stoves, and flues inspected before every heating season. never use charcoal in the fireplace. get a carbon monoxide detector, with a battery back - up system, for your home. if you have a big house, get more than one detector. if your carbon monoxide detector sounds, take your cell or cordless phone and leave the house immediately. call 911 or the fire department from outside the home. remember you can ' t smell or see carbon monoxide, so an alarm may be your only warning. source : american association of poison control centers the american association of poison control centers supports the nation ' s 60 poison control centers in their efforts to prevent poisoning. poison centers offer free and confidential services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. if you believe you ' ve been exposed to a poison or have questions about whether a substance is poisonous, call your local poison control center at 800 - 222 - 1222.


latest news about stars and galaxies stars are giant, luminous spheres of plasma. galaxies consist of stars, stellar remnants, dust, gas, and dark matter, bound together by gravity. learn more about stars and galaxies. nasa ' s nustar mission will peer through the dust and gas to see what what lies in the centers of other galaxies. nasa ' s kepler mission, a space - based telescopic camera, has discovered planets orbiting stars beyond our sun. though an earth - like planet in the " goldilocks zone " hasn ' t yet been positively identified, astronomers believe it ' s just a matter of time. the new photo captures perhaps 1 percent of our galaxy ' s stars. nasa ' s spitzer space telescope is designed to study objects in infrared light. the new image shows more than 200, 000 galaxies that each contains billions of stars. the globular cluster at the center of our galaxy contains stars twice as old as the sun. new observations support the idea that galaxies expel gas and then suck it back in to create baby stars. a new survey of distant galaxies provides new clues about how these cosmic objects evolved. this cool space wallpaper shows a massive, young stellar grouping, called r136, is only a few million years old and resides in the 30 doradus nebula, a turbulent star - birth region in the large magellanic cloud, a satellite galaxy of the milky way. the hercules cluster is unlike many other neighboring galaxy groups. this stunning space wallpaper reveals the natural - color image of the galaxies was taken with nasa ' s hubble space telescope and with the canada - france - hawaii telescope in hawaii. infrared observations of the orion nebula show young stars as they mature into adulthood. these outflows could shape the growth of black holes and dictate star formation in their host galaxies. this mind - bending look at our day and night sky – including some auroras – was cut together by randy halverson ( dakotalapse. com ). the score was composed by bear mccreary ( battlestar galactica, the walking dead, eureka, etc. ). the galaxies are said to be in a smooth, curved line making them appear to be connected in a chain. the extremely bright x - ray source in the andromeda galaxy was first detected in late 2009. the carina nebula is home to several of the brightest and most massive known stars.


full title · ender ' s game author · orson scott card type of work · novel genre · science fiction language · english time and place written · begun in 1975 in salt lake city, utah, the story was published in 1977 as a short story and completed in novel form in 1985. date of first publication · 1977 ( as a short story ) ; 1985 ( as a book ) publisher · tom doherty narrator · omniscient narrator climax · the climax of the novel occurs when ender fights what he thinks is his final test in command school but what is actually the last battle of the third invasion. protagonist · ender wiggin antagonist · mostly peter wiggin, but also the adults in the book setting ( time ) · the future setting ( place ) · the book starts on earth, and quickly moves into space, although earth plays a prominent role until the end. point of view · most of the book is presented from ender ' s point of view, although we are occasionally allowed inside the head of a few other characters. falling action · ender finds the landscape that the buggers created for him and follows it to the message they left him — the last remaining bugger queen, still a mere pupa. tense · immediate past foreshadowing · each chapter starts with a conversation between two adults, usually members of the i. f. high command, and their discussion foreshadows the events of the chapter. tone · the tone is increasingly urgent as the book progresses. symbols · ender as good ; peter as evil themes · games ; the role of children ; compassion ; ruthlessness motifs · friend / enemy ; humanity readers ' notes allow users to add their own analysis and insights to our sparknotes — and to discuss those ideas with one another. have a novel take or think we left something out? add a readers ' note!


niskayuna supervisor joe landry surveys the area surround the berm constructed at the town ’ s water plant on friday, sept. 2. photo by john purcell. niskayuna ’ s water plant was in danger as the mohawk river rose during tropical storm irene, but town employees devised a plan to prevent damage. town officials started mobilizing town employees around 6 p. m. on sunday, aug. 28, after initial reports came in on possible flood levels following heavy rain. there were six dump trucks, front - end loaders, excavator and bulldozers at the town ’ s water plant working into the night. there was another crew stationed north of plant at the town landfill with an excavator and a front - end loader to gather dirt for the circular barrier. “ initial reports we were getting was it was going to be 7 to 8 feet above the 100 - year flood, which was over those windows ( four inches above ), ” said supervisor joe landry. “ there is no way we could have built a berm as high as that building … we were able to accommodate the modified numbers. ” the 100 - year flood is a way to rate the probability of a flood reaching a certain level, which is once every 100 years. although, this doesn ’ t mean the flood level can ’ t be reached more than once in 100 years. town employees worked long hours, maxing out at 18 hours, said matt yetto, a civil engineer for the town. highway department employees teamed up with water and sewer department employees to prevent flood damage. “ at one point we had everyone in the water and sewer department working either at ( the water plant ) or preventing flooding in the sewer system, ” said yetto. the berm around the plant took around 15 hours to build after superintendent of the water and sewer department richard pollock designed the plans. “ at one point when we were doing the sandbags you looked and you just saw a sea of green, everyone was wearing a green shirt, ” said yetto. “ everything seemed to go very smoothly and well organized. ”


last weekend, we traveled to johannesburg as our bing cultural excursion and visited the south african constitutional court, among other sites of memory. our johannesburg visit made me feel surprisingly heavy – i ’ d thought i ’ d been fortified by what we ’ d already seen in cape town the prior five weeks. walking through the women ’ s jail and building number 4 was an experience like no other i ’ ve had. while i understand american mass incarceration as our greatest current civil rights issue, the history of political imprisonment and mistreatment in south africa was a phenomenon completely new to me. it was remarkable to me that a country could memorialize and reincorporate its oppressive past by building the foundation of its constitutional court and constitutional hall upon the bricks and walls of its old prisons. even though the constitutional court is the equivalent of the united states supreme court, its design and presentation could not be more different than our hallowed american building of marble and looming columns. the court sits on the site of an old high - security prison that housed thousands of political dissidents and prisoners of all races – including gandhi. half of the walls of the chamber itself were built from the bricks of the old prison walls. inside, the public sits elevated, looking down on the justices and lawyers. and outside the chambers, built upon the old prison bricks is a display in neon letters that reads : “ a luta continua ” or “ the struggle continues. ” on the entrance to the building, each of the 27 basic rights and principles of the south african constitution is carved into a wood panel in each of the country ’ s 11 official languages and sign language. one of the most interesting things about studying in south africa has been encountering how the state addresses the history and legacy of apartheid. this experience has been especially interesting in contrast to my perceptions of the united states and its treatment of indigenous and black populations, among other historically oppressed groups. watching south africa – the most unequal country in the world – confront its social issues, i have grown interested in the notion of refounding a country. our visit to the court inspired me to read through south africa ’ s constitution to get a better sense of those 27 principles. the preambles of the constitution begins with an acknowledgment of past suffering : “ we, the people of south africa, recognise the injustices of our past ; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land ; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country ; and believe that south africa


of past suffering : “ we, the people of south africa, recognise the injustices of our past ; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land ; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country ; and believe that south africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity. “ in its founding provisions, the constitution establishes that the state is founded on the following values : “ a human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms. b non - racialism and non - sexism. c supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law. d universal adult suffrage, a national common voters roll, regular elections and a multi - party system of democratic government, to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness. “ the combination of these clauses stands in stark contrast to the “ all men are created equal ” and “ we the people of the united states ” that so glaringly excluded the majority of those living on “ american ” land. yet, as we discussed in class this week, what does it mean to those south africans who are in the worst material conditions, those who suffer from racism or sexism, those who do not have adequate housing, etc. that their constitution guarantees them the opposite of what they experience? is that any better or worse than living in the united states ( for example ) where such promises are not explicit? i ’ m of the mind that being unambiguous about past injustices and present ( and future ) goals gives the people more to demand of their government, and the government more to be accountable to. the united states should acknowledge that ( to use obama ’ s words from this year ’ s state of the union address ), “ the basic bargain that built america ” was one of structural inequality and injustice towards indigenous americans, blacks, women and unpropertied men. beyond this fundamental recognition, we also need to admit that those injustices and inequalities continue through today, that our ideals of liberty, justice and freedom are yet unachieved, and that we as a nation need to commit ourselves to the lifelong pursuit of realizing these goals. as it stands, our veneration of the founding figures, documents, institutions, and values as holy blinds us to the structural injustice all around us. just as monuments to cecil rhodes ( the great exploiter of africa ) and jan smuts ( the architect of apartheid ) stand tall and plentifully around south africa, so too do these american institutions remain unabashed and


all around us. just as monuments to cecil rhodes ( the great exploiter of africa ) and jan smuts ( the architect of apartheid ) stand tall and plentifully around south africa, so too do these american institutions remain unabashed and taunt us of past and present oppression. while my instinct has often been “ we need to tear this stuff down, ” watching south africa change through its transition and reconciliation process has shown me that we cannot hide our troubled pasts, but must commemorate how we have failed and use that memory to inspire future action. instead of demolishing the statue of cecil rhodes in the university of cape town ’ s upper campus, a plaque noting his role in crafting the mining labor and land exploitation that haunts south africa even today would provide a more nuanced and educational experience than leaving the monument as is or than having nothing present at all. a luta continua instead of leaving the white house, the capitol, the supreme court, department of justice, department of education, liberty bell, national constitution center, etc. etc. standing as they are in their pristine, ( white ) marble glory – some commemoration of the role of all of these institutions in nearly every internal injustice of the last 200 + years would be a step in the right direction. a luta continua without changing our perspective, we will continue to perpetrate and perpetuate crimes against women, against ethnic minorities, against the poor – not only in south africa or america, but around the world. a luta continua.


there are literally thousands of books on ww2, ranging from d - day to the hiroshima bombing to the nazis and the airbourne forces. they all give the reader an extensive knowledge of what happened. literature was never a bad thing and never will be. it ' s safe to say that because of ww2, there has been a very valuable and interesting addition to the world of books. there are not as many movies and t. v. shows on ww2 then books but nonetheless, a lot. t. v. shows like band of brothers are about ww2. movies like saving private ryan are about ww2. they may not have been historically accurate but they portray ww2 wonderfully and give insight into the horrors of the great war. in the gaming picture, ww2 was an important part of it. there have been numerous board games and war games about ww2. even more is video games. one of the earliest fps games was around ww2. there are so many games about it to try and capture the emotions and feelings of what it felt like to be fighting in ww2. to conclude, ww2 did have a big impact in these areas and they were all positive, helping the economy. [ continues ] cite this essay ( 2011, 04 ). history ww2. studymode. com. retrieved 04, 2011, from http : / / www. studymode. com / essays / history - ww2 - 653848. html " history ww2 " studymode. com. 04 2011. 04 2011 < http : / / www. studymode. com / essays / history - ww2 - 653848. html >. " history ww2. " studymode. com. 04, 2011. accessed 04, 2011. http : / / www. studymode. com / essays / history - ww2 - 653848. html.


hope for spinal - injury victims canterbury university research is aimed at giving people with spinal - cord injuries improved movement and stability. phd student cindy allison plans to draw on the work of israeli physicist moshe feldenkrais to develop a group programme for disabled people that would be accessible and affordable. the feldenkrais method aims to restore the sensory system through specific movements and attention to sensory feedback, with research showing it could reduce pain, fatigue, stress and medical costs, while improving mobility, stability, co - ordination and breathing. allison said kevin hitchcock, a former director of news at channel ten in sydney, was told he would be paralysed from the neck down for the rest of his life after a diving accident, but had made an almost full recovery using the feldenkrais method. american molly hale broke her neck in 1995 and was told she would be paralysed from the shoulders down, but this year was able to walk unassisted for the first time since her accident. irene lober, of germany, was able to ski, despite being told she would need a wheelchair for the rest of her life. most disabled people who used the method did so individually. " working in a group setting, you get the added benefit of inspiration and frequent humour from others in the group, she said. " they also get a bit of an understanding of the method so they can do things on their own during the week. " - © fairfax nz news would you like to see a bike - share scheme in christchurch? related story : free bikes plan for christchurch


john langley howard was a revolutionary regionalist painter known for depicting labor and industry in california as well as his reverence for the natural world. howard took a strong stance on social and environmental issues and used his art to communicate his strong emotional response toward each of his subjects. table of contents john langley howard was born in 1902 into a respected family of artists and architects. his father, john galen howard relocated the family to california in 1904 to become campus architect of the university of california, berkeley. it was only after attending the very same campus his father helped to create, that howard suddenly decided he wanted to pursue a career as an artist and not an engineer as previously planned. following this decision, howard enrolled in the california guild of arts and crafts in oakland and then transferred to the arts students ’ league in new york city. at the school, he met kenneth hayes miller who supported howard ’ s attitude because the “ taught the bare rudiments of painting and composition, and stressed the cultivation of the ultra - sensitive, intuitive approach ” ( hailey 56 ). after saving his money, howard travelled to paris for six months to seek out his own artistic philosophy. however, it quickly became apparent to howard that he placed more value on pure talent than professional training. in 1924, howard left art school to pursue his career and marry his first wife, adeline day. he had his first one - person exhibition at the modern gallery in san francisco in 1927. shortly after, he attempted portraiture. following the start of the depression, howard found himself appalled by the social conditions and began to follow “ his own brand of marxism. ” howard and his wife began to attend meetings of the monterey john reed club, discussing politics and social concerns. soon, the artist became determined to communicate society ’ s needs for the betterment of the future. his landscapes began to include industry and its effects to the surrounding region. in 1934, howard was hired through the new deal public works art project to create a mural for the inside of coit tower on telegraph hill in san francisco depicting california industry. the project called for twenty - seven artists to be hired to paint frescos inside the newly erected monument funded by philanthropist lillie hitchcock coit. each artist was to depict a scene central to california living, including industry, agriculture, law, and street scenes of san francisco. howard ’ s completed fresco drew notorious attention for showing an unemployed worker reading marxist materials, a gathered group of unemployed workers, and a man panning for gold while watching a wealthy couple outside of their limousine.


law, and street scenes of san francisco. howard ’ s completed fresco drew notorious attention for showing an unemployed worker reading marxist materials, a gathered group of unemployed workers, and a man panning for gold while watching a wealthy couple outside of their limousine. in a nearby mural by bernard zakheim ( 1896 - 1985 ), howard himself was used as a model. he is shown crumpling a newspaper and grabbing a marxist book from a library shelf. this soon led to the artists being linked to a local group of striking dock workers. they were accused of attempting to lead a communist revolution. howard ’ s murals as well as the work of clifford wight ( 1900 - 1960 ) and zakheim became highly scrutinized, and the uproar over the works led to a delay in opening coit tower. in order to protect their work from being defaced or completely destroyed, the muralists chose to sleep outside the tower. the sf art commission ultimately cancelled the opening of coit tower as a result of the controversy and did not open it until months later. during this time, howard relocated his family to santa fe, new mexico citing his son ’ s health concerns for almost two years before returning to monterey in 1940. following the onset of world war ii, he had a renewed interest in landscape and soon ceased to include social commentary within his work, thus removing the human figure from his paintings. the artist divorced his first wife in 1949. in 1951, howard ’ s art took another turn when the artist painted the rape of the earth which rallied against the destruction of nature by technology, making howard one of the first “ eco - artists. ” during the same year he also married sculptor blanche phillips ( 1908 - 1976 ). he began illustrating for scientific american magazine and used this medium to refine his technique. howard ’ s landscapes began turning to “ magic realism ” or “ poetic realism ” as howard preferred to call it. this method is described as the use of naturalistic images and forms “ to suggest relationships that cannot always be directly described in words ” ( aldrich 184 ). his aim was to communicate a poetic and spiritual connection with the landscape depicted. overall, howard lived in more than 20 different locations during his career. in 1997, howard attended the dedication of pioneer park at coit tower and was the only surviving member of the twenty - seven muralists included in the original project. the murals were restored by the city of san francisco in 1990 after water damage and age dictated the need for restoration. howard died at the age


coit tower and was the only surviving member of the twenty - seven muralists included in the original project. the murals were restored by the city of san francisco in 1990 after water damage and age dictated the need for restoration. howard died at the age of 97 in his sleep at his potrero hill home in 1999. ii. an analysis of the artist ' s work “ i think of painting as poetry and i think of myself as a representational poet. i want to describe my subject minutely, but i also way to describe my emotional response to it … what i ’ m doing is making a self - portrait in a peculiar kind of way. ” – john langley howard john langley howard was widely considered a wanderer and a free spirit. while howard did receive academic training from the california guild of arts and crafts in oakland and the arts students ’ league in new york city, he chose to align himself with instructors whose opinions of art education matched his predetermined beliefs. these teachers included kenneth hayes miller ( 1876 - 1952 ) who valued an analytical, bare bones approach to art instruction and supported greater personal development of intuitive talent. howard expressed this viewpoint stating that : “ i want everything to be meaningful in a descriptive way. i want expression and at the same time i want to control it down to a gnat ’ s eyebrow. i identify with my subject. i empathize with my subject ” ( moss 62 ). in the 1920s, howard became known as a cezanne - influenced landscape artist and portraitist. tempera, oil, and etching became his primary media while his subject matter turned to poetic and often spiritually infused imagery which would resurface later in his career. earth tones and very small brushstrokes were utilized, allowing howard to refine his images. howard exhibited frequently with his brothers charles howard ( 1899 - 1978 ) and robert howard ( 1896 - 1983 ). critic jehanne bietry wrote of their joint galerie beaux arts show that : “ of ( the howard brothers ), john langley is the poet, the mystic and the most complex … there predominates in his work a certain quality, an element of sentiment that escapes definition but is the unmistakable trait by which one recognizes deeper art ” ( hailey 60 ). it is significant that a critic would accurately take note of howard artistic aims at such an early stage because what bietry describes ultimately became the primary focus of howard ’ s career. howard experienced a dramatic change in medium when he was commissioned to paint a mural for the


that a critic would accurately take note of howard artistic aims at such an early stage because what bietry describes ultimately became the primary focus of howard ’ s career. howard experienced a dramatic change in medium when he was commissioned to paint a mural for the coit tower wpa project in 1934. the project was howard ’ s first and only mural and provided the artist with an outlet for his newly discovered marxist social beliefs. while howard supported a political agenda rather explicitly in his image, his focus on deeper subject matter permeates throughout the work. most important to howard is “ the idea of human conflict that [ he ] pictorializes and deplores – man ’ s tragic flaw manifest again in this particular situation ” ( nash 79 ). howard ’ s work had progressed steadily into the realm of social realism until the backlash against the coit tower murals led him in a new direction. howard abandoned explicit statements of social commentary and returned to his roots as a landscape painter. however, this did not prevent the artist from illustrating important issues because he then became one of the first “ eco - artists. ” through his painting, howard investigated the role of technology on the environment and used the san francisco bay area as well as monterey to demonstrate his point of view. he continued following his original artistic tendencies by delving into “ magic realism ” or “ poetic realism ” which utilized the spiritual connection that howard sought to find within his work. art critic henrietta shore recognized the balance that howard achieved within his work, stating that he “ is modern in that he is progressive, yet his work proves that he does not discard the traditions from which all fine art has grown ” ( hailey 65 ). overall, howard ’ s career presents a unique portrait of individual expression and spiritual exploration. 1902 born in montclair, new jersey 1920 enrolls as an engineering major at uc berkeley 1922 realizes he wants to be an artist 1923 - 24 attends art students ’ league in new york 1924 leaves art school 1924 marries first wife, adeline day 1927 first one - person exhibition held at the modern gallery, san francisco 1928 first child, samuel born 1930 daughter anne born 1934 commissioned to paint coit tower mural, san francisco 1940 studies ship drafting and worked as a ship drafter during world war ii 1942 serves as air raid warden in mill valley, ca 1949 divorces his first wife 1950 teaches at california school of fine arts, san francisco 1951 marries second wife, sculptor blanche phillips 1951 moves to mexico 1951 paints the rape of the earth communicating his eco - friendly stance 1953 - 1965 illustrates for


valley, ca 1949 divorces his first wife 1950 teaches at california school of fine arts, san francisco 1951 marries second wife, sculptor blanche phillips 1951 moves to mexico 1951 paints the rape of the earth communicating his eco - friendly stance 1953 - 1965 illustrates for scientific american magazine 1958 teaches at pratt institute art school, brooklyn, ny 1965 moves to hydra, greece 1967 moves to london 1970 returns to california 1979 blanche phillips dies 1980 marries mary mcmahon williams 1999 died in his sleep at home san francisco, california california palace of the legion of honor, ca city of san francisco, ca ibm building, new york, ny the oakland museum, ca the phillips collection, washington d. c. san francisco museum of modern art, ca security pacific national bank headquarters, los angeles, ca springfield museum of fine arts university of utah, ut 1927 modern gallery, san francisco, ca 1928 beaux arts gallery, san francisco, ca 1928 east - west gallery, san francisco, ca 1928 - 51 san franciso art association, ca 1935 paul elder gallery, san francisco, ca 1936 cincinnati art museum, oh 1936 museum of modern art, san francisco, ca 1939 golden gate international exposition, department of fine arts, treasure island, ca 1939 museum of modern art, san francisco, ca 1941 carnegie institute, pittsburgh, pa 1943 corcoran gallery, washington d. c. 1943 m. h. de young memorial museum, san francisco, ca 1946 - 47 whitney museum, ny 1947 rotunda gallery, city of paris, san francisco, ca 1952 carnegie institute, pittsburgh, pa 1956 santa barbara museum of art, ca 1973 capricorn asunder gallery, san francisco, ca 1974 lawson galleries, san francisco, ca 1976 de saisset art gallery and museum, ca 1982 san francisco museum of modern art rental gallery, san francisco, ca 1983 california academy of sciences, ca 1983 monterey museum of art, ca 1986 charles campbell gallery, san francisco, ca 1987 martina hamilton gallery, ny 1988 oakland museum, ca 1989 tobey c. moss gallery, ca 1991 m. h. de young memorial museum, san francisco, ca 1992 tobey c. moss gallery, ca 1993 tobey c. moss gallery, ca california society of mural painters ’ and writers ’ and artists ’ union carmel art association club beaux arts san francisco art association society of mural painters marin society of artists monterey john reed club anne bremer memorial award for painting, san francisco art association first prize, pepsi - cola annual “ portrait of america ” first prize, san francisco art association award, city of san francisco art festival citation


insects and fumigation " the best way to avoid both is to make sure seeds are cooled down before they can heat up " no one enjoys a pleasant 75 - or 80 - degree fall harvest season more than a producer bringing in a bountiful crop - no one, that is, except those species of insects which infest stored grain. warm grain temperatures provide ideal conditions for insects that feed on stored grain, notes north dakota state university extension entomologist phil glogoza. some grain insect pests, like the lesser grain borer, red flour beetle, flat grain beetles and indian meal moths, are common across the upper midwest, he notes, and will fly from storage site to storage site. other insects, such as granary weevils, the saw - toothed grain beetle, mealworm beetle and spider beetle, pose the biggest threat when new grain is stored in bins that were previously infested and then not adequately cleaned. glogoza and ndsu ag engineer ken hellevang encourage close monitoring of grain conditions to prevent insect problems. " check the surface of the grain ; then use a probe to check the moisture and temperature at a variety of locations. pay attention to the look, smell and feel of the grain. your senses can tell you a lot about its condition, " hellevang remarks. frost or condensation on the inside of bin roofs is a clear indication of excess moisture in the grain, hellevang notes. he suggests examining samples under good light ( perhaps on a light - colored cloth ) to make insect identification easier. bringing cold samples into a heated area will increase insect activity and thus facilitate temperature is the key to controlling insects in stored sunflower and other grains, hellevang emphasizes. as noted in the accompanying article, insect reproduction slows once the interior bin temperature drops below 70 degrees f. by 60 degrees, reproduction has ceased ; at 50 degrees the insects become dormant - and most will die if the bin temperature falls to freezing and remains there for an extended period. contributing to the threat of insect infestation is grain ' s proficiency as an insulator. cereal grains have an r - value of one per inch, meaning " grain at the center of an 18 - foot bin is insulated in excess of r - 100, " hellevang notes. that compares to an r - 20 insulation rating for a typical north dakota home. while sunflower ' s insulation rating is less than that of cereal grains, it is still substantial. fumigation - traditionally touted


, " hellevang notes. that compares to an r - 20 insulation rating for a typical north dakota home. while sunflower ' s insulation rating is less than that of cereal grains, it is still substantial. fumigation - traditionally touted as the standard method of eliminating insect infestations in stored grain - is not effective or economical in many instances, glogoza and hellevang advise. here ' s why : * fumigants do not work well once grain temperatures drop below 60 degrees f. for a fumigant to work, it must volatilize and spread throughout the storage structure ; and temperatures must be above 60 degrees for that to occur. also, the entire bin must be at or above that temperature, hellevang adds. " if you have a pocket that ' s at 80 or 90 degrees and the rest of the bin is at 40, the fumigant will volatilize in that pocket, " he explains, " but insects in cooler areas of the bin won ' t be hit nearly as hard. " an important related point : having the warm temperatures required for effective fumigation runs counter to other basic management strategy, i. e., cooling the grain to avoid insect and mold problems. * fumigants are expensive, a hassle - and product options are very limited. ( phostoxin is essentially the only alternative left, hellevang says. ) for a fumigant to work properly, the bin must be tightly sealed to avoid leaks. * if temperatures are too cold during fumigation, remnants of the fumigant could remain in the grain. along with making the grain dangerous to handle later on, detectable amounts of fumigant could result in rejection of the grain at the elevator. the best strategy, glogoza and hellevang emphasize, is to avoid situations under which insect populations can develop. even if the binned crop is cooled over winter, a large population of dormant insects will be prepared to " explode " upon the arrival of warmer spring temperatures. cooling the binned grain down as quickly as possible after being placed into storage is the most effective way to keep the troublesome bugs at bay. back to harvest / storage stories back to archive categories


short - chain fructo - oligosaccharides are obtained from sugar beet, by means of an enzyme produced by aspergillus niger, a microscopic fungus widely used in the food industry. the effects of short - chain oligosaccharides have been demonstrated in over 150 scientific and medical studies, which have investigated the effects of daily consumption of 2. 5 g. ¤ fructo - oligosaccharides selectively nourish the bifidobacteria that benefit intestinal flora. a notable positive effect on the proliferation of these bacteria was observed at a dose of 2. 5 g fructo - oligosaccharides a day, an effect which increased with doses up to 10 g a day. the bifidogenic effect is apparent after only four days of taking fructo - oligosaccharides. ¤ fructo - oligosaccharides : - improve digestive health : - promote a healthy colon and digestive system. taking fructo - oligosaccharides stimulates production of short - chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate, the fuel ' of the colon. by increasing butyrate levels from intestinal fermentation, fructo - oligosaccharides help maintain a healthy intestinal mucous membrane. they also have a tendency to reduce the colon ' s ph, linked to the production of short chain fatty acids. this decrease in ph helps maintain the colon in a healthy state ; - after 6 weeks ' consumption, abdominal pain was reported to have decreased significantly. 96 % of subjects observed a noticeable improvement in their digestion and 83 % reported an improvement in their general well - being, - taking 5 g fructo - oligosaccharides a day over six week reduced the intensity and occurrence of digestive problems, improving the digestion and quality of life of 105 volunteers with mild intestinal problems ; - a dose of 8 g a day has a beneficial effect on the lipid profile ; - 10 g a day boosts magnesium and calcium absorption ; several studies have shown that it increases the absorption of isoflavones in food and improves bone mineral density. ¤ a number of studies have demonstrated a beneficial effect on the immune system, with a strengthening effect on the intestinal barrier and a reduction in potentially pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal system. by modulating intestinal flora and fermentation, they have a major effect on resistance to diseases such as cancer or


today ’ s market demands require the balancing of many competing priorities. specifically, in dealing with the interior furnishings of both residential and commercial projects, there are many factors to consider when selecting the most appropriate decorative panel, including price - point, durability, cutting edge design and overall sustainability. the selection of surface materials is one key to making all of this happen. this continuing education course will guide you through the evolution of decorative surface materials to help you navigate and select the best engineered overlay for any commercial and residential application. part 1 : a revolutionary evolution no introduction to decorative surface materials would be complete without paying homage to the technological history of plastic laminates and the stage that has been set for future advances. the machine age [ roughly 1905 - 1945 ] during the machine age scientists around the world were working to develop synthetic plastics. they came to understand that plastic is an amorphous solid consisting of long - chain molecules known as polymers, which do not break apart when flexed and are usually made from artificial resins. plastics were defined as thermosets and thermoplastics, and both would be used to engineer decorative surface materials. in the early 1900 ’ s the first plastic laminate material was made by impregnating kraft paper ( similar to brown bag paper ) with phenolic resin and compressing it under high temperatures and pressure in a process called thermosetting that irreversibly cured the resin. the resulting material was resistant to heat, water, chemicals and electrical current. originally it was used as an insulator for industrial products, but designers soon recognized the material ’ s uniform character and durability and started using it for other applications such as radio exteriors. the machine age also saw the emergence of high - speed printing presses and large - scale roduction machinery. in the 1920 ’ s, decor papers ( printed with solid colors, woodgrains, natural and abstract designs ) were added on top of kraft paper before thermosetting to give the finished plastic laminate product different visual effects. phenolic resins are known for their hardness, durability and resistance to moisture, but they are also dark in color. so in the 1930 ’ s a resin called melamine, which produces a clear surface, was developed. in contemporary manufacturing of plastic laminate ( commonly referred to as high - pressure laminate or hpl ), the top two layers, typically a transparent wear layer and decor paper design, are impregnated with melamine resin, and the bottom kraft layers


manufacturing of plastic laminate ( commonly referred to as high - pressure laminate or hpl ), the top two layers, typically a transparent wear layer and decor paper design, are impregnated with melamine resin, and the bottom kraft layers use phenolic resins. during this same period industrial chemists were also developing thermoplastic plastics. these turn into a liquid when heated, and solidify when sufficiently cooled. they include polyethylene polymers such as vinyl ( pvc ), which is flame, water and corrosion resistant – characteristics that made it an excellent insulating material for the wires on u. s. military ships. despite vinyl ’ s practical beginnings, one of its most remarkable characteristics has proven to be its versatility, making it the second largest selling plastic in the world today. for the production of thermoplastic decorative surface materials, a thin sheetof pvc film is membrane vacuum pressed or profi le wrapped to a substrate. pvc films can be solid color or carry printed designs such as wood grains and abstracts. the atomic age [ roughly 1945 - 1985 ] from their inception, decorative surface materials derived from plastics offered designers excellent performance. as the visual design offerings improved so did the markets for these materials. by the 1950 ’ s, hpl plastic laminate was a popular decorative surface material for everything from cruise ships and soda fountains to high - end kitchens and furniture. vinyl products, with their characteristic low - cost versatility, were specified for tabletops, seating upholstery and wall coverings, as well as carpets, textiles, plastic wrap and pipes. the early part of this period reflects the end of wartime and the promise of a brighter future built on mankind ’ s ingenuity and collective work. this philosophy, combined with the ever - evolving palette of available building materials and decorative surfaces, gave architects and designers more room to dream. one result of this was googie architecture. though the space age motifs and giant tiki ’ s of googie faded away by the mid - 1960 ’ s, the movement itself stretched the imagination of design professionals and consumers alike. around the same time that googie lost its luster, advances in printing technology brought a new standard of consistency and realism to decor printing. rotogravure printing is the historical printing process of choice for fine art and photography reproduction due to its remarkable color density light to dark gradient. it is also the industry standard for decor printing. one of the advantages of using decorative surface materials is the infinite design possibilities of


printing is the historical printing process of choice for fine art and photography reproduction due to its remarkable color density light to dark gradient. it is also the industry standard for decor printing. one of the advantages of using decorative surface materials is the infinite design possibilities of decor printing, which can be done on paper of varying thickness ( typically with water - based pigments ) or on plastic films ( typically with solvent - based inks ). the photorealistic quality of gravure printing allows designers to replicate natural designs with great fidelity. at the same time, the process makes it possible to create decor papers and films with patterns and dimensionality that do not exist in nature. rotogravure printing involves engraving the design image onto an image carrier, which in the case of rotary printing is a cylinder. the development of electro - mechanical cylinder engraving in 1968 greatly increased the fidelity of the engraved designs. during the gravure process, the engraved cylinder is partially submerged into an ink fountain, which then fills the recessed cells with ink. the rotational motion of the cylinder draws the ink out of the fountain, and a doctor blade scrapes the excess color from the non - printing areas of the cylinder before it makes contact with the paper, which is generally fed through the press from large rolls rather than sheets. the paper ( or plastic film ) is sandwiched between the gravure cylinder and an impression roller, which applies the force that transfers the ink to the paper. this method ensures maximum saturation of ink. each color in a design requires its own printing unit ( engraved cylinder ). the paper goes through a dryer to make sure it is completely dry between color units. in addition to its aesthetic appeal, the performance of laminated surfaces was getting more attention during this period. hpl countertops offered consumers a viable option to solid wood ( which was said to crack, warp and hold bacteria ) and stone ( which was said to be heavy, costly and porous ). kitchens decked out in hpl and vinyl furniture, cabinets and counter tops were the height of fashion. often these materials were intended to look like what they were, which is to say plastic. while this was initially considered futuristic and cutting edge, it soon would appear dated. the information age [ roughly 1985 until early 2000 ’ s ] this early part of this time frame might be characterized as the pre - pubescence of laminated decorative surface materials. it was a time of great growth and opportunity, as well as some awkwardness and misunderstanding. new techniques were developed to expand


s ] this early part of this time frame might be characterized as the pre - pubescence of laminated decorative surface materials. it was a time of great growth and opportunity, as well as some awkwardness and misunderstanding. new techniques were developed to expand the usage of decorative surface materials. some of them improved the performance of plastic laminates, such as the 20 - fold increase of durability that evolved with the introduction of laminate flooring products. a classic example is vertical surfaces. hpl is an extremely high performance product. it is perfect for usage in horizontal work surface and high - traffic areas. “ value - engineered ” new products were designed and introduced to meet the needs of similar applications with lower manufacturing costs. a good example of this is thermally fused melamine ( tfm ), which is essentially the top layers of hpl ( decor paper impregnated with melamine resins ), thermally fused to particleboard or mdf forming a stand - alone decorative panel. as these derivative products emerged they were not always specified based on the value of their performance, but often purely on cost. this had a negative effect on the perception of laminated decorative surfaces and the term “ laminate ” took on the connotation of a low quality imitation product, an unfortunate misconception. in a sense, engineered products were victims of their own genius, particularly considering how quickly technology advanced in the information age. but all was not lost, and savvy professionals knew that to maximize the use of any material it was important to understand its strengths and limitations. this explains the resurgence of design interest in the potential of laminated decorative surface materials. in addition to specialized performance, decorative surfaces were undergoing a paradigm shift in visual realism during this period. computers and digital scanning technology now allow decor designers to replicate any material with unprecedented fidelity and dimensionality. imaging software has made it possible to bring any design that can be imagined into being. laser engraving of rotogravure cylinders enables sharper contrast and more subtle tonal gradients than was previously possible. it has also expedited the process of decor development and sampling. new digital ink - jet printing technologies are driving decor development to move beyond commodity designs and into experimental boutique fashions and customized surfaces such as logos and murals. advanced surface treatments and overlay technologies also play important roles in the development of decorative surface materials, enhancing both the visual and tactile qualities of the products. one technique uses engineered press plates to create embossed texture “ in register ” with the


advanced surface treatments and overlay technologies also play important roles in the development of decorative surface materials, enhancing both the visual and tactile qualities of the products. one technique uses engineered press plates to create embossed texture “ in register ” with the decor paper design. this can include ticking that matches wood grain, or variations in gloss levels to enhance geometric or stone designs. another method for adding interest to decorative surfaces is the addition of a transparent overlay called an “ inclusion ” that is embedded with fibers or particles. inclusions of metal filings, organic materials ( such as banana fibers and coffee beans ) and textiles are all used to add an extra layer of interest on top of solid or printed decor papers. the connected age [ early 2000 ’ s to present ] according to web technologist anna zelenka, “ the defining characteristic of the information age is the creation and management of information to produce knowledge goods. the subtle shift into the connected age is the use of web - based communication tools to create and manage relationships across knowledge goods, hardware and people. ” this seemingly subtle shift in technology is manifested in one of the most important developments in decorative surface material manufacturing : cross product matching programs. after a quick and revolutionary history over the past 100 years, we ’ re now seeing decorative designs available across a broad range of surface materials and manufacturers thanks to these matching programs. this allows designers to value - engineer end products based on the specific performance demands of each component, ensuring the highest quality in design, value and durability. for example, matched materials can be used to construct a desk that incorporates printed papers in drawer and cabinet interiors, tfm or printed paper for the vertical exterior panels, hpl on the high - wear horizontal work surface and 3dl for contoured drawer fronts. despite each of these materials ’ unique performance characteristics, they share the same visual. matching programs make it easier for design professionals to maximize performance and cost without sacrificing design integrity. the next age is hard to predict, but it starts with a better understanding of the basic materials in use today. complete a questionnaire to receive a complimentary 1 - year subscription to surface & panel, the only magazine focused exclusively on the design, manufacture and marketing of panel - based furniture and casegoods. fill out the questionnaire


observing the rock 2012 da14 flying past the earth on 16 february 2013 the path of asteroid 2012 da14 across the south - west sky as seen from sydney on the morning of saturday 16 february 2013. the times indicated are in aedt while the positions with relation to the horizon are calculated for 5 : 00 am. diagram nick lomb on the morning of 16 february 2013 ( australian time ) 2012 da14, a piece of space rock the size of a large city building, will hurtle past the earth at a speed of about 28, 000 km per hour. its closest distance to the surface of the earth will be about 27, 700 km, which is closer than any other similar object in modern times. that closest approach is within the paths of the geosynchronous communication satellites that circle at 35, 800 km above the equator. however, there is no likelihood of 2012 da14 hitting the earth and little chance of a collision with a satellite. an illustration showing how 2012 da14 will pass by the earth and its system of artificial satellites. courtesy nasa it will be possible to see and photograph this rare close approach, but from sydney it will be a little tricky. as the rock is heading for its closest approach rendezvous at 6 : 26 am aedt and brightening as it comes closer, the sydney sky is also brightening with the coming of dawn and sunrise. any view of the space rock or asteroid is likely to be lost after nautical twilight at 5 : 34 am when the object ’ s predicted brightness is 8. 2 mag ( see discussion on magnitudes below ). at closest approach, which almost coincides with sunrise in sydney, the prediction is for a relatively bright 6. 9 mag. those who fancy a trip to adelaide or even to perth will have a better opportunity to see the flypast at its closest for the sun rises later there. of course, as usual with astronomical events the best viewing is from a dark sky site, away from city lights. for those not familiar with the magnitude scale used by astronomers, it is a measure of the brightness of stars and other objects in the sky. it works in reverse to what you may expect in that the fainter a star the greater its magnitude. venus, for example, can be magnitude - 4, the brightest star has a magnitude of about - 1, the faintest star visible from a suburban location maybe magnitude 4, the faintest star visible from a dark location maybe magnitude 6 and with binoculars from a dark sky magnitude 9 maybe visible. those in a dark sky should


a magnitude of about - 1, the faintest star visible from a suburban location maybe magnitude 4, the faintest star visible from a dark location maybe magnitude 6 and with binoculars from a dark sky magnitude 9 maybe visible. those in a dark sky should be able to see 2012 da14 with a pair of binoculars just before dawn. from sydney suburbs a go to telescope could be sent to the exact celestial coordinates of the object courtesy of jpl ’ s horizons service : 4 : 00 am aest ra 10 08 34. 75 dec - 76 18 35. 2 4 : 30 am aest ra 10 29 03. 10 dec - 69 26 18. 5 5 : 00 am aest ra 10 43 14. 02 dec - 59 11 15. 1 5 : 30 am aest ra 10 53 41. 53 dec - 43 38 41. 4 6 : 00 am aest ra 11 01 43. 36 dec - 21 21 32. 2 for most people though the best way to attempt observation is to set up a camera on a tripod, or better still, a tracking mount pointing in the region of the sky below the southern cross and take time exposures during the period between 5 : 00 and 5 : 30 am from sydney ( or until local nautical twilight at places to the west of sydney ). if the exposures are long enough the space rock may appear as a faint streak longer than the shorter streaks from stars. the observations and imaging may not work, but it is still worth trying if the sky is clear. it is a long wait until the next such close pass that we know about, which is that of the asteroid apophis on 14 april 2029, again in the morning sky. what have you to lose? only a little bit of sleep! update 12 february 2013 : the time of closest approach to sydney is at 6 : 14 am aedt when the asteroid is 30, 678 km away from the city.


chemical engineers who changed the world handheld electronics and gadgets – from mobile phones to laptops – have transformed the way we live over the past decade or so. but the revolution led by steve jobs and his slightly less famous compatriot, adam osborne ( the inventor of the laptop ), would not have been possible without high - power rechargeable batteries, and they were brought to market thanks to a chemical engineer. like many engineers, yoshio nishi is not a household name but frankly he should be, for he led the team that turned the lithium ion battery from a research concept into practical, commercially viable reality. nishi, who studied solid physical chemistry at the engineering department of keio university in tokyo, spent a lifetime working for sony. in the mid - 1980s he was appointed general manager of the lithium ion battery development team. lithium ion batteries promised to overcome the environmental problems associated with nickel - cadmium batteries, and also had a much greater energy density. even so in the early stages of development many thought that lithium was too dangerous, the technology too risky and the whole concept premature. one of the biggest challenges was making the battery safe even when subjected to serious abuse. the team devised vents to prevent overpressure, introduced a porous membrane separating anode and cathode that would become impermeable in the event of a temperature spike, added elements with a positive temperature coefficient to prevent thermal runaway, and designed a mechanical link that would disconnect the cathode lead if pressure built up inside the battery. even so, lithium ion batteries have caused many phones and laptops to spontaneously combust over the years, triggering huge product recalls. nishi blames price competition putting pressure on engineers to use cheaper materials and other shortcuts, and device designers ignoring the battery ’ s usage specifications. his advice : engineers have a duty to ensure management understands the safety implications of cost cuts, and not to compromise easily on what they believe is important. the secret of soda not all chemical engineers would have called themselves by that name. indeed, for some that term did not exist. no that that changes the nature of their work. take nicholas leblanc, for example. born in 1742 near orleans, during the reign of louis xvi, leblanc ’ s official profession was that of a surgeon to the duke of orleans. that afforded him a laboratory, some spare time, and a reasonable supply of money – enough to indulge his interest in chemistry and crystallisation. when the french academy of


s official profession was that of a surgeon to the duke of orleans. that afforded him a laboratory, some spare time, and a reasonable supply of money – enough to indulge his interest in chemistry and crystallisation. when the french academy of sciences in 1783 offered a prize of 2400 livres to whoever might develop an economically viable process for the production of soda ash ( sodium carbonate ) from sea salt, leblanc could not resist. leblanc, like other researchers looking to solve the challenge, began by heating sea salt in the presence of a source of sulpur ( in this case, sulphuric acid ) to produce sodium sulphate. his breakthrough was mixing the sodium sulphate with charcoal and adding calcium carbonate, at a temperature of 1000°c. this reaction yields sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate, which are fairly easy to separate. the king was delighted. the neighbours less so : leblanc had not just created one of the earliest industrial chemical processes but also one of the first major pollution problems. per ton of soda ash, the process produces 7 t of calcium sulphate waste and 5. 5 t of hydrogen chloride, which was released straight to the atmosphere, killing trees and blighting the landscape for miles around. in the uk, where leblanc ’ s process saw widespread use, this resulted in one of the earliest pieces of air pollution regulation – the alkali act of 1863. leblanc, alas, did not get to enjoy the fruits of his labour. the french revolution intervened, and leblanc had to reveal the details of his process, which was used to set up competing factories. his own sole soda factory was seized, his paymaster, the duke of orleans, executed, and leblanc and his family evicted from their home. of the 2400 livres for developing the process he only ever saw 60. leblanc eventually committed suicide in 1806. his legacy lives on though : leblanc soda plants laid the foundation to chemical sites near glasgow and liverpool, and the production of soda ash was the key driver of the nascent chemical industry in the mid - 19th century. getting to the bottom of it what do you do when your employer, a big consumer goods company, has just acquired several paper mills and now has more paper than it knows what to do with? well, obviously, you dream up a new and revolutionary product that just so happens to use huge quantities of paper. for victor mills, head of the exploratory products division of procter


has more paper than it knows what to do with? well, obviously, you dream up a new and revolutionary product that just so happens to use huge quantities of paper. for victor mills, head of the exploratory products division of procter & gamble, the brainwave came courtesy of his family. mills had just become a grandfather, and was painfully reminded of just how much he detested washing nappies. the idea was born : what if you could create a nappy consisting mostly of shredded absorbent paper which could simply be thrown away after use? many hours of experimenting with different types of paper and nappy designs, all with the help of a trusted ‘ team ’ of betsy wetsy toys ( a brand of ‘ realistic ’ urinating doll popular in the 1950s ) followed. further product testing followed on a family holiday, where mills took his by now three grandchildren on many long drives. the nappies proved to be a full success, now all they needed was a name : tads? solos? how about larks? none seemed right. eventually, p & g settled on pampers. and the world ’ s best - known disposable nappy was born. despite questions of the sustainability of the throw - away nappy, the reality is that some 90 % of babies in the industrial world wear them. globally, the market is worth some us $ 29b / y. of course today the paper filling of the early nappies has long since been replaced by superabsorbers, making the nappies much thinner while increasingly leak - proof. and victor mills, rather than sinking into the obscurity afforded to most chemical engineers, remains one of p & g ’ s best - remembered innovators. to this date, the company runs the ‘ victor mills society ’, an elite club reserved for its most accomplished scientists and innovators. full article published in : tce 839, may 2011 the great outdoor revolution wilbert and robert gore as everyone knows, polymers are flexible. so much so that in one case, what started out as plumbers ’ joint - sealing tape has revolutionsed the world of camping, fishing, hiking and other outdoor pursuits. the material in question of course is gore - tex, developed by a family of chemical engineers - cum - innovators – specifically, the father - and - son team bill and bob gore. wilbert ‘ bill ’ gore had spent 16 years working for dupont, during which time he ’ d become involved with the company ’ s fluorochemicals


- innovators – specifically, the father - and - son team bill and bob gore. wilbert ‘ bill ’ gore had spent 16 years working for dupont, during which time he ’ d become involved with the company ’ s fluorochemicals business, where he was working on ptfe – commonly known as teflon. bill was convinced that teflon had potential beyond non - stick frying pans. ptfe has outstanding electrical properties and can withstand extreme temperatures without getting brittle, so bill, working after hours in his basement, developed it as an electrical wire insulator. the product worked, bill quit his job, and the resulting multi - tet cable was so useful in the early computer industry it even made it to the moon landings. ptfe ’ s transformation from spacefaring insulator to fisherman ’ s friend came courtesy of bill ’ s son bob, who was trying to stretch extruded polymer to create a material fit for the aforementioned plumbing tape. the material refused to cooperate, no matter how carefully bob tried to stretch it. the breakthrough came when bob gave it a fast, hard yank – perhaps out of frustration – and much to his surprise found it had stretched by a factor of 1, 000. quite accidentally, he had created microporous ptfe, a honeycomb - like material which, because it contains 70 % air, is a first - rate insulator. not only that but its fine pores created a fabric that was wind - and waterproof and yet remained breathable. once the inevitable teething troubles were straightened out, gore - tex was set to become the ubitquitous outdoor material it is today, found in everything from all - weather clothing for skiing, golfing or dogwalking to surgical implants and even dental floss and guitar strings. full article published in : tce 840, june 2011 driving units and progress arthur d little if chemical engineering is the application of science to industry, then one of its most influential pioneers was arthur d little. founder of the international consultancy that bears his name, little ’ s achievements stretch much further : he developed the concept of unit operations – still a cornerstone of the profession – and used it to define the role of chemical engineering in industrial chemistry. he was also one of six founding members of the american institute of chemical engineers and the driving force behind the creation of the chemical engineering practice school at the massachusetts institute of technology in 1920. little was far ahead of his time in recognising the importance of long - term industrial research