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Life on Earth originated in an intimate partnership between the nucleic acids (genetic instructions for all organisms) and small proteins called peptides, according to two new papers from biochemists and biologists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Auckland. Their “peptide-RNA” hypothesis contradicts the widely-held “RNA-world” hypothesis, which states that life originated from nucleic acids and only later evolved to include proteins. The new papers – one in Molecular Biology and Evolution, the other in Biosystems – show how recent experimental studies of two enzyme superfamilies surmount the tough theoretical questions about how complex life emerged on Earth more than four billion years ago. “Until now, it has been thought to be impossible to conduct experiments to penetrate the origins of genetics,” said co-author Charles Carter, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the UNC School of Medicine. “But we have now shown that experimental results mesh beautifully with the ‘peptide-RNA’ theory, and so these experiments provide quite compelling answers to what happened at the beginning of life on Earth.” The special attributes of the ancestral versions of these enzyme superfamlies, and the self-reinforcing feedback system they would have formed with the first genes and proteins, would have kick-started early biology and driven the first life forms toward greater diversity and complexity, the researchers said. Co-author Peter Wills, PhD, professor of physics at the University of Auckland, said, “Compared to the RNA-world hypothesis, what we’ve outlined is simply a much more probable scenario for the origin of life. We hope our data and the theory we’ve outlined in these papers will stimulate discussion and further research on questions relevant to the origins of life.” The two scientists are fully aware that the RNA-world hypothesis still dominates the origin-of-life research field. “That theory is so alluring and expedient that most people just don’t think there’s any alternative,” Carter said. “But we are very confident there is.” Before there was life on Earth, there were simple chemicals. Somehow, they produced both amino acids and nucleotides that eventually became the proteins and nucleic acids necessary to create single cells. And the single cells became plants and animals. Research this century has revealed how the primordial chemical soup created the building blocks of life. There is also widespread scientific consensus on the historical path by which cells evolved into plants and animals. But it’s still a mystery how the amino acid building blocks were first assembled according to coded nucleic acid templates into the proteins that formed the machinery of all cells. The widely accepted RNA-world theory posits that RNA – the molecule that today plays roles in coding, regulating, and expressing genes – elevated itself from the primordial soup of amino acids and cosmic chemicals, eventually to give rise first to short proteins called peptides and then to single-celled organisms. Carter and Wills argue that RNA could not kick-start this process alone because it lacks a property they call “reflexivity.” It cannot enforce the rules by which it is made. RNA needed peptides to form the reflexive feedback loop necessary to lead eventually to life forms. At the heart of the peptide-RNA theory are enzymes so ancient and important that their remnants are still found in all living cells and even in some sub-cellular structures, including mitochondria and viruses. There are 20 of these ancient enzymes called aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs). Each of them recognizes one of the 20 amino acids that serve as the building blocks of proteins. (Proteins, considered the machines of life, catalyze and synchronize the chemical reactions inside cells.) In modern organisms, an aaRS effectively links its assigned amino acid to an RNA string containing three nucleotides complementary to a similar string in the transcribed gene. The aaRSs thus play a central role in converting genes into proteins, a process called translation that is essential for all life forms. The 20 aaRS enzymes belong to two structurally distinct families, each with 10 aaRSs. Carter’s recent experimental studies showed that the two small enzyme ancestors of these two families were encoded by opposite, complementary strands of the same small gene. The simplicity of this arrangement, with its initial binary code of just two kinds of amino acids, suggests it occurred at the very dawn of biology. Moreover, the tight, yin-yang interdependence of these two related but highly distinct enzymes would have stabilized early biology in a way that made inevitable the orderly diversification of life that followed. “These interdependent peptides and the nucleic acids encoding them would have been able to assist each other’s molecular self-organization despite the continual random disruptions that beset all molecular processes,” Carter said. “We believe that this is what gave rise to a peptide-RNA world early in Earth’s history,” Carter said. Related research by Carter and UNC colleague Richard Wolfenden, PhD, previously revealed how the intimate chemistries of amino acids enabled the first aaRS enzymes to fold properly into functional enzymes, while simultaneously determining the assignments in the universal genetic coding table. “The enforcement of the relationship between genes and amino acids depends on aaRSs, which are themselves encoded by genes and made of amino acids,” Wills said. “The aaRSs, in turn, depend on that same relationship. There is a basic reflexivity at work here. Theorist Douglas Hofstadter called it a ‘strange loop.’ We propose that this, too, played a crucial role in the self-organization of biology when life began on Earth. Hofstadter argued that reflexivity furnishes the force driving the growth of complexity.” Carter and Wills developed two additional reasons why a pure RNA biology of any significance was unlikely to have predated a peptide-RNA biology. One reason is catalysis – the acceleration of chemical reactions involving other molecules. Catalysis is a key feature of biology that RNA cannot perform with much versatility. In particular, RNA enzymes cannot readily adjust their activities to temperature changes likely to have happened as the earth cooled, and so cannot perform the very broad range of catalytic accelerations that would have been necessary to synchronize the biochemistry of early cell-based life forms. Only peptide or protein enzymes have that kind of catalytic versatility, Carter said. Secondly, Wills has shown that impossible obstacles would have blocked any transition from a pure-RNA world to a protein-RNA world and onward toward life. “Such a rise from RNA to cell-based life would have required an out-of-the-blue appearance of an aaRS-like protein that worked even better than its adapted RNA counterpart,” Carter said. “That extremely unlikely event would have needed to happen not just once but multiple times – once for every amino acid in the existing gene-protein code. It just doesn’t make sense.” Thus, because the new Carter-Wills theory actually addresses real problems of the origin of life that are concealed by the expediency of the RNA-world hypothesis, it is actually a far simpler account of how things probably happened just before life on Earth rose from the primordial soup.

A comprehensive literature review and discussion by researchers from Finland, the U.S., Greece, Canada and Japan studied opportunities to achieve (near)zero-emissions. The adverse impacts of shipping on the climate, health and the environment could be reduced by using carbon-neutral fuels in combination with clean engines and efficient exhaust aftertreatment technologies if the production capacity and affordability of carbon-neutral fuels improve. This review of technologies and their impact on emissions increases understanding of reducing ship emissions with these technologies. Time for action Warning messages on climate change are becoming increasingly serious and all possible actions are needed to address this threat. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has an ambitious strategy to cut the shipping sector’s carbon intensity by up to 40% by 2030 and 70% by 2050 in comparison to 2008. Ship emissions have harmful effects on climate, air quality, human health and the environment. Estimates indicate that shipping causes approx. 250,000 premature deaths and 6.4 million childhood asthma cases annually, since ships travel near densely inhabited coastal areas. This study focused on how fuels and technologies impact greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions from ship engines, and which are the best solutions to reach the goal of zero-emission shipping. Ship fleets are diverse (Fig. 1), and the optimum solutions depend on the ship, route and region. Potential in carbon-neutral fuels The carbon-neutrality of fuels depends on their GHG emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide emissions (N2O). Non-gaseous black carbon (BC) emissions also have high global warming potential (GWP). Carbon-neutral fuels produced from biomass, waste or renewable hydrogen and captured CO2 have the potential to substantially contribute on reducing ship emissions. Hydrogen gas technologies, batteries and ammonia options are not currently available for large ships and their feasibility will be seen. Fuel technologies are of the primary importance when dealing with GHG emissions from shipping, since the demand for energy in the maritime sector is expected to remain at approximately 310 Mtoe in 2050 despite of substantial energy efficiency improvements achievable by e.g. design, waste heat recovery, alternative maritime routes, regional trade, and shifts to rail cargo. Biofuels could be increasingly directed to shipping and aviation as road-transport switches to batteries. However, the quantity of compliant fuels may fall when they have to meet stringent criteria, such as RED II. This makes renewable hydrogen-based e-fuels an interesting option for shipping along with the increasingly available renewable electricity (Fig. 2). This review shows that demand for carbon-neutral fuels is high due to existing and future emission regulations and zero emission targets. This is especially true for products resembling current fossil marine fuels (diesel, LNG or methanol) that are compatible with proven technologies as “drop-in” fuels. Combining carbon-neutral drop-in fuels with efficient emission control technologies would enable (near-)zero-emission shipping and could be adaptable in the short- to mid-term. Methane, methanol, diesel-type molecules are all acceptable if they are carbon-neutral and meet sustainability criteria. Hydrogen-based e-fuels could become important building blocks in the transport sectors where other forms of electrification are difficult. E-fuels could also act as renewable grid storage, thus accelerating the transition to renewables. However, the viability and production of carbon-neutral raw materials are limited in the short term, and fossil fuels may be used for longer than desired, which makes carbon capture on-board ship an interesting option. The need to remove harmful emissions Emissions that are harmful to health or the environment have to be removed by means of fuel, engine or exhaust aftertreatment technologies. Harmful emissions include nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx), which are regulated at this time, as well as emissions likely to be regulated in the near future. These are black carbon (BC) and methane emissions. Other harmful emissions are ammonia (NH3), formaldehyde, particle mass (PM) and number emissions (PN). Black carbon emission (Fig. 3) contributes to global warming and also adversely affects health and the environment. The IMO has been studying the impact of BC emissions from international shipping in the Arctic since 2011. Reducing emissions may involve modifying the fuel, engine (or both), or adapting the exhaust aftertreatment technology. Investments can save money by reducing the costs to society Substantial investments are needed to introduce carbon-neutral fuels, but they will also provide savings by reducing the costs to society caused by harmful emissions. This justifies support mechanisms and investing in clean technologies. The benefits of carbon-neutral fuels include lower external costs, and the fact that drop-in fuels do not require new infrastructure for transport and delivery. Calculations indicate that the emissions from 260 Mtoe of residual marine fuel cause external costs of 433 billion euros annually. Those costs could be avoided by using modern marine engines, carbon-neutral fuels and the best exhaust aftertreatment options. The external costs are probably underestimated when considering the recent natural disasters caused by climate change. Marine fuel choices are driven also by non-technical aspects, such as public acceptance, fuel availability and prices. Hence, evaluations and solid evidence are needed to guide decision-making towards the best choices for the future. No clear “winning” fuel An evaluation of the three e-fuels (e-methane, e-methanol and e-Diesel) with fossil fuels and hydrogen/batteries as references (Table 1) reveals the pros and cons for the best technologies for reducing emissions. The three options had equal scores, although they were accumulated from different aspects. As a result, there seems to be no “winning” fuel. All these e-fuels, or respective biofuels, can be used in existing engines if carbon-neutral fuel production volumes increase. Combining carbon-neutral drop-in fuels with efficient emission control technologies (also for retrofitting) would enable (near-)zero-emission shipping. This could immediately and simultaneously mitigate GHG and pollutant emissions. Substantial savings in external costs to society caused by ship emissions justify the regulations, policies and investments needed to support this development. Reference: Aakko-Saksa, P. T., Lehtoranta, K., Kuittinen, N., Järvinen, A., Jalkanen, J.-P., Johnson, K., Jung, H., Ntziachristos, L., Gagné, S., Takahashi, C., Karjalainen, P., Rönkkö, T., and Timonen, H.: Reduction in greenhouse gas and other emissions from ship engines: Current trends and future options, Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 94, 101055, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2022.101055, 2023.

A person’s tongue is generally flat and free of significant grooves. Fissured tongue causes a person to develop one or more grooves on the top portion of their tongue. Fissured tongue is neither contagious nor painful. However, other conditions, such as geographic tongue or food caught in the groove, can cause pain. Fissured tongue is a common condition. Approximately 5% of people in the United States have it, and the numbers vary considerably in countries throughout the world. Fissured tongue may appear for no apparent reason, but some people may have an underlying condition that doctor or dentist may need to rule out. Keep reading to learn more about the causes and treatment for fissured tongue. Fissured tongue is when one or more grooves appear on the surface of the tongue. These grooves can be shallow or deep. Usually, the primary fissure occurs in the middle of the tongue. In some cases, the fissures may be large and deep, making the tongue look like it has distinct sections. The tongue may also have a cracked appearance. A person may also have geographic tongue. Geographic tongue is when patches on the tongue become free of papillae, which are the tiny bumps on the surface of the tongue. When a person has geographic tongue, smooth, red patches, which often have raised borders, replace the papillae. The condition gets its name because the tongue resembles a map. Fissured tongue is most common in older people, although anyone can develop it. Males are also more likely than females to develop fissured tongue. Doctors are not certain what causes fissured tongue. However, there may be a genetic link that means certain people are more likely to develop it. One article published in Allied Academics looked at the frequency of fissured tongue in people in South Africa and Israel. In South Africa, only 0.6% of the population had fissured tongue, compared to nearly 30.6% of the people in Israel. Researchers believe that this could be evidence of a genetic factor. However, the study in South Africa involved children and, therefore, does not reflect the entire population. However, the idea that a genetic component may play a role in fissured tongue development remains a possibility. Fissured tongue often first appears in childhood. However, the condition typically becomes more pronounced as the person ages. Fissured tongue may have links to other conditions, including: - geographic tongue - orofacial granulomatosis - Down syndrome - pustular psoriasis - Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (a neurological condition associated with facial paralysis and swelling of the upper lip and face) Malnutrition may also cause fissured tongue to occur. But this is less common. A fissured tongue does not typically require treatment. Often, it does not have any symptoms, and a person may not know they have the condition until a dentist discovers it during a routine checkup. Complications of fissured tongue typically occur if food or other debris get caught in the grooves. If this happens, it can cause irritation or allow bacteria to grow. The bacteria trapped in the fissures can cause bad breath or promote tooth decay. In extreme cases, Candida albicans may infect very deep grooves. Anyone who develops this complication will require treatment with a topical antifungal medication. The best prevention against fissured tongue is to practice proper oral hygiene, including cleaning of the mouth at least twice a day and regular visits to the dentist. In most cases, fissured tongue will not cause any symptoms, so a person may not visit the dentist for this purpose. A person may not visit a dentist unless they are experiencing pain. However, it is a good idea to visit the dentist twice a year for routine care. People should also go to their dentist if they have any oral pain or discomfort that does not go away. Fissured tongue is not a major cause for concern. It can lead to minor to moderate complications, such as bad breath, tooth decay, or mild infections in rare cases. A person may develop fissured tongue as a child, but it can become more pronounced as the person ages. Fissured tongue does not usually cause additional symptoms in most people. Treatment typically involves routine oral care.

Questioning whether or not to send your child to preschool? From a therapist perspective, preschool is such an important piece to practicing skills required later down the road. It facilitates structure, independence, social-emotional learning, and the foundation for higher level skills. 1. PLAY AT PRESCHOOL Play is how kids learn! They learn to use their imagination, be creative, socialize with others their age, share, and problem solve when an obstacle arises. It also provides various play experiences through structured and unstructured activities, all of which allow children to build confidence, a sense of self, and critical thinking skills. Preschool is where children start to participate in more structured routines like stations, lining up, singing a morning song, or learning the days of the week. Consistent routines are important for understanding expectations, predictability, and at the same time adapt to any changes that may arise. 3. FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS Preschool helps you develop: - Fine motor skills (pre-writing strokes, grasp, stringing beads, scissor skills) - Visual motor skills (building block structures, coloring) - Gross motor skills (catching, jumping, playing on the playground) - Communication skills (having conversations with others, identifying colors, asking questions) Preschool instills independence and provides an opportunity for children to develop self advocacy skills and personal interests. Within preschool, children start learning how to take responsibility for their actions and provide numerous occasions to complete simple tasks on their own. 5. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING The preschool environment gives children the chance to engage with others, navigate conflict, understand their own emotions, and learn about empathy. Building on these skills at a young age provides children opportunities to grow and reach their full potential and beyond. If you find that your child may have trouble in one or more of these areas, reach out to the BDI Playhouse office to schedule a free OT, ST, or PT screen. Written By: Kiersten Robertson, MOT, OTR/L

Using custom-designed lenses and miniature displays, a team from Northwestern University in the US created a compact VR headset called Miniature Rodent Stereo Illumination VR (iMRSIV). The VR goggles were able to accurately simulate overhead threats, like birds, in order to assess how the brain reacts when presented with a life-or-death scenario. It is not the first time VR systems have been used to study mice, however the researchers claim the new headset overcomes several of the issues with current state-of-the-art goggles. “So far, labs have been using big computer or projection screens to surround an animal. For humans, this is like watching a TV in your living room: you still see your couch and your walls; there are cues around you, telling you that you aren’t inside the scene,” said Daniel Dombeck, a professor of neurobiology at Northwestern University who led the research. “Now think about putting on VR goggles, like Oculus Rift, that take up your full vision. You don’t see anything but the projected scene, and a different scene is projected into each eye to create depth information. That’s been missing for mice.” Rather than strapping the VR goggles to the mice’s heads, the research involved perching the setup directly in front of its face while keeping it in place on a treadmill. This allowed the researchers to closely study the animal’s neural circuits during various behaviours as it traversed the virtual environment. “VR basically reproduces real environments. We’ve had a lot of success with this VR system, but it’s possible the animals aren’t as immersed as they would be in a real environment,” Professor Dombeck said. “It takes a lot of training just to get the mice to pay attention to the screens and ignore the lab around them.” The scientists now hope to make the technology available to other labs for further studies, such as simulating situations in which the mouse isn’t the prey but is the predator. The research was detailed in a study, titled ‘Full field-of-view virtual reality goggles for mice’, was published in the journal Neuron this month.

You are currently viewing an archived version of Topic Overlay. If updates or revisions have been published you can find them at Overlay. Overlay operation is a critical and powerful tool in GIS that superimposes spatial and attribute information from various thematic map layers to produce new information. Overlay operations facilitate spatial analysis and modeling processes when being used with other spatial operations (e.g. buffer, dissolve, merge) to solve real-world problems. For both vector and raster data models, the input layers need to be spatially aligned precisely with each other to ensure a correct overlay operation. In general, vector overlay is geometrically and computationally complex. Some most used vector overlay operations include intersection, union, erase, and clip. Raster overlay combines multiple raster layers cell by cell through Boolean, arithmetic, or comparison operators. This article provides an overview of the fundamentals of overlay operations, how they are implemented in vector and raster data, and how suitability analysis is conducted. - Vector Overlay - Raster Overlay - Overlay Operations in Suitability Analysis Boolean algebra: a branch of mathematics dealing with logical operations with binary variables (true or false). Boolean algebra uses the logical operators (AND, OR, NOT, XOR), to determine whether a particular condition is true or false. Map algebra: a framework to analyze gridded data values through a variety of algebraic operators, originally proposed by Dana Tomlin in the 1980s. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA): a decision-making process for complex problems when taking multiple criteria or objectives into consideration. Suitability analysis: a GIS-based and multi-criteria decision-making approach to evaluate the appropriateness or preference of locations for a specific use. Overlay operations are the primary means of combining layers with different themes in spatial analysis. We can imagine overlay as the vertical stacking and merging of spatial layers. All the spatial layers in an overlay operation need to use the same coordinate system to ensure the features from different layers align correctly. Overlay operation is the core of spatial analysis that integrates multiple spatial entities to seek answers to numerous questions in the real world, such as “what major roads are within a specific county”, “which hospitals are located within a specific city”, and “which area experienced urbanization in the last ten years”. To fully answer these questions, overlay operations are always used in conjunction with other spatial analysis operations, such as selection and buffer, to prepare the input layers for overlay operations. Additional processes, such as merging and dissolving, are oftentimes involved to derive further outputs (Page-Tan et al. 2021, Unwin 2019). Overlay operations are commonly used for both vector and raster representations of points, lines, and areas, such as point-in-area, line-in-area, and area-in-area overlay (Bolstad 2019). Figure 1 is an example illustrating how a point-in-area overlay is performed using vector and raster data, respectively. Figure 1. An example of point-in-area overlay in vector and raster data. Source: author. Figure 1 also demonstrates that, regardless of data models, overlay analysis oftentimes involves two or more layers. Mismatched features or misaligned grids would lead to incorrect output. To prevent overlay errors, the input layers need to be properly georegistered, and referenced to the same coordinate system, map projection, datum, and resolution (raster data) whenever possible. The overlay of vector data combines the point, line, and polygon features and their associated attributes from multiple data layers. Theoretically, any vector features can be overlaid with other vector feature types. Overlay operations of polygon features with any feature types (point, line, polygon) are the most frequently used in practice. The line-on-line overlay can be used to identify the intersecting points of lines. For example, we can apply a line-on-line overlay to check whether two roads intersect with each other. For roads with different Z-values (e.g. elevations), it is necessary to check the Z-value (e.g. elevation) difference between two road lines because, for example, a bridge can overpass an on-the-ground road. Boolean algebra plays an important role in defining vector overlay operations. In GIS, it is a form of binary logical operations that links two spatial selection criteria using the Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT, and XOR. Table 1 introduces the four basic Boolean operators and their applications. A column of the Venn diagram was used to explain the operation process. For each Boolean operator, the two circles denote two criteria, and the “true” results are highlighted in blue. In vector overlay, some commonly used operations are corresponding to the Boolean operations. For example, the intersection operation is based on the AND operator, meaning the output (true results) meets both criteria. An application can be identifying the areas which are located inside both the flood zone and developed land. A union operation corresponds to the OR operator in which the output meets at least one criterion. The union operation can be used to answer questions such as which areas are inside either the flood zone or developed land. |Definition & Question Example |Corresponding Vector Overlay The true results must meet two criteria. "Which areas are inside a flood zone and developed land?" The true results meet one criterion but not the other one. "Which areas are inside a flood zone, but not developed land?" The true results meet at least one criterion. "Which areas are inside either a flood zone or developed land?" The true results meet the two criteria but only when both are not true. "Which areas are either inside a flood zone or developed land, but not both in the same space?" A comprehensive list of the common vector overlay operations includes intersection, union, clip, erase, identity, symmetrical difference, update, and split. The operations are different from each other by which feature types are allowed as the input layers, which spatial extent and attributes are preserved in the output layer. An identity operation can take an input layer in point, line, or polygon format and an identity feature in polygon or the same geometry type as another input layer. The output keeps all features in the input layer as well as the intersection of the input features and identity features. The symmetrical difference operation requires that the two input layers have the same geometry type and only features that do not overlap will be written to the output feature class. Table 2 illustrates the other four widely used vector overlay operations, intersection, union, erase, and clip, and their application examples. The input layers of an intersection operation can be points, lines, or polygons, and the output feature class can only have the same geometry or a lower dimension as in the input layers. The output layer of an intersection preserves the attribute information from all input layers, but only contains the features in the common spatial extents of the input layers. A union operation can only be applied to polygon feature types and the output layer preserves features and attributes information from all the input layers. As shown in the application example of union, the school districts (polygons) and the county boundary (polygon) create a new polygon output layer that keeps all the features and attributes from input layers. Erase operation is to preserve features from an input point, line, or polygon feature layer outside the spatial extent of an erase layer, whereas clip is opposite to erase, which only preserves the features inside a clip layer. Clip and intersection are similar because the output extent is defined by the common area of the input layers. However, unlike union and intersection, both erase and clip operations only retain the attribute information of the input feature to be clipped or erased. The four vector overlay operations are powerful tools to subset or combine spatial coverage, geographic, and attribute information from multiple layers. The overlay outputs oftentimes work as inputs for other spatial operations, such as dissolve and merge, to further derive new information. For example, the intersection example in Table 2 uses flood zone areas (polygons) and county boundaries (polygons) as input layers and yields an intermediate output layer with new polygons created where the two polygon layers intersect (Qiang et al. 2017). As shown in Figure 3, each polygon in the intermediate layer has the attribute information from both layers, including flood zone area (Area_intersect) and which county the polygon belongs to (NAMELSAD20). To calculate the total flood zone area in each county, the dissolve operation can be applied to aggregate the polygons by the attribute county (NAMELSAD20) and sum the flood zone area in each county (SUM_Area_intersect). Figure 2. Intersection and dissolve operations using flood zone and county boundaries. Source: author. In vector overlay, an output layer creates new geometric, attribute, and topological properties. Therefore, this process can result in a substantial increase in output file size when there are large numbers of points, lines, polygons, and attributes that need to be computed in a dataset. Each intermediate layer inherits a combination of geographic and attribute information from input layers. For example, in a line-on-polygon intersection, the line is split by the polygon boundaries. The attribute table of the output line feature layer has the original line attributes and the polygon attributes that the line segment falls within. In this case, vector overlay can become a time-consuming task due to its geometric and computational complexity (Harding et al. 2020). A common vector overlay error is caused by “sliver polygons”. When the same polygon is presented in different input layers, the boundaries of the same polygon may differ slightly because the data are collected from different sources and processed in different ways. Therefore, the overlay output will result in numerous small polygons (“sliver polygons”) along the boundary of this polygon after different layers are overlaid (Delafontaine et al 2009). The sliver polygons contain little information but take up significant data size, and dramatically increase processing time. We can reduce the number of sliver polygons by manual editing and automatic removal with a defined snap distance. Raster overlay combines attributes of two or more raster layers based on map algebra or raster calculus, which computes new raster data through a series of operators (Tomlin 1994). Each cell value represents an attribute value of reality. Compared with vector overlay, raster overlay is relatively simpler and computationally efficient. In practice, vector data can be converted to raster data to reduce the computational burdens. To prevent overlay errors, the input layers must be precisely cell-by-cell aligned and have the same cell size and spatial coverage. Similar to vector overlay, raster overlay employs a set of basic operators to integrate multiple input layers (Table 3). Boolean operators are used to determine the true or false cells given the criteria AND, OR, NOT, and XOR. Arithmetic operation is also a widely used raster overlay method, which transforms cell values through a variety of mathematical calculations, and thus it cannot be applied to nominal values. Some common operators include addition (+), subtraction (-), division (/), and multiplication (✕). The second example in Figure 1 is a raster overlay processing of using the addition operator to identify the point cells falling into an area. Comparison operators are powerful in querying a raster layer based on its attribute values and are always used in tandem with Boolean operators. For example, to answer the first question in Table 3 “Which areas have high population density AND low disaster frequency?”, we can first apply the comparison operator “equal to (==)” in the population density raster layer and disaster frequency layer, respectively. Two intermediate raster layers, one with “population density == high,” and the other with “disaster frequency == low,” can be generated. The Boolean operator AND is then combined with the “equal to” operator to return a binary raster layer in which cells meeting both conditions have true values and the rest have false values. These operators are always combined and work as fundamental tools to implement complex spatial analysis tools, such as zonal statistics, weighted overlay, or weighted sum overlay. |AND, OR, NOT |"Which areas have high population density AND low disaster frequency?" |addition, subtraction, division, multiplication |"What is the total rainfall of each cell in the past 5 years given the yearly data?" |<, >, =, != |"Where are the areas that changed from land type 'land' to land type 'water' from 2001 (t1) to 2011 (t2)?" In practice, the data sources maybe in different formats and we need to overlay raster and vector layers. Depending on the specific tasks, we can either use available tools to overlay raster and vector layers, or convert data from one representation to another one (rasterization or vectorization). For example, we can use the tool mask to keep the same extent of a raster using a vector layer. In a suitability analysis, we can convert the vector layer of road network into a raster layer and combine it with other raster layers, such as NDVI. The most common application of overlay operations is suitability analysis. Suitability analysis is an integration of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and GIS to evaluate or rank the appropriateness or preference of locations for a specific purpose based on spatial distribution of related characteristics (Malczewski 2014). Some specific applications include habitat suitability assessment for pandas, site selection for a new business, or city expansion planning. GIS enables the spatial integration of data layers, and MCDA provides the theory and methods for analysis design and weight assignment. Each input layer represents a specific factor that is important for the suitability analysis. The output visualizes the suitable or unsuitable areas, in the form of suitability scores or rankings. The general steps in a suitability analysis are presented in Figure 3 with an example of evaluating suitable places for a new coffee shop. This framework is scalable to suit other applications. There are six major steps in implementing a suitability analysis, including defining research questions, designing decision criteria, preparing the input data, transforming input data, overlay operations, and interpreting the output. Another suitability analysis application using the weighted overlay method to find suitable sites for a new school is illustrated in the GIS&T Body of Knowledge section on Geospatial Analysis and Model Building. Figure 3. General steps in a suitability analysis. Source: author. Overlay operations are heavily implemented in suitability analysis studies. Both vector and raster overlay can be used to perform suitability analysis. The decision on which data model to use depends on the research questions, objectives, methods, and data sources. Vector overlay is suitable to conduct suitability analysis that requires clear feature boundaries or accurate distance measurement. For example, when selecting the oil well drilling site in a city, one criterion would be no drilling sites within a certain distance (e.g. 300 meters) of any buildings. This type of criteria requires accurate distance measurement and necessitates vector overlay analysis. Raster overlay is the preferred choice in most cases due to its representation simplicity and processing efficiency. It is used, for example, when the input data are numeric or categorical factors, the original data are in raster format, or the input layers are complex and large. The spatial overlay is a central approach to integrate multiple thematic layers to derive new information and knowledge that can inform multi-criteria decision-making. It plays an important role in many real-world applications, such as disaster vulnerability and resilience assessment, land use planning, business site selection, and resource allocation. This entry outlined the basic principles of overlay operations, the different ways of implementing vector and raster overlay, and the overall workflow of suitability analysis. Bolstad, P. (2019). Chapter 9. Basic Spatial Analysis. In GIS Fundamentals: A First Text on Geographic Information Systems: 6th ed. XanEdu Publishing Inc. Delafontaine, M., Nolf, G., Van de Weghe, N., Antrop, M., de Maeyer, P. (2009). Assessment of sliver polygons in geographical vector data. International Journal of Geographical Information Science. 23(6): 719-735. DOI: 10.1080/13658810701694838. Harding, T. J., Healey, R. G., Hopkins, S., Dowers, S. (2020). Vector polygon overlay. In Parallel Processing Algorithms for GIS. CRC Press. 265-310. Malczewski, J. (2004). GIS-based land-use suitability analysis: a critical overview. Progress in planning 62(1):3-65. DOI: 10.1016/j.progress.2003.09.002 Page-Tan, C., Fraser, T., Aldrich, D. P. (2021). Mapping Resilience: GIS Techniques for Disaster Studies. In Disaster and Emergency Management Methods. Routledge: 339-354. Qiang, Y., Lam, N.S.N., Cai, H., Zou, L. (2017). Changes in exposure to flood hazards in the United States. Annals of the American Association of Geographers 107(6):1-19. DOI: 10.1080/24694452.2017.1320214. Tomlin, C. D. (1994). Map algebra: one perspective. Landscape and Urban Planning 30 (1-2):3-12. DOI:10.1016/0169-2046(94)90063-9. Unwin, D. (2019). Integration through overlay analysis. In Spatial analytical perspectives on GIS. Routledge: 127-138. - Compare and contrast the concept of overlay as it is implemented in raster and vector domains - Demonstrate how the geometric operations of intersection and overlay can be implemented in GIS - Formalize the operation called map overlay using Boolean logic - Explain why the process “dissolve and merge” often follows vector overlay operations - Outline the possible sources of error in overlay operations - Demonstrate why the georegistration of datasets is critical to the success of any map overlay operation - Exemplify applications in which overlay is useful, such as site suitability analysis - What is spatial overlay and why is it important in spatial analysis? - How Boolean algebra is used in vector and raster data respectively? - What are the differences between the common vector overlay operations, i.e., intersection, union, erase, and clip? - What are the common error sources for vector and raster overlay? - What are the widely used raster overlay operations? - What are the major steps in conducting a suitability analysis? De Smith, M. J., Goodchild, M. F., Longley, P. (2018). Geospatial Analysis: A Comprehensive Guide to Principles, Techniques and Software Tools. https://www.spatialanalysisonline.com/

In Japan, we have developed a hatching and release business that takes advantage of the salmon's tendency to return to their mother rivers and obtain them as highly productive fishery resources. We aim to make this business more robust and sustainable food production system, and to upgrade it to one that can adapt to ecosystem considerations and climate change. We will also get students interested in biodiversity by learning about fish taxonomy of salmon and trout. We hope that students will learn the basics of these studies in this class, and we hope to nurture human resources who will contribute to the SDGs (Zero Hunger, Enriching the Oceans) in the future. The United Nations has designated the decade beginning in 2021 as the Decade of Marine Science to contribute to the SDGs. Marine science as defined by the UN includes the field of fisheries. Salmon and trout are the common names for fish of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae, of which about 15 species are known from Japan. Taxonomically, there is no clear distinction between fish called “salmon” and those called “trout”. There are genuine “salmon” (chum salmon), but no “trout”. In this lecture, I will introduce mainly Japanese salmon and trout species from a taxonomic point of view and explain their phylogenetic evolution.

A German-Israeli research team used Copernicus Sentinel-1 data to train a deep-learning based oil spill detection system in the South-eastern Mediterranean Sea, which can be used for early-stage oil contamination alerts. As maritime traffic increases in the Mediterranean Sea, so too does the threat of oil pollution to the region’s marine environment. Its effects on marine mammals and birds are devastating, with inhalation of volatile petroleum causing respiratory irritation and narcosis. While much pollution is caused by oil spills from tanker accidents, the majority of human-caused oil pollution is in the form of illegal discharges, such as oily ballast water, tanker washing residue and fuel oil sludge. Early oil spill detection is not only useful to protect marine life, but also to track illegal and deliberate oil pollution in such heavily marine trafficked regions. Researchers at the SAR Oceanography Team at the Remote Sensing Technology Institute, German Aerospace Center (DLR), aim to assist early-stage oil contamination surveillance with their detection system. The team developed a deep learning based oil spill early warning system using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images collected from the Sentinel-1 mission of the European Union’s Copernicus Programme . The researchers chose the South-eastern Mediterranean Sea as their study area since it is a well-known oil spill hotspot. The region is an important oil transit centre and provides the shortest shipping route from Asia to Europe. Industrial oil and gas activities have escalated here since the 2010s, when large gas fields were discovered. The detector is based on the You Only Look Once version 4 (YOLOv4) object detection architecture, which was trained with 5930 Copernicus Sentinel-1 SAR images from 2015 to 2018. A total of 9768 oil spills from different sources and with varying sizes were discovered in the data and manually inspected by the researchers. "We chose to use Sentinel-1 imagery not only because they were freely accessible, but also because a large dataset is required to train the deep learning architecture. Only with such a large dataset could we detect not only the large oil spill incidents, but also deliberate oil spills” says researcher Yi-Jie Yang, from DLR, Germany. The Copernicus Sentinel-1 images were first pre-processed and cropped into smaller images and - if necessary - downscaled to fit the image input size of the object detector. Subsequently, the oil objects were categorised into size groups (large, medium or small) to enable the detector to perform extra data analysis on specific groups. Objects below a certain size were disregarded in training the architecture. “The challenges in detecting oil spills are that non-nominal variants can be confused with look-alikes in the radar images, such as low wind areas or wave fronts. Studies applying conventional algorithms, which detect all dark formations first and then classify the oil spills and look-alikes, have limited scope as they have focused on smaller datasets with large oil spills from exceptional disaster events . This puts into question the suitability of such methods for building an automated system,” explains Yang. “In contrast our method relies on large amounts of accessible data from Sentinel-1 and Artificial Intelligence to allow the detector to directly learn how each oil spill differs from their surroundings and possible look-alikes. This enables us to expand the scope to spills with different sizes and from a variety of sources. So far, we have reached an average precision for detecting all kinds of oil spills of 68 %.” The researchers at DLR are collaborating with the Research and Technology Centre Westcoast (FTZ) at Kiel University, Germany, and the Israeli Marine Data Centre (ISRAMAR) at the Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research (IOLR). The study is part of the binational DARTIS project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology. The teams are working on expanding the study area to both detect oil spills and estimate their trajectory, as well as including a simulation for an early warning system. “Every time there is a Sentinel-1 acquisition, we go through the whole procedure to detect oil spills and then send this information to our partner team in Israel, who performs simulation of the oil slick trajectory. The whole procedure is automated, but before sending a warning alert to the authorities, we currently perform manual confirmation first,” concludes Yang. The architecture is trained with information about look-alikes to further improve object detection and avoid false alarms in an alert detection system. The researchers are working on a detailed analysis to assess and improve the reliability of the system. The Copernicus Sentinels are a fleet of dedicated EU-owned satellites, designed to deliver the wealth of data and imagery that are central to the European Union's Copernicus environmental programme. The European Commission leads and coordinates this programme, to improve the management of the environment, safeguarding lives every day. ESA is in charge of the space component, responsible for developing the family of Copernicus Sentinel satellites on behalf of the European Union and ensuring the flow of data for the Copernicus services, while the operations of the Copernicus Sentinels have been entrusted to ESA and EUMETSAT. Did you know that? Earth observation data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites are fed into the Copernicus Services. First launched in 2012 with the Land Monitoring and Emergency Management services, these services provide free and open support, in six different thematic areas. The Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) provides regular and systematic reference information on the physical and biogeochemical state, variability and dynamics of the ocean and marine ecosystems for the global ocean and the European regional seas. Y.-J. Yang et al. “A deep learning based oil spill detector using Sentinel-1 SAR imagery.” International Journal of Remote Sensing, 43:11, 4287-4314, (2022). S. Singha et al. “Satellite Oil Spill Detection Using Artificial Neural Networks.” IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 6:6, (2013).

Electric vehicles consist of batteries that are conventionally known to be able to perform one function, i.e., to supply power without having any role towards the vehicle’s load-bearing structure. In this manner, even though batteries constitute a significant part of a vehicle’s weight, they do not have many parts in its structural integrity. Researchers, after years of research, have been successful at making structural batteries a reality. Structural batteries are the ones that can be integrated into a vehicle’s body, resulting in a battery that is basically ‘massless’ and can still store energy. This is a significant breakthrough in the Electric Vehicles Battery Market as the newly developed battery is several times better than all its previous versions with a great malfunction performance, energy density of 24 Wh/kg, and stiffness of 25 GPa. There has been a long history of constant research behind this feat. In the year 2007, attempts were made to produce a structural battery. However, the project came to be a failure as the electrical and mechanical properties of the prototype were abysmally lacking. Since then, with the efforts of several research teams collectively, in 2018, the discovery of carbon fibers with excellent power storage capacity was made. It was referred to as Physics World and was considered one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of that year. All previous attempts concerning structural batteries either had excellent mechanical properties or good electrical properties. It is only now that researchers have made a battery using carbon fiber that has both the benefits of competitive energy storage capacity and rigidity. The new battery has a negative electrode which consists of carbon fiber with a positive electrode which is made up of aluminum foil coated with lithium iron phosphate. Both electrode types are kept separated by a fiberglass fabric in an electrolyte matrix. Even though the battery has a very low energy density, it still has much lighter than its lithium-ion counterparts. This reduces the overall energy requirements while making the battery’s stiffness compatible with other vehicle manufacturing materials. The research was taken up by the team with the aim to investigate the material architecture and separator thickness. The team expects that this study will bring forward much more exciting developments in the coming years. The researchers reveal that if further improvements are made on the batter, it could even have a stiffness of 75 GPa and density of 75 Wh/kg. This would lead to the production of such smartphones, laptops, and other consumer electronics, which have half of the weight that they have today. Other Related Reports: Global Power Electronics for Electric Vehicles Market 2020 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 Global Electric Vehicles and Fuel Cell Vehicles Market 2021 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2026 Global Automotive High Performance Electric Vehicles Market 2020 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 Global Marine Electric Vehicles Market Research Report - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast Till 2026

In recent years, Augmented Reality (AR) has transcended beyond the realms of gaming and entertainment, making a significant impact in the field of education. This innovative technology, by overlaying digital information onto the real world, has opened new horizons for interactive and immersive learning. AR-based educational apps are not just a fleeting trend; they are reshaping the way students engage with content, making learning more dynamic, accessible, and fun. The Essence of AR in Educational Apps Augmented Reality in educational apps is more than just a buzzword; it's a gateway to a world where textbooks come alive. Imagine pointing a smartphone at a textbook page and seeing a 3D model of the solar system hovering above it, or walking through historical events as if you were there. This level of interaction was unimaginable a few decades ago, but AR makes it possible, enhancing the learning experience in ways traditional methods cannot. Enhanced Engagement and Understanding One of the most significant impacts of AR-based educational apps is the increased engagement and understanding they foster. By bringing abstract concepts to life, these apps cater to various learning styles, particularly benefiting visual and kinesthetic learners. Students can interact with 3D models, participate in virtual field trips, and even conduct experiments in a simulated environment, leading to a deeper understanding of complex subjects. Accessibility and Customized Learning AR apps also democratize education by making learning resources more accessible. Students in remote or under-resourced areas can experience the same interactive learning as those in well-equipped schools. Furthermore, these apps often allow customization to suit individual learning paces and styles, making education more inclusive and personalized. Encouraging Creativity and Problem-Solving Augmented Reality in education is not just about consuming content; it's also about creating it. AR apps encourage students to think creatively, solve problems, and engage in project-based learning. This hands-on approach is crucial in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, essential for the 21st-century workforce. Challenges and Future Prospects While the benefits are numerous, challenges such as the need for compatible devices and the potential for over-reliance on technology cannot be overlooked. However, as technology advances and becomes more affordable, these barriers are gradually diminishing. The future of AR in education looks promising, with continuous innovations enhancing both teaching and learning experiences. Conclusion: A New Era of Learning In conclusion, Augmented Reality is not just a technological advancement; it's a revolutionary approach to education. AR-based educational apps have the potential to transform traditional learning environments, making education more engaging, accessible, and effective. As we embrace this new era of learning, it's exciting to envision how AR will continue to shape the educational landscape, preparing students for a future where digital and physical realities coexist seamlessly.

Over the course of the twentieth century, the thousands of islands that make up the Caribbean have changed in numerous ways. Although some of these changes had less influence than others, such as the Battle of the Caribbean, others encouraged things like tourism, therefore boosting the economy. In addition to tourism, the Sugar Industry also played a major role in the brief uprise of the economy, increasing the population as a result. Although this was later replaced by tourism and manufacturing, the Sugar Industry once dominated the islands. Not only did a change in the economy affect the Caribbean islands, but invasions, especially by the United States, did as well. Specifically, this can be seen in the invasion of Panama in 1989 as well as in the occupation of Haiti starting in 1915. However, some of these aspects affected some countries more than others. The Caribbean is generally separated into three main island groups. The first, centrally located, is known as the Greater Antilles. It consists of some of the more well known countries, such as: Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. To the north of this group is the Bahamas, which is made up of over 3,000 individual islands. The final grouping of islands, located towards the southeastern part of the Caribbean, is the Lesser Antilles. The Lesser Antilles are divided into three groups: the Leeward Islands, the Windward Islands, and Leeward Antilles. In total, the Lesser and Greater Antilles come to form the Antilles, which are a part of the West Indies. Most of the islands that form the Lesser Antilles also form an eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. The remainder of the islands are located to the north of South America, in the southern Caribbean. Although the various countries that form the Caribbean Islands are all geographically similar and a part of the same classification, many of them differ from one another. This is especially true in both political status and population. While countries that make up the Greater Antilles are mostly independent, except for a few that are British Associated Territories (such as the Cayman Islands), the Lesser Antilles show little similarities in comparison. The only exception in the Greater Antilles is Puerto Rico, which has been a commonwealth associated with the United States since 1952 (Rogozinski, 285). In the Lesser Antilles, however, while some of these countries are independent, many are members of the Netherlands Antilles. The rest are either British associated territories, French territories, or have a less common political status. Many differences are also seen when comparing the varying populations. The three countries with the highest population are Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, all of which are located in the Greater Antilles. According to a 2012 census, Cuba has a population of 11,249,000 people. The other two countries, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, have similar but slightly lower populations. As for the countries that form the Lesser Antilles, many of them have relatively small populations, and nothing similar to that of the Greater Antilles (Rogozinski, 4). Towards the very beginning of the twentieth century, the population in the Caribbean was similar to how it is today, high and growing. As the population grew quickly, it was clear that the amount of money coming into the islands would have to increase as well. By the time World War II began, the Sugar Industry dominated parts of the Caribbean, especially Puerto Rico. Sugar imports were free of American tariffs and protected by government quotas. In addition, many of Puerto Rico’s farmlands were bought by American corporations; this is where large and modern sugar mills were then constructed. Before 1925, sugar was the island’s main product and because of this, coffee, which was produced on smaller farms,

Schistosomiasis impacts an enormous amount of people around the globe, with estimates ranging from 150 to more than 200 million. Climate and land use changes may make conditions more favorable for the snail that spreads the devastating parasite in some locations. A Stanford research team led by Global Health Faculty Fellow Dr. Nathan Lo aims to reduce the number of global infections by contributing to global efforts by the World Health Organization and national governments in endemic areas to curb the disease. A new publication by the team in PNAS showcases their efforts to build statistical prediction models that can identify hotspots for targeted surveillance drug treatments. Such predictive tools can help communities impacted by schistosomiasis stay ahead, especially in the face of climate change that has the potential to impact schistosomiasis. “From my time working with WHO, I realized that identifying hotspots is a key barrier to reducing the disease burden globally. It’s a challenging problem, but it’s important to work on because this is where we’ll make the most progress,” Lo told Stanford Medicine in a recent article. Read more in this Stanford Medicine Story. Photo credit: An image of Biomphalaria glabrata, which spreads the parasite that causes schistosomiasis. Photo by the University of Oregon, via Flickr.

Write a poem about this group of friends. Describe each person in two lines, then in the final two lines, describe the whole group. - How do they know each other? - What is the girl in the yellow spotty dress thinking? - Why are they wearing wellies? - How is the boy in the red wellies feeling? - Where was this picture taken? - What will happen next? - Set up an experiment to find out how waterproof different materials are. - Two of the people in this picture are wearing something with a star pattern on. Make a star stamp from a sponge, or other material, and print some repeating star patterns of their own. - Take some group photos in different poses, with different expressions, and make them into a collage using a graphics package or app.

When children in elementary school are actively engaged in their education, they experience growth in all aspects of their development: intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. A few years ago, I began employing a curriculum that is centered on children’s play in the kindergarten class that I teach. The positive effects of play on children’s health and development in areas such as cognition, socialization, and emotion were praised in a number of scientific studies. These studies brought to mind Friedrich Froebel’s conception of kindergarten as a place where play and education go hand in hand. As I made some minor modifications to my classroom in order to better accommodate this vital learning style, I became aware of the significance of play to the growth and well-being of children. Play is essential to their ability to learn. Additionally, it assists in the development of skills such as working together with others and thinking outside the box. However, play-based learning is an effective practice for deepening understanding and engaging children. However, it can be challenging to offer play when mandated programs and standardized tests are requirements in many school districts. Play-based learning is an effective practice for deepening understanding and engaging children. The challenge lies in finding a happy medium between stringent academic standards and the requirements of young students. My research on children’s play led me to discover that in order for children to fully engage both their bodies and minds in their play, they require time, space, and materials with a specific purpose. Activities and transitions that are directed by the teacher are not a suitable substitute for opportunities that promote exploration, creativity, and socialization. A “choice time” structure that is based on the ideas presented in the book Choice Time: How to Deepen Learning Through Inquiry and Play gives children in grades PreK-2 the opportunity to learn through play. This opportunity is provided to the children as a result of the structure. Academic performance is improved during early morning recess, and the environment in the classroom becomes more harmonious as a result. My students have 30 minutes of free time during the literacy block in the morning, and they have another 45 minutes of free time at the end of the school day. The classroom has been organized in a way that will engage their intellects, appeal to their senses, and give them valuable experience working with academic content. Our classroom is equipped with a variety of centers, including a block area, a math area, a science area, a book nook, a play area, a sensory table, a felt board, and an art area. Many of the resources housed in each hub may be borrowed by other hubs for their own use. When activities are arranged in purposeful centers, children are able to move freely from one to the next without their train of thought being disrupted. At the art center, children are able to create virtually anything they can think of. An old overhead projector from the science center has been set up for viewing alongside a collection of natural artifacts, including pine cones, tree bark, and other items. The math center offers various opportunities for geometric construction, including the use of Cuisenaire rods, pattern blocks, and counting grids, among other mathematical manipulatives. The block center is where children’s imaginations can really take off. Even gving a child access to the most fundamental materials, which are the source of their creativity and invention, can have a significant positive impact on the child’s capacity for learning. Providing supplementary materials is done so with the intention of prompting a more in-depth examination of a topic. For instance, a scientific investigation of worms could lead students to the garden later on in the spring, after the sensory table has been filled with soil at that point. Learning is something that can be accomplished through play. When I first heard about play-based learning, I was hesitant to implement it because I was concerned that it would interfere with my ability to teach district-mandated programs and address necessary academic standards and assessments. Simply by observing how young children think and learn while they were playing, I was able to pick up a lot of useful information. Because I had all of this information at my disposal, I was able to fulfill their particular requirements with greater success. Children were more motivated to investigate curricular norms within their play because of the personal relevance of the content they were exploring. When the children read the book Miss Maple’s Seeds in the fall of 2016, they were mesmerized by Eliza Wheeler’s use of her imagination in the process of creating the illustrations and the story for the book. They started to ponder the process that was used to create the book. After hearing about the various stages that go into the production of a book, one of the children in our group exclaimed, “We can make books, too!” A few minutes later, a group of children made their way to the art room to begin creating their own books. Story writing is an activity that is best done in a group setting and requires proficient communication skills in the areas of listening, speaking, and writing. Since then, bookmaking has evolved into a well-liked pastime that has spread throughout all facets of the educational system. During the winter break, one of the students in my class created a number book and brought it to our math circle to show off. Quickly, a plethora of different number books emerged, each featuring a distinctive spin on the topic. One kid got the idea to write a book about the number 10. A friend jumped up from the table to offer assistance, making a reference to the number grid that was mounted on the wall. As was to be expected, 200 people joined right away. These children were given the opportunity to investigate mathematical concepts at their own pace, and by doing so, they contributed to the understanding of the concepts held by other children. An educational consultant by the name of Mike Anderson calls this type of “self-differentiation” (also known as the “zone of proximal development”) the place where education is “most effective” and “enjoyable.” BE AWARE OF THE PROGRESSION OF CHILDREN Because children learn best through play, it is essential to know how to facilitate that for them. In order for our students to mature and become successful, our pedagogy, much like a tree, requires a solid foundation in child development. My students improved their ability to focus, their enthusiasm for learning, and their sense of purpose in the classroom after taking part in play-based lessons. They experienced an increase in their overall level of contentment. The use of play in my classroom has assisted in the establishment of order, increased student engagement, and helped to strengthen our learning community. There are many advantages to incorporating play into the educational process for students in elementary school. It makes the learning process more enjoyable and engaging for them, which in turn improves their overall educational experience. Students have a better chance of maintaining focus, remembering information, and developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills if their education includes elements of play, such as educational games and interactive activities. Playing also encourages social interaction and teamwork, which gives students the opportunity to develop their communication and teamwork skills. In addition to this, it assists in the reduction of stress and anxiety, thereby making the atmosphere conducive to learning more positive and nurturing. You can investigate a different domain of leisure and recreation that places an emphasis on the significance of play in a variety of settings by reading the blog titled “The Most Popular Cruises.” This blog highlights how the incorporation of play can lead to enjoyable experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. Check it out on Slingo.com.

Storm surges occur in coastal areas when strong onshore winds and low atmospheric pressure during passing storms raise water levels along the shore above predicted levels. Storm surges occur on all four Canadian coasts (Pacific, Arctic, Atlantic and Great Lakes). The most severe known surges in Canada have been 2 to 3 metres high (well over the head of the average person). Severe storm surges that occur on high tides or during high lake levels can result in flood damage, evacuation of communities and loss of life. This map shows that a qualitative estimate of storm-surge hazards for selected representative locations varies in severity and frequency in different areas of coastal Canada. On this map, a low frequency means one surge every few years, a medium frequency indicates one surge every year and a high frequency represents several surges every year. Low severity corresponds to some flooding or erosion during large surges, with minor resulting damage. Medium severity indicates moderate flooding or erosion during large surges, with moderate damage. High severity means extensive flooding or severe erosion during large surges, with significant damage. - Publisher - Current Organization Name: Natural Resources Canada - Licence: Open Government Licence - Canada Data and Resources Download the English JP2 File through HTTPJP2English French dataset JP2 Download the English ZIP (PDF,JPG) file through HTTPZIPEnglish French dataset ZIP Download the French JP2 File through HTTPotherEnglish French dataset other Download the French ZIP (PDF, JPG) File through HTTPZIPEnglish French dataset ZIP

I love “Once There Was a Snowman” for Nursery age children because it has a lot of the qualities in a song that this age child loves and needs. - Not many words, and words that repeat - Melody that repeats and has a small range of notes - Lively rhythm - Words describe something concrete that the child can see, touch, hear, or smell Here are a couple of fun ideas to teach the song; As you sing, build a paper (or felt) snowman. On the words “In the sun he melted,…,” I begin to take OFF the round circles of the snowman so that he “melts.” I found that if I add a hat and a scarf of different colors, I can build the snowman two or three times and hold the children’s interest. Of course after seeing the paper/felt snowman be built, we become snowmen ourselves. We start in a little ball on the floor and grow to be as tall as we can while we sing. Then we melt down back into a little ball as we sing the “small, small, small” words of the song. A fun idea that is interactive for the children is Draw the Song. Take in a small whiteboard and while you sing the first part of the song, draw a snowman. When you come to the part where the snowman melts, have a child erase the snowman from the whiteboard as you sing. If you have a lot of children, you might consider two erasers. With this activity, you are also teaching patience and rewards. “You will get the eraser next, Johnny. Wait on your carpet square!” “I like the way Jill is waiting for her turn to have the eraser. She is sitting right on her carpet square until it is her turn.” “Such good waiting!” There is so much more than music being taught in Nursery singing time!

Antimicrobial Effects of Honey Honey has seen a revival recently in the Western medical field, as it has shown inhibitory activity against a range of detrimental and antibiotic-resistant microbes of infected wounds 1. Honey may be the first recorded medicine, having been documented in the Smith Papyrus of Egypt, which dates to between 2200-2600 BC 2. Since ancient times honey has been renowned for its wound-healing properties 3. With the advent of antibiotics, clinical application of honey has been neglected in modern Western medicine, although it is still used in many cultures 3. The overwhelming use of antibiotics has resulted in widespread resistance, therefore alternative antimicrobial strategies are necessary 3. Honey has demonstrated potent in vitro activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and it has been successfully applied as treatment of chronic wound infections not responding to antibiotic therapy 3 . For example, honey has received attention as an important tool against strains of bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 4. No microbial resistance against honey has been observed, making it attractive as a treatment for wound infections 4. Honey possesses several antimicrobial properties and can act via various mechanisms of action. There are many different types of honey from around the world, made from different floral sources with variable mechanisms of action. The antimicrobial potency and medical applications of honey are tremendous as it has demonstrated inhibitory effects against a number of pathogenic bacteria 134. Mechanisms of Action Honey prevents microbial growth through the use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), methylglyoxal (MGO), bee defensin-1, flavonoids, and a relatively low pH (~3.3) 13. As shown in Figure 1, the different active components in honey have been isolated by neutralizing each one individually and observing the effect on its antimicrobial activity. Not all of the factors listed are present in all types of honey, and these compounds must be tested for and considered for clinical applications 3. The high osmolarity of honey can also contribute to the inhibition of growth, although this is true of sugar solutions as well 13. Honey is 70 to 80% sugar and this high percentage causes hypertonic conditions that may lead to lysis of microbial cell walls 5. Hydrogen peroxide is produced by the Apis mellifera (honeybee) glucose oxidase enzyme on dilution of honey, and is produced in low but effective concentrations 36. Due to the slow release of H2O2, there is much less cytotoxic damage to the patient’s cells, providing a better method than applying H2O2 directly to wounds 6. Methylglyoxal is a compound found in manuka honey that was reported to have an antibacterial property 5. MGO can be converted into its inactive form, S-lactoylglutathione, by glyoxalase I and this was done in an experiment to test the effects of MGO on honey’s bactericidal activity (unprocessed Revamil honey was used in this experiment) 3. Neutralization of MGO or H2O2 alone did not alter bactericidal activity of RS honey, but simultaneous neutralization of MGO and H2O2 in a solution diluted with water to 10% honey reduced the killing of B. subtilis by 4-logs 3. At higher concentrations of honey, the bactericidal activity was not affected by neutralization of MGO and H2O2 3. Bee defensin-1 is found in honey and is the only cationic bactericidal compound currently identified 3. In dilutions of 20% honey and greater, when H2O2 and MGO were neutralized bactericidal activity was retained 3. When bee defensin-1 was also neutralized, the bactericidal activity was strongly reduced at 20% but was not affected at 30 and 40% honey solutions 3. Bee defensin-1 was previously isolated from royal jelly, the major food source for bee queen larvae and was identified in honeybee hemolymph 3. This peptide is secreted by the hypopharyngeal gland of worker bees into collected nectar along with carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes and bee defensin-1 presumably contributes to protection of royal jelly and honey against microbial spoilage 3. Flavonoids are a group of pigments produced by plants and their presence was suggested to contribute to the antimicrobial properties of honey 1. Actions of flavonoids include direct antibacterial activity, synergism with antibiotics, and suppression of bacterial virulence 5. The direct antibacterial activity of flavonoids may be attributable to several tested mechanisms: cytoplasmic membrane damage (caused by perforation and/or a reduction in membrane fluidity possibly by generating hydrogen peroxide), inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis (caused by topoisomerase inhibition and/or dihydrofolate reductase inhibition), inhibition of energy metabolism (caused by NADH-cytochrome c reductsse inhibition and ATP synthase inhibition), inhibition of cell wall synthesis (caused by D-alanine-D-alanine ligase inhibition) and inhibition of cell membrane synthesis (caused by inhibition of several enzymes) 5. There are 14 classes of flavonoids in total, categorized by their chemical nature and structure 5. Because most studies on the mechanism of action of flavonoids were conducted on only one or two types of flavonoids, it remains unclear as to whether flavonoids have multiple mechanisms of action or flavonoids have a single mechanism that has yet to be convincingly determined 5. Honey has a low pH primarily due to the conversion of glucose into hydrogen peroxide and gluconic acid by glucose oxidase 3. This low pH might also contribute to the bactericidal activity of honey, demonstrated by the titration of the pH of 10-40% honey solutions from 3.4-3.5 to 7.0 combined with neutralization of other bactericidal factors (H2O2, MGO and bee defensin-1) reduced the bactericidal activity of honey to the same level of a honey-equivalent sugar solution 3. Effectiveness of Different Types of Honey Manuka honey is predominantly harvested in New Zealand and Australia, from bees visiting Leptospermum trees. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of manuka honey on Stayphylococcus aureus was between 2 and 3% (v/v) ([(volume of solute)/(volume of solution)] x 100%) 4. While manuka honey does release H2O2, its anitmicrobial action also has a phytochemical component 4. In this study by Cooper et al. (1999) the antibacterial activity of manuka and pasture honeys on S. aureus were determined by an agar well diffusion bioassay using phenol as a reference standard antiseptic both in the presence of catalase and not in the presence of catalase, to detect any non-peroxide antibacterial activity; the MIC of each honey was determined by an agar incorporation technique. Manuka honey has received more attention for antimicrobial work recently due to its additional phytochemical compounds. The MIC of honey from a mixed pasture source was between 3 and 4% on S. aureus 4. These honeys prevent growth of S. aureus even when diluted by body fluids a further seven-fold to fourteen-fold beyond the point where their osmolarity ceased to be completely inhibitory 4 Pasture honey acts by releasing H2O2, but often lacks significant amounts of the extra phytochemical components of manuka honey. One brand of commercial honey called Black Forest honey from Langaneza, Germany was tested and found to inhibit eight different types of microbes at concentrations between 10 to 100% honey solutions7. Growth of all microbes was reduced at 10% honey solutions and completely inhibited at 20% honey solutions for Methicillin-Sensitive S. aureus, Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus, and E. coli, and at 50% honey solutions for P. aeruginosa and C. albicans, and at 100% honey for S. pyogenes, Vancomycin-sensitive enterococci and Vancomycin-resistant enterococci 7. Unprocessed Revamil source honey was effective at killing several different strains of bacteria at 10-20% (v/v), while greater than 40% (v/v) of a honey-equivalent sugar solution was required for similar activity 3. Another medical grade honey, Medihoney, comes from honey from Leptospermum flowers, making it very similar to manuka honey. In Medihoney, however, there are numerous steps taken to guarantee the sterility of the honey. In a study on the effect of honey on Streptococcus mutans, natural honey bought from a local grocery store in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was compared to artificial honey composed of 40.5% fructose, 33.5% glucose, 7.5% maltose and 1.5% sucrose dissolved in deionized water 1. Different natural and artificial honey concentrations were obtained using serial dilutions with tryptic soy broth (TSB) and at 12.5%, natural honey supported less bacterial growth and biofilm formation than artificial honey with the same amount of sugars, suggesting that sugar content is not the only antibacterial factor 1. Natural honey was able to decrease the maximum velocity of S. mutans growth compared to artificial honey 1. Overall, natural honey demonstrated more inhibition of bacterial growth, viability, and biofilm formation than artificial honey 1. Microbes Inhibited by Honey Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus has been shown to be sensitive to both pasture and manuka honeys 4. In this study there was a lack of significant variance in the sensitivity of a large number of clinical isolates collected from a wide range of wounds, which indicates that there is no mechanism of resistance to the antibacterial activity of honey 4. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) growth has been shown to be inhibited by Revamil medical honey and manuka honey, as shown in Figure 310. Streptococcus mutans growth, viability, and biofilm formation were inhibited by concentrations between 25 and 12.5% of natural honey1. Bacterial growth and biofilm formation were determined using a microplate spectrophotometer on wells inoculated with S. mutans containing varying concentrations of natural and artificial honey1. Biofilms were fixed using formaldehyde solution, followed by crystal violet, and then isopropanol, after that the wells were aspirated and their absorbances were read 1. The number of colony-forming units (CFU) for varying concentrations of honey was determined using an automated colony counter and compared to values from the tryptic soy broth (TSB) control culture to determine the effect of honey on S. mutans viability 1. Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus faecalis were tested on blood agar and honey-blood agar plates 8 to test for the effectiveness of honey in a diluted, nutrient rich environment. In these tests, Streptococcus pyogenes was inhibited in concentrations of honey below 20%, and all microbes tested were inhibited in solutions with greater than 50% honey content 8. Unprocessed Revamil source honey effectively killed Bacillus subtilis, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli , ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium 3. The activity of honey against E. coli and P. aeruginosa was markedly reduced when either H2O2 or MGO was neutralized 3. The relationship between the presence of honey and bacterial growth was tested on the following bacteria on nutrient-agar and honey-nutrient agar plates: Vibrio cholerae, enteropathogenic E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Shigella boydii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens 8. Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes were tested on blood agar and honey-blood agar plates 8. Finally, chocolate-agar and honey-chocolate agar plates were used to test the growth of Haemophilus influenzae 8. There was good growth of all bacteria on their respective control plates and all intestinal bacterial pathogens tested failed to grow in honey at concentrations of 40% and above 8. Furthermore, the growth of V. cholerae, S. pyogenes, and H. influenzae were inhibited in honey at concentrations as low as 20% and the growth of all bacteria tested was inhibited at honey concentrations of 50% 8. Langaneza Black Forest honey inhibited the growth of S. pyogenes, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Methicillin-sensitive and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, and Vancomycin-sensitive and Vancomycin-resistant enterococci 7. Symbionts as Major Modulators of Insect Health Lactic Acid Bacteria and Honeybees Vásquez et al. (2012) found that the crop of bees contains lactic acid bacteria (LAB), the predominant one being Lactobacillus kunkeei (pictured at right) 12. Commercial antibiotics commonly administered to bees were shown to be detrimental for the LAB, and may end up being more of a hindrance than a help for bees. There may very well be a connection between LAB and the antimicrobial effects of honey 12. Evidence Supporting the Use of Honey as a Wound Dressing Molan (2006) reviewed 17 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 1,965 participants, 5 clinical trials of other forms involving 97 participants treated with honey, and 16 trials on a total of 533 wounds on experimental animals all with findings that demonstrate the effectiveness of honey in assisting wound healing13. This review found that honey has antibacterial activity capable of rapidly clearing infection and protecting wounds from becoming infected, while providing a moist healing environment without the risk of bacterial growth13. This review also reports that honey produces anti-inflammatory effects to reduce edema and exudate and prevent or minimize hypertrophic scarring 13. Honey also stimulates the growth of granulation tissue and epithelial tissue so that healing is hastened13. Effect of Honey on Wound Healing Time Effects of topical honey on post-operative wound infections due to gram positive and gram negative bacteria following Caesarean sections and hysterectomies were investigated14. Topical application of crude undiluted honey resulted in faster eradication of bacterial infections, reduced period of antibiotic use and hospital stay, accelerated wound healing, reduced occurrence of wound dehiscence and need for re-suturing and minimized scar formation14. 4. Cooper, R. A., P. C. Molan, and K. G. Harding. "Antibacterial activity of honey against strains of Staphylococcus aureus from infected wounds." Journal of the royal society of medicine 92.6 (1999): 283-285. 7. Al-Masaudi, S. B., & Al-Bureikan, M. O. (2010). Antimicrobial activity of different types of honey on some multiresistant microorganisms. In Proceedings of the 3rd Scientific Conference of Animal Wealth Research in the Middle East and North Africa, Foreign Agricultural Relations (FAR), Egypt, 29 November-1 December 2010. (pp. 512-526). Massive Conferences and Trade Fairs. 12. Vásquez A, Forsgren E, Fries I, Paxton RJ, Flaberg E, et al. (March 12 2012) Symbionts as Major Modulators of Insect Health: Lactic Acid Bacteria and Honeybees. PLoS ONE 7(3): e33188. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033188. 14. Al-Waili, N. S., and K. Y. Saloom. "Effects of topical honey on post-operative wound infections due to gram positive and gram negative bacteria following caesarean sections and hysterectomies." European journal of medical research 4.3 (1999): 126. Edited by Celina Hayashi, a student of Nora Sullivan in BIOL168L (Microbiology) in The Keck Science Department of the Claremont Colleges Spring 2014.

8 February, 2024 Studying like a Japanese student involves adopting certain methods and approaches to learning. Create a structured study schedule and stick to it. Japanese students are known for their disciplined approach to studying, often dedicating set hours each day to academic pursuits. 2. Focus on Memorization: Incorporate memorization techniques into your study routine. Use flashcards, repetition, and mnemonic devices to help you remember important information, such as vocabulary, formulas, and key concepts. Engage in group study sessions with classmates or study groups. Collaborating with others allows you to exchange ideas, clarify concepts, and deepen your understanding through discussion and peer teaching. 3. Embrace Group Study: 4. Respect for Materials: Treat your study materials with care and respect. Organize your notes, textbooks, and other resources in a tidy and systematic manner. Keep your study space clean and free from distractions to promote focused learning. Challenge yourself to achieve high standards of academic excellence. Set ambitious goals for your studies and strive to surpass them. Adopt a growth mindset, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and improvement.

The purpose of the Course is to develop learners’ curiosity, interest and enthusiasm for chemistry in a range of contexts. The skills of scientific inquiry and investigation are developed throughout the Course. The relevance of chemistry is highlighted by the study of the applications of chemistry in everyday contexts. This will enable learners to become scientifically literate citizens, able to review the science-based claims they will meet. The course is designed for students who wish to continue their study of chemistry beyond National 5 and who may wish to progress to Advanced Higher Recommended Entry: While entry is at the discretion of the centre, pupils would normally have obtained an A or B pass at National 5 Chemistry. Units – Title and Brief Description Chemical Changes and Structure (Higher) This Unit covers the knowledge and understanding of periodic trends, and strengthens the learner’s ability to make reasoned evaluations by recognising underlying patterns and principles. Learners will explore the concept of electro-negativity and intra-molecular and intermolecular forces. The connection between bonding and a material's physical properties is investigated. Learners will investigate the ability of substances to act as oxidising or reducing agents and their use in analytical chemistry through the context of volumetric titrations. Researching Chemistry (Higher) This Unit covers the key skills necessary to undertake research in chemistry. Learners will research the relevance of chemical theory to everyday life by exploring the chemistry behind a topical issue. Learners will develop the key skills associated with collecting and synthesising information from a number of different sources. Equipped with the knowledge of common chemistry apparatus and techniques, they will plan and undertake a practical investigation related to a topical issue. Using their scientific literacy skills, learners will communicate their results and conclusions Nature’s Chemistry (Higher) This Unit covers the knowledge and understanding of organic chemistry within the context of the chemistry of food and the chemistry of everyday consumer products, soaps, detergents, fragrances and skincare. The relationship between the structure of organic compounds, their physical and chemical properties and their uses are investigated. Key functional groups and types of organic reaction are covered Chemistry in Society (Higher) This Unit covers the knowledge and understanding of the principles of physical chemistry which allow a chemical process to be taken from the researcher's bench through to industrial production. Learners will calculate quantities of reagents and products, percentage yield and the atom economy of processes. They will develop skills to manipulate dynamic equilibria and predict enthalpy changes Learners will use analytical chemistry to determine the purity of reagents and products. Learners will investigate collision theory and the use of catalysts in reactions to control reaction rates. Progression: Successful completion of this course can lead to Advanced Higher Chemistry Assessment: Internal Assessment is based on: End of unit tests External Assessment is based on: *two question papers, which requires learners to demonstrate aspects of breadth, challenge and application; learners will apply breadth and depth of skills, knowledge and understanding from across the Course to answer questions in chemistry (120 marks) *an assignment, which requires learners to demonstrate aspects of challenge and application; learners will apply skills of scientific inquiry, using related knowledge, to carry out a meaningful and appropriately challenging task in chemistry and communicate findings (20 marks scaled to 30 marks)

Canada is one of the most popular and attractive destinations for international students. With high educational quality, job opportunities after graduation and a safe and friendly living environment, Canada has attracted hundreds of thousands of students from all over the world to study and improve knowledge/skills. As a multicultural country with cultural diversity development, international students coming to Canada will have the opportunity to experience and learn about cultural diversity, while participating in artistic and cultural activities to gain knowledge and experience. Furthermore, education in Canada is also designed to encourage diversity and respect for differences, helping international students integrate and develop in this multicultural environment. The living environment in Canada is also very favorable for students studying abroad, especially those from countries with different educational and cultural backgrounds. In Canada, students live in a diverse and inclusive environment, thereby learning new experiences and knowledge. In addition, Canada also has a safe and peaceful living environment, with a low amount of crime along with a clean and fresh atmosphere. Education is one of the top priorities of the Canadian government. For the most part, children in Canada attend kindergarten for one or two years at the age of four or five. School then became compulsory for grade 1. Depending on the education program of each province, students who reach grade 11 or 12 (age 16 or older) have the right to choose to continue their higher education at universities, colleges or Cegep. Pre-primary or “kindergarten” is the first stage of education in Canada and is provided to children between the ages of four and five before beginning primary school. In New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, this is mandatory, while in other provinces it is optional. Primary education is compulsory for children in Canada, starting in grade 1, usually at age 6 or 7, and up to grade 6 between the ages of 11 and 12. In Canada, students at this stage of education tend to have only one teacher teaching all subjects in the same classroom, with the same students. The pre-primary curriculum includes subjects such as reading, Math, English (French in Quebec), History, Science, Music, Social studies, Physical education and Art. The difficulty of courses increases as students advance in grade level. Secondary education in Canada has two levels: - Middle School (grades 7 – 8): gives students the opportunity to adapt to the changes of classrooms and teachers throughout the day. The goal of this stage is to help students best prepare for the next step of their studies, with the difficulty of the courses expected to increase greatly. - High school (grades 9 – 12): In Ontario and New Brunswick, the law is that students must stay in school until age 18 or until they successfully earn a high school diploma. In Quebec, secondary education ends in grade 11, typically followed by a two-year university preparatory program known as CEGEP. 4. Post-secondary education As soon as they graduate from high school, Canadian students have the opportunity to apply to colleges and universities. Colleges in Canada usually refer to a smaller community college or a private school. Many students in Canada will attend college to further prepare themselves for university and earn transferable credits. Universities in Canada are where academic degrees can be obtained in a variety of subjects that have a structure similar to that of the US, starting with a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s degree and finally a doctorate – highest level of education. LANGUAGE USED IN TEACHING Canada’s two official languages are English and French. International students have the choice of studying in either language, and many schools in Canada offer programs in both languages. COSTS OF STUDY ABROAD Cost is an important factor in deciding whether Canada is right for you. However, compared to other countries such as the US or UK, the cost of studying abroad in Canada is often lower. If you want to study abroad in Canada, you need to calculate costs to have a suitable financial plan. Here are some main costs by year: - Reference average tuition fees: - Primary and secondary school: - Public school: 9,500 – 17,000 CAD/year - Private school: 15,000 – 30,000/year - Boarding school: 63,000 – 83,000 CAD/year - College and vocational level: 7,000 – 22,000 CAD/year - University level: 36,100 CAD/year - Primary and secondary school: - Cost of living: The cost of living in Canada is relatively reasonable. According to Canadian Government statistics, an international student needs about 10,000 – 15,000 CAD per year to live in Canada. This includes food, transportation, entertainment and rental expenses. - Health insurance: Depending on the province or region of Canada where you settle, the cost of health insurance may vary, about 600 – 1,100 CAD The total cost of studying abroad in Canada will depend on many factors such as school, study program, living location and each person’s lifestyle. However, based on the main costs listed above, you can estimate some basic costs to have a suitable financial plan for studying abroad in Canada. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS To apply to study in Canada, you need to take the following steps: find information about the school and program you want to study, submit the study application and necessary documents, check visa requirements and meet other conditions of the province or territory you are traveling to Yes, you need to have a sufficient level of English to be able to understand and participate in study and daily activities. Normally, schools in Canada require international students to have English proficiency equivalent to IELTS from 6.0 – 6.5 or other equivalent certificates. Yes, international students are allowed to work in Canada while studying. However, the limit is 20 hours/week during term time and 40 hours/week during vacation. Students need permission from the school and need a work permit from the Canadian government. You need to prepare documents such as passport, portrait photo, admission confirmation from school, degrees and English or French certificates (if applicable). You also need to prepare financial information for the visa application. Visa processing time usually ranges from 4-6 weeks. However, during peak season or complex applications, processing time may be longer. Usually, the school will require you to enroll at the scheduled opening time. However, in some cases, you can request permission to enroll late and must have the school’s consent. Yes, you can travel between Canada and Vietnam during your studies. However, you need to make sure that your visa, study permit and other immigration-related documents are valid and comply with Canadian immigration regulations.

How is asthma diagnosed? If asthma is suspected, the doctor will first establish an accurate picture of your symptoms and will ask about previous diseases, diseases in the family and allergies. This is followed by a physical examination during which the doctor will listen to your lungs for typical signs of asthma. A lung function test is required for a clear diagnosis of asthma. Further tests can rule out other diseases or, in the case of allergic asthma, can determine what the triggers are. In this test, the patient blows into a mouthpiece with a special measuring device. This gives the doctor information about the volume of air you are breathing and lung function. The bronchospasmolysis test can provide further information: If the lung function test indicates narrowing of the bronchial tubes, the patient inhales a medication to expand the airways. If there is then an improvement, the suspicion that the patient has asthma is confirmed. If the result is normal, but it is still suspected that the patient has asthma, a provocation test can be performed. Here the patient breathes in a test substance that can identify whether the bronchial system is hypersensitive. Asthma often develops because of an allergy. To reach a clear diagnosis of asthma, the doctor checks if the patient is hypersensitive to certain allergens. Usually skin and blood tests can identify the allergy trigger. In what is known as the prick test, tiny amounts of test substances are applied to the skin of the lower arm, which is very lightly scratched. Reddening or swelling are positive reactions to the suspected substance. An additional blood test can also be helpful. Allergy triggers can be identified based on certain blood values. If the standard tests do not clearly confirm asthma, an X-ray may be helpful. It is used to rule out other lung diseases. A blood gas analysis also gives information on the gas exchange in the lungs: it shows if the delivery of oxygen and the expulsion of carbon dioxide via the lungs is working properly. A sputum test is a rare and more complex test. Here the coughed up mucus is tested for evidence of certain white blood cells. Any questions? You can reach us at this number:

The Feudal System of government relied on the extreme use of absolute power. The king was the most important person. He decided all important matters in his land. His lords received their power from the king and in return had to serve him. The lords had control over small sections of land within the kingdom. Theses lords were in turn served by lesser lords who ruled over smaller parcels of land. Serving these lords were knights, soldiers, servants, peasants and serfs. The king, never trusting his lords, always kept the best land for himself. This land would produce enough income for the king to maintain a large army to ensure his word was law.

Power electrification and automated driving are being promoted at a remarkable speed for automobiles owing to advances in electronic technologies such as batteries, motors, and power electronics. On the other hand, strict safety requirements are imposed on aircraft engines. Therefore, electrifying them has been considered unfeasible on both a technical and commercial basis, which resulted in efforts in that area being shelved. Nevertheless, the number of passengers in air passenger transport increased by about 2.7 times from 2001 to 2019*1. This has led to concerns about the negative impact on the environment from the exhaust gas accompanying the further increase in the number of flights in the future. Moreover, an increase in the number of accidents has also been predicted. Accordingly, there is a particular need for the development of autopilot systems that enhance safety during takeoff and landing when the accident rate is high. We explain here the electrification of engines, which solves the problem of exhaust gas from aircraft, and the latest autopilot system technologies, which enhance the safety of aircraft operation. *1: Source: Japan Aircraft Development Corporation (This linked page is in Japanese.) Electrification of Aircraft Engines Aircraft engines have been electrified up to now with a focus on auxiliary equipment such as hydraulic pumps and fuel supply devices. However, amid the international trend toward decarbonization, we have come to see that there is a limit to the extent to which we can curb the amount of exhaust gas with conventional efforts. Accordingly, attempts have begun in recent years to completely eliminate or greatly reduce exhaust gas by electrifying the engine itself (propulsion system). We explain here the limits of conventional efforts, the necessity of electrifying aircraft engines, the system of electric engines, and more. Electrification has already been promoted in various devices installed on aircraft. This initiative is called More Electric Engine (MEE). It is a technology that electrically drives devices previously driven mechanically, hydraulically, or pneumatically. For example, the power required to drive fuel pumps and hydraulic pumps was obtained from jet engine power and bleed air*2. Replacing that with an electric motor reduces the load applied to the engine. Moreover, carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by mixing bio-fuel called Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into aviation fuel, and fuel consumption has been improved by increasing the size of propulsion fans, among other measures. Nevertheless, these measures are only improvements to the auxiliary equipment other than the jet engine and the fuel. There has been a limit to obtaining effects such as eliminating or greatly reducing exhaust gases. *2: This is when some compressed air is extracted from a compressor in a gas turbine engine. Trend Toward Electrification The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and other bodies have set a target to be achieved by 2050 of halving carbon dioxide emissions compared with the level in 2005. In the midst of such international trends, it has become clear that it would be difficult to achieve that target with the electrification of engine auxiliary equipment up to now and improvements in the fuel and the fuel consumption. Accordingly, the electrification of aircraft engines is attracting attention as a technology to both handle the increase in aviation demand expected in the future and to reduce exhaust gases. If we replace jet engines with electric motors for aircraft engines, we will be able to eliminate or greatly reduce exhaust gases from engines. Therefore, the development of electric engines has become a pressing issue for many aviation-related research institutes and aircraft manufacturers. Electric Engine Systems There are two types of electric engine systems that replace jet engines: the pure electric system that obtains propulsion with just the electric motor and the hybrid system that employs both a jet engine and an electric motor. Pure Electric Systems This is also called the full electric system. The engine in this system consists of a secondary battery, an electric motor, and a propulsion fan (Fig. 1). The electric motor is driven by the power from the secondary battery. The propulsive power is obtained from the rotation of the propulsion fan. Absolutely no jet fuel is used in this system. As a result, there are zero carbon dioxide emissions. However, the propulsive power comes from the electric motor and only the secondary battery supplies power. Accordingly, it is difficult to fly a medium-sized or large aircraft with the energy density of current lithium-ion batteries. That means only small aircraft such as single-seater or two-seater can be flown with this system. There are two types of hybrid system: the parallel hybrid system and the series hybrid system. These are systems that combine a jet engine or a gas turbine and an electric motor. It is possible to obtain large propulsion for a long period of time compared to the pure electric system. Therefore, these systems can also be used to fly medium-sized and large aircraft. Parallel Hybrid Systems The engine in parallel hybrid systems consists of a jet engine, a secondary battery, and an electric motor driven by the secondary battery (Fig. 2). The propulsive power is obtained by rotating the propulsion fan using both the jet engine and the electric motor. Series Hybrid Systems The engine in series hybrid systems consists of a generator, a jet engine for driving the generator, and a secondary battery in addition to the electric motor (Fig. 3). The rotation of the jet engine is transferred to the generator to generate power. The electric motor is then driven by that power to rotate the propulsion fan. The jet engine is used to drive the generator. This gives the system some advantages. There is a high degree of freedom in the location where the system is installed on the aircraft. There are also few restrictions on the placement position of the electric fans that generate propulsion and the number of those fans. Moreover, it is also possible to charge the secondary battery by regenerating the surplus power and the rotational energy of the jet engine when not using the electric motor. The power generated by the jet engine drives the electric motor in this system. This means energy loss occurs during power generation. However, it is possible to improve the propulsion efficiency by optimizing the placement and number of propulsion fans utilizing the high degree of freedom in design. Latest Aircraft Autopilot (Automatic Control) System Technologies Aircraft autopilot systems have a long history. They are able to provide stable operation after takeoff. However, it has not been possible to use autopilot systems for taking off and landing in difficult conditions due to the accompanying danger. Nevertheless, it has started to become possible in recent years to operate aircraft with the autopilot system even under conditions that would once have been considered difficult. This has been achieved by improving the precision of radar, image recognition systems, and radio wave sensors, increasing the response speed of actuators such as motors and valves, and enhancing other areas. Against such a background, experiments have also begun recently to perform all operations, from takeoff to landing, with the autopilot system. What Is an Autopilot System? The autopilot system automates the operation of aircraft to reduce the operational burden on the pilot. When using the autopilot system, the pilot can operate the aircraft automatically by setting the altitude, bearing, speed, destination, and other conditions based on instructions from air traffic control, weather information, location information, information on aircraft in the surroundings, and other data. In general, pilots leave operation to the autopilot system a few minutes after takeoff in the case of passenger planes. After that, it is possible to fly safely except in fog, strong winds, or other poor conditions. The pilot then manually operates the aircraft during landing when there is greater risk. Of course, pilots have the skills to perform all operations manually. However, there are many tasks performed by the pilot other than operating the aircraft such as flight management and drafting flight plans during the flight. Accordingly, it is possible to fly even more safely by entrusting operation to the autopilot system. Autopilot System Mechanism Autopilot systems have an aircraft attitude control function (pitch, roll, and yaw; Fig. 4), an altitude and speed control function, and a function to give guidance to the destination. Of these functions, the aircraft attitude control and altitude and speed control are performed by the accelerometer, tilt sensor, and other sensors, and the FCC*3, ACC*4, and actuators*5. The sensors detect the attitude, direction, altitude, and speed of the aircraft. The detected signals are then sent to the FCC. The FCC sends the command to operate the actuators to the ACC. The ACC supplies the power required to drive the actuators. Through that, the actuators appropriately operate the ailerons, rudders, elevators, and other rotor blades. Safe flight by the autopilot system is achieved with that. The actuator and rotor blade movements are also normally transmitted to and displayed on the monitors, meters, and other instruments in the cockpit. The pilot can see the operating status of each device and the attitude of the aircraft from the display on the monitors and meters. In addition, autopilot systems comprise multiple systems, as a failure could lead to a major accident. This ensures high reliability. *3: Flight control computer (FCC): The FCC calculates the optimal steering angle according to the flight control law by taking into account the status of each device in the aircraft, the engine propulsion, the airflow, and other factors. It then outputs the signals that determine the degree of movement by the rotor blades (ailerons, rudders, elevators, etc.) to the ACC. *4: Actuator control computer (ACC): The ACC supplies the power required to the actuators that drive the rotor blades according to commands from the FCC. *5: Actuators: Actuators are devices that convert electricity, pressure (oil pressure, air pressure, etc.), heat, magnetism, and other forms of energy into mechanical motions such as rotation, expansion and contraction, and bending. Electric motors, hydraulic pistons, and electromagnetic solenoid devices are examples of actuators. Electrification of Aircraft Engines and Autopilot System Electronics Technologies The issue that must be resolved as a top priority for the electrification of aircraft engines is the realization of a long cruising range. One way of extending the cruising range is to increase the amount of energy the aircraft is equipped with by loading more batteries onto it. However, unlike other transportation devices, it is not possible to tolerate an increase in the weight of aircraft by increasing the number of batteries. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the energy density of the batteries. Research and development are already underway in countries around the world to significantly improve the energy density of batteries. There have been reports such as those that say they have reached 450 Wh/kg at the cell level. If a level of about 500 Wh/kg is realized, it will be possible to expect that technology to be used as assist power during the takeoff and ascent of passenger planes with the hybridization of aircraft engines. Moreover, a water cooling system to cool the converters, inverters, and other devices is also a burden in terms of the weight. Accordingly, it is best to adopt an air-cooling system. This means it is necessary to use gallium nitride (GaN) or silicon carbide (SiC), which generate little heat, for semiconductors. Of course, there is also a need for a wide operating temperature range from high to low temperatures and vibration resistance for the electronic parts used in the peripheral circuits. On the other hand, the autopilot system is a bundle of electronics technologies realized by many sensors, computers, and actuators. Therefore, improvements in electronics technologies lead directly to improvements in the functions and safety of the autopilot system. For instance, the FCC transmits electrical signals to the ACC in a fly-by-wire system in which the rotor blades are operated by those electrical signals. If electrical noise enters into these signals, it may cause the actuators to malfunction. For that reason, it is necessary to take measures against that using an optical fiber cable, which is not affected by electrical noise. Furthermore, it is essential to equip the system with a high-precision attitude indicator and an Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) to realize full autopilot system flight (autonomous flight), including takeoff and landing. These devices require MEMS sensors*6, which provide both high reliability and high performance. In this way, electrical signals and electric power are responsible for many elements relating to flight in electric aircraft. Therefore, it is essential to improve electronics technologies to put electric engines into practical use regardless of their system. The advantage of electric aircraft is that they emit far less greenhouse gases than aircraft equipped with conventional jet engines. They are equipped with a flight system suitable for safe operation employing an excellent autopilot system. In addition to improving the aerodynamic characteristics*7 of the aircraft and the efficiency of the power devices, it will also be necessary to do things such as acquiring technologies and knowledge through interaction with a wide range of fields such as aircraft materials and biotechnologies for the aviation industry in each country to advance globally in the field of electric aircraft in the future. The road ahead is by no means an easy one. There is a tendency to think that the realization of electric aircraft is still a long way in the future from the artist's impressions of such aircraft we can see today. Nevertheless, as we have stated, research and experiments toward the practical use of electric aircraft have already begun. There are many technologies that have already been realized in other fields, including power electronics, high-power motors, and high-energy-density batteries in the field of electronics in particular. It will be possible to divert the use of those technologies to electric aircraft by further improving their performance. All this tells us that there is no doubt that the day is not so far off in the future when we will see environmentally friendly electric aircraft clear stringent safety requirements to be realized both technically and commercially. *7: Aerodynamic characteristics: Examples of aerodynamic characteristics in the case of aircraft include air resistance, the force that pushes up the aircraft, and the air resistance ratio (lift-to-drag ratio). It is possible to lighten the load on the engine and to reduce the amount of fuel consumption by improving these characteristics. SCHA63T 6-DOF XYZ-axis Gyroscope and XYZ-axis Accelerometer for Industrial Applications SCHA600 6-DOF XYZ-axis Gyroscope and XYZ-axis Accelerometer for Automotive - Battery Management Systems (BMSs) Monitor the Charging/Discharging and Thermal Management Status to Improve Safety and Efficiency and to Support Battery Utilization - What Are the Conditions for Increasing the Efficiency of Power Conversion and Motor Drives and for Expanding the Use of SiC and GaN Power Semiconductors? - “PIECLEX”, the Electricity-Generating Fibers: Untold Development Story (Applications and Outlook)

Understanding the African Diaspora Defining the African Diaspora African diaspora is a new term that many people do not know about. It is not used frequently in human speech and writing. Transatlantic Slave Trade: Historical Origins The term refers specifically to the large dispersion of Africans during the transatlantic slave trade from 1500 to 1800. In this diaspora, millions of people from West and Central Africa were forcibly displaced and adopted different cultures. The Meaning of “Diaspora” The word Diaspora comes from Greek. The term is also used in the academic world to refer to new immigrants from Africa. African Union’s Definition The African Union defines the African diaspora as “a person, regardless of race or nationality, who is indigenous or of partial African descent outside African countries, who is willing to contribute to the development of African countries and the construction of the African Union.” Historical Migration Patterns People of African descent have been dispersed throughout history. Between 1965 and 2021, approximately 440,000 people migrated from Africa each year. In 2005, it was estimated that there were as many as 17 million homeless people in Africa. Implications of Migration The figure of 440,000 African homeless people per year pales in comparison to annual population growth of approximately 2.6%. This suggests that approximately 2% of Africa’s population growth is paid for through transfers. Diversity of African Diaspora Slave trade in Africa also exists in many parts of the world. Immigrants from different religions created different cultures, food combinations, and lifestyles. Arab and Atlantic Slave Trade At the beginning of the 8th century, Arabs plundered African slaves in the central and eastern parts of the African country, dispersing millions of Africans throughout the Americas and the Caribbean. The Scale of the Atlantic Slave Trade The largest forced migration in history involved approximately 11 million Africans dispersed through the Atlantic slave trade in West Africa. From the 15th to the 19th centuries, the slave trade extended to the Americas, Brazil, and Haiti, with an estimated 10 to 80 million slaves coming from the Arab slave trade. Neglect of African History African history did not begin with slavery, and Africa’s contribution to the development of various fields of knowledge has been largely ignored. The Diversity of African Cultures Africa is home to many countries and cultures, each with their own unique history. Black Identity and Migration This diaspora is also a black identity. Black Africans migrated more because of their dark skin. White Americans moved them to different places. Overcoming Limitations in Research Research in the twenty-first century is trying to overcome the limitations of past studies. The historical African diaspora can be divided into four groups according to their distribution places: intra-Africa, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and Atlantic diaspora. European Role in Slave Trade Beginning in the 15th century, Europeans captured or purchased African slaves from West Africa; and brought them first to Europe and then to the Americas when European colonization began in the 15th century. Impact of the Atlantic Slave Trade The Atlantic slave trade ended in the 19th century, representing the largest forced migration in human history and having a devastating economic impact on the affected communities. Surviving Descendant Communities Many communities of descendants of African slaves survive today in America, Europe, and Asia. In other cases, Africans intermarried with non-Africans and their descendants blended into the local population. The Study of Diaspora in Africa Diaspora in Africa is studied on its own. Apart from trade diasporas and slave diasporas, and the term diaspora is not often used. Beyond Africa: The Global African Diaspora Recent research shows that the African diaspora has a long history in Asia and that Africans have deep roots in Asia. Diverse Roles of Africans in Asia Africans in Asia went on to become merchants, sailors, soldiers, policemen, clergymen, guardians, sex workers, servants, and slaves. Forced and Free Migration in the Indian Ocean Diaspora Unlike the original Atlantic diaspora, the Indian Ocean diaspora consists of both forced and free migrants. In India, for example, a number of African diasporic rulers and dynasties were established in the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries.

Facts About Whales Whales belong to the same scientific order as porpoises and dolphins (Cetacea) but differ from them in that most do not have teeth. The suborder Mysticeti (baleen whales) includes right whales, pygmy right whales, gray whales, and rorqual whales. The suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales) includes beluga whales, narwhals, sperm whales, and beaked whales. Remember that so-called “killer whales” and “pilot whales” are actually dolphins. True whales range in size from the 98-foot-long, 200-ton blue whale to the 11-foot-long, 880-pound pygmy sperm whale. Millions of these highly intelligent marine mammals exist throughout the world’s oceans. They live quite a long time—up to 77 years for humpback whales and over 100 for bowhead whales. Like dolphins and porpoises, whales have to breathe air to survive. They also cannot drink water from the ocean but must metabolize it from their food. What Do Baleen Whales Eat? In short, Baleen whales eat plankton, crustaceans (krill, shrimp), or small fish. As the name implies, these whales have baleen instead of teeth. Made of keratin (also found in human hair and fingernails), baleen is strong, flexible, and grows continually. Long plates of this material hang in a comb-like row from the whales’ upper jaws. Broad at the gumline, baleen tapers into a curtain of bristles that acts as a sieve. When the whales locate food, they open their mouths wide, taking and eating in huge volumes of seawater along with the prey. They then press their tongue down to force the water out. Any plankton, crustaceans (krill, shrimp), or small fish (herring, mackerel, capelin, and sandeel) get trapped and become lunch. The number and size of baleen plates varies by species. The feeding behavior described above is characteristic of “gulpers,” or filter feeders that take large gulps of concentrated food, expel the seawater, and push the food back into their gullet with their tongue. Humpback whales, blue whales, fin whales, and Bryde’s whales all exhibit this behavior. In another method, “skimmers” swim through the water with open mouth, straining the water for food. Right whales engage in skimming most of the time, but bowheads and sei whales combine it with other forms of feeding. What Do Humpback Whales Eat? Humpback whales also feed cooperatively, employing a strategy called “bubble net feeding.” Upon locating a shoal of prey, they will dive above 50 meters below it and swim in a spiral towards the surface, blowing bubbles as they go. The bubbles congregate prey and force them towards the surface near the center of the whale circle. Then the whales will surface in the center of bubbles, their mouths wide open to collect water and prey. During cooperative feeding, whales call to each other with various sounds, and divide tasks. This is similar to the way dolphins work together to get food. Some whales, such as humpbacks, will also lunge through a shoal of prey with their mouth agape or stun prey by hitting the water with their pectoral fins or flukes (again, similar to dolphins). What Do Toothed Whales Eat? Opportunistic feeders, toothed whales eat many species of fish and invertebrates. Though they have teeth, they use them only for grasping and tearing before they swallow their food whole. Beluga whales have eight to ten peg-shaped teeth, and will feed in both open water (pelagic) and on the bottom (benthic). They prefer capulin, char, sand lance, and cod, but will also eat worms, squid, and octopus. When foraging on the ocean floor, beluga whales use their flexible necks to search for food. They can also use their mouths as a sort of suction device to dislodge prey from the bottom. What Do Narwhals, Sperm Whales and Beaked Whales Eat? Narwhals, with their unmistakable spiraled tusk, have a more specialized diet than other whales, making deep dives to feed on Greenland halibut or Gonatus squid. Only males have the tusk, and all narwhals possess a mere two teeth. Sperm whales have functional teeth only on the lower jaw. They may dive over a mile to find squid in the dark depths of the ocean. Due to the absence of light in the whales’ feeding grounds, scientists can only speculate how these creatures obtain food. They may lie motionless near the ocean floor in order to ambush prey, or they may stun prey with ultrasonic sounds. To attract squid, they might emit a bioluminescent glow from their mouth. They also produce sequential clicks, called “codas,” which may serve as echolocation. Male beaked whales have one to two large functional teeth on the lower jaw (probably for use in social encounters), while the teeth of females do not protrude from the gums at all. In contrast to the rest of this family, Shepherd’s beaked whale has 17-29 conical teeth on both jaws (males of course have two extra). Also, though most beaked whales feed almost exclusively on squid and octopus, Shepherd’s will eat fish, such as eelpouts. The seasonal movements of whales are influenced by climate changes; water temperature, depth, and salinity; topography of the sea floor; and abundance of food. Their migrations are also synchronized with breeding/mating seasons. Generally speaking, whales feed in cold, higher latitudes in the summer and breed in warm, lower latitudes in the winter. During the three to four months it takes them to travel thousands of miles between habitats, whales must live off stored reserves. Accordingly, they eat as much as they can hold while at the winter feeding grounds. Humpback whales, for instance, may consume up to 3000 lbs. of food per day, although smaller beluga whales eat only 55 lbs. per day.

When it comes to academic and scholarly writing, striking the right balance between clarity, proper attribution, and acknowledging the work of others is key. Enter the parenthetical citation, an essential element that plays a significant role in maintaining the integrity of your work. In this article, we’ll demystify parenthetical citations, exploring their meaning, purpose, and how they vary across different citation styles. Think of parenthetical citations as your trusty guides, helping you navigate the academic terrain while giving credit where it’s due. One-stop solution for all your homework needs. Get the job done. ✅ AI Essay Writer ✅ AI Detector ✅ Plagiarism checker ✅ Paraphraser What is Parenthetical Citation? Parenthetical citation, often referred to as in-text citation, serves as the lifeblood of academic and scholarly writing. It is the method by which writers cite sources within the text of their document. Understanding the importance of parenthetical citation is crucial, as it not only demonstrates academic integrity but also allows readers to trace the origins of information. The utilization of parenthetical citation is paramount to avoid plagiarism and uphold the credibility of your work. It acts as a transparent means of giving credit to the original source, lending authority to your arguments. With parenthetical citation, you engage in a scholarly conversation, acknowledging the contributions of those who have shaped the discourse. Basic Structure of Parenthetical Citation Parenthetical citations are structured to include key elements: the author’s name, publication date, and page number (if applicable). Different citation styles, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago, dictate variations in formatting. For instance, APA employs the author’s last name and publication year, while MLA uses the author’s last name and page number. Here are examples in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles. In APA style, authors are encouraged to include the publication year within the parentheses (Smith, 2019). Example: According to recent studies, climate change is a pressing global concern (Smith, 2019). MLA style suggests that page numbers should be included when citing direct quotes (Smith 42). Example: The theory of relativity has revolutionized our understanding of the universe (Smith 42). Chicago style demands both the publication year and page number for precise citations (Smith 2019, 42). Example: The Renaissance period witnessed a profound cultural transformation (Smith 2019, 42). Common Parenthetical Citation Mistakes Despite its significance, parenthetical citation can be a minefield of errors for writers. Common mistakes include missing or incorrect author names, publication dates, and page numbers. Ambiguous or vague citations can also confuse readers. To avoid these pitfalls, writers should meticulously cross-check their sources, consult style guides, and ensure consistency throughout their document. Missing Author Names. Omitting the author’s name in the parenthetical citation is a common error. Proper attribution requires including the author’s last name to give credit to the original source. “(2018) found that climate change is a pressing issue.” “(Smith, 2018) found that climate change is a pressing issue.” Incorrect Publication Dates. Providing an incorrect publication date can lead to misinformation. It’s crucial to verify and accurately cite the publication date of the source material. “(Johnson, 2000) discusses the history of space exploration in 2023.” “(Johnson, 2000) discusses the history of space exploration in 2000.” Inaccurate Page Numbers. When citing specific information from a source, failing to include the correct page number (if applicable) can make it challenging for readers to locate the referenced content. Ambiguous Citations. Vague or ambiguous citations without clear references to the source material can confuse readers and undermine the credibility of the document. “(Brown) argues that renewable energy is essential.” “(Brown, 2021) argues that renewable energy is essential.” Inconsistent Formatting. Inconsistent formatting of parenthetical citations within the same document or between different citation styles can disrupt the overall flow and professionalism of the writing. It’s essential to maintain uniformity and adhere to the chosen style guide. “(Smith, 2023) found that climate change is a pressing issue.” “(Johnson 2000) discusses the history of space exploration in 2000.” “(Smith, 2023) found that climate change is a pressing issue.” “(Johnson, 2000) discusses the history of space exploration in 2000.” Proper Formatting and Punctuation The correct formatting of parenthetical citations entails adherence to specific rules of punctuation and capitalization. Commas, periods, and parentheses must be placed accurately to maintain clarity and readability. Proper capitalization is also essential, with author names and titles capitalized as per style guidelines. These seemingly minor details play a crucial role in presenting a polished and professional document. Why is parenthetical citation important in academic writing? Parenthetical citation is crucial in academic writing as it provides proper attribution to sources, ensuring academic integrity. It allows readers to verify your claims, fosters transparency, and acknowledges the contributions of other scholars, thus bolstering the credibility of your work. What is the difference between APA and MLA parenthetical citations? The main difference lies in the format. APA uses the author’s last name and publication year (Smith, 2023), while MLA uses the author’s last name and page number (Smith 42). Additionally, APA uses the “et al.” abbreviation for multiple authors, while MLA spells out all authors’ names. Do I need to include page numbers in parenthetical citations? Page numbers are essential in parenthetical citations when quoting or directly referencing specific information from a source. However, for paraphrased or summarized content, page numbers are often optional. What is the purpose of using parenthetical citations? Parenthetical citations serve several purposes. They give proper credit to original sources, allow readers to locate the source material, provide evidence to support your arguments, and demonstrate your engagement with existing scholarship. How can I avoid plagiarism with parenthetical citations? To prevent plagiarism, ensure that you correctly cite all borrowed ideas, quotes, or paraphrased content within your text using the appropriate parenthetical citation style (e.g., APA, MLA). Additionally, maintain a clear distinction between your own ideas and those from external sources by using quotation marks for direct quotes and proper citation for paraphrased content. Follow us on Reddit for more insights and updates.

The term “Chiroptera” is derived from the Greek word “hand-wing” in reference to a bat’s webbed hand-like wings. Chiroptera is the scientific classification of bats. There are thousands of bat species all over the world, but all species can fall under one of two main categories of bat, Micro-Chiroptera and Mega-Chiroptera; colloquially referred to as microbats and megabats. Although related species, these two types are quite different. Continue reading to learn the difference between Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera, and some interesting facts about them as well! Megabats, or Megachiroptera, are also known as fruit bats. This is because, unlike micros, megas primarily eat fruit, the nectars of fruit, or the pollen of flowers and plant-life; like Eucalyptus or fig trees. This diet is the reason why they have such an important ecological role. They assist in pollination of plants and flowers, as well as, seed dispersal through their droppings, which double as a fantastic fertilizer. The most common and prevalent species of fruit bats are Flying Foxes. As for sight, megabats have a broad visual cortex, allowing them enhanced visual acuity. They have really large eyes that look similar to a human! They also have great smell, and do not use echolocation. They also have furry bellies, big ears, and dog-like facial structures. Another interesting fact about megas is their ability to control and maintain their body temperature. This eliminates their need to hibernate during the winter and cold seasons. They like to live in large colonies and groups, often times with different species, in the upper canopies of forests and woodlands. They are very nomadic and can travel great distances at night while foraging for food. Microbats, or Microchiroptera, are quite different from megas. They are more solitary, living in smaller colonies of the same species. Although not blind like the myths claim, they do echolocation, a sonar-like ability, to navigate in the dark and hunt for food. Along with echolocation, Micros have large ears and good hearing that also helps in hunting for food at night. They are much smaller as well, hence the “micro” instead of the “mega”. Some are as small as a moth! They primarily eat insects and small prey like amphibians, birds, and fish; but some species consume the blood of mammals as their food source. Unlike the megabats, Micro-Chiroptera lack the claw on the toe of their forelimb. This is a common distinction between the two species. They are fur-less and exposed, leading them to seek warm shelter and hibernate for the winter. This is where bats can become a nuisance to home and property owners. Scroll down and look below for more information about this matter and more.

Children living in today’s United States are exposed to a wide variety of racial and cultural diversity, creating the potential for well-rounded perspectives and an appreciation of all that we both share and have to learn from others. Whether or not your child is asking questions about different cultures depends largely on the diversity of your family, local community, and the types of messages shared with him or her at daycare or school. While toddlers can observe and take part in cultural activities that enrich their experience and broaden their horizons from an early age, grade-school children can put cultural and racial differences into perspective. At Rising Stride Child Care Centers, we strive to offer horizon-extending experiences to children, ages, 2 to 5. Consider the following steps for exposing your child to diversity: - Think about your own cultural beliefs: Show, don’t tell, or so goes the old adage. When teaching your children about cultural diversity, parents benefit from clarifying their own beliefs before sharing with their kids. How can we accomplish this? Grab a journal and jot down a few notes about your own openness to other cultures, races, and belief systems. - Try new foods: Love palak paneer? Share it with your kids! Or better yet, experience a new cuisine for the first time, together! Children are sponges and soak up new experiences with enthusiasm. By introducing them to unfamiliar flavors and types of food, you encourage your young ones to be curious about the world around them, to learn new words in the form of names of dishes, and to create positive associations with a wide range of cultures. - Get a map or globe: Planning your next family vacation? Show your kids the exact location of your next jaunt by pointing it out on a colorful map. Globes can offer a fun game: just spin this 3D map, stop it randomly with one finger, and discuss the name and location of whatever country or body of water you land on. Don’t know anything about the location you picked? Grab your encyclopedia or look online, including your child in the research. Allowing children to visualize parts of the world encourages them to ask questions and engage in meaningful discussions. - Decorate with culturally-diverse items: Using various cultures as inspiration, you can make your home a veritable smorgasbord of new and stimulating images. Invite your kids to paint chopsticks to use as Christmas tree ornaments, or decorate with flags from around the world. The sky’s the limit! - Find pen pals for your children: For kids who can read and write, interacting with a pen pal is an excellent way to allow your child to interact with and gain greater understanding of other cultures by building a relationship that knows no borders. Questions parents can ask themselves - What is unique about our family culture? How do we celebrate that uniqueness? How do we respect and celebrate other cultures? - What types of diversity do we have in our family? - Who do we invite to our home for social time? - Is our neighborhood diverse and inclusive? If not, what makes it that way? - What types of diversity and inclusion are reflected in our religious or ethical community? How can we be more diverse and inclusive? - Does my child see diverse people in positions of authority (e.g., teachers, coaches, health care providers, faith leaders, etc.)? If not, how can I change that? - Do our extracurricular or leisure time activities include diverse groups of people? What opportunities exist to become more involved? - Does the media we consume (e.g., books, shows, videos, games, etc.) feature diverse characters and storylines without stereotypes? Do we use media as an opportunity to talk about diversity and inclusion? Create Artwork from Another Culture One way to learn about other cultures and explore cultural diversity deeper is to have your young children learn about and create artwork from another culture. Art has reflected the core values of different cultures for centuries and is a great way to learn more about other groups of people. Here are a few simple and culturally-rich arts and crafts ideas: - Dreamcatchers (American-Indian) - Origami (Japanese) - Rangoli sand art (Indian) - Paper mache maracas (Carribean and Latin) When it comes to arts and crafts from other cultures, the options are seemingly endless. One way to narrow down on art activities is to select a different country or a culture that your child wants to learn more about and find out what culture-filled arts and crafts they take part in themselves! Introducing children to other cultures is an excellent way to increase their awareness of global interdependence. By educating our children through fun and memorable activities, experiences, parents can help children associate cultural development with play.

“How To” Exercises | SLA Topics ETAS (English Teachers' Association. Switzerland), 4, 4, 1987 We all know that language is about communication; we all know that language teaching means getting the students to communicate to each other. But just what are they actually communicating? Communication implies that there is something to communicate, a content. Teaching language for a communicative goal means not just devising activities for the classroom but also finding information to communicate . What do students and teachers actually talk about? Pick up a textbook written in the past forty years and the main subject matter seems to be soap opera style families; more communicative textbooks add activities with maps of fictional towns, functional exchanges in railway stations, and so on. Look in most communicative classrooms and you find people describing pictures, working out times of trains, pretending to be waiters, and so on. Taking communication seriously means thinking carefully about what should be communicated in the classroom; language is much more than a vehicle for buying fish and chips or finding the time of the next train to London. One possibility, as Henry Widdowson has argued, is to take the content of the language lesson from other school subjects; studying physics through English automatically gives the students genuine subject matter to talk about. The approach suggested here, however, is to use content from other areas of life. The aim is that the student goes home at the end of the day and says "Do you know what I learnt in my English lesson today?" If the lesson aims to teach the students how to communicate something, it might as well be something that is interesting and useful in its own right as some arbitrary difference between two pictures, or the layout of an imaginary town, or gossip about made-up people. One of the many ways of doing this I call "How to" exercises. A "How to" exercise teaches the students something through English that they did not know before. A practical example is "How to stop a nosebleed". I use a short series of pictures showing the alternative methods of stopping nosebleeds and describing them briefly, e.g. "If there is an accident and an unconscious person has a nosebleed, keep their mouth open with something." Students look at the pictures and demonstrate how they would carry out instructions. They suggest alternative methods, or reject the ones given; then they can discuss and demonstrate other simple first aid - how would you stop hiccups? choking? In some ways a typical communicative activity; the difference is that the content is specifically designed so that they will have learnt something more than English from their class. A variety of such How to exercises can be devised. One requirement is that they can be carried out or simulated in the classroom without any special equipment; "How to keep fit" can put the students through some simple exercises, "How to eat with chopsticks" can be demonstrated with pens or pencils. Another requirement is that they should be relevant to the students' own situations; "How to stop fires" can go from general instructions - "If it is a fat fire, turn off the electricity and cover the cooking pot" - to the actual emergency routes from the classroom; "How to cross the road" can deal with local traffic problems . The "How to" exercise can teach people to do things that they can carry away from the classroom. "How to do a card trick" not only teaches them to follow instructions in English, but also actually to do the trick; similarly from "How to play the Marienbad game" they learn not only to comprehend the rules of the matchstick game sometimes known as Nim, but also to solve a real logical problem through English. Such practical exercises shade into those that deliberately provoke discussion and disagreement, ranging from "How to make a good cup of coffee" through "How to find somewhere to live" to "How to live cheaply". Sources for some of the above activities were taken from First Aid books, a brochure from the Hong Kong Tourist Board, the Highway Code, Jane Fonda's Workout Book, and so on. Of course the advice or instructions should be reasonably accurate; I'll never forget a teacher who told me of seeing a student he had been teaching aviation English fatally crash in front of his very eyes. Though misunderstanding advice about nosebleeds or cups of coffee is unlikely to lead to such disastrous results, it is better to play safe. A further source that is often neglected is the shared experience of the classroom - second language learning. Why not have an exercise on "How to use the dictionary" for example? I also take Joan Rubin's description of the 'good language learner1 as a basis for "How to learn English" - advice such as "Talk to yourself in English while you are doing other things". Not that the students are necessarily supposed to agree. But it seems odd how shy we are about discussing the actual learning of English in the classroom. "How to" exercises like this try deliberately to make certain that the classroom is about something definite and something relevant. The "How to" exercises mentioned here are mostly based on those in V.J. Cook, Meeting People (Pergamon 1982).

The sign in the photo is probably too small in this reproduction to read, but it says that more than 600 beaver would be dropped that year and that 50 had already been dropped in the Chamberlain Basin, northeast of McCall and in the Lochsa-Selway area. The crates, each containing one 80-100 pound beaver, were dropped in pairs, one male, one female, so that courtship could begin soon after the wooden containers opened on impact. Using cargo chutes, which would later be retrieved by employees hiking into the back country, the beaver boxes were dropped from about 600 feet. This might seem a silly effort, but it was successful in getting more beavers into areas where they were needed. Yes, needed. Tens of thousands of beavers were taken for their fur in the 19th century, and trapping continues today on a smaller scale. The rodents can change the character of an area faster than anything, save fire. They create terrific habitat for dozens of species. Beavers rarely fly, the previous example being the exception. They are the largest rodent in North America and the second largest in the world, edged out by South America’s capybara.

When people are working together in a confined environment and each of them has different beliefs and opinions, it can be difficult at times for them to get along. While many employers in Missouri go to extensive lengths to help their workers feel comfortable around each other by implementing protocols for desirable and fair behavior, there are times when discrimination can still surface. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, situations where a person is treated differently, given less opportunity or is harassed because of their sex, is gender discrimination. The discrimination can take place between same sexes and victims could be both male and female. The perpetrators could be a group of people or a single person. Employers who understand precisely what constitutes gender discrimination can better avoid it when they educate and train their workers on what is and is not okay, as well as the importance of being respectful to the differences of others. The Society for Human Resource Management suggests that one of the most effective practices toward combating gender discrimination in the workplace is when companies inform their workers about common biases and then work relentlessly to create a culture that prevents such biases from taking root. If companies notice discrepancies between genders, such as pay scale differences, they should work quickly to correct those issues before they create a divide between dissatisfied workers. Senior management should be well aware of the dangers of allowing gender discrimination or ignoring concerns from people who have witnessed or been a victim of a biased comment or action. If a concern is brought to their attention, it should be addressed promptly and efforts to prevent similar occurrences from happening should be made immediately.

Pig: Oink! Look at the size of this hill in front of us. Are you sure this is the way to Badger's house? Kangaroo: Yikes! That's some hill. I'm not sure. Hand me the map and I'll check our route. Pig: The map? I don't have the map. I don't even have clothes! Where would I carry a map, mate? Kangaroo: Oops! Silly me. It's right here in my pocket. OK, we're following this trail right here and there's the right turn we just took, so we're right here. Badger's house is over here and in between are a bunch of these squiggly lines really close together. Pig: Squiggly lines? What do those mean? Kangaroo: I'm not sure, but I think they mean we have to climb this hill. We'd better hurry. Badger is expecting us soon. We have no idea why Pig and Kangaroo were meeting up with Badger, but we do think we know a bit about the squiggly lines on their map. It sounds to us like Pig and Kangaroo were using a topographic map, which was a smart decision since they were hiking. You've probably seen many types of maps, from spherical globes to street maps displayed on smartphone screens. Topographic maps are different from other types of maps in that they are able to represent three-dimensional space on a flat, two-dimensional map. Topographic maps use contour lines to show topography, which is how Earth's surface is shaped. If you've never seen a topographic map before, these "squiggly" contour lines are one of the first things you'll notice, since they give topographic maps a unique look. Contour lines are lines of constant elevation, so they never cross on a map. They connect points of equal elevation on Earth's surface above or below a reference point, such as sea level. If you follow a particular contour line, you will find a number that indicates what elevation that line represents. Contour lines make it possible to show the height and shape of mountains, the steepness of hills, and even the depth of the ocean floor. To visualize the shape of the terrain shown on a topographic map, you need to look at the spacing of the contour lines. Topographic maps are a great tool for hikers and other people who want or need to be able to see how Earth's surface is shaped. For example, a regular map might show you that a hike from Point A to Point B is only one mile. A topographic map will show you if there happens to be a steep cliff, hill, or mountain between those points! In addition to elevation, topographic maps show a wide variety of other geographic features, such as roads, rivers, lakes, forests, towns, buildings, railroads, political boundaries, mines, caves, and other minor and major geographic landforms. Topographic maps are used by many professionals, including construction and mining companies. Topographic maps have been around a long time. The first topographic map series of an entire country dates back to 1789, when the Carte géométrique de la France was completed.

If you discover mould in your home, you need to act quickly to remove it and then take steps to prevent the mould coming back. Mould spores are an allergen that can cause reactions in people with weak immune systems and respiratory conditions including asthma, and some species of mould release toxic chemicals called mycotoxins that can cause major health problems in children and older people. Allergic reactions to mould can range from mild to severe and include: If the mould spores are inhaled, they are more likely to cause problems in your respiratory tract and can trigger an asthma attack in people with the conditions. Mould usually grows in damp conditions, and these are also associated with worsening underlying heath problems, so the longer the mould is allowed to persist, the more serious the reaction is likely to be. With toxic black mould, the presence of mycotoxins can also result in long term problems. Mould grows from microscopic spores that are carried in the air. Mould spores are present in every home, but they will not develop into colonies unless the conditions are right. If the mould spores land in a damp area with limited air flow to move them on, they will start to grow almost immediately. The damp that allows mould to grow in the home is often a result of high humidity in the air. Water vapour from bathing, cooking and even breathing will form condensation on cold surfaces and as this is absorbed into plaster and wood, it will cause damp. It is this damp where the mould will usually grow. Mould is a type of fungus which grows from spores. The spores spread across a surface using thin filaments that create a network called a mycelium. The filaments that connect the mould together are called hyphae and in effect, the whole colony of mould is a single organism. There are countless species of mould in the world, although only a few of these are seen in British homes. Moulds can grow on almost any porous surface where there is some moisture and the most common species of mould that may be found growing in houses are: This species can be found in darker areas such as under sinks and in cupboards. It prefers warm conditions and will spread most during the summer months when it is warm and humid. Aspergillus will often be found in dusty environments. Damp patches in plasterboard can provide the ideal conditions for it to grow and it is common on walls. You are most likely to find Cladosporium on softer surfaces including fabrics and wood. It grows below the surface and creates patches that are difficult to spot until it is ready to release spores. Also known as toxic black mould, this species can form large black patches in areas with a lot of moisture such as bathrooms. Stachybotrys Chartarum may need to be professionally cleaned. It is quite simple to clean mould from surfaces in your home. Dilute bleach with water at a ratio of one part bleach to four parts of water and then spray onto the mould. This will kill off the surface mould and allow you to wipe it away. When using bleach or supermarket mould cleaner, it is important to work in a well-ventilated space and to wear gloves, mouth, and eye protection. Dispose of any cloths that you use in the bin to avoid spreading spores elsewhere in your home. Unfortunately, mould cleaners will only remove the mould from the surface, and it can quickly grow back if the damp conditions remain. To stop mould for good, you will need to take away the source of moisture. In most homes, condensation from cooking, bathing and drying clothes indoors causes an increase in humidity. Improving the airflow in your home will reduce condensation, and excess moisture can be removed from the air using extractor fans in your bathroom and kitchen. Mould in your home can pose a threat to your health if it is allowed to grow. Preventing condensation reduces the damp conditions where mould can grow, and better ventilation will help. If you are concerned about the presence of mould in your home, please contact us today. Our local ventilation specialists can visit your home to conduct a free survey that will identify the causes of mould. Enter your postcode below to find an expert near you. © EnviroVent Ltd 2024. All right reserved. Part of S&P Group.

Enamel is the hard outer layer of tissue that covers and protects the teeth. Certain habits and health issues (more on that shortly), like drinking a lot of soda and eating sugary foods, can damage tooth enamel. Erosion of enamel at the gum line is typically a result of tooth decay, but it can be caused by other conditions. Erosion caused by tooth decay is partly preventable with healthy oral hygiene habits. Enamel protects our teeth as we bite, chew, grind, and speak. It also protects against sensitivity to temperature changes and damaging chemicals. Intrinsic erosion is caused by something within the body, like digestive problems or psychological issues. Preventing intrinsic erosion can pose a challenge, as it requires treating the cause. Causes of intrinsic erosion include: Extrinsic erosion is tooth erosion that’s caused by something outside the body, like: Tooth decay has a broad range of symptoms. The most common ones are: If you notice any signs of tooth decay in your child, schedule an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible. Kool Smiles Kids Club has partner dentists across the U.S. who offer quality dental care to suit any budget. When it comes to tooth decay, the best offense is a good defense. Easy prevention methods include: All children should see a dentist twice a year for a routine checkup. If an oral health issue arises, it’s best to catch it early.

Since you are working toward having the students sing in a round, it’s important that they have a solid sense of the beat, so that when it’s time to split up, they’ll be able t hold their own. One easy way to get students to practice the steady beat without boring them, is pulling out rhythm instruments and giving them plenty of opportunities to play their favorite. This might mean creating different stations using hand drums, claves, djembes, castanets, and so on. Then, have students play the steady beat while you sing, and give them the chance to switch stations each time you repeat the song. As they grow more comfortable with the melody, encourage them to begin singing along. You might even consider telling them to keep a beat with found sounds, such as a pencil on a music stand or taking off their shoes and slapping them together. Beware of the chaos that might ensue with this one! I would encourage you to split this lesson into several different class times. The melody can be tricky, and it’s best to give them plenty of practice singing in unison before attempting a round.When you think they’re ready for the round, split them into three groups and have each group stand in a circle facing the center. Give clear starting signals for each group and try your best to not sing along. If it all falls apart, this may be a clue that they haven’t practiced in unison enough, and you’ll need to move back a step so they can strengthen their foundation. Once your students complete the round successfully, bask in the glow of their accomplishment and celebrate with them. One of my joys in teaching was watching students in awe of their own abilities after singing in a round. It was always an amazing experience for them, and one to be shared with their teacher!

Angles – Mathematics has played a huge role in revolutionizing our world. We can find applications of math in our daily life. Some great mathematicians have brought great solutions to the rarest of problems and have left their mark in the field of mathematics. Most people think that in math we have to deal only with numbers, but it’s much more than that, it is a subject that deals with patterns, numbers and shapes. It is also considered one of the toughest subjects in the world by many students. In math, people have to deal with complex calculations. From the start of academics, every student has to study math because of its applications in the real world. Maths is used everywhere from counting simple figures to rocket science, science plays a huge role in every field. The main branches that math deals with are algebra, number theory, statistics, calculus, geometry and arithmetic. From the above-mentioned branches, we are going to discuss a few important topics of geometry in detail. Geometry in general deals with shapes, sizes and angles. One such topic in geometry is the angle. Angles can be divided into various categories such as acute angle, obtuse angle, right angle, supplementary angles, complementary angles and many more. In most cases, an angle is measured in degrees or radians. Most of the shapes have some constant angle like in an equilateral triangle all three angles are 60 degrees, in a rectangle and square all sides are fixed at an angle of 90 degrees with each other. Two pairs of lines are called parallel if the angle between them is zero degrees and are said to be perpendicular to each other when the angle between the two lines is ninety degrees. There is a lot of classification of [angles] as discussed above, we are going to discuss complementary angles in detail. When the total of two angles equals ninety degrees, the pair of angles is said to be complementary, or one can even define complementary angles as a pair of [angles] whose sum is equal to ninety degrees. One should always keep in mind that in some conditions even though the sum of angles is equal to 90 degrees, but they are a sum of more than two angles then they are not considered as complementary angles. Let us take an example, let there be a 20-degree angle and a 70-degree angle. We can see that the sum of the supplied angles is 90 degrees, indicating that they are complementary [angles], with 20 degrees being the complement of 70 degrees and vice versa. There are two types of [complementary angles]. Adjacent and nonadjacent. Let’s talk about both of them. - Adjacent complementary [angles]: They are defined as two complementary angles that share a common vertex and a common line. If two [angles] are not considered as non-adjacent [complementary angles] then they have to be adjacent complementary [angles]. - Non-adjacent complementary [angles]: If two given angles don’t have any common point and common line, they are said to be non-adjacent [complementary angles]. One can also say that if two [angles] add up to 90 degrees and aren’t adjacent complementary angles, then they’re surely considered non-adjacent [complementary angles]. In the above article, we have tried to discuss all the concepts related to corresponding angles. Nowadays, with an increase in the online mode of study, people can find several platforms to gather information. One such platform is Cuemath. It is one of the finest platforms to make our math-related problems crystal clear. Its language is easily understandable. One will get thousands of topics related to math to read on it. Not only school or college students, but an individual of any age can make the best use of this platform by gaining enormous knowledge available on it. Learning from online mode has increased enormously in the last few years. Studying from such online platforms not only saves our energy but also helps us to save time. One should take complete benefit of such platforms.

Bilzingsleben is one of the most important sites in early human history worldwide. Remains of Homo erectus were found in only a few other places throughout Europe. But only here do findings and tangible evidence reveal such an abundance of details that allow us amazingly precise insights into the life and behaviour of this archaic human form. About 370,000 years ago a small group of early prehistoric humans set up a permanent base camp on the high bank of a lake. They left behind numerous tools and implements, scraps of food, and remains of prey animals. There were living, working, and activity zones in the carefully chosen encampment. The remains of fireplaces and round huts as well as the structuring of the encampment are striking indicators of the developed cultural level of those people. Most impressive, however, are the skeletal remains of Homo erectus itself, through which we come face to face with our ancestors, as well as the oldest known evidence of abstract thought carved in bone. Described by our visitors and the museum team as the ›thinker‹, this prehistoric man sits enthroned and ponders in the centre of the ›Mental Power‹ exhibition area. He represents a fossil relative of people living today from the transition period to Homo sapiens neanderthalensis. The lifelike sculpture was made by Elisabeth Daynès (Paris). In recent years it was possible for the first time to extract and analyse usable DNA from organic remains of early humans. This brought a lot of movement into palaeoanthropology and many new and far-reaching insights are to be expected. Many researchers currently assume that the Neanderthals developed in Europe from Homo erectus, which is also known as Homo heidelbergensis in Europe. Homo sapiens sapiens has his cradle in Africa, his ancestor again being Homo erectus. From approx. 40,000 BC Homo sapiens sapiens and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis encountered one another in Europe. Today, only one species is left on Earth: us, Homo sapiens sapiens. Both the Neanderthals and the Homo sapiens sapiens descend from the so-called Homo erectus – the first early human species that came from Africa to Europe and finally also to central Germany.

According to a collaborative study conducted by the Universities of Tübingen, Osnabrück, Rwanda, and the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, 80% of Africa's energy needs could be met by renewable sources by 2040 if all currently planned power plants were constructed and their capacity was fully utilized. The journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment has published the study. There is enough sun, wind, and water on the continent. Many African countries could skip the age of fossil fuels. But of course, a few things would have to be done to achieve that. Rebecca Peters, Lead Author and Doctoral scientist, Geosciences Department, University of Tübingen. Under the guidance of Professor Christiane Zarfl and collaborators in Germany and Rwanda, Peters assembled all accessible information on African renewable energy power plants into an extensive database; following this, she assessed pertinent scientific research on the topic. Africa is seeing a significant increase in the use of renewable energy sources, thanks to precipitously declining production costs for wind and solar power. Nonetheless, in the upcoming decades, it is anticipated that the continent's energy needs will rise significantly. Sub-Saharan Africa is seeing a higher population increase rate than other regions, with 2.6% of the population now lacking access to electricity. One advantage of renewable energy sources, as noted by the authors, is the ability to run solar and wind power plants decentralized and in local networks without being connected to overhead power lines. This analysis indicates a large-scale grid extension into rural areas would be unnecessary and costly. Additionally, the efficient functioning of currently operating power plants, reduced energy losses during the transmission of electricity, and an appropriate mix of energy sources to offset variations in solar and wind energy production all present opportunities for increased energy production in Africa. We are, however, skeptical about the unchecked expansion of hydroelectricity, although Africa is the continent with the world's least exploited reserves of this form of energy, and hydropower currently accounts for 63 percent of renewable energy production, a great expansion of dams and lakes would irreversibly change the currently free-flowing rivers and would also force many residents to relocate. Dr. Klement Tockner, Professor and Director General, Senckenberg Nature Research Society Tockner is also an aquatic ecologist and co-author of the study. To ensure that all Africans sustainably have access to renewable electricity, nations that rely heavily on gas, like Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya or coal, must give up on building new gas and coal-fired power plants in the future and switch to clean energy production. Structural change is only possible by doubling current investments by 2030 and investing an additional 30 billion dollars a year to ensure access to electricity for all. Investments from abroad would be needed; since the noughties, China has played an increasingly important role alongside the USA and European countries. Dr. Jürgen Berlekamp, Institute of Environmental Systems Research, University of Osnabrück. Peters, R., et.al., (2024). Sustainable pathways towards universal renewable electricity access in Africa. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00501-1

How Arctic Fires Are Impacting Earth's Atmosphere AILSA CHANG, HOST: Wildfires are sweeping across the top of the planet. This summer alone, hundreds of wildfires have burned millions of acres of forest in Alaska, northern Canada and Siberia. Scientists at the University of Alaska's International Arctic Research Center see a link to climate change. As temperatures rise, they say fires are getting bigger, hotter and more frequent. Here to talk about all of this is Nancy Fresco. She is a climate scientist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Thanks for joining us. NANCY FRESCO: Thank you very much for having me. CHANG: So I have to admit when I first heard the Arctic is on fire, I was like, what? I think of ice when I think of the Arctic, not wildfires. FRESCO: It's true. A lot of people don't realize that we're actually in a forested ecosystem that is about 1 1/2 times as big as the lower 48 states, to give you some perspective. FRESCO: As a reference, we've had over 2 1/2 million acres burn here in Alaska this summer, and that's about the combined area of Rhode Island and Delaware. CHANG: OK. So very briefly, can you just explain how wildfires happen in the Arctic? Because, like, say, in California, they happen when temperatures get really, really, really hot. But that doesn't happen in the Arctic. FRESCO: Well, increasingly, it's happening more and more. We had the hottest July on record up here in Alaska. The city of Anchorage hit 90 degrees for the first time ever. FRESCO: And that does drive wildfires. It gets dry. It gets hot. FRESCO: Fires burn naturally here. Some years, we have only a small amount of fire, but those large fire years where Alaska sees more than 2 million acres burning in a summer have become about twice as common in this century compared to in the previous century. CHANG: And what kind of resources are even available to fight fires up there? Because, you know, this isn't like California, which has this huge population. There are enormous firefighting crews that get dispatched. That doesn't happen, I guess, in the Arctic so much. FRESCO: Well, it does and it doesn't. Of course, when fires are threatening people's lives, people's property, we have smoke jumpers, we have fire experts who are on it who are out there day and night trying to protect people. However, unlike California, there are a lot of fires up here that are not fought at all. They're classified as limited suppression. That means they're monitored. They're watched. But until and unless they threaten some known resource, they're allowed to burn across thousands, millions of acres. CHANG: Wow. So if we are seeing bigger and more frequent fires up in the Arctic, what does that mean for the rest of the world? FRESCO: Well, it's unfortunately not good news. Here, obviously it affects our health. We're inhaling smoke. It puts people's lives and property at risk. But from the point of view of the rest of the world, it's bad news, too, because all those fires release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. When trees burn and when the soils burn, it adds those gases back to the atmosphere. And, of course, that makes climate change even worse on a global scale. CHANG: So what would you like to see happen up in the Arctic to deal with this problem? What needs to change up there? FRESCO: Well, unfortunately, it's not something we can deal with on our own. Here, the best we can do is protect people, fight the fires that have to be fought. But the problem is one that we as an entire planet have to deal with because there's no way to fight all the fires here. There's no way to put them out. There's no way to prevent the release of those greenhouse gases unless we slow down climate change globally. CHANG: That's Nancy Fresco, a climate scientist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Thank you very much for being with us today. FRESCO: Thank you so much. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

A Guide to Accessible Web Development and Design January 3, 2024 by Jay In today’s digital age, it is crucial for web developers and designers to prioritize accessibility. Accessible web development and design ensure that people with disabilities can access and use websites and applications effectively. This guide provides an overview of accessibility principles, common challenges, best practices, and testing techniques. By incorporating accessibility into the web development workflow, collaborating with designers and developers, and maintaining accessibility compliance, we can create inclusive digital experiences for all users. - Accessibility is essential in web development and design to ensure equal access for all users. - Semantic HTML and keyboard-friendly interfaces are fundamental building blocks of accessibility. - Color contrast and visual accessibility play a crucial role in making content accessible. - Providing alternative text for images and media is important for users who rely on screen readers. - Manual and automated testing, as well as user testing and accessibility audits, are essential for ensuring accessibility compliance. Understanding Accessibility in Web Development and Design The Importance of Accessibility Accessibility is a crucial aspect of web development and design. It ensures that websites and web content can be accessed and used by people of all abilities, including those with disabilities. By making websites accessible, we can provide equal opportunities for everyone to engage with online information and services. Accessibility is not just a legal requirement, but also a moral and ethical responsibility. It is our duty as web developers and designers to create inclusive digital experiences that empower and include all users. Key Principles of Accessible Web Development When it comes to creating accessible websites, there are a few key principles that developers should keep in mind. These principles serve as a foundation for ensuring that websites are usable and inclusive for all users, regardless of their abilities. One important principle is perceivability. This means that all information and user interface components should be presented in a way that can be perceived by all users. This includes providing alternative text for images and media, using clear and descriptive headings, and ensuring color contrast for text and background. Another principle is operability. Websites should be easy to navigate and operate, especially for users who rely on assistive technologies. This can be achieved by creating keyboard-friendly interfaces, ensuring that all interactive elements are accessible via keyboard, and providing clear and consistent navigation menus. A third principle is understandability. Websites should be designed in a way that is easy to understand and use. This includes using clear and concise language, organizing content in a logical manner, and providing helpful instructions or cues when needed. By following these key principles of accessible web development, developers can create websites that are inclusive and provide a positive user experience for all users. Common Accessibility Challenges When developing and designing accessible websites, there are several common challenges that developers and designers may encounter. These challenges can make it difficult for people with disabilities to access and navigate the web content. It is important to be aware of these challenges and find effective solutions to ensure inclusivity and equal access for all users. Accessible Design Best Practices When it comes to creating accessible designs, there are several best practices to keep in mind. These practices ensure that your website or application is usable by a wide range of users, including those with disabilities. Here are some key tips to consider: Use clear and concise language: Avoid using jargon or complex terminology that may be difficult for some users to understand. Keep your content simple and straightforward. Provide clear navigation: Make sure your website has a logical and intuitive navigation structure. Use descriptive labels for links and buttons, and provide clear instructions for completing tasks. Ensure color contrast: Use colors that have sufficient contrast to ensure readability for users with visual impairments. Avoid using color as the sole means of conveying information. Test with assistive technologies: Test your designs using assistive technologies such as screen readers or keyboard navigation. This will help you identify any accessibility issues and make necessary improvements. Seek feedback from users: Involve users with disabilities in the design process and gather their feedback. This will provide valuable insights and help you create a more inclusive and accessible design. Remember, designing for accessibility is not only a legal requirement but also a way to create a more inclusive and user-friendly experience for all users. Creating Accessible Web Content Semantic HTML: Building Blocks of Accessibility Semantic HTML is the foundation of accessible web development. It involves using HTML elements that convey meaning and structure to both humans and assistive technologies. By using semantic HTML, developers can ensure that their web content is properly understood and navigated by all users, including those with disabilities. Here are some key considerations when using semantic HTML: Creating Keyboard-Friendly Interfaces Creating keyboard-friendly interfaces is an essential aspect of accessible web development. By ensuring that all functionality can be accessed and operated using only a keyboard, you can provide a seamless experience for users who rely on keyboard navigation. Here are some key considerations when designing keyboard-friendly interfaces: - Use semantic HTML elements to structure your content and provide clear focus indicators. - Implement keyboard shortcuts for frequently used actions to improve efficiency. - Ensure that interactive elements, such as buttons and links, are easily navigable using the Tab key. - Test your interface using keyboard-only navigation to identify and address any usability issues. Remember, not all users are able to use a mouse or touch screen, so it’s important to prioritize keyboard accessibility in your design process. Ensuring Color Contrast and Visual Accessibility When it comes to ensuring color contrast and visual accessibility, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind. One important aspect is color contrast, which refers to the difference in brightness and hue between text and its background. It is crucial to have sufficient contrast to ensure that text is easily readable for all users, including those with visual impairments. Another important consideration is visual hierarchy, which involves using size, color, and spacing to prioritize and organize content. By establishing a clear visual hierarchy, you can guide users’ attention and make it easier for them to navigate and understand your website or application. Providing Alternative Text for Images and Media When it comes to making your website accessible, providing alternative text for images and media is crucial. Alternative text, also known as alt text, is a brief description that is read aloud by screen readers for visually impaired users. It allows them to understand the content and context of the image or media file. Alt text should be concise and descriptive, providing enough information for users to comprehend the purpose of the visual element. It is important to use keywords that accurately describe the image or media, while avoiding excessive details or unnecessary information. By including alt text, you ensure that all users, regardless of their visual abilities, can fully engage with your website’s content. Testing and Auditing for Accessibility Manual Testing Techniques Manual testing is an essential part of ensuring accessibility in web development. It involves a hands-on approach to evaluating the accessibility of a website or web application. By manually interacting with the site, testers can identify potential accessibility issues that may not be detected by automated tools. Manual testing allows for a more comprehensive assessment of the user experience, as it takes into account factors such as keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and color contrast. It also provides an opportunity to validate the implementation of accessibility features and ensure they meet the required standards. Automated Accessibility Testing Tools Automated accessibility testing tools are an essential part of the web development and design process. These tools help identify potential accessibility issues in a website or application, allowing developers and designers to make necessary improvements. By automating the testing process, developers can save time and ensure that their websites are accessible to all users. One popular automated accessibility testing tool is axe-core. This tool scans web pages for accessibility issues and provides detailed reports on areas that need improvement. It checks for common accessibility problems such as missing alt text for images, improper use of headings, and keyboard navigation issues. Another widely used tool is Lighthouse, which is built into the Google Chrome browser. Lighthouse not only tests for accessibility but also evaluates other aspects of web performance, best practices, and SEO. It provides a comprehensive report with actionable recommendations for improving accessibility. Using automated accessibility testing tools is a crucial step in ensuring that websites meet accessibility standards. However, it’s important to note that these tools are not a substitute for manual testing and user feedback. They serve as a starting point for identifying issues, but human evaluation is necessary to fully understand the user experience and make necessary adjustments. Incorporating automated accessibility testing tools into the web development workflow can greatly improve the accessibility of websites and applications, making them more inclusive and user-friendly for all individuals. Conducting User Testing for Accessibility Conducting user testing is a crucial step in ensuring the accessibility of your website or application. It allows you to gather valuable feedback from individuals with diverse abilities and identify any barriers or challenges they may encounter. User testing helps you understand how users navigate and interact with your content, and provides insights into areas that may need improvement. By involving users with disabilities in the testing process, you can gain a deeper understanding of their needs and preferences, and make informed decisions to enhance the accessibility of your digital products. Performing Accessibility Audits Performing accessibility audits is a crucial step in ensuring that your website or application is accessible to all users. It involves a comprehensive evaluation of your website’s design, code, and content to identify any accessibility barriers or issues. Accessibility audits can be conducted manually or using automated accessibility testing tools. Manual testing techniques involve reviewing the website’s code, inspecting the layout and design, and testing the website’s functionality with assistive technologies. Automated accessibility testing tools can help identify common accessibility issues, such as missing alternative text for images or improper use of headings. User testing for accessibility is also an important part of the audit process, as it allows you to gather feedback from individuals with disabilities and ensure that your website is usable for everyone. By performing accessibility audits, you can identify and address any accessibility issues, making your website more inclusive and accessible to all users. Implementing Accessibility in Web Development Workflow Incorporating Accessibility from the Start When it comes to web development, incorporating accessibility from the start is crucial. By considering accessibility during the initial stages of a project, you can ensure that your website is inclusive and usable for all users, regardless of their abilities. This not only improves the user experience but also helps you comply with accessibility standards and regulations. Collaborating with Designers and Developers Collaboration between designers and developers is crucial in creating accessible websites. Designers play a key role in ensuring that the visual elements of the website are inclusive and user-friendly. They can use their expertise in color theory and layout to create designs that meet accessibility standards. Developers, on the other hand, are responsible for implementing these designs and making sure that the website functions properly for all users. By working together, designers and developers can ensure that accessibility is considered at every stage of the web development process. Documenting Accessibility Guidelines Documenting accessibility guidelines is a crucial step in ensuring that your website or application is inclusive and accessible to all users. By documenting these guidelines, you provide a reference for designers and developers to follow throughout the development process. One effective way to document accessibility guidelines is by using a Markdown table. This allows you to present structured, quantitative data in a concise and organized manner. For example, you can include guidelines for color contrast ratios, keyboard navigation, and alternative text for images. In addition to the table, it’s also helpful to provide a bulleted list of key points or steps to follow. This can include items such as conducting accessibility audits, incorporating accessibility from the start of the development process, and collaborating with designers and developers to ensure accessibility is considered at every stage. Remember, documenting accessibility guidelines is not only important for your own team but also for future reference and compliance. It helps create a culture of accessibility and ensures that accessibility considerations are consistently implemented in your web development workflow. Maintaining Accessibility Compliance Maintaining accessibility compliance is crucial for ensuring that your website or application remains inclusive and usable for all users. It involves regularly reviewing and updating your website to ensure that it meets the latest accessibility standards and guidelines. Here are some key steps to help you maintain accessibility compliance: Implementing Accessibility in Web Development Workflow In conclusion, accessible web development and design are crucial for creating inclusive and user-friendly websites. By following the guidelines and best practices outlined in this article, developers and designers can ensure that their websites are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. It is important to remember that accessibility is not just a legal requirement, but also a moral and ethical responsibility. By making our websites accessible, we can provide equal opportunities for everyone to access and interact with the content. So let’s strive to create a web that is truly inclusive and accessible for all. Frequently Asked Questions What is web accessibility? Web accessibility refers to the inclusive practice of designing and developing websites and web applications that can be accessed and used by all individuals, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Why is web accessibility important? Web accessibility is important because it ensures that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with websites and web applications. It promotes equal access to information and services, and it is also beneficial for search engine optimization and user experience. What are the key principles of accessible web development? The key principles of accessible web development include perceivability, operability, understandability, and robustness. Websites should be designed in a way that allows users to perceive and interact with the content, navigate using various input methods, understand the information provided, and be compatible with different assistive technologies and future technologies. What are some common accessibility challenges in web development? Some common accessibility challenges in web development include lack of alternative text for images, improper use of headings and semantic HTML, insufficient color contrast, inaccessible forms and interactive elements, and lack of keyboard accessibility. What are some best practices for accessible design? Some best practices for accessible design include using clear and concise language, providing proper heading structure, using color with sufficient contrast, designing for keyboard accessibility, and ensuring that interactive elements are easily distinguishable. How can I test and audit for accessibility? You can test and audit for accessibility by using a combination of manual testing techniques and automated accessibility testing tools. It is also important to conduct user testing with individuals with disabilities and perform regular accessibility audits to ensure ongoing compliance.

Plagiarism is illegal to attempt and results in severe consequences. Have you heard of incremental plagiarism before..? Incremental plagiarism is a type of plagiarism that every 1 of 3 students uses. It is also known as patchwriting and using someone else's work without attribution. Combining different source material and pretending like yours is actually plagiarism. That's why it is crucial to understand the incremental plagiarism and how you can avoid it..! Definition and example of incremental plagiarism Incremental plagiarism is "using small parts of someone's work without permission". Unlike other types of plagiarism, it is not easy to detect, but still offensive. Generally direct plagiarism is the direct copy-paste of the material. Whereas the incremental is using small portions of different sources. It could be unintentional as many of the people are unaware. For example, when a student copies someone's article and gives no credit for using it. Making a few changes of words and pretending to be their own work is included in incremental plagiarism. Therefore, it's crucial to understand these different forms to avoid plagiarism. Different Forms of Incremental Plagiarism Incremental plagiarism occurs when you use someone's ideas, phrases, sentences without proper attribution. Various forms of incremental plagiarism that you must be understand are: - Changing words or phrases Copy-pasting is the most common form of incremental plagiarism. It happens when you copy-paste another source material without giving credit. Most often, it is a shortcut that you made to save your time, but it can easily be detected. It's an easy to do act but results in serious consequences. 2. Changing Words or Phrases Changing words or phrases is different from paraphrasing and summarizing. In this form of plagiarism, you make slight changes in someone's work and present it like your own. Changes of words and phrases might be difficult to detect but it still counts plagiarism. Paraphrasing is another form of incremental plagiarism and it also has bad consequences. It is a process of rewording someone's information in your own words and taking full credit. Paraphrasing is a legitimate act when you perform correctly. Otherwise, using synonyms to paraphrase the sentence is plagiarism. Self plagiarism is an intentional or unintentional process. It occurs when you reuse your own material without citing the previous work. Although it is your research material, it still includes plagiarism. You should be aware of it completely as it has bad effects on your performance and try to avoid it in your work. Regardless of the intentions, self plagiarism is still a violation of academic standards. Therefore, understanding the different forms of incremental plagiarism is crucial to avoid plagiarism. Be sure to write or create content in your original writing and give proper credit where needed. Consequences of Incremental Plagiarism Overall the incremental plagiarism has a significant impact on academic, professional and personal life. Further details to understand the possible consequences of incremental plagiarism are: - Academic consequences - Professional consequences - Legal consequences 1. Academic consequences Academic consequences of incremental plagiarism are severe and long lasting. Some of the consequences are: - Lowe grades - Failing assignments - Suspension form the school - Become challenge to get new admission - No scholarship opportunities - Damage academic reputation - Loss of professional opportunities 2. Professional consequences Professional consequences put a bad effect on your credibility and reputation. Some other professional consequences of incremental plagiarism are: - Termination of employment - Loss of business relationships - Difficulty finding future job opportunities - Legal action and potential fine - Prohibit from professional associations - Suspension of professional licenses or credentials - Negative impact on career promotions 3. Legal consequences When you use someone's copyrighted material without permission and giving acknowledgement. They have the proper right to take legal action which is a long process. The potential legal consequential results are: - Copyright infringement lawsuits - Civil penalties, including monetary damages - Criminal charges - Violation fines - Legal fees and other expenses to defend against legal actions To avoid incremental plagiarism, it is crucial to understand its consequences. It's a fact that almost 95% of the students admitted to cheating that results in bad outcomes. Therefore it is necessary to understand it properly and follow the tips to avoid it. How you can avoid Incremental Plagiarism Nowadays, plagiarism is quite easy to detect. Many people still prefer to use someone else's ideas and thoughts. They rely on others' information and deserve proper credit for their efforts. Some avoiding tips for plagiarism are: - Importance of originality in content - Using proper citations and references - Using plagiarism detection tools 1. Importance of originality in content Originality is an essential component in academic or professional work. It shows that you put an effort to create something new, unique and valuable. Original writing demonstrates your writing ability, critical thinking and creativity. Therefore, it is crucial to adopt originality over shortcuts. 2. Use proper citations and references Honestly, it is disrespectful to not acknowledge the efforts of the original author. So it is necessary to use proper citation for copying someone's information. You can simply make a reference list to caption their name or follow the citation styles, such as APA and MLA. These are the most common methods to give proper credit to the original source. Paraphrasing means putting someone's thoughts into your own words. It is a useful strategy that helps you to remember the main concept and you can easily restate them. For this purpose know the difference between paraphrasing and rephrasing. It will help you to properly paraphrase the material and prevent it from plagiarism. 4. Use plagiarism detection tools Using plagiarism detection tools is the best way to find any type of plagiarism. These tools identify the areas where you give no credit or properly paraphrase. It also helps you to make certain more changes in your work and give credit where you don't. Understanding of all above mentioned points are necessary to avoid plagiarism. By following these tips you can create original content free from plagiarism. Tips to develop original content Any type of plagiarism is a crime and people often copy other source material to save time and effort. There are some tips by which you can develop your original content. These tips are: - Researching and gathering information - Outlining and organizing ideas - Writing in your own words - Seeking feedback and editing 1. Researching and gathering information Researching and gathering information is the best way to develop original content. You can easily get a variety of information through books, articles and websites. The correct pattern to use this material is to: - Read carefully - Understand the concept - Make short notes - Write in your own words First thing that you must not follow is to copy and paste the information directly. It will truly help you to create your own document without plagiarism. 2. Outlining and organizing ideas Make an outline of the new ideas to work on. It will help you to organize your thoughts and write on all perspectives. Through making outlines and organizing data, you can write your content in a smooth way. Keep focus on the main points that you want to make and follow the outline for perfect writing. 3. Writing in your own words Writing in your own words is the perfect way to develop original content. When you start writing, do not hesitate to use your unique writing style. It will truly help you create original work. 4. Seeking feedback and editing Finally when you complete your writing by following the above mentioned guidelines. It's important to reread and review the information. When you seek others' feedback, it truly helps you improve your work. By doing this tip, you can make changes to your writings and also adjust its credibility. Following these tips, you can create unique and original content by yourself. All these tips will help you to come up with original ideas and it works best for you..! Attempting plagiarism is a crime in academic, professional and other settings. Incremental plagiarism is a type that often occurs at the initial stages of writing. It happens when you copy-paste someone's information and give no credit. Regardless of intentions, it causes serious effects that might result in legal actions. Some of the avoiding tips are also mentioned in this article that will help you to prevent it. So it is crucial to understand the incremental plagiarism and how you can avoid it. Various other aspects to make your content credible and authentic are: - Use your own words and writing style to convey information. - Give proper credit to the author. - Mention the original source. - Use proper citation style to mention the original author. - Review your content by using plagiarism checking tools. - Seek feedback or do editing to create plagiarism-free content.

Everyone gets angry, but not everyone knows how to manage it. The ability to process our emotional states, to know where they are coming from, what they mean and then take the appropriate action is the key to managing anger. It is not that we get angry it is how we get angry that is important. Anger is considered to be an emotional response to a threat or attack on our sense of well being. It is a negative constellation of emotional states. Anger is considered to be a secondary emotion that is stimulated by primary emotional states. These emotional states may be: hurt feelings, emotional pain, shame, guilt, or sadness. Anger is our own activity; it is our subjective response to reality. To learn new methods of being angry we have to learn how to calm down and then learn how to express our anger from the perspective of what is hurting us or what we need that is not being met. Our anger style is determined by our attitudes toward life. When our expectations toward life are not met we may become angry. For example if we believe that life should be fair and then we are in a situation which is not, we will respond with anger. Attitudes are a carry over from childhood where we learn or don’t learn how to interact appropriately with the way life is. Attitudes towards life and others must be consistent with reality to relieve anger. Anger is the result of our expectations from life that have not been met. The ability to develop realistic expectations for oneself and others will help to eliminate anger problems. Anger is always consistent with a person’s self image. Self contempt, inadequacy, worthless, powerless and helpless self images cause anger when these emotional wounds are stimulated. Self respect and a positive self image are critically important in managing anger. People without self respect or a positive self image cannot tolerate conflict or absorb criticism from others. Self respect is the ability to see oneself as a worthwhile human being who has inconsistencies, inadequacies, foibles and faults just like everyone else. Self respect allows us to operate from a position of strength. The ability to resolve conflict, negotiate or collaborate is based on self respect. The Inability to be responsible for Anger Most anger is directed toward others and involves blame. People who experience anger problems do not take responsibility for their anger and refuse to see where they are wrong. This person refuses to be wrong or be at fault for being angry. The inability to be wrong or take responsibility for our anger may be a defense against humiliation, shame from feeling inadequate, stupid, worthless, or weak. The inability to be wrong is consistent with wrong attitudes about life and must be made consistent if anger is to be resolved. Every time we make being right more important than the relationship the relationship suffers. The inability to accept responsibility for being wrong or our own anger, it blocks our ability to resolve anger and conflict. If our attitude about conflict is that we are right and justified then we will never be able to have an intimate relationship that lasts. Our ability to take responsibility for our own anger and where it comes from and our willingness to apologize if necessary is the cornerstone of all healthy relationships. Being the Victim Anger is often based on feelings like we are the victim and the other one is bad dynamic. We feel that we are entitled to be angry because we are the victim. Someone has done us wrong and they must be punished. First and foremost we must understand and accept that our anger belongs exclusively to us. It is our subjective response to another person and someone else in the same situation could or would respond differently. Learning to calm down, think about what is bothering us and to communicate that pain or frustration in a calm manner will most often lead to an effective resolution. Self talk – Diffusing anger through talking oneself through an angry situation by utilizing tolerance, compassion, understanding, and empathy, enables us to stop the anger. Stopping, taking a time out to listen to the inner process allows us to calm down. Once we can stop before expressing anger and think about what is causing it then we can better understand where it is that we are being stimulated to become angry. The ability to understand that we all have imperfections, faults, inconsistencies and foibles helps to diffuse anger. We cannot work out of a model of an ideal relationship or an ideal mate or self and not become angry. The ability to see into the roots of our own anger in relation to our feelings of inadequacy, powerlessness, worthlessness or pain, sadness and guilt is the key to diffusing anger. Working with others to resolve anger involves, self talk, taking a time out to calm down, considering the deeper issues that are being stimulated, and learning to talk about our reactions while working out solutions. Empathy is the ability to see into the other person from their point of view. It is a leap of compassion or vicarious introspection into the mind and feelings of the other. Empathy can be either emotional or intellectual and works best when it is both. The point where resolution begins is from our ability to grasp the experience of the other. Knowing how and where our own feelings are being stimulated is the secondary process of empathy. Angry states can occur when we are unable to distinguish between aggression and other states of being because we interpret a behavior as aggressive when it is may not be. The difficulty in seeing the actions of others as non aggressive is an important quality in anger management. Be sure to always check out our assumptions before we react. Alternatives to Anger It is supremely important to develop alternatives to anger when faced with it. Most people who have trouble with anger have been unable to develop choices as to how they want to express their angry feelings. For example if someone cannot express hurt feelings and instead becomes angry whenever they are hurt has not found alternate means for expressing anger. Four Basic Emotion Needs The fundamental understanding of where anger comes from must include an acceptance that we have basic needs and if they are not met we become angry. If we come to terms with our basic emotional needs and work out a need satisfying relationship then we are in the process of rooting out the source of our anger before it becomes a problem. Personal empowerment, self knowledge, self talk, learning to calm oneself down in the face of anger are the important challenges of anger management. Anger is always self destructive, counter productive and self defeating. The more one can relieve anger and self criticism through developing realistic attitudes about life and learn about good relationship skills that aim at satisfying basic needs for security the better we will be able to manage our anger. Practice taking time outs to consider where your anger is coming from, then think about what is happening with the other person and what can be done to alleviate the pain, then you are ready to talk. Please feel free contact Dr Bill Cloke today with any questions

What are the causes and effects of deforestation? What is global warming? How is it linked to deforestation? Let us find out. Trees play a vital role in the equilibrium of the ecosystem. Deforestation is a process of cutting trees to make space for pastures or for industries and households of the ever-increasing human population. Excessive cutting of trees for urban use and other purposes is detrimental to the environmental balance. It is needless to say that deforestation has several adverse effects on the environment. One of the major disadvantages of deforestation is that it disrupts the water cycle. Trees are responsible for drawing up water from the soil and releasing moisture into the atmosphere. Deforestation causes a disturbance in the water cycle and makes the environment drier. Climate change is a severe outcome of the excessive cutting down of trees. Forests lock up atmospheric carbon during the process of photosynthesis. Trees contain a major portion of carbon from the atmosphere. Clearing of the forest cover has a negative effect on the environment. It results in an increase in the amount of carbon and other greenhouse gases in the environment. Burning of forests results in the emission of a large amount of carbon dioxide into the air. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases like the oxides of nitrogen and methane are known to trap atmospheric heat, thus increasing the average temperature of the Earth’s surface. This increase in the temperature near the Earth’s surface and oceans is termed as global warming. The rise in the average temperature of our planet is bound to cause the sea level to increase. Global warming has already begun to cause the melting of glaciers and of the ice at the poles, thus adding to the rise in sea level. This phenomenon is a serious threat to the life on Earth and it is we who need to take the right measures to prevent this damage. We should not forget that trees add to the biodiversity in nature. Animal life thrives on vegetation. By cutting down trees, we deprive animals of their sources of food and cause the destruction of animal life. It can lead to the extinction of a variety of animal species. Global warming that is largely caused by deforestation further endangers plant and animal life, thereby disturbing the balance in nature. It is believed that the use of fossil fuels and the burning of oil and gas cause global warming. It is true that pollution caused by the burning of oil and gas and the release of pollutants causes global warming. But research has revealed that deforestation is one of its major causes. It is the main reason behind the rise in the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to the greenhouse effect. Extreme weather conditions, changing agricultural yields, and increase in the disease vectors are some of the other effects of global warming. Deforestation, being the primary reason behind global warming, we need to show greater concern towards the felling of trees. We need to take quick measures for preventing deforestation so that we can hope for an environment conducive to live in.

…By Enitan Thompson for TDPel Media. New research suggests that gorillas, including humans, may break the mold when it comes to the long-term effects of early life adversity. Unlike many other species, previous studies conducted by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund found that young gorillas exhibit resilience when losing their mothers. However, researchers highlight that losing a mother is just one example of potential adversity that young animals can face. The study challenges the assumption that early life adversity universally leads to negative outcomes in adulthood and raises questions about the impact of such events on humans. The findings of this study shed light on the unique resilience observed in gorillas when it comes to early life adversity. The researchers discovered that gorillas who survived beyond the age of six showed minimal effects from the difficulties they experienced during infancy or as juveniles. In contrast, humans face challenges in attributing adult health issues or premature death to specific adverse events experienced during early life due to various behavioral, environmental, and cultural factors. Therefore, studying early adverse events in non-human species, such as gorillas, could provide valuable insights into understanding their impact on humans and finding ways to mitigate their effects. The researchers suggest that the ability of gorillas to overcome early life adversities can have significant implications for humans. Understanding the underlying reasons behind this resilience may provide valuable lessons for addressing and mitigating the impact of early life adversity in human populations. The study analyzed data spanning 55 years, focusing on a group of wild mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. The long-term monitoring conducted by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund provided a wealth of information on these animals. The study identified six different types of early life adversity experienced by the gorillas, including parental loss, group member death due to infanticide, social group instability, limited age-mates in the social group, and the presence of a competing sibling born shortly after them. The researchers examined the impact of experiencing none, one, two, or three or more adverse events. The results revealed that gorillas who experienced multiple adversities before the age of six had a higher likelihood of dying as juveniles. However, if they survived past age six despite early adversity, their lifespans were not shortened, regardless of the number of adverse events they faced. Surprisingly, gorillas who experienced three or more forms of adversity actually lived longer, with a 70% reduction in the risk of death in adulthood. This longevity trend was particularly observed in males, potentially due to viability selection. It suggests that gorillas who were strong enough to survive challenging early life events may possess higher quality traits that contribute to longer lifespans. The study’s findings challenge the notion that the long-term negative effects of early life adversity are universal across species, emphasizing the need for nuanced understanding. Assistant Professor Rosenbaum, one of the study’s authors, suggests that assumptions about compromised adulthood following early adversity should not be made without considering the complexity and individuality of each case. The researchers propose that the tight-knit social structures within gorilla groups may contribute to their resilience. Even when a young gorilla loses its mother, other group members step in to fill the gap, preventing isolation. This study adds to the growing body of research exploring the impact of early life adversity and resilience in various species. By studying non-human species like gorillas, scientists gain valuable insights that can inform our understanding of human development and strategies to mitigate the effects of early adversity. Gorillas serve as a fascinating example of how some species can overcome early challenges and thrive in adulthood, challenging traditional assumptions about the long-term consequences of early

Gaming and Empathy: How Virtual Experiences Foster Understanding In a world increasingly defined by digital interactions, video games have emerged as a powerful medium for fostering empathy and promoting understanding. While often criticized for their potential to promote violence or isolation, video games, when thoughtfully designed and consumed, can provide immersive experiences that allow players to step into the shoes of others, cultivating empathy and compassion. Immersive Storytelling and Emotional Resonance Video games tambang888, through their captivating narratives and immersive gameplay, have the unique ability to transport players to different worlds and perspectives. By experiencing the lives of characters from diverse backgrounds and facing challenges that resonate with human emotions, players gain insights into the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of others. Games like “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice” and “To The Moon” delve into the depths of mental health, allowing players to experience the world through the eyes of characters struggling with psychosis and grief. These experiences can foster empathy and understanding for those facing similar challenges in real life. Empathy Through Gameplay Mechanics Beyond storytelling, the very mechanics of video games can promote empathy. Cooperative gameplay, a cornerstone of many games, requires players to work together, communicate effectively, and understand each other’s roles and motivations. This collaborative spirit fosters empathy and builds trust among players, translating into real-world relationships. Games like “Overcooked! 2” and “Deep Rock Galactic” emphasize teamwork and communication, requiring players to coordinate their actions and adapt to each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Through these shared experiences, players develop empathy for their teammates and appreciate the value of collaboration. Exploring Social Issues and Marginalized Perspectives Video games can also serve as platforms for exploring social issues and promoting understanding of marginalized groups. Games like “Celeste” and “Night in the Woods” tackle themes of anxiety, depression, and social isolation, shedding light on the experiences of those often overlooked or misunderstood. These games encourage players to empathize with characters facing these challenges, fostering a sense of compassion and understanding for those who may struggle silently in real life. The Role of Developers and Educators The ability of video games to promote empathy is not solely dependent on the player’s experience; it also lies in the hands of game developers and educators. Developers play a crucial role in crafting narratives, designing gameplay mechanics, and creating characters that resonate with players and encourage empathy. Educators can also harness the power of video games to promote empathy in the classroom. By incorporating thoughtfully chosen games into their curriculum, educators can provide students with safe and engaging spaces to explore diverse perspectives and develop empathy for others. Video games, when approached with intentionality and responsibility, can serve as powerful tools for fostering empathy and promoting understanding. By immersing players in diverse perspectives, encouraging collaboration, and exploring social issues, video games can contribute to a more compassionate and connected world. As gaming technology continues to evolve, its potential to foster empathy and understanding holds immense promise for the future.

Want ENoP in your Inbox? Receive the latest news from the ENoP Network "*" indicates required fields Political parties are a cornerstone of representative democracy and serve a function like no other institution. Democratic political parties contest and seek to win elections in order to govern and manage government institutions. They offer alternative public policy proposals which are shaped by citizens’ preferences. Political parties – through their candidates running for elections – provide citizens with political options to select their preferred party and candidate. In democracies, political parties ensure that elections are genuine expressions of the people’s will. Furthermore, they perform essential functions in between elections. They are a vital connecting link between state and society at national and particularly at local level. They carry out a political leadership role a modern democracy cannot function without. As much as citizens’ initiatives and social movements are necessary for political innovation, opposition and criticism, ultimately, they depend very much on the parties and elected representatives who carry the responsibility to translate their demands into actual legislative proposals. When not part of the governing party (coalition), democratic parties provide a constructive and critical opposition by presenting themselves as the alternative government voters may wish to choose – thus pressuring the incumbents to be more responsive to the public’s interests. The expression of conflicting views can actually help to create a better understanding of the issues and to identify solutions. Outside election periods, democratic parties also offer citizens opportunities to participate in political life and encourage active links between citizens and those who represent them.

If we are interested in how heat transfer is converted into doing work, then the conservation of energy principle is important. The first law of thermodynamics applies the conservation of energy principle to systems where heat transfer and doing work are the methods of transferring energy into and out of the system. The first law of thermodynamics states that the change in internal energy of a system equals the net heat transfer into the system minus the net work done by the system. In equation form, the first law of thermodynamics is Here is the change in internal energy of the system. is the net heat transferred into the system—that is, is the sum of all heat transfer into and out of the system. is the net work done by the system—that is, is the sum of all work done on or by the system. We use the following sign conventions: if is positive, then there is a net heat transfer into the system; if is positive, then there is net work done by the system. So positive adds energy to the system and positive takes energy from the system. Thus . Note also that if more heat transfer into the system occurs than work done, the difference is stored as internal energy. Heat engines are a good example of this—heat transfer into them takes place so that they can do work. (See Figure 15.3.) We will now examine , , and further. The first law of thermodynamics is actually the law of conservation of energy stated in a form most useful in thermodynamics. The first law gives the relationship between heat transfer, work done, and the change in internal energy of a system. Heat Q and Work W Heat transfer () and doing work () are the two everyday means of bringing energy into or taking energy out of a system. The processes are quite different. Heat transfer, a less organized process, is driven by temperature differences. Work, a quite organized process, involves a macroscopic force exerted through a distance. Nevertheless, heat and work can produce identical results.For example, both can cause a temperature increase. Heat transfer into a system, such as when the Sun warms the air in a bicycle tire, can increase its temperature, and so can work done on the system, as when the bicyclist pumps air into the tire. Once the temperature increase has occurred, it is impossible to tell whether it was caused by heat transfer or by doing work. This uncertainty is an important point. Heat transfer and work are both energy in transit—neither is stored as such in a system. However, both can change the internal energy of a system. Internal energy is a form of energy completely different from either heat or work. Internal Energy U We can think about the internal energy of a system in two different but consistent ways. The first is the atomic and molecular view, which examines the system on the atomic and molecular scale. The internal energy of a system is the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of its atoms and molecules. Recall that kinetic plus potential energy is called mechanical energy. Thus internal energy is the sum of atomic and molecular mechanical energy. Because it is impossible to keep track of all individual atoms and molecules, we must deal with averages and distributions. A second way to view the internal energy of a system is in terms of its macroscopic characteristics, which are very similar to atomic and molecular average values. Macroscopically, we define the change in internal energy to be that given by the first law of thermodynamics: Many detailed experiments have verified that , where is the change in total kinetic and potential energy of all atoms and molecules in a system. It has also been determined experimentally that the internal energy of a system depends only on the state of the system and not how it reached that state. More specifically, is found to be a function of a few macroscopic quantities (pressure, volume, and temperature, for example), independent of past history such as whether there has been heat transfer or work done. This independence means that if we know the state of a system, we can calculate changes in its internal energy from a few macroscopic variables. In thermodynamics, we often use the macroscopic picture when making calculations of how a system behaves, while the atomic and molecular picture gives underlying explanations in terms of averages and distributions. We shall see this again in later sections of this chapter. For example, in the topic of entropy, calculations will be made using the atomic and molecular view. To get a better idea of how to think about the internal energy of a system, let us examine a system going from State 1 to State 2. The system has internal energy in State 1, and it has internal energy in State 2, no matter how it got to either state. So the change in internal energy is independent of what caused the change. In other words, is independent of path. By path, we mean the method of getting from the starting point to the ending point. Why is this independence important? Note that . Both and depend on path, but does not. This path independence means that internal energy is easier to consider than either heat transfer or work done. Calculating Change in Internal Energy: The Same Change in is Produced by Two Different Processes (a) Suppose there is heat transfer of 40.00 J to a system, while the system does 10.00 J of work. Later, there is heat transfer of 25.00 J out of the system while 4.00 J of work is done on the system. What is the net change in internal energy of the system? (b) What is the change in internal energy of a system when a total of 150.00 J of heat transfer occurs out of (from) the system and 159.00 J of work is done on the system? (See Figure 15.4). In part (a), we must first find the net heat transfer and net work done from the given information. Then the first law of thermodynamics can be used to find the change in internal energy. In part (b), the net heat transfer and work done are given, so the equation can be used directly. Solution for (a) The net heat transfer is the heat transfer into the system minus the heat transfer out of the system, or Similarly, the total work is the work done by the system minus the work done on the system, or Thus the change in internal energy is given by the first law of thermodynamics: We can also find the change in internal energy for each of the two steps. First, consider 40.00 J of heat transfer in and 10.00 J of work out, or Now consider 25.00 J of heat transfer out and 4.00 J of work in, or The total change is the sum of these two steps, or Discussion on (a) No matter whether you look at the overall process or break it into steps, the change in internal energy is the same. Solution for (b) Here the net heat transfer and total work are given directly to be and , so that Discussion on (b) A very different process in part (b) produces the same 9.00-J change in internal energy as in part (a). Note that the change in the system in both parts is related to and not to the individual s or s involved. The system ends up in the same state in both (a) and (b). Parts (a) and (b) present two different paths for the system to follow between the same starting and ending points, and the change in internal energy for each is the same—it is independent of path. Human Metabolism and the First Law of Thermodynamics Human metabolism is the conversion of food into heat transfer, work, and stored fat. Metabolism is an interesting example of the first law of thermodynamics in action. We now take another look at these topics via the first law of thermodynamics. Considering the body as the system of interest, we can use the first law to examine heat transfer, doing work, and internal energy in activities ranging from sleep to heavy exercise. What are some of the major characteristics of heat transfer, doing work, and energy in the body? For one, body temperature is normally kept constant by heat transfer to the surroundings. This means is negative. Another fact is that the body usually does work on the outside world. This means is positive. In such situations, then, the body loses internal energy, since is negative. Now consider the effects of eating. Eating increases the internal energy of the body by adding chemical potential energy (this is an unromantic view of a good steak). The body metabolizes all the food we consume. Basically, metabolism is an oxidation process in which the chemical potential energy of food is released. This implies that food input is in the form of work. Food energy is reported in a special unit, known as the Calorie. This energy is measured by burning food in a calorimeter, which is how the units are determined. In chemistry and biochemistry, one calorie (spelled with a lowercase c) is defined as the energy (or heat transfer) required to raise the temperature of one gram of pure water by one degree Celsius. Nutritionists and weight-watchers tend to use the dietary calorie, which is frequently called a Calorie (spelled with a capital C). One food Calorie is the energy needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. This means that one dietary Calorie is equal to one kilocalorie for the chemist, and one must be careful to avoid confusion between the two. Again, consider the internal energy the body has lost. There are three places this internal energy can go—to heat transfer, to doing work, and to stored fat (a tiny fraction also goes to cell repair and growth). Heat transfer and doing work take internal energy out of the body, and food puts it back. If you eat just the right amount of food, then your average internal energy remains constant. Whatever you lose to heat transfer and doing work is replaced by food, so that, in the long run, . If you overeat repeatedly, then is always positive, and your body stores this extra internal energy as fat. The reverse is true if you eat too little. If is negative for a few days, then the body metabolizes its own fat to maintain body temperature and do work that takes energy from the body. This process is how dieting produces weight loss. Life is not always this simple, as any dieter knows. The body stores fat or metabolizes it only if energy intake changes for a period of several days. Once you have been on a major diet, the next one is less successful because your body alters the way it responds to low energy intake. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate at which food is converted into heat transfer and work done while the body is at complete rest. The body adjusts its basal metabolic rate to partially compensate for over-eating or under-eating. The body will decrease the metabolic rate rather than eliminate its own fat to replace lost food intake. You will chill more easily and feel less energetic as a result of the lower metabolic rate, and you will not lose weight as fast as before. Exercise helps to lose weight, because it produces both heat transfer from your body and work, and raises your metabolic rate even when you are at rest. Weight loss is also aided by the quite low efficiency of the body in converting internal energy to work, so that the loss of internal energy resulting from doing work is much greater than the work done.It should be noted, however, that living systems are not in thermalequilibrium. The body provides us with an excellent indication that many thermodynamic processes are irreversible. An irreversible process can go in one direction but not the reverse, under a given set of conditions. For example, although body fat can be converted to do work and produce heat transfer, work done on the body and heat transfer into it cannot be converted to body fat. Otherwise, we could skip lunch by sunning ourselves or by walking down stairs. Another example of an irreversible thermodynamic process is photosynthesis. This process is the intake of one form of energy—light—by plants and its conversion to chemical potential energy. Both applications of the first law of thermodynamics are illustrated in Figure 15.5. One great advantage of conservation laws such as the first law of thermodynamics is that they accurately describe the beginning and ending points of complex processes, such as metabolism and photosynthesis, without regard to the complications in between. Table 15.1 presents a summary of terms relevant to the first law of thermodynamics. |Internal energy—the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of a system’s atoms and molecules. Can be divided into many subcategories, such as thermal and chemical energy. Depends only on the state of a system (such as its , , and ), not on how the energy entered the system. Change in internal energy is path independent. |Heat—energy transferred because of a temperature difference. Characterized by random molecular motion. Highly dependent on path. entering a system is positive. |Work—energy transferred by a force moving through a distance. An organized, orderly process. Path dependent. done by a system (either against an external force or to increase the volume of the system) is positive.

It happens to every one of us every day. We are constantly identified, authenticated, and authorized by various systems. And yet, many people confuse the meanings of these words, often using the terms identification or authorization when, in fact, they are talking about authentication. That’s no big deal as long as it is just an everyday conversation and both sides understand what they are talking about. It is always better to know the meaning of the words you use, though, and sooner or later, you will run into a geek who will drive you crazy with clarifications, whether it’s authorization versus authentication, fewer or less, which or that, and so on. So, what do the terms identification, authentication, and authorization mean, and how do the processes differ from one another? First, we will consult Wikipedia: - “Identification is the act of indicating a person or thing’s identity.” - “Authentication is the act of proving […] the identity of a computer system user” (for example, by comparing the password entered with the password stored in the database). - “Authorization is the function of specifying access rights/privileges to resources.” You can see why people who aren’t really familiar with the concepts might mix them up. Using raccoons to explain identification, authentication, and authorization Now, for greater simplicity, let’s use an example. Let’s say a user wants to log in to their Google account. Google works well as an example because its login process is neatly broken into several basic steps. Here is what it looks like: - First, the system asks for a login. The user enters one and the system recognizes it as a real login. This is identification. - Google then asks for a password. The user provides it, and if the password entered matches the password stored, then the system agrees that the user indeed seems to be real. This is authentication. - In most cases, Google then asks for a one-time verification code from a text message or authenticator app, too. If the user enters that correctly as well, the system will finally agree that he or she is the real owner of the account. This is two-factor authentication. - Finally, the system gives the user the right to read messages in their inbox and such. This is authorization. Authentication without prior identification makes no sense; it would be pointless to start checking before the system knew whose authenticity to verify. One has to introduce oneself first. Along the same lines, identification without authentication would be silly. Anyone could enter any login that existed in the database — the system would need the password. But someone could sneak a peek at the password or just guess it. Asking for further proof that only the real user can have, such as a one-time verification code, is better. By contrast, authorization without identification, let alone authentication, is quite possible. For example, you can provide public access to your document in Google Drive, so that it is available to anyone. In that case you might see a notice saying that your document is being viewed by an anonymous raccoon. Even though the raccoon is anonymous, the system did authorize it — that is, grant it the right to view the document. However, if you had given the read right only to certain users, the raccoon would have had to get identified (by providing its login), then authenticated (by providing the password and a one-time verification code) to gain the right to read the document (authorization). When it comes to reading the contents of your mailbox, Google will never authorize an anonymous raccoon to read your messages The raccoon would have to introduce itself as you, with your login and password, at which point it would no longer be an anonymous raccoon; Google would identify it as you. So, now you know in what ways identification is different from authentication and authorization. One more important point: Authentication is perhaps the key process in terms of the security of your account. If you are using a weak password for authentication, a raccoon could hijack your account. Therefore: - Create strong and unique passwords for all of your accounts. - If you have trouble remembering your passwords, a password manager has your back. It can help with generating passwords, too. - Activate two-factor authentication, with one-time verification codes in text messages or an authenticator application, for every service that supports it. Otherwise, some anonymous raccoon that got its paws on your password will be able to read your secret correspondence or do something even nastier.

It was the eminent French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes who first suggested that the human mind may operate outside of the physical realm. He called it his mind-matter duality theory. The idea was that the human brain was above the physical world and could use its power to influence it. The “father of modern philosophy,” may have been more prescient than he’d ever realize. Currently, a theoretical physicist is gearing up to test this theory in modern form. Lucien Hardy of the Perimeter Institute in Canada, will use an EEG machine, to see if the mind operates on the quantum level or outside of it. The results could have vast implications for our understanding of consciousness and free will. The experiment centers on the concept of quantum entanglement. Here, particles influence each other, even when far apart. Photons are light particles. Say using a laser, you shoot them through a crystal. Two photons suddenly become entangled. Afterwards, they’re move quite a distance apart. If you interact with one photon it affects the other, instantaneously, no matter their distance from one another. In the 1930’s, Einstein—puzzled by this, called it a “spooky action at a distance.” One problem is that acting upon one particle causes changes in the other faster than the speed of light, something relativity states is impossible. Another weird effect, when we measure the spin of one entangled particle, the other always has the opposite spin, be it just around the corner from its partner or across the galaxy. This is as if measuring one influences the spin of the other at a rate faster than the speed of light. Is it true or is something else going on? This is one of the greatest mysteries of quantum physics. In 1964, famed physicist John Bell developed an experiment to test the spin of entangled particles, to find out if they held some kind of hidden information, as Einstein thought, or if the particles actually communicated with each other at a rate faster than the speed of light. He developed the Bell test to evaluate the spin of entangled particles. Here, particles are separated. One goes to location A and the other to location B. The spin of each is evaluated at each station. Since the angle of the measurement is taken at random, it isn’t possible to know the settings at any location beforehand. Each time particles are measured like this, when one registers a certain spin, say clockwise, the other always comes up its opposite. According to Dr. Lucien, an experiment based off of the Bell test should be able to tell us if the human brain operates within quantum mechanics or outside of it. He’s recruiting 100 participants. Each will have their brain attached to an EEG machine through a skull cap covered with sensors. These record brainwaves. Hardy wrote, “The radical possibility we wish to investigate is that, when humans are used to decide the settings (rather than various types of random number generators), we might then expect to see a violation of Quantum Theory in agreement with the relevant Bell inequality.” Participants will be 100 km. (approx. 62 mi.) apart. The signals from these caps will be used to change the settings on a measuring device. If the measurements don’t match up as expected, it could challenge our current understanding of physics. “ you only saw a violation of quantum theory when you had systems that might be regarded as conscious, humans or other animals,” Hardy writes, it could mean that the consciousness is able to supersede natural law. This would give a tremendous boost in the notion of free will, as a person’s will would literally defy the laws of physics. Yet, “It wouldn’t settle the question,” according to Hardy. Prevailing physics and neuroscience theories have favored predeterminism in recent decades. This experiment may also offer insight into human consciousness, where it stems from inside the brain, and even what it might be. What are the implications if we find out the human mind operates outside of quantum physics? The study fits into the fledgling field of quantum biology, which is shaking up our understanding of traditional biology in quite a number of ways. For instance, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and at Washington University, in St. Louis, have found quantum effects operating within photosynthesis. Biophysicist Luca Turin has a theory, based on quantum physics, to explain how our sense of smell works. Others in quantum biology theorize about how antioxidants and enzymes work, among other processes. Splintering off of this is quantum neuroscience. Researchers here are looking at how quantum mechanics might explain the processes of the brain. Stuart Hameroff is a practicing anesthesiologist, and the director of the Center for Consciousness Studies, at the University of Arizona. He’s offered a theory using quantum mechanics to explain how anesthesia works. According to Dr. Hameroff, consciousness may also be born on the quantum level. Physicist Matthew Fisher at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has proposed a way in which the brain might operate as a quantum computer. Hardy’s experiment could support Hameroff and even Fisher’s conclusions. Others have doubted the claim. Since a quantum computer is very volatile system, any interference can cause decoherence, where the particles form a giant lump and no longer perform calculations. Critics argue that the human brain is awash in a host of different biochemicals and processes. So how could a quantum computer-like system operate there? Be the first to post a message!

Green is such an ever-present and widespread color in nature that it symbolizes the health and vitality of our natural world. Almost anywhere you go in springtime, you can expect to see green; from mosses and algae to all kinds of herbaceous plants and trees, green dominates our idea of natural landscapes and represents life, growth, and abundance. But why are trees and other plants green? What makes that color so widespread? At face value, we know that it’s because plants are green–specifically, when they are healthy and thriving. When plants are unhealthy, dying, reaching the end of their life cycle, or preparing to lose their leaves in the fall, we often see them turn yellow, brown or some other color. We only see those beautiful shades of green in living tissues. Eating sunlight—Chlorophyll and photosynthesis Living, healthy plants are green because of a group of greenish pigments called chlorophyll which is part of the molecular machinery that makes photosynthesis possible. Photosynthesis is a biological process that captures energy from the sun and uses it to build food molecules out of carbon dioxide (from the air) and water (often from the ground). People often call this “eating sunlight”, but it is more like “making snacks from sunlight”. Like any other living thing on Earth, photosynthetic plants have to get food (chemical energy) to fuel their cells and stay alive. The difference between photosynthetic things like plants or algae and, for example, animals or fungi, is that they produce their own food chemicals through photosynthesis by converting light from the sun into chemical bonds that form simple food molecules—sugars. Plants digest these snacks as fuel, or store for later in more complex forms that last longer. These are usually what we call starches (think potatoes or cassava). So, like the rest of us, plants need to get that bread. Their green color helps them do that. This green pigment is concentrated in special cellular organs called chloroplasts, and plant tissues are typically jam-packed with them, leading to that green color. The “chloro” in chloroplast and chlorophyll comes from the Greek word chloros, which describes a yellowish green. Ok, so plants are green because a green pigment is a major component of the machinery that helps them convert light into food via photosynthesis. But that leads to another question: Why is chlorophyll green? Chlorophyll is a pigment, which is a chemical produced by a living organism that absorbs certain colors and reflects those that it does not absorb. This happens because pigments absorb certain wavelengths of light: without getting too technical, light is a form of radiation that travels in a wave, and our eyes perceive different wavelengths of that light as different colors. Pigments, then, show up as certain colors to us because they are only absorbing certain colors; if they are absorbing green and blue and yellow wavelengths, then we see them as red, because that’s the color that isn’t totally absorbed. If they are absorbing all color, than the pigment would look black to us, since our eyes aren’t picking up any wavelengths of light. Chlorophyll in plants and many green algae absorb red and blue light, but don’t absorb all of the green or yellow light that hits them. This reflects some of those wavelengths of light, which our eyes see as green. So this gives us an idea of the mechanism that makes plants and their chlorophyll green to our eyes. But since there are all kinds of pigments in the world—think about the diversity of colors you’ve seen in nature, many of those are due to pigments!—why are plants only using chlorophylls, a set of green pigments, for their photosynthesis? Aren’t they being inefficient by leaving ‘leftovers’ when converting light to food? Isn’t all that green going to ‘waste’? Why aren’t plants blue or green or purple? As it turns out, a lot of the sun’s light that makes the long journey across our solar system, through our atmosphere, and to Earth’s surface every day consists of a lot of yellow- and green-wavelength radiation. We now know that most plants’ chlorophyll absorbs light mostly along blue and red wavelengths. This leaves that green behind and gives plants the beautiful color that we associate with life on earth. Scientists have been wondering over this “wastefulness” in plants since we first understood chlorophyll’s absorption. Why waste the most abundant visible light when you could get way more light energy and produce way more food? For a long time, we had three major explanations, which could all be true at once: Reasons why plants might be green - Photosynthesis originally evolved deep in the ocean where all life began, and blue light was more abundant there. This would mean that the process of turning light into food evolved around what was available. In that sense, plants don’t absorb green because they are “old-fashioned’. They woul be stuck with the legacy of their history as photosynthetic organisms. Notably, this doesn’t fully explain why they absorb red light, but this idea still holds some water. - Nothing in nature is perfect. Nature makes mistakes! The billions of years of natural selection that led to living species is not a direct line toward perfection. Instead, it’s a wandering path of what’s good enough to succeed at any given time in an ever-changing world. This can lead to solutions that get the job done, but are not the absolute ideal. This idea also has some support. It seems very reasonable, and definitely applies to the more complete picture we have come across recently. - Green and yellow light actually yield too much energy, which can be destructive to plants’ cells rather than helpful. Imagine trying to drink enough water if someone was pouring out an Olympic-sized swimming pool on your head. Recent research shows that this idea might be the closest thing to the truth. So what do we know now about green plants? In 2020, a team of engineers, physicists and plant scientists took a different look at this question. What would be the advantages of plants’ harnessing light on the edges of the hyper-abundant green-yellow light from the sun, rather than the most abundant light? They specifically focused on the photosynthetic “machinery” within the chloroplasts that harnesses light energy to build food molecules. It’s helpful to think about this machinery as a dam or a water-mill. Water moves through a mill’s wheel, or a dam’s turbines, bringing kinetic (movement) energy. The mill converts that energy into electricity or mechanical power for grinding grain, running saws, or something else useful. The molecular “machines” inside of plants do something similar with the ‘flow’ of light energy from the sun. The chlorophyll pigments absorb frequencies of light that they want. Next, they use that energy to change the energetic state of an electron. Then, they can use those energized electrons for useful chemical reactions. Like water through a turbine or water wheel, the electron passes efficiently down through a chain of molecules to create a series of energetic bonds. Ultimately, these create food molecules for the plant, which they consume or use to construct tissues. The ideal sunlight diet: Managing the “light mill” Just like a dam or a mill, having too much or too little flow is not helpful, and in fact can damage the machinery and make it difficult to use. A massive flood could wipe out a waterwheel or undercut a dam, while a drought degrade or stop up equipment. Getting it all going again has start-up costs and is highly impractical. On a molecular level, the plants’ green machinery may be damaged by too much or too little light. This happens when excessive excited electrons react with things that the plant doesn’t want them to or when the chain of electron reactions trickles to a halt, breaking the whole process and requiring a restart. Remember the team of scientists and engineers thinking of advantages of red and blue light? Well, they figured that maybe taking light from those “shoulder” colors meant that when the flow of light hitting leaves fluctuated, that the amount of energy gained would fluctuate less. So when shading, the movement of the sun, or even the swaying of other leaves affected the amount of light, the leaves would still have steady energy flow. The advantage was not efficiency, that is, getting as much light as possible, but stability: keeping a certain, perhaps lower, level of ‘flow’ going through their dam that is as steady as possible to keep the machinery operational. They found strong support for this idea in existing plants. The authors also found that photosynthetic organisms like certain bacteria and algae that absorbed colors other than green did so because, in their particular life circumstances, those colors enabled them to do the same thing: hedge their bets and keep a steady flow of energy. The bottom line Question: Why are plants green? Answer: Because Chlorophyll is green! Question: Why is chlorophyll green? Answer: Because it absorbs red and blue light, reflecting some of the green! Question Why does chlorophyll absorb red and blue but not all green? Answer: To keep the plant’s photosynthetic machinery healthy and working, and avoid absorbing too little or too much energy If you think about it, this is a pretty beautiful lesson in nature: sometimes reliability is the best option; finding the absolute best performance may often come at a loss but settling for a little less can come on out on top in the long run. Thanks for reading why are trees green! Do you have plant questions you’d like to see answered on Gulo In Nature? Send me a message or comment below!

When the United States began sending combat forces to Vietnam in 1965, the American economy became overstimulated by the war expenses, resulting in higher wages, higher prices, and significant inflation. Government spending on the war and tax increases burdened American businesses despite war-related contracts. At the end of the war, the U.S. economy suffered from stagflation and no peace dividend materialized. At the end of World War II in 1945, the American business community worried that countries that became For the American business community, Vietnam was essentially economically irrelevant. Pre-World War II U.S. trade with colonial French Indochina–Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos–was very light. In 1939, U.S. exports to Indochina were worth just $2.5 million and U.S. imports, primarily rubber, added up to $10.7 million. After World War II, American businesses were interested in strengthening the Japanese and West European economies so that these countries could withstand the surge of communism. However, Japan and France viewed Vietnam as a vital potential market with important natural resources. The United States grudgingly sided with France when war broke out in Vietnam. After Ho Chi Minh rejected a French proposal for limited Vietnamese autonomy, French warships bombed the Vietnamese-held harbor of Haiphong on November 23, 1946. While France sought U.S. aid for its war in Vietnam, it also jealously guarded its colonial economic privileges. It objected, for example, to oil exploration in Vietnam by Texaco. On May 8, 1950, Truman agreed to provide aid for the French war effort, officially funneled through the semi-independent state of Vietnam founded that year. From 1950 to mid-1954, the United States supported the French war in Vietnam with some $3.6 billion, paying 75 to 80 percent of the French war expenses with U.S. taxpayer money. The Geneva Accords of July 21, 1954, temporarily halted the Vietnam War. Cambodia and Laos became independent. Vietnam was temporarily partitioned into the communist North Vietnam and the noncommunist South Vietnam. U.S. support of South Vietnam enabled U.S. representatives in Saigon were unhappy with Diem’s unwillingness to use U.S. economic aid to promote Vietnamese economic development and his spending up to two-thirds of the aid on consumer goods, often imported from France. Diem’s distrust of private versus state-owned enterprises exasperated American businessmen in South Vietnam. They also fought against Vietnamese restrictions on direct foreign investment and wanted some guarantees against nationalization of American-owned businesses in Vietnam. Beginning in late 1950, the United States sent U.S. soldiers to act as military advisers to Diem. When war in South Vietnam flared up again in 1957, the number of soldiers grew from the initial 77 to more than 1,000 in 1961. At a rough annual cost of $25,000 per soldier, this cost the United States an additional $25 million. By late 1963, Diem was losing the fight against the communists. The United States acquiesced to a coup that killed and replaced him with a military junta. However, even ever-increasing American aid could not win the junta’s war against the communists. Year after year, the war in South Vietnam cost the U.S. economy more money, with few positive results. Determined to keep South Vietnam from becoming communist, President Lyndon B. The United States’ full-scale engagement in the Vietnam War increased government spending for military operations, equipment, and aid to Vietnam. Low unemployment dropped further as young men were drafted for temporary military service, leading to a significant rise in labor costs. Prices rose as U.S. companies passed on these higher costs to their customers. In December, 1965, the Federal Reserve raised the discount rate from 4 to 4.5 percent to fight In early 1966, the U.S. economy boomed. Americans bought new cars, fearing that the government might restrict domestic car production as was done in the Korean War. This fear proved groundless, but consumer spending increased, as did wages and prices. The consumer price index, which had been increasing annually at a rate of 1.2 percent from 1960 to 1964, rose at the rate of 3.5 percent in 1966. The wholesale price index rose, climbing from an annual rate of 0.0 percent to 2.2 percent in 1966. This increase was driven by direct and indirect government expenses for the Vietnam War and the Great Society programs. A tightening of the money supply by the Federal Reserve led to the credit crunch of 1966. For the 1966 U.S. budget, the $4.4 billion for direct war expenses had to be supplemented by an additional $1.4 billion, and the war continued to rage with no end in sight. A proposed 1967 tax increase to cover the cost of the Vietnam War failed, and the government resorted to deficit spending. By 1968, the majority of U.S. businesses turned against the war in Vietnam. Together with many other segments of American society, the business community was disillusioned by the communists’ surprise Tet offensive in February. By the end of fiscal year 1967, the original budget for direct military expenditures to fight the war in Vietnam nearly doubled from $10.2 billion to $19.4 billion, and $21.4 billion was projected for fiscal year 1968. Indirect costs of the war, such as those incurred by keeping draftees out of the civilian economy and providing for future veterans’ benefits and pensions, were not included in these budgets. The American business community was deeply concerned about the cost of the war in Vietnam, viewing the conflict as predominantly a drain on the domestic economy and the trigger for unhealthy inflation. Businessmen blamed the March 14, 1968, run on the dollar and the ensuing gold crisis on the Vietnam War and disliked the increase in domestic unrest caused by antiwar demonstrations. U.S. business leaders felt that the United States could not continue to pay for both the Vietnam War and the Great Society, stabilize the dollar, and avoid new taxes. The business community was also aware that what people perceived as the government’s misconduct in handling the war was creating massive distrust of big business. America’s New Left combined opposition to the Vietnam War with popularization of its anticapitalist agenda. Government spending for the Vietnam War also affected the U.S. trade balance, diminishing the surplus from about $4.7 billion in 1967 to a mere $1.4 billion in 1968. American businesses complained that the leaders of South Vietnam spent much of American economic aid on French consumer goods. Given the U.S. business community’s dissatisfaction with Johnson’s conduct of the war in Vietnam, it is not surprising that stocks jumped on March 31, 1968, when Johnson announced that he would not seek reelection and would try to negotiate peace with North Vietnam. In June, 1968, Congress finally enacted a 10 percent tax surcharge to help pay the cost of the Vietnam War. When Richard M. The business community was pleased with the prospect of reducing U.S. troops in Vietnam and negotiating with the North to end the war. However, when Nixon instead announced on April 30, 1970, that American troops had entered Cambodia, the U.S. stock market plunged by 15 percent. As the draft slowed down, the unemployment rate began to rise. The Federal Reserve’s decision to increase the money supply during the 1970 fiscal crisis further heated up inflation. As Nixon tried to wind down the Vietnam War, its cumulative effects hit the U.S. economy. The country slid into a recession from 1970 to 1972. In 1971, the trade balance turned negative. The dollar was devalued in 1971 and 1973. Then, the United States suffered Nixon finally negotiated a peace deal with North Vietnam on January 27, 1973. As the U.S. economy entered a severe recession from November, 1973, to March, 1975, there was little U.S. business support for aid to South Vietnam, and Congress cut aid from $1 billion to $700 million in 1974. Although American companies still did business in South Vietnam in 1974 and about ten thousand Americans were employed by the South Vietnamese government in military and economic advisory positions, the deterioration of the military situation after January, 1975, led to the U.S. economic disengagement from South Vietnam. Saigon fell on April 30, 1975, ending the war with a communist victory. Engagement in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1975 cost the United States about $111 billion, worth about $686 billion in 2008 fiscal year constant dollars. Some 58,000 U.S. soldiers were killed. The cost of the economic reintegration of about 7.9 million U.S. soldiers who served in Vietnam, most of them draftees, and their claims to veterans’ benefits (education, medical expenses, and pensions) is very difficult to calculate. Estimates vary widely and are billions apart. In 1987, the unemployment rate of Vietnam War veterans was 5.2 percent, higher than the 4.3 percent rate for the general population. After the Vietnam War ended, there was no peace dividend because the Department of Defense easily swallowed the roughly $22 billion budgeted annually for the war until 1973. The money saved was spent on other defense projects and used to offset rising costs due to inflation. In May, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford imposed a U.S. trade Campagna, Anthony S. The Economic Consequences of the Vietnam War. New York: Praeger, 1991. Discusses the economic impact of the Vietnam War on the United States during the conflict. Pays close attention to all aspects of the economy, including the reintegration of Vietnam veterans. Tables, bibliography, index. Herring, George C. America’s Longest War. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996. Covers economic issues within a general history of the Vietnam War. Informative and well written. Illustrated, notes, bibliography, index. Karnow, Stanley. Vietnam: A History. 2d ed. New York: Viking Press, 1997. Standard history of the Vietnam War that pays attention to the effect of the war on American businesses as it discusses the conflict. Although it does not contain a separate chapter on economic issues, reading this widely available book gives useful insight into this aspect of the war. Illustrated. LaFeber, Walter. The Deadly Bet: LBJ, Vietnam, and the 1968 Election. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005. Comprehensive review of how the negative economic impact of the Vietnam War affected the 1968 U.S. presidential elections. Author writes accessibly and with interest in economic issues. Illustrated, notes, bibliography, index. Lawrence, Mark Atwood. Assuming the Burden: Europe and the American Commitment to War in Vietnam. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005. Excellent study of how the United States came to support France’s retaking of its Indochinese colony for a variety of economic and political reasons. Scholarly but accessible work. Notes, bibliography, index. Schulzinger, Robert. A Time for War. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. Section “Economic Effects of the War” summarizes the late 1960’s. Illustrated, notes, index, bibliography. Asian trade with the United States

Mesh networking is a type of network topology where multiple nodes or devices connect and cooperate to transmit data efficiently across the network. These interconnected nodes, or “hops,” autonomously share data with each other using the shortest and fastest path possible. As a result, mesh networks offer increased redundancy, reliability, and scalability compared to traditional single-point networks. - Mesh Networking is a decentralized network topology that enables data transmission between devices using multiple pathways, improving reliability and redundancy. - Nodes in a Mesh Network can both send and receive data, dynamically reorganizing and adapting to connection changes, ensuring optimal performance and network resilience. - This type of networking is particularly useful in IoT implementations, home automation, and areas with limited connectivity, as it efficiently handles device-to-device communication without relying on centralized infrastructure. Mesh Networking is an important technology term due to its innovative approach in creating robust and efficient communication networks. By connecting multiple devices or nodes to each other in a non-hierarchical pattern, mesh networks provide better overall coverage, improved data routing, and enhanced fault tolerance. As opposed to traditional networks which rely on a single access point, mesh networks automatically distribute data packets along different paths, ensuring that even if one node fails, communication remains continuous and uninterrupted. This decentralized architecture enables self-healing and adaptive capabilities, making mesh networks particularly relevant for smart city applications, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, emergency response systems, and areas with unreliable or scarce connectivity. Consequently, mesh networking contributes significantly to the development and implementation of collaborative, resilient, and secure networking solutions that cater to the demands of a rapidly advancing technological landscape. Mesh networking serves as a reliable and efficient means for communication within a network, especially in large-scale settings. Its primary purpose is to create a self-organizing, adaptable, and self-healing network infrastructure by leveraging multiple nodes or devices connected to one another, facilitating data distribution throughout the system. These interconnected nodes transmit data using different paths, dynamically adapting to the environment – an ideal solution for handling potential obstacles or interferences. Consequently, mesh networking is suitable for vast geographical areas, IoT infrastructures, and other applications where traditional network systems face limitations in terms of coverage, fault tolerance, and resilience. In recent years, mesh networking has garnered increased recognition due to its role in creating resilient and robust communication infrastructures. For instance, mesh networks can enhance wireless connectivity in disaster-stricken regions where conventional networks may falter, ensuring continuous communication and aiding emergency response efforts. Additionally, smart city initiatives and IoT deployments have also maximized mesh networking’s potential, enabling seamless device interconnectivity across various applications such as environment monitoring, intelligent transportation, and energy management. All in all, mesh networking stands as a promising avenue to foster communication and enhance data transfer within complex or expansive systems. Examples of Mesh Networking Wireless Smart Home Networks: A popular application of mesh networking is in smart home systems, where various devices (smart thermostats, security cameras, and smart appliances) are interconnected to form a mesh network. For instance, products like Google Nest Wifi and Amazon Eero create a mesh network within a home to provide robust and seamless Wi-Fi connectivity across the entire living space, eliminating dead zones and adapting to the devices’ needs. Disaster Relief Communication Systems: In disaster-stricken areas, traditional communication infrastructure may be damaged or destroyed, making it difficult for rescue teams and survivors to communicate. Mesh networking technology is used to quickly establish temporary communication networks, allowing devices such as smartphones, laptops, and emergency communication equipment to connect to each other and share information. The goTenna Mesh device is an example of a portable and lightweight device that allows users to create off-grid communication networks when cellular infrastructure is not available. Public Wi-Fi Network in Cities: Mesh networks can be used to develop city-wide public Wi-Fi networks that provide internet access to citizens, visitors, and businesses. For example, the LinkNYC initiative in New York City replaced traditional payphones with thousands of outdoor kiosks that provide free public Wi-Fi, device charging, and access to city services. These kiosks are connected via a mesh network, ensuring uninterrupted and high-speed connectivity throughout the city. Mesh Networking FAQ 1. What is Mesh Networking? Mesh Networking is a network topology in which devices (nodes) are connected directly, dynamically, and non-hierarchically to as many other nodes as possible, working together to efficiently route data from or to clients. This approach allows for high reliability, flexibility, and redundancy in case of node failures. 2. What are the key benefits of Mesh Networking? Key benefits of Mesh Networking include robustness, redundancy, increased range, simplified installation, and easier network expansion. The decentralized nature of a mesh network allows for greater resistance to failures, and the dynamic routing ensures optimal data paths. 3. What are some practical applications of Mesh Networking? Mesh Networking is commonly used for wireless networks in various contexts such as IoT, smart home systems, wireless sensor networks, disaster recovery, and community internet networks. It can also be found in military communication systems and in the support of developing technologies like autonomous vehicles. 4. How does Mesh Networking ensure reliability and redundancy? In a mesh network, data is constantly re-routed to find the most efficient and available path between nodes. If one node drops out or gets disconnected, the mesh network identifies and adjusts to the change, automatically routing data through alternative paths. This ensures continuous communication and provides redundancy in the case of node failures. 5. Can Mesh Networking be used for wired networks too? Yes, Mesh Networking can also be implemented in wired networks. Though it is more popular in wireless networks, the same principles of decentralized, dynamic, and redundant connections can be applied to traditional wired networks, providing similar benefits. Related Technology Terms - Routing algorithm - Wireless Access Point - Decentralized architecture - Self-configuring network

remove nth element from list haskell Removing the nth element from a list in Haskell To remove the nth element from a list in Haskell, you can use the delete function from the Data.List module. Here's an example: import Data.List (delete) removeNth :: Int -> [a] -> [a] removeNth n xs = delete (xs !! (n-1)) xs In this example, the removeNth function takes an index n and a list xs as input. It uses the !! operator to access the nth element of the list (subtracting 1 from the index since lists are zero-indexed), and then uses the delete function to remove that element from the list. Note that this implementation assumes that the index n is within the bounds of the list. If the index is out of bounds, an error will occur. If you need to handle out-of-bounds indices, you can add appropriate error handling to the function. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.

110 likes | 1.34k Views B40b. SEAFLOOR SPREADING. Atlantic Getting Bigger. SEAFLOOR SPREADING. Idea that the ocean bottom is getting larger. Atlantic Ocean Proposed by Harry Hess Evidence in rocks on ocean floor. mid-ocean ridge found running down center of Atlantic Ocean series of mountains on either side. E N D B40b SEAFLOOR SPREADING Atlantic Getting Bigger SEAFLOOR SPREADING • Idea that the ocean bottom is getting larger. • Atlantic Ocean • Proposed by Harry Hess • Evidence in rocks on ocean floor. mid-ocean ridge found running down center of Atlantic Ocean series of mountains on either side MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE 1 - youngest rocks nearest the ridge oldest rocks next to continents identical pattern on both sides THEREFORE: new rocks are forming ROCK AGES (B3, Figure 9) 2 - oldest rocks on ocean floor = 200 million years old oldest rocks on continents = 4.6 billion years old THEREFORE: new rocks are forming (B3, Figure 9) rocks on ocean bottom reflect earth’s magnetic reversals THEREFORE: new rocks are forming MAGNETIC REVERSAL INDICATORS (B3, Figure 10) ASSIGNMENT • Draw a section of the ocean floor and mantle flanking the mid-Atlantic ridge. • Use different colors to represent different rock ages. • Label: mid-Atlantic ridge and direction of plate movement.

Whooping cough can be serious for anyone, but it is life-threatening in newborns and young babies. The younger the baby is when he gets whooping cough, the more likely he will need to be treated in a hospital. Priority: Preventing Infant Deaths through Vaccination There are currently no whooping cough vaccines licensed or recommended for newborns at birth. For this reason, three vaccination strategies are used in combination with each other to provide the best protection possible to newborns and young babies: - Vaccinate pregnant women in their third trimester to give their newborns short-term immunity. - Vaccinate family members and caregivers before they meet the baby. - Vaccinate babies on time, beginning at 2 months of age, so they build their own immunity. Every Pregnancy Vaccination Recommendation CDC recommends that pregnant women receive the whooping cough vaccine called Tdap during each pregnancy. By doing so, the mother’s body creates protective antibodies and passes some of them to her baby before birth. These antibodies give babies some short-term protection against whooping cough until they can begin building their own immunity through childhood vaccinations. Antibody levels are highest about two weeks after getting the vaccine. The vaccine is recommended in the third trimester, preferably between the 27th and 36th week of pregnancy, so the mother gives her baby the most protection (antibodies). The amount of whooping cough antibodies in a person decreases over time. This is why women need a whooping cough vaccine during each pregnancy so high levels of protective antibodies are transferred to each baby. Learn more about vaccinating against whooping cough. Childhood Vaccine Recommendation The whooping cough vaccine for children (2 months through 6 years) is called DTaP. Children need their whooping cough vaccine on time as it is the best way to prevent whooping cough during childhood. DTaP vaccines should be given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age to build up high levels of protection. Booster shots are needed at 15 through 18 months and at 4 through 6 years to maintain that protection. Vaccine Safety and Side Effects Vaccines, including whooping cough vaccines, are held to the highest standards of safety. Experts have studied the whooping cough vaccine for adolescents and adults (Tdap), and they have concluded that it is very safe for pregnant women and their babies. Results from many clinical trials showed that DTaP vaccines are very safe for infants and children. CDC continually monitors whooping cough vaccine safety. While whooping cough vaccines (Tdap and DTaP) are safe, side effects can occur. The most common side effects are mild (redness, swelling, tenderness) and serious side effects are extremely rare. Getting whooping cough or a whooping cough vaccine (as a child or an adult) does not provide lifetime protection. In general, DTaP vaccination is effective for 89 out of 100 children who receive it, and Tdap vaccination protects 65 out of 100 people who receive it. Protection from both whooping cough vaccines fades over time, but people who are vaccinated and get whooping cough later are typically protected against severe illness. Get more information from the CDC about protecting babies from whooping cough.

Pain is a universal experience. It’s a feeling of physical discomfort that results from illness or injury and is often the first signal that there is something wrong. But, pain manifests in many different ways. There are varying pain levels depending on the extent of an injury sustained or the severity of a condition. Pain levels can be felt in a wide range of feelings, from a mild sensation that’s more annoying than painful to paralyzing pain that prevents mobility. Pain is also the body’s way of saying that you might need to stop doing certain physical activities that aggravate the condition. For example, the pain emanating from a sudden ankle sprain becomes more pronounced every time the ankle is moved. The more severe the sprain, the more painful the signal. Or, pain can also signal the body to start doing something to prevent more damage from happening. An example would be if a body part comes into contact with an open flame. The slightest sensation of pain tells the brain to do something to protect the body. In most cases, the reaction would be instantaneous. Importantly, pain lets you know something is wrong. The many pain sensations all share the same thing: the body is requiring attention. Sensations include feelings of soreness in certain body parts (tired legs) or diffused throughout the whole body (fatigue). There are also short bursts of pain ranging from stabbing (stomach cramps) to throbbing (headache) sensations. Also, pain results from extreme experiences of hot and cold, such as burns or frostbite. Acute and Chronic Pain In general, pain can be described as acute or chronic. When pain is experienced for a short period, between a few minutes to around three months, it is usually classified as acute pain. Pain emanating from soft-tissue injuries or a passing sickness is often temporary and thus termed acute. It is often described as sharp or severe, and it can last between a few seconds or linger for hours. On the other hand, pain that persists for more than three months, whether constant or intermittent, is called chronic. This type of pain is usually the result of a lingering illness (cancer) or a similar chronic condition like arthritis, scoliosis, or fibromyalgia. Note that acute pain, if not addressed properly and on time, can graduate into chronic pain. Other Types of Pain Apart from classifying pain into acute and chronic, pain can also be classified based on where the pain comes from. Pain can be termed neuropathic, nociceptive, or radicular pain. These pain types can either be acute or chronic. Neuropathic pain is pain generated by damage to the nervous system. It is characterized by a sensation often described as feeling like being jabbed by a million tiny pins and needles all over the affected area simultaneously. Neuropathic pain also affects touch sensitivity, making it more difficult to determine hot or cold feelings. Nociceptive pain is the pain felt when body tissue is injured often caused by external injuries. Nociceptive pain is felt in the joints, tendons, skin, muscles, and bones. This type of pain can be either chronic and acute. Good examples of nociceptive pain would be head injury, muscle sprain, and bone fractures. Radicular pain is a very particular kind of pain that is caused by an inflamed or compressed spinal nerve. The pain is described as radiating, originating from the back or hips and into the legs via the spine and spinal nerve root. Back pain or pain that radiates from the back into the leg is called radiculopathy. This condition is usually identified as sciatica, as it is often the sciatic nerve that is the culprit. The Problem With Describing Pain Diagnosing the cause of pain often requires the medical practitioner to ask patients to describe the pain. Usual questions include where the pain is coming from, is it constant or intermittent, and whether the pain prevents the sufferer from performing regular activities. Most importantly, doctors and medical staff need to know how much pain is being felt. Only then can they suggest interventional pain treatment solutions. This is where the issue lies. According to the National Institute of Health, pain is a subjective feeling. Asking a patient to describe their pain, as well as taking in the evaluation of an observer can be influenced by many factors. This includes socio-economic status, beliefs, and psychological status. For example, the same injury can produce different results depending on a number of factors. A person distracted by a task or in a hurry to get somewhere might be more inclined to shrug off an injury compared to others. Pain’s subjectivity prevents an accurate assessment of the patient’s condition. What can be very painful for you can be mildly painful for others, or vice versa. In addition, as pain is a personal experience, it can be difficult to communicate accurately. At the same time, medical personnel recording the information may find it similarly difficult to translate to an objective report. Measuring the degree of pain is critical for both medical staff and the patient in pinpointing likely causes and in coming up with solutions. How Do You Measure Pain? While medical science developed a number of methods to document pain felt by patients, there remains a lot to understand about pain. Its subjectivity actually inhibits scientists from developing tools to accurately quantify pain. But, over the centuries, attempts have been made on the subject. One of the earliest documented attempts to measure pain came in 19th century Germany. The discipline called “psychophysics'' studied the relationship between stimuli and sensation. Scientist Maximilian von Frey developed a method to measure what he called Schmerzpunkte (pain points). He would select horse hairs of varying stiffness and attach them to individual sticks. He would then press the hair from each stick against a subject’s skin. Using this method, Von Frey documented the amount of pressure that can cause a person to feel pain from a particular hair. Von Frey and his psychophysics colleagues also tested other methods to test skin sensitivity. This includes employing hot or cold rods of varying temperatures. Fast forward a few hundred years, when a group of researchers tried to pick up where psychophysics left off. James Hardy, Helen Goodell, and Harold Wolff, all from Cornell University, developed a pain measuring device in the 1940s that they called the dolorimeter. They invented the device to help evaluate the effectiveness of analgesics. Dolorimeters apply steady heat, pressure, or electricity to an area of the body to determine the pain thresholds and pain tolerance of patients. Their studies showed that on average, subjects reported pain sensations at a skin temperature starting 113 °F (45 °C). Also, they found that after a certain threshold of 152 °F (67 °C), pain sensations did not intensify even if the heat was increased. Using the results of the study, the researchers developed the "Hardy-Wolff-Goodell" scale, with 10 levels called dols. However, other research teams weren’t able to duplicate their study, so the idea of dolorimeters was abandoned. But, they did manage to point scientists in the right direction. Modern Pain Scales With the advances of modern sciences developing alongside a growing awareness of medical ethics, the methods for measuring pain became less invasive and avoided inflicting any sort of bodily harm to subjects. Instead, patients are simply asked to describe their pain, and the date will then be recorded and set against established standards. While they remained subjective, this gives medical practitioners more information on the degree of pain being felt. There are three basic categories of pain scales. These are categorized based on the input data required to complete the assessment. - Numerical Rating Scales (NRS) use numbers to rate pain. Patients are usually asked to select a number from a given scale that best describes the degree of pain felt. - Visual Analog Scales (VAS) utilize a scale where patients are asked to mark where they think their pain levels are closest. - Categorical Scales use words to describe the pain levels. They may use numbers, colors, or relative locations to communicate pain. While numerical rating scales are quantitative and visual analog and categorical scales are qualitative, one type does not automatically mean it’s better than the others. Pain measurement often requires both quantitative and qualitative data for a more accurate diagnosis. 10 Pain Scales and How They Measure Pain Levels Numerical Rating Pain Scale The Numerical Rating Pain Scale is a simple pain scale that grades pain levels from 0 (No pain), 1,2, and 3 (Mild), 4,5, and 6 (Moderate), 7,8, and 9 (Severe) to 10 (Worst Pain Possible). This simple tool assumes a grasp of basic number skills and is recommended for patients over the age of nine. Patients will need to rate three kinds of pain: Current, Best, and Worst Pain experienced within the past 24 hours. Medical personnel will get the average of the three ratings and use the answer to represent the patient’s current pain level. Wong-Baker Faces Scale The Wong-Baker Faces Scale uses faces that run the course of emotions from Smiling (0, or no pain) to Crying (10, worst pain). It was developed by Drs. Donna Wong and Connie Baker. This tool further simplified the numerical rating of pain by assigning a graphic to each number on the pain scale. The Wong-Baker Faces Scale was developed to assist children in providing the level of pain being felt. This has been tested to work with patients 3 years old and above. It also works well with illiterate patients or those who have verbal abilities. It also provides a culturally-sensitive depiction of the human face. The FLACC (Face, Legs, Arms, Crying, Consolability) scale is a behavioral pain assessment tool used to help determine pain levels in nonverbal or preverbal patients who lack communication skills to report their own pain levels. Doctors and other qualified medical staff can assess a patients’ pain levels by observing the 5 FLACC categories. They use a pre-made form to fill out scores (0, 1, or 2) that best describes the patient’s condition. The FLACC pain scale is a valuable tool for assessing infants and children between two months and 18 years of age. They are also very useful for children with existing cognitive impairments or developmental delays caused by disease or earlier conditions. The COMFORT scale is a measurement tool used by healthcare providers to measure pain levels in patients that are unable to perform a self-check. They are suitable for infants and children, incapacitated or cognitively impaired adults, and sedated or ICU-confined patients. The COMFORT Scale provides a pain rating between 1 (low) to 5 (high) on a total of nine categories: - Calmness / Agitation - Respiratory Response - Blood pressure - Heart rate - Muscle tone - Physical movement - Facial tension Note that some versions of the COMFORT scale may have a different number of categories. In some cases, some categories were grouped together. Visual Analogue Scale The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a tool used to measure pain a patient feels that removes the perceived “jumps” from none, mild, moderate, and severe. The VAS was developed to conform to the patient’s perspective that the pain they feel is continuous and not something that shifts abruptly. The simplest variation of the VAS is a single 100 mm line between No Pain to Very Extreme Pain. The patient is then asked to mark a point in the line corresponding to the level of pain they’re experiencing. The VAS score is determined by measuring in millimeters starting from the left end to the mark. Other variants of the VAS, including a vertical line and lines with descriptors, have been developed. McGill Pain Questionnaire The McGill Pain Questionnaire is a list of 78 adjectives that help patients describe the pain they’re feeling. Designed for literate patients, they can be useful in developing a rehabilitation plan, as they pinpoint the range of pain being felt. Patients need to mark the words that closely resemble their pain levels. Medical staff will then assign the patient with a score (not exceeding 78) based on how many words were marked. Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) The DVPRS is a relatively new scale developed by the Department of Defense for use in military hospitals to better assess pain in patients. It combines the Wong-Baker pain scale of 0-10 with an assessment tool that measures the pain’s impact on patients’ daily function. In addition, the DVPRS contains additional questions that help determine the effects of pain on a patient’s daily functions like activity, sleep, mood, and stress. Pain Assessment in People With Dementia (PAINAD) Many older adults lose the ability to communicate clearly, especially those suffering from dementia. Comprehensive pain specialists will find it difficult to determine their levels of pain using conventional scales. PAINAD was designed to assess pain in Dementia patients based on five specific indicators: breathing, vocalization, facial expression, body language, and consolability. Similar to FLACC, each category contains three choices ranging from 0 to 2. A trained health professional can use the PAINAD scale to assess patients within five minutes of observation. Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) The Behavioral Pain Scale is a simplified version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. It helps assess pain levels in sedated or mechanically ventilated critically ill patients. The scale works well for patients that cannot communicate at present due to their condition. BPS consists of three items (Facial Expression, Upper Limbs, and Compliance with Ventilation) with four distinct choices each. Health care providers only need to check the value that closely resembles the patient’s current behavior. Mankoski Pain Scale The Mankoski Pain Scale, developed by Andrea Mankoski in 1995, is a popular pain scale that provides well-defined states of pain. Designed for conscious patients that have moderate literacy skills, it can provide a narrower state of pain levels. Patients simply choose a number between 0 (Pain-free) to 10 (Unconscious) to describe their current state. Mankoski generously shared the pain scale with the public for free as long as attribution to the author is given. The Mankoski Pain Scale categories are: - 0 – Pain-free - 1 – Very minor annoyance – occasional minor twinges. No medication needed. - 2 – Minor Annoyance – occasional strong twinges. No medication needed. - 3 – Annoying enough to be distracting. Mild painkillers take care of it. (Aspirin, Ibuprofen.) - 4 – Can be ignored if you are really involved in your work, but still distracting. Mild painkillers remove pain for 3-4 hours. - 5 – Can't be ignored for more than 30 minutes. Mild painkillers ameliorate pain for 3-4 hours. - 6 – Can't be ignored for any length of time, but you can still go to work and participate in social activities. Stronger painkillers (Codeine, narcotics) reduce pain for 3-4 hours. - 7 – Makes it difficult to concentrate, interferes with sleep. You can still function with effort. Stronger painkillers are only partially effective. - 8 – Physical activity severely limited. You can read and converse with effort. Nausea and dizziness set in as factors of pain. - 9 – Unable to speak. Crying out or moaning uncontrollably – near delirium. - 10 – Unconscious. Pain makes you pass out. Describing Pain is Just the Beginning There are many methods available to communicate pain levels being experienced to medical professionals such as comprehensive pain specialists. Once the pain is identified, it becomes easier for health care professionals to prescribe treatments. Pain is often the signal that there’s something your body wants to tell you urgently. If you are experiencing pain that won’t go away, let Midsouth Pain Treatment Center take a look at your problem. We know that pain is a different experience for every person, so we’ll take time to get to know your conditions before we offer any solution.

Listen to our continent song again to remind yourself of the 7 continents. Can you join in with the song and remember their names? Today we are going to be learning all about the continent Africa! Go through the powerpoint below to find out about Africa. As you are going through the powerpoint, ask your child these questions: Can you locate it on the map? Look at the pictures of Africa, which ones do you think are Africa? Which ones do you think are not Africa? Why? Today we will also be looking at special landmarks in Africa. A landmark is something that stands out in an area like a building, a bridge, a lake or river, a sculpture or something else. These places might be special because of their age or their size. They can be manmade (human) or natural (physical). Have a look at the pictures of landmarks, can you decide whether they are human or physical features? Task: Sort the landmarks into physical and human features.

Tempered glass has become an essential material in various industries, ranging from construction to electronics. Its remarkable durability and resistance to breakage have made it a popular choice for applications that require strength and safety. In this article, we will explore the science behind tempered glass’s resistance to breakage, how it endures harsh environmental conditions, and its scratch resistance, all of which contribute to its longevity and durability. When it comes to glass, the first thing that comes to mind is its fragility. However, tempered glass is different. It undergoes a unique manufacturing process that enhances its strength and durability. The process begins by heating the glass to high temperatures and then rapidly cooling it, creating internal stresses within the material. These internal stresses give tempered glass its exceptional strength. When the glass is subjected to external forces, such as impacts or bending, the internal stresses distribute the load evenly throughout the material. This prevents the glass from shattering into sharp, dangerous shards, as regular glass would. Instead, tempered glass fractures into small, relatively harmless pieces, reducing the risk of injury. The strength of tempered glass also makes it resistant to thermal stress. It can withstand rapid temperature changes without breaking, making it suitable for applications where temperature fluctuations are common, such as oven doors or car windows. This unique property of tempered glass is what sets it apart from other types of glass and makes it an ideal choice for safety-critical applications. One of the key advantages of tempered glass is its ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions. Whether it’s extreme temperatures, high winds, or heavy rainfall, tempered glass has the fortitude to weather the storm. One factor that contributes to its durability is its resistance to thermal expansion. Unlike regular glass, tempered glass is less prone to cracking when exposed to temperature changes. This makes it an excellent choice for windows in buildings located in regions with extreme climate variations. Furthermore, tempered glass is highly resistant to the damaging effects of UV radiation. Over time, regular glass may become discolored or develop a yellowish tint due to prolonged exposure to sunlight. However, tempered glass retains its optical clarity and remains virtually unaffected by UV rays. This makes it an ideal material for outdoor applications, such as skylights or glass facades, where exposure to sunlight is inevitable. In addition to its resistance to breakage and harsh environmental conditions, tempered glass also boasts excellent scratch resistance. This is particularly important for applications where optical clarity is crucial, such as display screens or camera lenses. The scratch resistance of tempered glass can be attributed to its unique composition and manufacturing process. The rapid cooling during the tempering process results in a surface that is under compression. This compression reduces the likelihood of scratches, as the surface is less prone to indentation from sharp objects. Moreover, tempered glass can be further enhanced with the application of specialized coatings. These coatings add an additional layer of protection against scratches, ensuring that the glass maintains its optical clarity over time. This is especially beneficial for electronic devices, where the screen is constantly exposed to potential scratches from everyday use. The durability of tempered glass is influenced by several factors that contribute to its longevity. One of these factors is its resistance to chemical corrosion. Unlike regular glass, which can be easily damaged by exposure to certain chemicals, tempered glass is highly resistant to corrosion. This makes it a suitable material for applications where contact with corrosive substances is likely, such as laboratory equipment or chemical storage containers. Another factor that contributes to the longevity of tempered glass is its ability to maintain its integrity over time. Regular glass is prone to developing cracks or chips due to stress or minor impacts. However, tempered glass’s internal stresses help prevent the propagation of cracks, ensuring that small imperfections do not compromise its structural integrity. This feature is crucial for applications where safety is paramount, such as automotive windows or glass railings. Furthermore, the ease of maintenance and cleaning is another advantage of tempered glass. Its smooth, non-porous surface prevents the accumulation of dirt and grime, making it easier to clean and maintain its pristine appearance. This is particularly advantageous for applications where hygiene is essential, such as shower enclosures or food display cases. In conclusion, tempered glass’s durability and resistance to breakage make it a reliable and safe choice for various applications. Its ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions, maintain optical clarity, and resist scratches contribute to its longevity and reliability. As a consumer, it is essential to understand the science behind tempered glass and its unique properties when considering its use in different industries. Whether you are looking for a tempered glass manufacturer near me or simply want to learn more about this remarkable material, understanding its durability factors is key to making informed decisions.

This course will focus on the key features of autism that distinguish it from other disorders. The reason I suggested this topic is because of the increase in the number of diagnosed cases of autism. Sometimes I'm called into a case where a child has been diagnosed with autism, but it turns out that the child doesn't have autism after all. Therefore, it is important, as I'm sure we would all agree, to get this diagnosis correct. Speech language pathologists are learning more and more about autism and more commonly being involved in, or is sometimes the primary diagnostician of autism spectrum disorders. As you can see, I think we are uniquely qualified to do that diagnostic very appropriately and accurately, so I hope that you will learn how to participate in diagnosing autism and how to get the diagnosis right. Is it Autism? So, is it autism? It is a question that seems to continue to elude us. Autism is a serious medical condition that bestows lifelong issues for individuals with the condition, their family, and their community. Accurate diagnosis is important for the individual, their family, and everybody who cares about them. The diagnostic criteria for autism has changed, but the disorder remains the same as when Leo Kanner identified it in 1943. It's a disorder that evidences itself in the presentation of social, communication, and behavioral symptoms. There is still no reliable medical test to identify autism and there's no standardized measure that alone can diagnose the condition either. The best method of identifying autism continues to be by observation of skilled professionals who work extensively within the autistic population in collaboration with their families, educators, and medical professionals. Together, we can put the pieces of the puzzle together and render an accurate autism diagnosis. A good place to begin is to understand the diagnostic signs of autism that collectively yield the diagnosis of autism and are either specific to autism or might indicate just one facet of the disorder. Who are the diagnosticians who participate in this process? Autism can be diagnosed by a wide range of professionals including doctors, teachers, educators, and therapists like speech language pathologists. It doesn't have to be any one of these individuals, so it's important to recognize we can play a very important, if not a main role in performing the diagnosis as speech language pathologists. Who Is Qualified to Assess the Core Features of ASD Who is qualified to assess the core features of ASD? The core features involve communication, social skills, and behavior. I would argue that the speech language pathologist is the diagnostician of choice for diagnosing autism. As recommended by ASHA, we need to have extensive experience before we take on this role, but if you, as a speech language pathologist, have extensive experience in this population, you may be one of the more qualified diagnosticians on the team. It's important to remember that. Roles of the SLP: ASD and SCD In 2006, ASHA came out with a series of papers to delineate more information for speech-language pathologists about autism spectrum disorders. One of those papers delineates the roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists in diagnosing and treating autism spectrum disorders. - Assessment and Intervention Even if we do play one of the major roles in the diagnostic procedure, we need to do this in collaboration with other people, including the family members, educators, medical professionals, anyone who's been involved with the child. We can play a role in screening for autism spectrum disorders. There are a number of good screening tools available for assessing the condition and assessing the communicative and social abilities of the child and intervening in those ways as well as making the actual diagnosis. Speech-language pathologists also participate in research relative to autism spectrum disorders and in advocating for these individuals and their families. We can play a role in many ways and I encourage you to consult this 2006 paper from ASHA regarding the many different ways that we can participate. ASD: New Diagnostic Parameters Changing Criteria for Diagnosing Autism (APA) How have the diagnostic criteria changed for autism spectrum disorders? For many years, the diagnostic and statistical manual of the American Psychiatric Association specified a set of diagnostic criteria that are globally used to diagnose the condition. In 2013 they had a major revision of these criteria. As of 2017, there are many individuals with autism spectrum disorder or Asperger's disorder or PDD-NOS who still have those diagnoses and based on the 2013 standards or diagnostic criteria, they keep those diagnoses until they are re-evaluated. There are many different diagnostic terms today and it's important to be aware of the criteria under which individuals were diagnosed and re-diagnosed if they are reassessed in the future. In 2000, the DSM-4 specified that there were five pervasive developmental disorders. One of those was autistic disorder, or autism, as we more commonly refer to it. It was one of five disorders which were entitled pervasive developmental disorders because they were pervasive into almost every aspect of the individual's life. Autistic disorder was diagnosed by a series of social, behavioral, and communication symptoms that I will discuss shortly. Asperger's disorder, on the other hand, was differentiated from autism in that the individuals with this condition were very fluent with their language. They most-likely presented some early language delays, but once they learned language they spoke in sentences conversationally in a very fluent way. This very much differentiated it from autistic disorder in which individuals had life-long difficulty putting communication together, even if they achieve conversational language. A lot of times it was still very difficult for them to put their thoughts into words and to think in words. There were three other pervasive developmental disorders in this category. One was pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified, or PDD-NOS. This turned out to be the most popular category of pervasive developmental disorder. It was intended to be for individuals who exhibited some characteristics of autism, yet not enough characteristics to give the full diagnosis of autistic disorder. The original authors of the DSM-4 intended this to be a placeholder condition when diagnosticians, maybe very early in development, were not sure whether the child was going to present the full autistic disorder or maybe just had a few characteristics that they may develop out of over time. It was really meant to be a placeholder in which a new diagnosis, or a new evaluation, was conducted in a year or so to determine whether or not autistic disorder or Asperger's disorder or some other condition was present. However, in practice, PDD-NOS was a diagnosis that frequently stuck and followed the child for quite a long time. The other two other conditions in this category were Rett's Disorder and childhood disintegrative disorder. These were both neurodegenerative conditions that are genetic or neurological in origin and are much rarer than the other three conditions, as it turns out. The DSM-4 specified that a diagnosis of autism or Asperger's syndrome or PDD-NOS needed to be rendered by the time the child was three years of age and the presenting symptoms should be there for the diagnosis to be rendered by that time. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association, after a long period of study and consultation with many autism experts, set forward a new group of diagnostic standards. They did away with the category of pervasive developmental disorders and renamed a category of autism spectrum disorders all for itself. In a sense this gave the diagnosis of autism a greater standing in the psychiatric community. They completely revamped how autism was diagnosed and while you will still see the communication, social, and behavioral components in the diagnosis, they became a little more specific in terms of exactly what behaviors we wanted to look for. This is a good change and one that has helped us to know what we're looking for better than we did before. Specifically, for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders there will be social, communication, and interaction deficits, restricted behaviors, activities and interests similar to before. Now, instead of diagnosing autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder, PDD-NOS, autism is diagnosed based on a level of severity. Level 1 individuals with autism are those that require the least support. They have more communication. They're much more verbal. They are going to communicate in sentences or conversationally. Level 2 individuals need some support from others. Level 3 are individuals with autism who have minimal verbal ability, certainly limited understanding of language, limited social skills, and behavioral aspects that would be expected and they are going to require very substantial support to be independent. No longer does the diagnosis have to be rendered by age three, but rather just very early in development. Diagnoses Then and Now: A Comparison The diagnoses then and now could be laid out according to Figure 1. Figure 1. Diagnoses Then and Now: A comparison. On the left side of figure 1, there are autism levels 1, 2 and 3. This used to be represented by diagnosis such as autism, pervasive developmental disorder, high functioning autism, or Asperger's syndrome, but the new diagnosis would either be at level 1, 2 or 3. We would expect people who formerly had a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome or high functioning autism to be level 1 and people with autism or a diagnosis of PDD-NOS would most likely be at 2 or 3. They also added a new diagnostic category – social communication disorder. This one is especially interesting for speech language pathologists. These are individuals who evidence all of the pragmatic language deficits that we often see such as difficulties with nonverbal communication and difficulty interacting with others. But, they don’t have all of the other symptoms of autism. Diagnoses that were commonly used in this category before were nonverbal learning disorder and some people with Asperger syndrome may have fallen into this category as well. ASD: Social Communication and Interaction Deficits Let’s take a closer look at the criteria to help you sort out the criteria that were used formerly and those that are being used in new diagnostic evaluations since 2013. There are new diagnostic standards for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder. Social-emotional reciprocity. The APA specified that this is a disorder with primary social, communication, and interaction deficits. Notice that the language has changed and that they're understanding that the social communication piece of this is very important and that individuals with autism present persistent deficits in these areas, particularly in the area of social-emotional reciprocity. For example, failing to engage with other people, failing to be interested in the communication of other people, difficulty initiating, difficulty taking turns. Perhaps there is difficulty with joint attention, just sharing attention with another person you want to communicate with, difficulty showing off and sharing the joy of something with another human being. These are characteristics that we don't see in children with autism early on. Some of these skills can be developed and we work very hard to develop them. But when we see a child for a diagnostic, we're looking for these kind of core deficits in social-emotional reciprocity. Nonverbal communication. We're also looking for deficits in nonverbal communication. I was glad to see the APA including this category because it's very important. Nonverbal communication are those nonverbal communicative messages that carry so much meaning, like our eye messages. What are we saying with our eyes? Are we saying that we're interested in someone's communication or not? Are we saying with our eyes that we understand what someone's saying or we don't? Are we saying with our eyes that we're being a little bit sarcastic and that our verbal message doesn't match our nonverbal message? There are all kinds of eye messages that we send to one another. Similarly, we use our voice to communicate a lot of nonverbal information. Are we asking a question or are we making a statement? Are we hoping that someone's going to listen to us? Are we changing our vocal register when we talk to young children or when we talk to other people or not? There are many types of voice messages that we send to one another when we're sending a verbal message. Then there's our body language that helps to get across our meaning. How close or far away we stand to people also says something about the communicative message that we're sending. People with autism don't read these signals very well. They're having a hard enough time decoding the verbal piece of the message and they're just not very good at being able to simultaneously read all of these nonverbal signals and encode meaning from them. Negotiating social relationships. People with autism have difficulty approaching other people, knowing how to start a verbal or nonverbal interaction with them, and this goes on into having difficulty making friends and maintaining relationships later. ASD: Restricted Behaviors, Activities, Interests Another category in the new diagnostics standards is similar but kind of collapses across some of the former categories as restricted behaviors, activities, and interests. Repetitive stereotypic movements, speech or use of objects. People with autism do have some repetitive stereotypic movements. Sometimes we refer to these as stereotypies, or motor movements that don't seem to have any purpose but are repeated over and over again. This also happens with speech in terms of echolalia, saying things over and over again for no apparent reason, and using objects repetitively, not necessarily for the function they were intended. Insistence on sameness and routines. It was replete through Leo Kanner's early papers, that children with this new condition that he had identified wanted things to be the same. They wanted a routine. They didn't just want it. They seemed to need it. Anytime the routine was broken they would react negatively to it and often scream and tantrum. So this insistence on sameness and need for routine continues today as one of the seminal characteristics of this disorder. Restricted interests; fixations. Individuals with autism are typically not interested in too many things and may be fixated on certain topics or on certain things. Often during a diagnostic evaluation, I often ask the family if given a short period of time to do whatever the individual wanted, what would they do. Usually, if the person has autism, the family can tell me one or two things that the individual likes to do over and over again, or with higher functioning individuals there is something they like to talk about over and over again. Hyper- or hypo- sensory experiences. People with autism have a lot of altered sensory experiences. Quite simply, they don't experience the world the way you and I do. They're often hypersensitive to certain smells or sounds, which means that they don't hear things the way we do. They don't hear your voice the way I would hear your voice. They don't see things the way that we would see things. One time, a little girl with autism told me that my hair looked like a halo. When she described it to me more in depth, she said that she could see each individual hair on my head as if it was an individual thing rather than hair as you and I would see it. People with autism are not experiencing the world from a sensory perspective in the same way as you or I, so it may not be surprising that they're not responding to it the same way either.

In honor of Women’s Day, we should celebrate the life and achievements of women from all around the world. They have provided their knowledge and skills in sports, music, arts, and science. Women from different backgrounds and places have contributed to everything we know today about science, even though they often don’t get the credit they deserve for their discoveries. Let’s go over some women who are known for impacting the world of science. To start , we honor the life and discoveries of Marie Curie, the name of a woman known everywhere for her contributions to science. Marie Curie was born on November 7th, 1867, in Warsaw, Poland. Then she moved to Paris, where she met her husband, Pierre Curie, and began her research on radioactivity. Her biggest passion growing up was reading, studying, and gaining knowledge in every way possible. This was something that became the very reason for her discoveries and achievements. Marie Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in 1903 for Physics and then became the first person to win two Nobel Prizes in 1911 for Chemistry. Today, she’s known for her discoveries on radium and polonium, as well as her input into researching treatments for cancer. Now let’s go further back to the first computer programmer: Ada Lovelace. Born on December 10th, 1815, in London. Ada Lovelace was educated privately by tutors. She started self-educating and received help from Augustus De Morgan to further her studies. Lovelace then created a program for the prototype of a digital computer by Charles Babbage, this being the first computer program. Ada Lovelace is remembered today with the programming language “Ada,” named after her. Also, on Ada Lovelace Day, the second Tuesday every October. The day in her honor celebrates her life, achievements, and also the contributions of women in STEM today. Sadly, people aren’t always recognized for their achievements, which is the case of Rosalind Franklin. She was born on July 25th, 1920, in London. She showed a significant interest in science ever since she was young. Franklin then moved to Paris, where she did he r research on DNA. She and her colleague Maurice Wilkins didn’t get along, but they still made progress,and Franklin made a discovery that would soon be taken away from her: the photo 51, showing the structure of DNA. Watson and Crick, who were also working on DNA, found her discoveries through Wilkins and published them, taking all the credit and winning a Nobel Prize. It was then revealed that the photo was taken by Franklin, and she has been known for her discovery of DNA ever since. Rosalind Franklin is now known as an inspiration for scientist women and as one of the scientists who contributed to discovering the structure of DNA. Each one of these women had a significant impact on everything we know today and helped further investigation in multiple science fields. They inspire many people worldwide, mainly women in STEM who are doing great things today thanks to the influence of those women who changed the world. There are a lot more women in the history of science that are known today for extraordinary discoveries that shape society today. We encourage everyone to learn more about them and their stories to celebrate their accomplishments.

|Haiti Table of Contents HAITI'S LOW-INCOME, PEASANT-BASED economy faced serious economic and ecological obstacles to development in the late 1980s. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 1987 was approximately US$1.95 billion, or about US$330 per capita, ranking Haiti as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and as the twenty-seventh most impoverished nation in the world. The only low-income country--defined by the World Bank as a country with a per capita GDP in 1988 below US$425--in the Americas, Haiti fell even farther behind other low-income countries in Africa and Asia during the 1980s. Haiti's economy continued to be fundamentally agricultural in the 1980s, although agriculture's role in the economy--as measured by its share of GDP, the labor force, and exports--had fallen sharply after 1950. Highly inefficient exploitation of the scarce natural resources of the countryside caused severe deforestation and soil erosion and constituted the primary cause of the decline in agricultural productivity. Manufacturing became the most dynamic sector in Haiti during the 1970s, as the country's abundant supply of low-cost labor stimulated the growth of assembly operations. Services such as banking, tourism, and transportation played comparatively minor roles in the economy. Tourism, a potential source of foreign-exchange earnings, expanded rapidly in the 1970s, but it contracted during the 1980s as a consequence of political upheaval and news coverage that erroneously identified Haiti as the origin of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Haiti's agricultural wealth, coveted by many in colonial times, had waned by the mid-nineteenth century as land reform divided the island's plantations into small plots farmed by emancipated slaves. Changes in land tenure contributed significantly to falling agricultural output, but the failure of Haiti's leaders to manage the economy also contributed to the country's long-term impoverishment. Haiti's economy reflected the cleavages (i.e., rural-urban, black-mulatto, poor-rich, CreoleFrench , traditional-modern) that defined Haitian society. The mulatto elite dominated the capital, showed little interest in the countryside, and had outright disdain for the black peasantry. Disparities between rural and urban dwellers worsened during the twentieth century under the dynastic rule of François Duvalier (1957-71) and his son, Jean-Claude Duvalier (1971-86); Haiti's tradition of corruption reached new heights as government funds that could have aided economic and social development enriched the Duvaliers and their associates. By the 1980s, an estimated 1 percent of the population received 45 percent of the national income, and an estimated 200 millionaires in Haiti enjoyed a life of unparalleled extravagance. In stark contrast, as many as three of every four Haitians lived in abject poverty, with incomes well below US$150, according to the World Bank. Similarly, virtually every social indicator pointed to ubiquitous destitution. As a result of the traditional passivity of the government and the country's dire poverty, Haiti has depended extensively, since the mid-1970s, on foreign development aid for budget support. The United States has been the largest donor, but it has frequently interrupted the flow of aid because of alleged human rights abuses, corruption, and election fraud. Most other development agencies have followed the United States lead, thus extending United States influence over events in Haiti. Although the major multilateral and bilateral development agencies have provided the bulk of foreign funding, hundreds of nongovernmental organizations have also played a prominent role in development assistance. These nongovernmental organizations, affiliated for the most part with religious groups, have sustained hundreds of thousands of Haitians through countrywide feeding stations. They also contributed to the country's political upheaval in 1986 by underscoring the Duvalier regime's neglect of social programs. The accomplishments of the nongovernmental organizations have proved that concerted efforts at economic development could achieve results in Haiti. The prospects for development improved temporarily following Jean-Claude Duvalier's February 1986 departure; some important economic reforms took place, and the economy began to grow. Subsequently, however, renewed political instability forestalled continued reform. Economic progress was feasible, but entrenched political and social obstacles prevented Haiti from reaching that goal. For more recent information about the economy, see Facts about Haiti. Source: U.S. Library of Congress

Do you ever wonder what the future of work looks like? With advances in technology happening almost daily, it's no surprise that AI is becoming a major part of many industries. The term Artificial Intelligence is a broad one for computer systems that can process information and make decisions on their own. Weak AI in its early stage was only able to recognize and respond to simple commands. However, modern AI is capable of learning complex tasks with very little human input. Robotics, on the other hand, refers to physical machines that can be programmed to do specific tasks. AI and robotics are two distinct technologies that enable machines to act, think, and interact with the environment. Together, these emerging technologies can be used to automate production processes in manufacturing. Read to discover how AI and robotics are changing the future of manufacturing. Robotics and AI research shows that they are revolutionizing the way manufacturing is done. By automating aspects of production, these technologies have enabled businesses to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve safety. Robotics can be used to perform tasks that are too dangerous or tedious for humans. For instance, handling hazardous materials or repetitively moving items from one location to another. Robotics also helps with precision tasks like assembling components or performing inspections. AI can be used to identify patterns in data, monitor and control processes more accurately. This can even help optimize entire production lines for optimal operation and throughout. At the same time, automation can help manufacturers make better-informed decisions through predictive analytics and machine learning. This allows them to anticipate customer demands before they occur, giving them an edge over their competition. Furthermore, AI enables more precise forecasting of material supply needs for efficient logistics planning and inventory management. Artificial Intelligence and Robotics continue to revolutionize the manufacturing industry. Automation has changed the way that manufacturing works. For example, there are robots that can assemble parts, and AI algorithms that can predict consumer demand. Let's take a closer look at how these technologies are making a lasting impact in the world of manufacturing. One of the advantages of using AI and robotics in manufacturing is that they can help speed things up. Machines usually work faster and more accurately than people, so this can help us make more products. Additionally, machines don't get tired and can work for longer hours than human workers. Another good thing about using AI and robotics in manufacturing is that they can help make things cheaper. Machines are usually less expensive to operate than human workers because they don't need things like health insurance or vacation time. Additionally, robots can be used to do tasks that are done by human workers, which would save money on labor costs. Another good thing about using machines to make things is that the machines can help make things better quality. Machines can do things very accurately and the same every time, so this makes things better quality. Also, using robots can help stop people from making mistakes, and this also helps make things better quality. Another good thing about using AI and robots in manufacturing is that they can do different things. This means that if something changes, robots can do something else instead. Additionally, robots can be programmed to work alone, which means that people who work there can do other things. There are other benefits to using AI and robotics in manufacturing, like being able to work better together. For example, people can tell robots what to do and then watch how they do it. This helps us make things better in the future. AI and robotics have already had a tremendous impact on the manufacturing industry. They are continuing to revolutionize the process even further. As we look to the future, here are some predictions of how AI might shape the industry: As artificial intelligence and robotics become more common, we can expect to see more automation in manufacturing processes. This means that machines will do more of the work and human AI interaction will increase. For example, robotic arms that can assemble parts with precision or autonomous vehicles that transport materials from one place to another. In addition to streamlining processes, automation also has the potential to reduce costs and improve safety for workers. AI-driven algorithms are computer programs that are used for problem-solving. By using predictive analytics, manufacturers will be able to find out about potential problems before they happen. This will not only ensure high levels of quality control but also help businesses remain competitive. Manufacturers will be able to use strong AI-powered analytics to predict when maintenance needs to be done on their machinery. This will help them avoid costly downtime and ensure that their machines are running at optimal capacity at all times. Predictive maintenance will also significantly lower repair costs. Workers would be able to address small problems before they become larger ones that require expensive repairs or replacements. As manufacturing processes become automated, we can expect greater connectivity between AI and humans. In the near future, AI will enable humans and robots to collaborate like never before. With Natural Language Processing (NLP), robots will be trained to comprehend complex commands, interpret nuances in a conversation, Our interactions with machines are set to be more natural than ever. This is thanks to advancements in sensors, speech recognition, natural languages learning algorithms, and AI flexibility. This will enable a more efficient and streamlined production process as well as improved collaboration between robots, workers, and managers. With the help of AI, automation and connectivity will revolutionize mass manufacturing as we know it. By utilizing data-driven technologies, manufacturers will be able to produce custom goods for individual orders faster! Overall, artificial intelligence and robotics have already begun reshaping manufacturing processes around the globe! We can only speculate what lies ahead for this rapidly evolving industry. However, there is no doubt that these technologies will continue revolutionizing how products are made in years to come! customized products are in high demand, and companies need to move quickly in order to keep up. Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics have already revolutionized manufacturing processes. This allows for faster production with higher levels of quality control. These are some of the companies that are utilizing AI and robotics for manufacturing. Overall, a wide range of companies across different industries has begun integrating artificial intelligence and robotic technologies to stay ahead! As we look to the future, it's evident that AI and robotics will play a big role in manufacturing. These technologies are constantly evolving and becoming more advanced, which means they can help us achieve even more complicated tasks. With that, there's no doubt that AI will continue to shape the future of manufacturing for years to come. The possibilities are endless! It’s exciting to think about what other innovations this technology can bring in years to come.

Computer software is what allows people to do what they need to accomplish in their everyday activities. A more complex definition of a computer software is; Software is a program that enables a computer to perform a specific task, as opposed to the physical components of the system. The physical components of the system were what I have talked about in the last post, the actual hardware that a person can physically touch. The most common software that people know of is the operating system. Operating system is a system software that allows other software of your choosing to be ran properly. The operating system is the middle man to interacting between the hardware and the other software. The software that you want to install should be loaded onto a hard drive, or memory RAM. After the software is loaded on either of these two data platforms, the computer can execute the software. People have many different software that allows them to do many different tasks. For example, the Microsoft Word program allows you to type up papers, and create templates. It’s a type of software that you should have, because it allows you to complete more complex tasks in one spot, instead of going to different many places. This is what people back in the day have done, and it is fun seeing how software keeps on transforming tech world today. Software allows us to create an easier way to complete things, and it can be found in many of the technologies today, and not just the computers. Computers are not just hardware equipment, but it’s something that I will be discussing today. There are many different types of computer hardware, and all together, the hardware you use makes up your complete working system. Some of the more common hardware that people are aware of are CD-ROM drive, which allows for a computer to read specific information located on a CD, and the FLOPPY disk drive, which is a much older hardware, allows people to merely do the same exact thing as CD, but in a less sufficient way. These two are more known to people because these two hardware pieces that people interact with the most. Some of other big hardware items are, Hard Drives, Memory (RAM), Motherboard, Power Supply, and Central Processing Unit (CPU). Hard drive is a non-volatile memory device that allows you to save information regardless whether the power is on or off. You can permanently save information on a hard drive, and then recover it whenever you want. The memory, also called RAM, also is there to store information both permanently and temporarily. RAM interact with majority of the operating system software which I will later talk about. The motherboard connects everything together, and allows for all the hardware to communicate sort of speak. Motherboard is the foundation of the computer and is a vital piece of making the computer work. It takes power from the Power Supply and powers the CPU, and other components such as RAM. The computer consists of more than these things, but these are some of the major ones that I felt that you should know. Next time I will be talking about computer software.

Bone marrow, the soft, spongy tissue found in the hollow interior of bones, is known to be a rich source of nutrients, fats, and proteins. Often considered a delicacy in many cuisines, it has been consumed by humans for thousands of years. While its rich flavor and unique texture make it popular among food enthusiasts, it is the potential health benefits that draw attention from the health-conscious community. Its nutritional content includes a mix of essential vitamins and minerals, fatty acids, and collagen, which play a role in maintaining overall health. Understanding the functions of bone marrow goes beyond culinary interest. It is crucial for the production of blood cells, including red and white blood cells and platelets, all of which are vital components of the circulatory and immune systems. This biological role also leads to a greater inquiry into how consuming bone marrow may influence these systems. With increasing interest in traditional and whole-foods based diets, the health benefits and potential uses of incorporating bone marrow into one’s diet are becoming a more common subject of discussion. - Bone marrow is nutritious and plays a key role in making blood cells - It contains valuable nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and collagen - Adding bone marrow to one’s diet could have various health benefits Understanding Bone Marrow and Its Functions In exploring bone marrow, I focus on its crucial role in the body, from its composition and types to its pivotal role in generating blood cells and hosting stem cells for regeneration. Composition and Types of Bone Marrow Bone marrow is a soft, spongy tissue found in the center of most bones. It exists in two forms: red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. Red bone marrow is primarily responsible for hematopoiesis—the production of blood cells. It is rich in hematopoietic stem cells and is found mainly in the pelvic bones, ribs, sternum, and vertebrae. On the other hand, yellow bone marrow consists mostly of fat cells and is found in the central cavities of long bones. Over time, some red marrow is replaced by yellow marrow, a process which can be reversed under certain conditions. Role in Blood Cell Production My study of bone marrow shows its central role in hematopoiesis, the process by which all types of blood cells are created. This includes: - Red Blood Cells: These cells carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body and bring carbon dioxide back to the lungs for exhalation. - White Blood Cells: Integral to the immune system, they fight infection and disease. - Platelets: Important for blood clotting and repair of damaged blood vessels. All these cells originate from stem cells within the bone marrow. Stem Cells and Regeneration Bone marrow contains stem cells, specifically hematopoietic stem cells, that are essential for the regeneration and maintenance of the blood supply. These stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they can develop into any type of blood cell the body needs. My research confirms that bone marrow stem cells maintain their population and ensure constant renewal of blood cells, a vital process for normal body function and repair following an injury. These properties make bone marrow stem cells a key focus of regenerative medicine and treatments like bone marrow transplants. Nutritional Profile of Bone Marrow In examining the nutritional content of bone marrow, we find it rich in fats, vitamins, and minerals, while also being an excellent source of protein and collagen, which are essential for various bodily functions. Fats and Healthy Fats in Marrow Bone marrow contains a significant amount of fat, but it is important to differentiate between its components. Monounsaturated fats, which can improve cholesterol levels and decrease heart disease risks, are present. Additionally, marrow is a source of polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, known for their anti-inflammatory properties. - Saturated fats: Present in bone marrow, can impact cholesterol levels. - Monounsaturated fats: Help with managing cholesterol. - Polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3s): Beneficial for inflammation and joint health. Vitamins and Minerals Present My focus now turns to the vitamins and minerals within bone marrow, which are vital for overall health. Notably, bone marrow is a rich source of fat-soluble Vitamin A, which is crucial for immune system function, vision, and skin health. It also contains Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. - Iron: Essential for blood formation and function. - Phosphorus: Supports bone and teeth health. - Vitamin B12: Critical for nerve function and blood cell production. - Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): Involved in energy metabolism. - Thiamine (Vitamin B1): Necessary for carbohydrate metabolism. Bone Marrow as a Source of Collagen and Protein Finally, I’ll address bone marrow as a source of collagen and protein. Collagen, the protein that provides structure to skin, bones, and connective tissues, is abundant in bone marrow. Bone marrow proteins support bodily functions and tissue repair. - Collagen: Supports joint health and may improve skin elasticity. - Proteins: Contain essential amino acids for muscle and tissue repair. Bone marrow, with its diverse and nutritious profile, can contribute positively to a balanced diet when consumed in moderation. It offers a blend of beneficial fats, vital vitamins and minerals, and is a rich source of collagen and proteins, which altogether could deliver health benefits ranging from enhanced skin health to improved joint function. Health Benefits and Potential Uses of Bone Marrow Bone marrow is a nutrient-rich substance that plays a crucial role in maintaining health. It contains important elements like stem cells which can help in treating various diseases and supports the immune system. Let me explore the significant health benefits and uses of bone marrow. Bone Marrow for Joint and Skin Health Bone marrow is rich in collagen, a protein that aids in maintaining the structural integrity of skin and joints. It provides mesenchymal stem cells, which are key contributors to the regeneration and repair of bone and cartilage tissue. This makes it particularly beneficial for conditions like arthritis and osteoarthritis, as it may help in reducing joint pain and improving joint health. Moreover, the fat tissue found in marrow is integral for skin health, potentially promoting healthier, more resilient skin. Support for the Immune System The immune function is heavily dependent on the health of our bone marrow. It is responsible for producing white blood cells, which are crucial in fighting off infections and diseases. Regular consumption of bone marrow may contribute to strengthening the immune system, by providing the necessary fat, nutrients, and hormones that aid in creating a robust immune response. Bone marrow can especially be a source of support for individuals with conditions like leukemia and aplastic anemia, which affect blood cell production. Influence on Inflammation and Heart Health Bone marrow contains glycine, a non-essential amino acid with anti-inflammatory properties. Glycine helps regulate blood clotting and inflammation, which could be beneficial to heart health. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory fats in marrow may lower the risk of chronic inflammation and thus, reduce the prevalence of heart disease. Given its potential influence on fat metabolism and gut health, incorporating bone marrow into a diet could indirectly support the maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular system. Incorporating Bone Marrow Into Your Diet In my quest to improve my diet, I have found that bone marrow, a nutrient-rich substance found within bones, can be a valuable addition, offering a range of health benefits due to its rich content of vitamins, healthy fats, and minerals. Culinary Uses of Bone Marrow Bone marrow can be consumed in various ways, one popular method being to roast bones to extract the marrow. The resulting substance is creamy and rich, suitable as a spread on toast or as an addition to soups and broths. Here’s a brief guide on how to use bone marrow in the kitchen: Roasting for Spreads: - Ingredients: Beef marrow bones - Instructions: Roast the bones at 450°F until the marrow is soft. - Serving Suggestion: Spread the marrow over toast and season with salt. Bone Marrow Broth: - Ingredients: Beef marrow bones, water, vegetables, herbs - Instructions: Simmer the bones with your choice of aromatic vegetables and herbs for several hours. - Nutrition Fact: A homemade bone broth is full of gelatin and collagen, valuable proteins that support joint health and skin hydration. When including bone marrow in my diet, I take into account that it’s not only about adding flavor but also about boosting my intake of essential nutrients. For instance, marrow provides me with vitamins A, K2, and minerals such as iron and zinc, and it’s a source of bioavailable nutrients that support the formation of healthy blood cells and strengthen my immune system. Bone Marrow Supplements For those who may not have the time or taste for cooking, bone marrow supplements are available, often sourced from grass-fed animals to ensure a higher nutrient profile. The benefits of these supplements include convenience and a controlled intake without cooking. Here’s what to look for: Bone Marrow Powder: - Form: Fine powder, typically filled in capsules - Consumption: Taken orally, often with meals - Benefit: A quick way to gain nutrition without preparation time Bone Marrow Capsules: - Ingredients: Ground, dried marrow, sometimes with added vitamins - Instructions: Follow the dosage advised on the label - Nutrient Concentration: May include conjugated linoleic acid and important protein hormones like adiponectin As I consider the various supplement forms, I prefer bone marrow from animals that haven’t been treated with antibiotics and are grass-fed, reflecting on the higher levels of beneficial nutrients. Moreover, incorporating the powdered form into my diet helps optimize my nutrition intake without significantly altering my calorie or carb count, a crucial factor for my diabetes management. It’s also important to emphasize that while supplements can be convenient, they should not replace a varied and balanced diet, which is essential for maintaining overall health. Frequently Asked Questions In this section, I’ll address common inquiries regarding the nutritional benefits and potential health implications of consuming bone marrow. What are the nutritional benefits of consuming bone marrow? Bone marrow is rich in nutrients such as collagen, glycine, proline, and glucosamine. These substances support joint, bone, and skin health. Can eating bone marrow have positive effects on one’s health? Yes, eating bone marrow provides essential fatty acids and minerals that can boost immune function and assist in the healing of the body. What are the potential health risks or side effects associated with consuming bone marrow supplements? Consuming bone marrow supplements without medical advice may pose risks like imbalanced nutrient intake or allergic reactions, particularly if they come from animals grazed on contaminated pastures. How does the fat content in bone marrow impact its healthfulness? The fat content in bone marrow is primarily monounsaturated and saturated fats. While these can provide energy, moderation is key due to the potential impact on heart health. In what ways might regular intake of bone marrow contribute to cholesterol levels? Regular intake of bone marrow may contribute to an increase in cholesterol levels due to its saturated fat content, although there’s also cholesterol-beneficial lipid known as conjugated linoleic acid present. Are there specific advantages to consuming bone marrow from different animals, such as goats or camels? Different animals provide varying nutrient profiles in their bone marrow. For example, goats might offer more omega-3 fats, while camels may have unique beneficial proteins.

Feedback for Learning: Implementing Formative Assessment Help your students benefit from formative feedback Marking has been identified as an area of excessive workload for teachers, but feedback is crucial for students to improve their understanding. On this course, you’ll learn evidence-based approaches for using written and oral feedback to support student learning, without increasing your workload. You’ll learn how to develop a classroom culture that encourages formative dialogue and prepares students to receive, act upon, and learn from teacher feedback. The course adopts a reflective approach and will encourage changes in classroom practice that will have a direct impact on student learning. This course is designed for primary, secondary, and further education teachers. Classroom examples are provided from a science and mathematics context, but the course is suitable for teachers of STEM and non-STEM subjects. You do not need any prior experience other than marking and facilitating lessons. This course compliments the Planning for Learning: Formative Assessment course but can be taken alone. - Fecha Incio:02/08/2021 - Idioma: Inglés - Universidad: National STEM Learning Centre - Profesores: Matt Cornock - Certificado: No

This article is for anyone who is concerned and interested in the protection and mitigation of ecosystems, especially engineers, landscape architects, biologists and soil conservationists. It illustrates the compatibility of incorporating environmentally sound concepts into the design of engineering solutions. It must be stressed from the onset that any soil bioengineered technique adopted, must: - primarily be technically sound from an engineering aspect, and - secondarily satisfy environmental requirements. We will delve into: - Soil bioengineering and ecological systems - How do we combine soft and hard engineering? - Products and techniques which may be adopted, including the concept of greening traditional gabion structures, and how to account for this in the engineering design. - Design considerations for bio-engineered structures Read on to find solutions that combine engineering practices and ecological principles. What is Soil Bioengineering? The method of construction using living vegetation and non-living organic matter, often in combination with structural elements and manufactured products, is referred to by a host of terminology as shown below. Bioengineering is the use of biological, mechanical and ecological concepts to control erosion while preserving ecological value. It relies on living and non-living plants, typically in combination with traditional construction material, to stabilise soil and to provide good wildlife and fisheries habitat in riparian systems (University of Minnesota, 1999). In its strictest definition, it refers to a plant-only solution. Soil bioengineering is the combined application of engineering practices and ecological principles to design and build systems of living plant material, frequently with inert material such as rock, wood, geosynthetics, geocomposites and other manufactured products to repair past and / or control soil erosion and shallow slope failures. (Sotir, 2001). Ecological engineering (Eco-engineering) entails the use of mechanical elements (or structures) in combination with biological elements (or plants) to arrest and prevent slope failures and erosion. Both biological and mechanical elements must function together in an integrated and complementary manner. Biotechnical engineering has also been used to define this method of construction. Irrespective of the terminology chosen, each technique refers to the integration of sound engineering practices with ecological principles. It is a method of construction using living vegetation and non-living organic matter, often in combination with structural elements and manufactured products. For the purposes of these articles, this technique will be referred to as soil bioengineering. How Do We Combine Hard and Soft Engineering Techniques? Essentially there is incompatibility between engineering requirements and creating a good ecological environment. However with care, botanical understanding and an innovative approach to the detailing of the face, it is possible to create conditions in a structure favourable to the greening process. Soil bioengineering is often used in combination with conventional engineering, offering an enduring alternative that increases permanence, effectiveness and aesthetic appeal. The Purpose of Soil Bioengineering Vegetation is an excellent defence mechanism which nature has produced to protect soil against erosion. Sometimes, however, erosive forces are too large or vegetation needs to be developed under difficult conditions and nature needs a helping hand at erosion control. In this case, inert materials need to be brought into the solution. Soil bioengineering brings together biological, ecological, and engineering concepts to produce living, functioning systems. The structural components initially protect the site mechanically and develop a stable, healthy environment for the plants to establish. Vegetation will have a protective function in waterside applications: The stems and leaves reduce the hydraulic loads (active role of the vegetation) while the roots improve the stability of the subsoil against erosion (passive role of the vegetation). In some cases the vegetation plays only an aesthetic role. (Pilarczky, 1997). Where is Soil Bioengineering used? - Erosion and flood control; - Wave protection in channels and coastal zones; - Slope stabilisation; - Habitat, and aesthetic enhancement; and, - Water quality improvement. The operating concepts of Soil Bioengineering are: Plant roots function as fibrous inclusions reinforcing the soil and increasing the resistance to sliding or shear displacement. Stems and trunks can act as buttressing agents to help prevent shallow slope failure. Slope instability and erosion are reduced by transpiration of moisture and interception of rainfall. Improved internal drainage and reduced seepage, thereby increasing the safety factor on slopes. Biomass increases surface roughness, which retards flow. - Biological and ecological At one with nature. Pioneer plants provide immediate habitat improvements. Biodiversity and habitat value are increased as vegetative invasion and natural succession occur, creating self-sustaining plant communities. Benefits and Features of Soil Bioengineering The benefits and features of soil bioengineering practices are shown in the table below. Soil bioengineering systems are often more cost effective than the use of vegetation or structural solutions alone. Minor site disturbance during installation Soil bioengineering techniques generally require minimal access for equipment and workers, and cause relatively minor site disturbance during installation. Useful on sensitive or steep sites Soil bioengineering is useful on sensitive or steep sites where the use of machinery is not feasible. Appropriate for environmentally and aesthetically sensitive areas Soil bioengineering practices are appropriate for environmentally and aesthetically sensitive areas, such as parks, woodlands, rivers and transportation corridors, where recreation, wildlife habitat, water quality and similar values are critical. Soil bioengineering systems can be designed to withstand heavy events immediately after installation. If the vegetation dies, the system’s structural elements continue to play an important protective role. Strong initially and grow stronger with time Soil bioengineering systems are strong initially and grow stronger with time as the vegetation becomes established. The vegetation traps sediment, which further promotes vegetation growth and erosion control. Natural plant colonisation Enhances conditions for the natural colonisation and establishment of plants from the surrounding plant community. Increase in soil stability by reducing soil moisture Dries excessively wet sites through transpiration as the vegetation grows. Provides for surface drainage and can positively affect the direction of seepage flow. Increase soil stability due to plant growth Reinforces the soil as roots develop, adding significant resistance to shallow sliding and shear displacement for smaller slopes. Soil temperature moderation Plants provide protection from the extremes of heat and cold, which lead to a healthier environment for plant germination and growth. Improves water quality The heavily vegetated banks filter and slow storm water runoff and trap sediment, thereby improving water quality. Air quality improvement The removal of harmful airborne chemicals and dust offer air quality improvement and increased oxygen production. The bioengineered structure becomes self-maintaining and self-repairing. Absorption of sound waves by the soil and the vegetation. Can be used in conjunction with conventional engineering systems. Soil bioengineering applications are often labour intensive, due to difficult access to sites and hand planting requirements for vegetation. Supports indigenous plant species and wildlife habitat and speeds up ecological succession. Positive impact on wildlife * · Shelter and nesting sites – protection from predators and floods; · Shade – keeping the water cooler in summer and slowing the growth of algae; · A source of food. Bioengineered structures support indigenous plant species and wildlife habitats, which improve the aesthetic appeal of the structure. As the structure becomes filled with soil and plant roots, its durability is no longer restricted to the life of the inert materials. Plants find shelter from the inert materials in order for their roots to flourish. Vegetating the structure “removes” it from sight, assisting with the prevention of vandalism. Improved biological conditions The filtering of water through the structure, the consequent siltation within the voids, and the growth of vegetation tend to improve the biological conditions thereby restoring the natural ecosystem. * Environment Agency, undated. Design Considerations for Bioengineered Structures: - Stability: The bioengineered structure must be capable of supporting the loads, stabilising the underlying soil and preventing erosion. - Flexibility: The ability to absorb settlement deformations without impairment of its other functions. - Durability: The structure should remain effective for the duration of the required design life at least. - Maintenance: The design should allow for maintenance, including the repair of local damage and the replacement of deteriorated materials. - Safety: Consideration must be given to eliminating potential risks to the labour force and the public. All factors relating to safety should be incorporated, including consideration of all possible activities that may be taking place on and around the site, whether authorised or not. - Cost: The project will need to fulfil all the functional requirements while staying within budget for both construction and maintenance. - The usefulness of soil bioengineering techniques may be limited by the following conditions: a. Lack of fertile soil or moisture to support the required plant growth; b. Soil-restrictive layers, such as igneous intrusions, may prevent required root growth; c. Banks exposed to high velocity water flow or constant inundation; and, d. Climatic constraints. - Particularly in urban stream environments, vegetative techniques alone are often insufficient for reversing channel instability due to constrained space and modifications in the hydrological and sediment transport regime. Consequently a combination of hard and soft engineering is required to restore the natural channel geometry. - Soil bioengineering practices are most successful where the medium has sufficient fines, nutrients, sunlight, and moisture to support plant growth. - It is highly recommended to consult specific practitioners for specialised areas such as biological, geotechnical and hydraulic assessment. A multidisciplinary approach allows the engineer to conduct static and hydraulic checks, the landscape architect to take care of the environmental impact of the river works, the botanist and the zoologist to choose grasses, trees and shrubs suitable for the region and to indicate the need for maintaining / creating areas different in water level in order to promote the settlement of species typical of that region. - The design engineer must always recognise the possibility of complete failure of the vegetation and consequent increased risk of slope instability. For this reason, vegetation would not normally be allowed to be the prime factor governing slope stability where the consequences of failure threaten life or property. (Greenwood, 2001). The next article in this series will focus on choosing the right soil bio-engineering solution for your project. Join our mailing list to be notified when new articles / blogs are published on our website. Greenwood, J., 2001. Rooting for Research. In: Soil Bioengineering: Integrating Ecology with Engineering Practice, Ground Engineering, March 2001. Pilarczyk, K., 1997. Revetments in Hydraulic Engineering using Geosynthetics, Geosynthetics News 3, Akzo Nobel, 1997. Sotir, 2001. The Value of Vegetation. In: Soil Bioengineering: Integrating Ecology with Engineering Practice, Ground Engineering, March 2001. University of Minnesota, 1999. Minnesota Bioengineering Network, http://gaia.bae.umn.edu/nmbn/descript/inded.html.

Operating systems, in their current form, have been around since 1961. That’s a long time! But it’s not surprising that they’ve been around this long. Operating systems are the most fundamental part of computing, and they’re also one of the most important technologies we use on a daily basis. The first operating system for computers was a program called Batch Processing Batch Processing was the first method of running programs on a computer. It was created in the 1950s and 1960s and allowed users to create programs that could be run automatically. However, these programs had to be written in machine language (a low level programming language) which made them difficult to use. Batch Processing allowed users to run their own programs automatically but it wasn’t efficient because it would take time to write new batch files every time they wanted their computer to perform a different task or process data in a different way Batch processing worked by assigning batches of files to a programmer and telling the computer to do a sequence of tasks The programmer would then submit these instructions (or batch) to be run at some point in the future. The computer would execute the instructions in the same order every time, and wait for each instruction to finish before moving on to the next one. There were two problems with batch processing The first operating system was not interactive. It was also slow, because it did not use the same type of memory as your computer does today. In fact, if you look at a modern computer and compare it to batch processing systems of 50 years ago, you’ll see many similarities: both have an operating system that manages tasks and resources; both can be run on different types of hardware; and both can run multiple applications at once. In 1961, a man named John McCarthy invented a new language called Lisp, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in terms of functions applied to data This was an important breakthrough for artificial intelligence research because it allowed people to write programs that could process language and solve problems without needing to explicitly spell out every step of their solution (as was required with other languages). Lisp was based on two concepts that were not well known at the time: functional programming and recursion. The first of these means that programs could be written as expressions rather than sequences of commands; this enables you to think about your program as a mathematical formula instead of just code. The second means that some functions can call themselves.

During the American Civil War, General Benjamin Butler so appreciated the heroic actions of Afric Grade Range: 5-12 Resource Type(s): Artifacts, Primary Sources Date Posted: 12/31/2010 This flag belonged to the 84th Regiment of Infantry, United States Colored Troops. The red stripes bear the regiment's name and number and some of the battles in which the 84th fought. The unit was organized April 4, 1864 and mustered for service on March 14, 1866. The unit fought primarily in Louisiana with three other regiments of colored troops and a larger force of Union volunteers. Use this Investigation Sheet to guide students through describing the object and analyzing its meaning.

Mars has had a lot of different spacecraft land on its surface over the years, and it’s been a popular destination for researchers. Here’s a look at what we know about the planet and how we’re going to explore it in the future. Mars is the Red Planet Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and orbits it once every 687 days. It is a rocky world with many interesting features like canyons, volcanoes and craters. It has a lot of iron oxide, which makes it look red. NASA says this is because of the iron minerals in its regolith. This material is made from the loose dust and rock on Mars, which oxidizes when it comes into contact with the air and water. The red colour is caused by rusty iron-rich minerals. It has polar ice caps, which grow and shrink over time. These are made of dry ice, not liquid water, like we find on Earth. It’s a hot planet Mars is one of the most well-known planets in space and has long been a point of interest for astronomers, scientists and science-fiction fans. The planet is often featured in movies and TV shows. While it looks like a reddish hot place, it’s actually much colder than Earth. Mars averages -60 degrees Celsius, but can be as cold as -125 degrees C near the polar caps during the winter. This is due to the fact that Mars has a thin atmosphere and the distance it has from the sun means that heat is lost quickly. Another important factor is that the Martian atmosphere is very low in pressure. It has only 1% of the pressure that Earth has at sea level. It’s a cold planet Mars is cold because it’s far from the Sun and its atmosphere isn’t as thick as Earth’s. It also doesn’t get as much heat from the Sun as Earth does, so it can’t retain heat like our planet. However, despite its coldness, it’s possible to find evidence that Mars once had liquid water on its surface. Scientists use a variety of tools, including radar instruments and mineral mapping equipment, to hunt for water ice and chemicals that form when liquid water is present on the planet’s surface. But even with these discoveries, we’re not completely sure if there was ever any life on Mars. Because of its temperature and the way its atmosphere is thin, it’s unlikely that liquid water could remain on the planet for any length of time. It’s a dry planet The thin atmosphere of Mars keeps it from getting too hot or too cold, but it doesn’t protect the planet from solar winds. It also doesn’t have a magnetic field, which makes it vulnerable to radiation from the Sun. Scientists believe that in the past, Mars had a thicker and more protective atmosphere that was able to hold onto water. However, over time, that atmosphere was lost to space. As the result, Mars became cold and dry. It was also geologically dead, because volcanism was no longer able to release heat. This caused the atmosphere to start losing its carbon dioxide. This caused a lot of heat loss and pressure loss, too. It’s a wet planet Mars was once a wet planet with rivers and lakes. But in the past three billion years, that water has all but disappeared. Researchers have long wondered how a planet that was once covered in liquid water could be so dry today. They came up with a few theories, including one that suggests dust storms could have swept water molecules away from the planet and into space. However, now a new study from NASA says that it may have been the atmosphere of early Mars that made it a dry planet. The team used a model to simulate what would have happened if CO2 and other greenhouse gases were able to warm the planet’s atmosphere in the past. It’s a rocky planet In the early days of our Solar System, rocky planets formed from the dust and gas particles in the disk of the Sun. As these planets orbited, the star’s wind blew away most of their gases, leaving the planets with only rocks and metals intact. Today, our Solar System has four rocky planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. All of them have a rocky core, a hot mantle of rock and metal, and a crust of solid rocky material on their surfaces. Like most of the other rocky planets in our Solar System, Mars has an incredibly thin atmosphere that is influenced by weather patterns. These include winds, dust storms, and seasonal changes in cloud types. It’s a volcanic planet Mars is a volcanic planet that has produced several types of features, including giant shield volcanoes and flood basalts. Shield volcanoes, for example, form over places in the mantle where heat flows are unusually high and large amounts of magma are produced. These shields can grow to enormous size over many millennia, and when they do, the lava that flows out is basic and unevolved, which means it’s highly fluid and spreads out over a wide area. The molten rock that forms these shields is called magma, and it comes in all different sorts of flavors. The most common Earth-type igneous rock is basalt, which is dark gray and iron-rich. However, there are also a lot of other kinds of magmas. Some are thicker and stickier than others, which makes it harder for gas bubbles to escape smoothly once they form. It’s a magnetic planet Mars is not a magnetic planet because it doesn’t have a global magnetic field like Earth. Instead, it has small patches of induced magnetism. A global magnetic field is important for a planet to survive large solar storms that would strip away its atmosphere. It also helps protect a planet from radiation particles. Eventually, the Martian dynamo, which powered the planet’s global magnetic field, shut down around 4 billion years ago. The resulting feeble remnant of the field is now confined to its weakly magnetized crust. Scientists have long puzzled how this happened. But new research suggests a simple answer. It’s a gas planet A gas planet is a large celestial body composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, which are the same basic elements found in stars. Unlike rocky planets like Mercury, Venus and Earth, gas giants do not have a well-defined surface, but their atmospheres become denser as they approach their core. The earliest gas giants in our Solar System were ejected into space from the young cores of dying stars. This is a process called core accretion. Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus formed as rocky worlds, but grew larger because of their gravity, eventually attracting the gas around them. Ice giants – the third group of planets – form from the same material, but the ice is heavier than the hydrogen and helium. Because of this, they are considered a different type of planet than the gaseous Jovian planets. It’s a planet with a moon Mars is a planet with two natural satellites, called Deimos and Phobos. These moons are small asteroids that have been drawn into Mars’ orbit by its gravity. The moons are tidally locked to Mars, meaning they always present the same side towards the planet. The outer moon, Phobos, orbits Mars faster than the planet itself rotates so tidal forces will eventually break it up. This week, the full moon will pass in front of Mars, a rare event known as a lunar occultation. This will occur on December 7-8 and can be seen from many parts of the world.

In this week you explored one of the best known cases in common law. You learnt about the case, its background and the far-reaching consequences which flowed from what had been a simple afternoon outing involving two friends. You also considered the reasons why the case was taken to the highest court on appeal and how the judgment enabled the law to more readily reflect social and economic conditions of the time. You have also become familiar with legal terminology. After studying this week you should be able to: - explain the lead up to decision in Donoghue v Stevenson AC 562 - explain the sources used by Lord Atkin in reaching his decision - explain the way in which neighbour principle as outlined by Lord Atkin has been acknowledged in other jurisdictions. You are now half way through the course. The Open University would really appreciate your feedback and suggestions for future improvement in our optional, which you will also have an opportunity to complete at the end of Week 8. Participation will be completely confidential and we will not pass on your details to others. You can now go to Week 5 where you will explore the work and role of the judiciary and learn about legal reasoning.

Michael Coogan, The Ten Commandments; A Short History of an Ancient Text (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2014), 176pp. By rabbinic tradition there are 613 commandments in the Old Testament, but pride of place goes to the Ten Commandments. Why is that? There are three versions of the Ten Commandments, each slightly different than the other — Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5, and Exodus 34. They are inscribed on the Supreme Court Building. They've been the subject of several Supreme Court cases, and an epic 1956 film by Cecil B. DeMille. Michael Coogan, director of public relations at Harvard's Semitic Museum, and lecturer in Old Testament at the Harvard Divinity School, explores in what sense this divinely written code, two thousand years old and written by the finger of God on tablets of stone, is rightly considered an authoritative text for today. In their original historical context, the Ten Commandments were part of God's covenant contract with his chosen people Israel. After admittedly "piling conjecture on conjecture," Coogan reaches a fairly conservative conclusion. The Decalogue "is very ancient, older than its expansions in the redacted biblical sources," rather than from the fifth- or sixth-century BCE, "and the covenant that it formulates, and perhaps even the formulation as ten short commandments, is the essence of the teaching of Moses himself." In his longest chapter (43pp), Coogan suggests the meaning of each one of the ten commandments. The first four commandments are limited to the people of Israel — the prohibitions against polytheism and images, the name of God, and the sabbath rest. The other commands are not too unusual and could apply to broader society — parents, murder, adultery, kidnapping, perjury, and property. And notice: slaves and women are taken for granted as property, which is a tip off that we need to be careful about applying the Decalogue to today. Neither Jews nor Christians consistently observed the prohibition against images, for example. The apostle Paul said that Christ was "the end of the law." It would be neither wise nor good to apply the Decalogue in a pluralistic society, says Coogan, even though they rightly enjoy a privileged status among Jews and Christians.

Forests cover about 30% of the world's land area, and they play a crucial role in the sustainability of the planet. Forests provide oxygen, store carbon, maintain biodiversity, and provide timber for construction, paper, and fuel. However, the overexploitation of forests has led to deforestation, which is a significant concern. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a certification system that ensures that forests are responsibly managed and preserved. This article discusses the FSC certificate, what it means, and why it is essential. What is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)? The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international non-profit organization that was established in 1993 to promote responsible forest management worldwide. It was founded by environmentalists, social groups, and representatives from the forestry industry to establish a certification system that would ensure the responsible management of forests. The FSC certification system ensures that forests are managed according to strict environmental, social, and economic standards. The FSC sets standards for forest management, chain of custody, and product labeling. Companies that want to use the FSC logo on their products must meet these standards. What is FSC Certification? FSC certification is a voluntary certification system that ensures that forests are managed according to strict environmental, social, and economic standards. FSC certification is awarded to companies that have met these standards and have undergone an independent third-party assessment by an FSC-accredited certification body. The FSC certification system covers three areas: Forest Management, Chain of Custody, and Product Labeling. Forest Management certification ensures that the forest is managed according to FSC standards. Chain of Custody certification ensures that products made from certified timber are tracked from the forest to the consumer. Product Labeling certification ensures that consumers can identify and choose products made from FSC-certified materials. What are the Benefits of FSC Certification? There are several benefits of FSC certification for forests, companies, and consumers. Benefits for Forests: - FSC certification ensures that forests are responsibly managed and preserved. - It protects biodiversity, endangered species, and ecosystems. - It ensures that forests are managed according to strict environmental, social, and economic standards. Benefits for Companies: - FSC certification enables companies to demonstrate their commitment to responsible forest management. - It allows companies to access new markets and customers that require FSC-certified products. - It helps companies to comply with laws and regulations related to responsible forest management. Benefits for Consumers: - FSC certification enables consumers to make informed choices about the products they purchase. - It assures consumers that the products they purchase come from responsibly managed forests. - It supports sustainable development and the conservation of natural resources. How to Obtain FSC Certification? To obtain FSC certification, companies must undergo an independent third-party assessment by an FSC-accredited certification body. The certification body will assess the company's compliance with FSC standards for forest management, chain of custody, and product labeling. Real wooden Lastu phone cases have FSC-certification and that's why it's eco-friendly case to buy. Find your own custom-made Lastu case from our collections.

BE THANKFUL FOR TREES A Tribute to the Many & Surprising Ways Trees Relate to Our Lives By: Harriet Ziefert Illustrated by: Brian Fitzgerald Published: March 29,, 2022 Publisher: Red Comet Press This book approaches teaching all the wonderful things trees provide in a fun, readable format. Reading like a storybook, but full of facts and realistic illustrations, kids will learn to be thankful for the trees in their neighborhood. Trees provide food, comfort, and protection for humans and animals. We depend on trees to provide us with apples, nuts, and even chocolate, but they also provide bark and leaves for animals. We get the wood for our homes and our furniture from trees. Trees are a home for many animals including numerous types of birds, but they also provide a recreation space for kids to swing from and cats to climb as well as provide the wood for bats to swing. Trees are necessary for our daily lives. They even provided the paper for this book. Would it be possible to live without trees? It would not! Trees provide us years of protection and we need to provide them protection as well. Without trees, we wouldn’t have birds or shade or a way to keep our air clean. After losing our two large maple trees in the Derecho a couple of summers ago, we realized how much we missed their protection from wind and the shade they provided from the summer sun. We planted 3 new trees last summer and I can’t wait to see them grow over the rest of our time here. Young kids will be exposed to all the wonderful things trees give to us and how important they are to not only our livelihood but also for so many animals. This reads like a picture book and kids won’t even realize they are learning while reading. The illustrations are really wonderful and show a variety of trees and animals that benefit from them. We need to be thankful for trees and all they provide for humans and animals. Ziefert has written an approachable book about being kind to and saving the trees for young kids. Celebrate the upcoming Arbor Day on April 29, 2022, by getting this book and planting a tree or two in your backyard. You can download a teacher’s guide, HERE. Harriet Ziefert grew up in New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Master’s degree in Education from New York University, where she was among the founding pioneers in the development and teaching of what today is known as the Common Core Curriculum. Since then, she has written more than 200 books. As the publisher of Blue Apple Books, Ziefert launched the award-winning Jump-Into-Chapters series, which includes Scribbles and Ink, now a WGBH televised series. As a packager, Ziefert delivered the Caldecott Honor-winning There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The mother of two and grandmother of five, Ziefert lives in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Brian Fitzgerald is an internationally recognized, award-winning illustrator of children’s books. He is a graduate of Ireland’s National College of Art and Design and has also worked on publishing, editorial, and design projects. Brian lives and works in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin.

Montessori education has been a popular choice for parents seeking an alternative to traditional schooling. It’s a method that encourages children to become independent, self-motivated learners, and has been proven to have a positive impact on their development. In this blog post, we’ll explore how Montessori education unlocks your child’s potential and prepares them for success. - Fostering Independence: Montessori education emphasizes self-directed learning, where children are encouraged to make choices and decisions independently. This approach builds self-confidence and a sense of responsibility in children from a young age. - Tailored Curriculum: Montessori education is designed to cater to the individual needs of each child. The curriculum is flexible and allows children to progress at their own pace, ensuring they’re challenged and engaged at all times. - Hands-On Learning: Montessori education focuses on hands-on learning through sensory experiences. Children learn through exploration, experimentation, and discovery, which helps to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills. - Multi-Age Classrooms: Montessori classrooms typically have a mix of ages, with children ranging from 3 to 6 years old in the same class. This allows younger children to learn from their older peers and older children to develop leadership skills. - Emphasis on Practical Life Skills: Montessori education places a strong emphasis on practical life skills, such as cooking, cleaning, and gardening. These skills are essential for daily life and help to foster independence and responsibility in children. - Respect for the Child: Montessori education values and respects the unique needs of each child. Teachers provide guidance and support, but ultimately, children are encouraged to take ownership of their learning and make choices that suit their individual needs. At the heart of the Montessori method is the belief that every child is born with a unique set of talents and abilities, and it is the role of educators to provide an environment that allows them to explore and develop these to their fullest potential. This is achieved through a carefully designed curriculum that emphasizes practical life skills, sensory exploration, language development, and math and science concepts. One of the key features of Montessori education is the use of specially designed materials that allow children to learn through their own experiences and discoveries. From the iconic Montessori pink tower to the movable alphabet, these materials encourage children to work independently and at their own pace, building confidence and a love of learning. Montessori education provides a holistic approach to learning that nurtures the whole child. By unlocking your child’s potential through independence, tailored curriculum, hands-on learning, multi-age classrooms, practical life skills, and respect for the child, you’re setting them up for a lifetime of success.

SQL (Sturctured Query Language) is a standard language for querying and modifying relational databases. It is an ANSI and ISO standard, although various vendors have added proprietary extensions. It is beyond the scope of this document to describe SQL or the differences between Microsoft Access SQL and ANSI SQL. However, examples of SQL queries are provided in this document as a tutorial. Most users of Access probably use the graphical design view for queries, but SQL queries are better suited for examples. These queries can by typed or copied and pasted into the Access query SQL view. The query can then be executed or opened in design view to show the graphical representation. One difference between Access SQL and other flavors is the wildcard; Access uses * rather than %. The following SQL example lists the number of sites by GeoPoliticalID (the name of the country) for and GeoPoliticalID that is defined as a country. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 geopoliticalunits.GeoPoliticalUnit = "country" ) AS gpu INNER JOIN ( INNER JOIN SiteGeoPolitical ON Sites.SiteID = SiteGeoPolitical.SiteID ) ON gpu.GeoPoliticalID = SiteGeoPolitical.GeoPoliticalID Within tables there are often Keys. A Key may be a Primary Key (PK), which acts as a unique identifier for individual records within a table, or they may be a Foreign Key (FK) which refers to a unique identifier in another table. Primary Keys and Foreign Keys are critical to join tables in a SQL query. In the above example we can see that the In the table descriptions in the following section, the SQL Server data types are given for field descriptions. The equivalent Access data types are given in the following table. |SQL Server data type |Access data type |nvarchar(n), where n = 1 to 4000

Vaccinating large numbers of people against cholera at the first signs of an outbreak could save hundreds or even thousands of lives, a new analysis of past epidemics in Zimbabwe, Zanzibar and India shows. Another study indicates that such immediate vaccination in Vietnam may have limited an outbreak there. Both studies appear in the January PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Although easily administered oral vaccines exist, public health officials typically don’t vaccinate against cholera in the throes of an outbreak because medical workers have their hands full rehydrating patients who have come down with the diarrheal disease. Besides, cholera historically moved on to new areas in a matter of months, well before a vaccine campaign could have an effect. But the Vibrio cholerae bacterium that causes the disease has morphed in recent years, now causing infections that can linger and extend a disease outbreak. “Historically, the cholera vaccine has been secondary,” says immunologist Edward Ryan of Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, a cholera expert who wasn’t involved in the new studies. Public health officials have concentrated on detecting cases, rehydrating patients, providing clean water and improving sanitation to stem the spread of cholera, he says. “The changing features of the pandemic — and data like we’re seeing from these two studies — would suggest it may be time to revisit what role cholera vaccine could play in an outbreak,” Ryan says. In one study, scientists collected information from three regions where cholera has struck in the past 15 years — Zimbabwe, Zanzibar and India. In Zimbabwe, cholera killed more than 4,000 people and infected nearly 100,000 in 2008 and 2009. A computer-assisted analysis of the epidemic shows that a prompt campaign to vaccinate half the population would have prevented 40 percent of the cases and nearly 1,700 deaths, report epidemiologist Rita Reyburn of the International Vaccine Institute in Seoul, South Korea, and an international team of colleagues. A analysis of seven outbreaks that struck the Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar and Pemba (both part of Tanzania) between 1997 and 2004 shows that island-wide vaccination of half the population would have reduced cases by 4 to 29 percent, depending on the outbreak. When applied to three outbreaks that hit Kolkata (Calcutta) from 2003 to 2005, the computer analysis showed that vaccinating 50 percent of the population would have prevented 36 percent of the cases. The analysis assumed the availability of a cholera vaccine stockpile, enabling immunization of large numbers of people within about 10 weeks. Slower responses yielded estimates of fewer lives saved and infections prevented. While a global vaccine cache currently exists for yellow fever, there is no similar stockpile for cholera. But Vietnam, where cholera has become common in the past decade, has its own stockpile. Public health officials there put it to use at the start of a cholera outbreak in Hanoi in 2007 and 2008, a move that appears to have prevented anywhere from 5 to 94 percent of possible cases, according to a separate report in the same PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases issue. Dang Duc Anh of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi and colleagues identified 54 people who had cholera during the epidemic and 54 others who didn’t. People who did not get cholera were twice as likely to have been vaccinated compared with those who got sick. Cholera spreads through contamination of drinking water by the fecal matter of infected people. The two studies didn’t account for additional reductions in the spread of disease that would come through vaccinating the population, which reduces fecal contamination of water supplies. Nor did they account for “herd immunity,” the protection that some people get because others around them are vaccinated and not infectious, Ryan says. “For these reasons, the effect we’re seeing might be low-balling what the benefit of vaccination would be in reality,” he says. Reyburn cites the ongoing cholera epidemic in Haiti, in which people continue to be infected months after its onset. “The current response strategy, despite huge efforts, struggles to control outbreaks,” she says. “Mass oral cholera vaccination is a powerful new tool to complement clean water and sanitation and good case management. It should be utilized.”

|Pisum sativum Via Wikipedia ...In order to evaluate plants’ decision making skills, researchers grew pea plants with their roots split between two pots with varying levels of nutrients. First, scientists found that plants chose to grow more roots in the pot with more nutrients. Then, scientists examined plant behavior when one of the pots offered a consistent level of nutrients, but the other pot varied widely. While both pots offered the same amount of nutrients on average, when the average nutrient level was high in the consistent pot, plants chose that pot. Yet, plants chose to grow more roots in the pot with a varied level of nutrients when the consistent pot offered a low amount of nutrients, demonstrating a willingness to take calculated risks. “Complex and interesting behaviours can be theoretically predicted as biological adaptations, and executed by organisms,” said Dr. Kacelnik, “on the basis of processes evolved to exploit natural opportunities efficiently." Scientists are still unsure of the plants sense variance, but they are nevertheless surprised by the decision making skills that the plants evidently possess. "I used to look at plants as passive receivers of circumstances," says Efrat Dener, of Ben-Gurion University in Israel. "This line of experiments illustrates how wrong that view is: living organisms are designed by natural selection to exploit their opportunities, and this often implies a great deal of flexibility."...

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) consists of three spacecraft that, starting in 2035, will follow the Earth in its orbit around the Sun. By continuously measuring their relative distances, the detectors will detect gravitational waves coming from elsewhere in the universe. In this way, LISA’s arms cover a distance of 2.5 million kilometres, allowing the detector to measure gravitational waves of longer wavelengths than its terrestrial counterparts. Samaya Nissanke, one of the UvA astrophysicists involved in the project, says: ‘LISA will allow us to ‘listen’ to what happens in space. We can hear echoes of the big bang and the first black holes that populated the universe, and follow the chaotic trajectories of stars that are devoured by black holes. These will be marvelous tests of Einstein’s general theory of relativity.’ The consortium, led by space research institute SRON, consists of many partners. Besides UvA and Nikhef, the universities of Nijmegen, Leiden, Utrecht, Maastricht and Groningen are involved, as is TNO. Together, they will build photo diodes (LISA’s ‘eyes’), software, the pointing mechanism and the electronics to read out its data. Michael Wise, SRON director, professor by special appointment of Observational High-Energy Astrophysics at UvA and one of the driving forces behind the proposal, explains: ‘Pointing LISA is not straightforward. The directions have to be extremely precise, since every laser needs to hit a lens about 2.5 million kilometres away. Moreover, the light takes 8 seconds to reach that point, and in the mean time the detectors move. It is like pointing a laser from Amsterdam to hit a small coin dropping from the Eiffel tower in Paris, at the precise moment it hits the ground.’ The photo diodes must also be extremely sensitive. They have to detect the laser light, emitted with 1 Watt of power – comparable to a table lamp – but arriving with over a billion times less, around 250 picoWatts. Finally, developing the software is a challenge in itself. The software has to be able to distinguish all different types of gravitational waves, coming from all possible directions, that continuously make the spacecraft vibrate with different frequencies and amplitudes. ‘The Dutch contribution to LISA is very important,’ Gijs Nelemans, one of the leaders of the LISA-NL consortium, says. ‘Dutch scientists will gather unique expertise, and the access to all data will help us build a lead in the only existing way into a completely new field of research.’ The institutes that are involved will collect knowledge and insight into how to develop such extremely precise techniques. In this way, they will support and strengthen their candidacy to build, together with German and Belgian partners, the Einstein Telescope – another gravitational wave detector that is projected to be built in the region where the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium meet.

Let’s take a look at examining file contents. One common problem that you may face is the encoding of the byte data. An encoding is a translation from byte data to human readable characters. This is typically done by assigning a numerical value to represent a character. The two most common encodings are the ASCII and UNICODE Formats. ASCII can only store 128 characters, while Unicode can contain up to 1,114,112 characters. ASCII is a subset of Unicode (UTF-8), meaning that ASCII and Unicode share the same numerical to character values. It’s important to note that parsing a file with the incorrect character encoding can lead to failures or misrepresentation of the character. For example, if a file was created using the UTF-8 encoding, and you try to parse it using the ASCII encoding, if there is a character that is outside of those 128 values, then an error will be thrown.

Malabar Rites.—A conventional term for certain customs or practices of the natives of South India, which the Jesuit missionaries allowed their neophytes to retain after conversion, but which were afterwards prohibited by the Holy See. The missions concerned are not those of the coast of southwestern India, to which the name Malabar properly belongs, but those of inner South India, especially those of the former “kingdoms” of Madura, Mysore and the Karnatic. The question of Malabar Rites originated in the method followed by the Jesuits, since the beginning of the seventeenth century, in evangelizing those countries. The prominent feature of that method was a condescending accommodation to the manners and customs of the people the conversion of whom was to be obtained. But, when bitter enemies asserted, as some still assert, that the Jesuit missionaries, in Madura, Mysore and the Karnatic, either accepted for themselves or permitted to their neophytes such practices as they knew to be idolatrous or superstitious, this accusation must be styled not only unjust, but absurd. In fact it is tantamount to affirming that these men, whose intelligence at least was never questioned, were so stupid as to jeopardize their own salvation in order to save others, and to endure infinite hardships in order to establish among the Hindus a corrupt and sham Christianity. The popes, while disapproving of some usages hitherto considered inoffensive or tolerable by the missionaries, never charged them with having adulterated knowingly the purity of religion. On one of them, who had observed the “Malabar Rites” for seventeen years previous to his martyrdom, the Church has conferred the honor of beatification. The process for the beatification of Father John de Britto was going on at Rome during the hottest period of the controversy upon the famous “Rites“; and the adversaries of the Jesuits asserted beatification to be impossible, because it would amount to approving the “superstitions and idolatries” maintained by the missioners of Madura. Yet the cause progressed, and Benedict XIV. on July 2, 1741, declared “that the rites in question had not been used, as among the Gentiles, with religious significance, but merely as civil observances, and that therefore they were no obstacle to bringing forward the process”. (Brief of Beatification of John de Britto, May 18, 1852.) There is no reason to view the “Malabar Rites”, as practiced generally in the said missions, in any other light. Hence the good faith of the missionaries in tolerating the native customs should not be contested; on the other hand, they, no doubt, erred in carrying this toleration too far. But the bare enumeration of the Decrees by which the question was decided shows how perplexing it was and how difficult the solution. Father de Nobili’s Work. The founder of the missions of the interior of South India, Roberto de Nobili, was born at Rome, in 1577, of a noble family from Montepulciano, which numbered among many distinguished relatives the celebrated Cardinal Roberto Bellarmine. When nineteen years of age, he entered the Society of Jesus; and, after a few years, the young religious, aiming at the purest ideal of self-sacrifice, requested his superiors to send him to the missions of India. He embarked at Lisbon, 1604, and in 1606 was serving his apostolic apprenticeship in South India. Christianity was then flourishing on the coasts of this country. It is well known that St. Francis Xavier baptized many thousands there, and from the apex of the Indian triangle the faith spread along both sides, especially on the west, the Malabar coast. But the interior of the vast peninsula remained almost untouched. The Apostle of the Indies himself recognized the insuperable opposition of the “Brahmins and other noble castes inhabiting the interior” to the preaching of the Gospel (Monumenta Xaveriana, I, 54). Yet his disciples were not sparing of endeavors. A Portuguese Jesuit, Gonsalvo Fernandes, had resided in the city of Madura fully fourteen years, having obtained leave of the king to stay there to watch over the spiritual needs of a few Christians from the coast; and, though a zealous and pious missionary, he had not succeeded, within that long space of time, in making one convert. This painful state of things Nobili witnessed in 1606, when together with his superior, the Provincial of Malabar, he paid a visit to Fernandes. At once his keen eye perceived the cause and the remedy. It was evident that a deep-rooted aversion to the foreign preachers hindered the Hindus of the interior, not only from accepting the Gospel, but even from listening to its message. But whence this aversion? Its object was not exactly the fordgner. but the Prangui. This name, with which the natives of India designated the Portuguese, conveyed to their minds the idea of an infamous and abject class of men, with whom no Hindu could have any intercourse without degrading himself to the lowest ranks of the population. Now the Prangui were abominated because they violated the most respected customs of India, by eating beef, and indulging in wine and spirits; but much as all well-bred Hindus abhorred those things, they felt more disgusted at seeing the Portuguese, irrespective of any distinction of caste, treat freely with the lowest classes, such as the pariahs, who, in the eyes of their countrymen of the higher castes, are nothing better than the vilest animals. Accordingly, since Fernandes was known to be a Portuguese, that is a Prangui, and besides was seen living habitually with men of the lowest caste, the religion he preached, no less than himself, had to share the contempt and execration attending his neophytes, and made no progress whatever among the better classes. To become acceptable for all, Christianity must be presented in quite another way. While Nobili thought over his plan, probably the example just set by his countryman Matteo Ricci, in China, stood before his mind. At all events, he started from the same principle, resolving to become, after the motto of St. Paul, all things to all men, and a Hindu to the Hindus, as far as might be lawful. Having ripened his design by thorough meditation and by conferring with his superiors, the Archbishop of Cranganore and the provincial of Malabar, who both approved and encouraged his resolution, Nobili boldly began his arduous career by reentering Madura in the dress of the Hindu ascetics, known as saniassy. He never tried to make believe that he was a native of India; else he would have deserved the name of impostor, with which he has sometimes been unjustly branded; but he availed himself of the fact that he was not a Portuguese, to deprecate the opprobrious name Prangui. He introduced himself as a Roman raja (nobleman), desirous of living at Madura in practising penance, in praying and studying the sacred law. He carefully avoided meeting with Father Fernandes and he took his lodging in a solitary abode in the Brahmins’ quarter obtained from the benevolence of a high officer. At first he called himself a raja, but soon he changed this title for that of brahmm, better suited to his aims. The rajas or kshatryas, being the second of the three high castes, formed the military class; but intellectual avocations were almost monopolized by the Brahmins. They held from time immemorial the spiritual if not the political government of the nation, and were the arbiters of what the others ought to believe, to revere, and to adore. Yet, it must be noted, they were in no wise a priestly caste; they were possessed of no exclusive right to perform functions of religious cult. Nobili remained for a long time shut up in his dwelling, after the custom of Indian penitents, living on rice, milk, and herbs with water, and that once a day; he received attendance only from Brahmin servants. Curiosity could not fail to be raised, and all the more as the foreign saniassy was very slow in satisfying it. When, after two or three refusals, he admitted visitors, the interview was conducted according to the strictest rules of Hindu etiquette. Nobili charmed his audience by the perfection with which he spoke their own language, Tamil; by the quotations of famous Indian authors with which he interspersed his discourse, and, above all, by the fragments of native poetry which he recited or even sang with exquisite skill. Having thus won a benevolent hearing, he proceeded step by step on his missionary task, laboring first to set right the ideas of his auditors with respect to natural truth concerning God, the soul, etc., and then instilling by degrees the dogmas of the Christian faith. He took advantage also of his acquaintance with the books revered by the Hindus—as sacred and divine. These he contrived, the first of all Europeans, to read and study in the Sanskrit originals. For this purpose he had engaged a reputed Brahmin teacher, with whose assistance and by the industry of his own keen intellect and felicitous memory he gained such a knowledge of this recondite literature as to strike the native doctors with amazement, very few of them feeling themselves capable of vying with him on the point. In this way also he was enabled to find in the Vedas many truths which he used in testimony of the doctrine he preached. By this method, and no less by the prestige of his pure and austere life, the missionary had soon dispelled the distrust and prejudices of many, and before the end of 1608, he conferred baptism on several persons conspicuous for nobility and learning. While he obliged his neophytes to reject all practices involving superstition or savoring in any wise of idolatrous worship, he allowed them to keep their national customs, in as far as these contained nothing wrong and referred to merely political or civil usages. Accordingly, Nobili’s disciples continued, for example, wearing the dress proper to each one’s caste; the Brahmins retaining their codhumbi (tuft of hair) and cord (cotton string slung over the left shoulder); all adorning, as before, their foreheads with sandalwood-paste, etc. Yet, one condition was laid on them, namely, that the cord and the sandal, if once taken with any superstitious ceremony, be removed and replaced by others with a special benediction, the formula of which had been cent to Nobili by the Archbishop of Cranganore. While the missionary was winning more and more esteem, not only for himself, but also for the Gospel, even among those who did not receive it, the fanatical ministers and votaries of the national gods, whom he was going to supplant, could not watch his progress quietly. By their assaults, indeed, his work was almost unceasingly impeded, and barely escaped ruin on several occasions; but he held his ground in spite of calumny, imprisonment, menaces of death and all kinds of ill-treatment. In April, 1609, the flock which he had gathered around him was too numerous for his chapel and required a church; and the labor of the ministry had become so crushing that he entreated the provincial to send him a companion. But then fell on him a storm from a part whence it might least have been expected. Fernandes, the missioner already mentioned, may have felt no mean jealousy, when seeing Nobili succeed so happily where he had been so powerless; but certainly he proved unable to understand or to appreciate the method of his colleague; probably, also, as he had lived perforce apart from the circles among which the latter was working, he was never well informed of his doings. However that may be, Fernandes directed to the superiors of the Jesuits in India and at Rome a lengthy report, in which he charged Nobili with simulation, in declining the name of Prangui; with connivance at idolatry, in allowing his neophytes to observe heathen customs, such as wearing the insignia of castes; lastly, with schismatical proceeding, in dividing the Christians into separate congregations. This denunciation at—first caused an impression highly unfavorable to Nobili. Influenced by the account of Fernandes, the provincial of Malabar (Father Laerzio, who had always countenanced Nobili, had then left that office), the Visitor of the India Missions and even the General of the Society at Rome sent severe warnings to the missionary innovator. Cardinale Bellarmine, in 1612, wrote to his relative, expressing the grief he felt on hearing of his unwise conduct. Things changed as soon as Nobili, being informed of the accusation, could answer it on every point. By oral explanations, in the assemblies of missionaries and theologians at Cochin and at Goa, and by an elaborate memoir, which he sent to Rome, he justified the manner in which he had presented himself to the Brahmins of Madura; then, he showed that the national customs he allowed his converts to keep were such as had no religious meaning. The latter point, the crux of the question, he elucidated by numerous quotations from the authoritative Sanskrit law-books of the Hindus. Moreover, he procured affidavits of one hundred and eight Brahmins, from among the most learned in Madura, all endorsing his interpretation of the native practices. He acknowledged that the infidels used to associate those practices with superstitious ceremonies; but, he observed, “these ceremonies belong to the mode, not to the substance of the practices; the same difficulty may be raised about eating, drinking, marriage, etc., for the heathens mix their ceremonies with all their actions. It suffices to do away with the superstitious ceremonies, as the Christians do.” As to schism, he denied having caused any such thing: “he had founded a new Christianity, which never could have been brought together with the older: the separation of the churches had been approved by the Archbishop of Cranganore; and it precluded neither unity of faith nor Christian charity, for his neophytes used to greet kindly those of F.-Fernandes. Even on the coast there are different churches for different castes, and in Europe the places in the churches are not common for all.” Nobili’s apology was effectually seconded by the Archbishop of Cranganore, who, as he had encouraged the first steps of the missionary, continued to stand firmly by his side, and pleaded his cause warmly at Goa before the archbishop, as well as at Rome. Thus the learned and zealous primate of India, Alexis de Menezes, though a synod held by him had prohibited the Brahmin cord, was won over to the cause of Nobili.—And his successor, Christopher de Sa, having thought fit to take a contrary course, remained almost the only opponent in India. At Rome the explanations of Nobili, of the Archbishop of Cranganore, and of the chief Inquisitor of Oa brought about a similar effect. In 1614 and 1615 cardinal Bellarmine and the General of the Society wrote again to the missionary, declaring themselves fully satisfied. At last, after the usual mature examination by the Holy See, on January 31, 1623, Gregory XV, by his Apostolic Letter, “Romance Sedis Antistes”, decided the question provisionally in favor of Father de Nobili. Accordingly, the codhumbi, the cord, the sandal, and the baths were permitted to the Indian Christians, “until the Holy See provide otherwise”; only certain conditions are prescribed, in order that all superstitious admixture and all occasion of scandal may be averted. As to the separation of the castes, the pope confines himself to “earnestly entreating and beseeching (etiam atque etiam obtestamur et obsecramus) the nobles not to despise the lower people, especially in the churches, by hearing the Divine word and receiving the sacraments apart from them”. Indeed, a strict order to this effect would have been tantamount to sentencing the new-born Christianity of Madura to death. The pope understood, no doubt, that the customs connected with the distinction of castes, being so deeply rooted in the ideas and habits of all Hindus, did not admit an abrupt suppression, even among the Christians. They were to be dealt with by the Church, as had been slavery, serfdom, and the like institutions of past times. The Church never attacked directly those inveterate customs; but she inculcated meekness, humility, charity, love of the Savior who suffered and gave His life for all, and by this method slavery, serfdom, and other social abuses were slowly eradicated. While imitating this wise indulgence to the feebleness of new converts, Father de Nobili took much care to inspire his disciples with the feelings becoming true Christians towards their humbler brethren. At the very outset of his preaching, he insisted on making all understand that “religion was by no means dependent on caste; indeed it must be one for all, the true God being one for all; although [he added] unity of religion destroys not the civil distinction of the castes nor the lawful privileges of the nobles”. Explaining then the commandment of charity, he inculcated that it extended to the pariahs as well as others, and he exempted nobody from the duties it imposes; but he might rightly tell his neophytes that, for example, visiting pariahs or other people of low caste at their houses, treating them familiarly, even kneeling or sitting by them in the church, concerned perfection rather than the precept of charity, and that accordingly such actions could be omitted without any fault, at least where they involved so grave a detriment as degradation from the higher caste. Of this principle the missionaries had a right to make use for themselves. Indeed charity required more from the pastors of souls than from others; yet not in such a. way that they should endanger the salvation of the many to relieve the needs of the few. Therefore Nobili, at the beginning of his apostolate, avoided all public intercourse with the lower castes; but he failed not to minister secretly even to pariahs. In the year 1638, there were at Tiruchirapalli (Trichinopoly) several hundred Christian pariahs, who had been secretly taught and baptized by the companions of Nobili. About this time he devised a means of assisting more directly the lower castes, without ruining the work begun among the higher. Besides the Brahmin saniassy, there was another grade of Hindu ascetics, called pandaram, enjoying less consideration than the Brahmins, but who were allowed to deal publicly with all castes, and even hold intercourse with’ the pariahs. They were not excluded from relations with the higher castes. On the advice of Nobili, the superiors of the mission with the Archbishop of Cranganore resolved that henceforward there should be two classes of missionaries, the Brahmin and the pandaram. Father Balthasar da Costa was the first, in 1540, who took the name and habit of pandaram, under which he effected a large number of conversions, of others as well as of pariahs. Nobili had then three Jesuit companions. After the comforting decision of Rome, he had hastened to extend his preaching beyond the town of Madura, and the Gospel spread by degrees over the whole interior of South India. In 1646, exhausted by forty-two years of toiling and suffering, he was constrained to retire, first to Jafnapatam in Ceylon, then to Mylapore, where he died January 16, 1656. He left his mission in full progress. To give some idea of its development, we note that the superiors, writing to the general of the Society, about the middle and during the second half of the seventeenth century, record an annual average of five thousand conversions, the number never being less than three thousand a year even when the missioners’ work was most hindered by persecution. At the end of the seventeenth century, the total number of Christians in the mission founded by Nobili and still named Madura mission, though embracing, besides Madura, Mysore, Marava, Tanjore, Gingi, etc., is described as exceeding 150,000. Yet the number of the missionaries never went beyond seven, assisted however by many native catechists. The Madura mission belonged to the Portuguese assistance of the Society of Jesus, but it was supplied with men from all provinces of the Order. Thus, for example, Father Beschi (c. 1710-1746), who won so high a renown among the Hindus, heathen and Christian, by his writings in Tamil, was an Italian, as the founder of the mission had been. In the last quarter of the seventeenth century, the French Father John Venantius Bouchet worked for twelve years in Madura, chiefly at Trichinopoly, during which time he baptized about 20,000 infidels. And it is to be noted that the catechumens, in these parts of India, were admitted to baptism only after a tong and careful preparation. Indeed the missionary accounts of the time bear frequent witness to the very commendable qualities of these Christians, their fervent piety, their steadfastness in the sufferings they often had to endure for religion’s sake, their charity towards their brethren, even of the lowest castes, their zeal for the conversion of pagans. In the year 1700 Father Bouchet, with a few other French Jesuits, opened a new mission in the Karnatic, north of the River Kaveri. Like their Portuguese colleagues of Madura, the French missionaries of the Karnatic were very successful, in spite of repeated and almost continual persecutions by the idolaters. Moreover several of them became particularly conspicuous for the extensive knowledge they acquired of the literature and sciences of ancient India. From Father Coeurdoux the French Academicians learned the common origin of the Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin languages; to the initiative of Nobili and to the endeavors of his followers in the same line is due the first disclosure of a new intellectual world in India. The first original documents, enabling the learned to explore that world, were drawn from their hiding-places in India, and sent in large numbers to Europe by the same missionaries. But the Karnatic mission had hardly begun when it was disturbed by the revival of the controversy, which the decision of Gregory XV had set at rest for three quarters of a century. The Decree of Tournon.—This second phase, which was much more eventful and noisy than the first, originated in Pondicherry. Since the French had settled at that place, the spiritual care of the colonists was in the hands of the Capuchin Fathers, who were also working for the conversion of the natives. With a view to forwarding the latter work, the Bishop of Mylapore or San Thorne, to whose jurisdiction Pondicherry belonged, resolved, in 1699, to transfer it entirely to the Jesuits of the Karnatic mission, assigning to them a parochial church in the town and restricting the ministry of the Capuchins to the European immigrants, French or Portuguese. The Capuchins were displeased by this arrangement and appealed to Rome. The petition they laid before the pope, in 1703, embodied not only a complaint against the division of parishes made by the bishop, but also an accusation against the methods of the Jesuit mission in South India. Their claim on the former point was finally dismissed, but the charges were more successful. On November 6, 1703, Charles-Thomas-Maillard de Tournon, a Piedmontese prelate, Patriarch of Antioch, sent by Clement XI, with the power of legatus a latere, to visit the new Christian missions of the East Indies and especially China, landed at Pondicherry. Being obliged to wait there eight months for the opportunity of passing over to China, Tournon instituted an inquiry into the facts alleged by the Capuchins. He was hindered through sickness, as he himself stated, from visiting any part of the inland mission; in the town, besides the Capuchins, who had not visited the interior, he interrogated a few natives through interpreters; the Jesuits he consulted rather cursorily, it seems. Less than eight months after his arrival in India, he considered himself justified in issuing a decree of vital import to the whole of the Christians of India. It consisted of sixteen articles concerning practices in use or supposed to be in use among the neophytes of Madura and the Karnatic; the legate condemned and prohibited these practices as defiling the purity of the faith and religion, and forbade the missionaries, on pain of heavy censures, to permit them any more. Though dated June 23, 1704, the decree was notified to the superiors of the Jesuits only on July 8, three days before the departure of Tournon from Pondicherry. During the short time left, the missionaries endeavored to make him understand on what imperfect information his decree rested, and that nothing less than the ruin of the mission was likely to follow from its execution. They succeeded in persuading him to take off orally the threat of censures appended, and to suspend provisionally the prescription commanding the missionaries to give spiritual assistance to the sick pariahs, not only in the churches, but in their dwellings. Examination of the Malabar Rites at Rome.—Tour non’s decree, interpreted by prejudice and ignorance as representing, in the wrong practices it condemned, the real state of the India missions, affords to this day a much-used weapon against the Jesuits. At Rome it was received with reserve. Clement XI, who perhaps overrated the prudence of his zealous legate, ordered, in the Congregation of the Holy Office, on January 7, 1706, a provisional confirmation of the decree to be sent to him, adding that it should be executed “until the Holy See might provide otherwise, after having heard those who might have something to object”. And meanwhile, by an oraculum vivae vocis granted to the procurator of the Madura mission, the pope declared the missionaries to be obliged to observe the decree, “in so far as the Divine glory and the salvation of souls would permit”. The objections of the missionaries and the corrections they desired were propounded by several deputies and carefully examined at Rome, without effect, during the lifetime of Clement XI and during the short pontificate of his successor Innocent XIII. Benedict XIII grappled with the case and even came to a decision, enjoining “on the bishops and missionaries of Madura, Mysore, and the Karnatic” the execution of Tournon’s decree in all its parts (December 12, 1727). Yet it is doubted whether that decision ever reached the mission, and Clement XII, who succeeded Benedict XIII, commanded the whole affair to be discussed anew. In four meetings held from January 21 to September 6, 1733, the cardinals of the Holy Office gave their final conclusions upon all the articles of Tournon’s decree, declaring how each of them ought to be executed, or restricted and mitigated. By a Brief dated August 24, 1734, Clement XII sanctioned this resolution; moreover, on May 13, 1739, he prescribed an oath, by which every missionary should bind himself to obeying and making the neophytes obey exactly the Brief of August 24, 1734. Many hard prescriptions of Tournon were mitigated by the regulation of 1734. As to the first article, condemning the omission of the use of saliva and breathing on the candidates for baptism, the missionaries, and the bishops of India with them, are rebuked for not having consulted the Holy See previously to that omission; yet, they are allowed to continue for ten years omitting these ceremonies, to which the Hindus felt so strangely loath. Other prohibitions or precepts of the legate are softened by the addition of a Quantum fieri potest, or even replaced by mere counsels or advices. In the sixth article, the taly, “with the image of the idol Pulleyar”, is still interdicted, but the Congregation observes that “the missionaries say they never permitted wearing of such a taly”. Now this observation seems pretty near to recognizing that possibly the prohibitions of the rather over-zealous legate did not always hit upon existing abuses. And a similar conclusion might be drawn from several other articles, e.g. from the fifteenth, where we are told that the interdiction of wearing ashes and emblems after the manner of the heathen Hindus, ought to be kept, but in such a manner, it is added, “that the Constitution of Gregory XV of January 31, 1623, ‘Romanae Senis Antistes’, be observed throughout”. By that Constitution, as we have already seen, some signs and ornaments, materially similar to those prohibited by Tournon, were allowed to the Christians, provided that no superstition whatever was mingled with their use. Indeed, as the Congregation of Propaganda. explains in an Instruction sent to the Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry, February 15, 1792, “the Decree of Cardinal de Tournon and the Constitution of Gregory XV agree in this way, that both absolutely forbid any sign bearing even the least semblance of superstition, but allow those which are in general use for the sake of adornment, of good manners, and bodily cleanness, without any respect to religion.” The most difficult point retained was the twelfth article, commanding the missionaries to administer the sacraments to the sick pariahs in their dwellings, publicly. Though submitting dutifully to all precepts of the Vicar of Christ, the Jesuits in Madura could not but feel distressed, at experiencing how the last, especially, made their apostolate difficult and even impossible amidst the upper classes of Hindus. At their request, Benedict XIV consented to try a new solution of the knotty problem, by forming a band of missionaries who should attend only to the care of the pariahs. This scheme became formal law through the Constitution “Omnium sollicitudinum”, published September 12, 1744. Except this point, the document confirmed again the whole regulation enacted by Clement XII in 1734. The arrangement sanctioned by Benedict XIV benefited greatly the lower classes of Hindu neophytes; whether it worked also to the advantage of the mission at large, is another question, about which the reports are less comforting. Be that as it may, after the suppression of the Society of Jesus (1773), the distinction between Brahmin and pariah missionaries became extinct with the Jesuit missionaries. Henceforth conversions in the higher castes were fewer and fewer, and nowadays the Christian Hindus, for the most part, belong to the lower and lowest classes. The Jesuit missionaries, when reentering Madura in the year 1838, did not come with the dress of the Brahmin saniassy, like the founders of the mission; yet they pursued a design which Nobili had also in view, though he could not carry it out, as they opened their college of Negapatam, now at Trichinopoly. A wide breach has already been made into the wall of Brahminic reserve by that institution, where hundreds of Brahmins send their sons to be taught by the Catholic missionaries. Within recent years, about fifty of these young men have embraced the faith of their teachers, at the cost of rejection from their caste and even from their family; such examples are not lost on their countrymen, either of high or low caste.

This report provides estimates of the quantity and types of food and drink waste generated by UK households in 2021/22. The report also looks at the reasons for discarding, the financial cost, and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to wasted food. Why are these findings important? - Food waste is a global environmental issue. In the UK, households generate the most food waste, which not only has a big environmental impact but it also costs us a lot of money. - These findings help us understand where to target action helping all stakeholders to act now on food waste – both in the supply chain, and household as this is where most impact can be felt. Failure to act will mean we don't meet the 2030 food waste target. - It is imperative, at a time of high food insecurity – both internationally and in the UK – that action is taken from field to fork. The environmental and financial costs of food waste are too high not to. Read the key findings below and navigate the data with our data visualisation tool. How much household food waste is generated? - In 2021/22, 6.4 million tonnes of food (and drink) waste was generated from UK households. This equates to 95 kg per person per year or 247 kg per household of 4 people. What are the environmental impacts of household food waste? - The greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with wasted food and drink (i.e., edible parts) in the UK accounted for approximately 18 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2021/22. This figure includes contributions from the relevant elements of the food and drink system: land-use change, agriculture, manufacture, packaging, distribution, retail, transport to the home, storage and preparation in the home, and waste treatment and disposal. How much does throwing away this food cost us? - The cost to householders of purchasing food that was subsequently wasted in 2021/22 was £17 billion. - This figure equates to £250 per person each year or £1000 for a household of four. What types of food are most wasted and why? - When assessed by weight: fresh vegetables and salads is the most wasted category, followed by meals (homemade and pre-prepared), bakery, and dairy & eggs. - When assessed by the cost of purchasing food that is then wasted or greenhouse gas emissions associated with wasted food: meals and meat & fish come out on top. - Food not used in time - it either smelled or looked off, or was past the date on the label accounted for 40% of the waste. - 25% was associated with too much being prepared / served and 22% was associated with people not wanting to eat that element of the food or perceiving it as inedible. Navigate the data. By downloading resources you are agreeing to use them according to our terms and conditions. These files may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Fourier transforms are a tool used in a whole bunch of different things. This is an explanation of what a Fourier transform does, and some different ways it can be useful. And how you can make pretty things with it, like this thing: I'm going to explain how that animation works, and along the way explain Fourier transforms! By the end you should have a good idea about - What a Fourier transform does - Some practical uses of Fourier transforms - Some pointless but cool uses of Fourier transforms We're going to leave the mathematics and equations out of it for now. There's a bunch of interesting maths behind it, but it's better to start with what it actually does, and why you'd want to use it first. If you want to know more about the how, there's some further reading suggestions below! So what is this thing? Put simply, the Fourier transform is a way of splitting something up into a bunch of sine waves. As usual, the name comes from some person who lived a long time ago called Fourier. Let’s start with some simple examples and work our way up. First up we're going to look at waves - patterns that repeat over time. Here’s an example wave: This wavy pattern here can be split up into sine waves. That is, when we add up the two sine waves we get back the original wave. The Fourier transform is a way for us to take the combined wave, and get each of the sine waves back out. In this example, you can almost do it in your head, just by looking at the original wave. Why? Turns out a lot of things in the real world interact based on these sine waves. We usually call them the wave's frequencies. The most obvious example is sound – when we hear a sound, we don’t hear that squiggly line, but we hear the different frequencies of the sine waves that make up the sound. Being able to split them up on a computer can give us an understanding of what a person actually hears. We can understand how high or low a sound is, or figure out what note it is. We can also use this process on waves that don't look like they're made of sine waves. Let's take a look at this guy. It’s called a square wave. It might not look like it, but it also can be split up into sine waves. We need a lot of them this time – technically an infinite amount to perfectly represent it. As we add up more and more sine waves the pattern gets closer and closer to the square wave we started with. Drag the slider above to play with how many sine waves there are. Visually, you'll notice that actually the first few sine waves are the ones that make the biggest difference. With the slider halfway, we have the general shape of the wave, but it's all wiggly. We just need the rest of the small ones to make the wigglyness flatten out. When you listen to the wave, you'll hear the sound get lower, because we're removing the higher frequencies. This process works like that for any repeating line. Give it a go, try drawing your own! Move the slider to see how as we add more sine waves, it gets closer and closer to your drawing Again, aside from the extra wigglyness, the wave looks pretty similar with just half of the sine waves. We can actually use the fact that the wave is pretty similar to our advantage. By using a Fourier transform, we can get the important parts of a sound, and only store those to end up with something that's pretty close to the original sound. Normally on a computer we store a wave as a series of points. What we can do instead is represent it as a bunch of sine waves. Then we can compress the sound by ignoring the smaller frequencies. Our end result won't be the same, but it'll sound pretty similar to a person. This is essentially what MP3s do, except they're more clever about which frequencies they keep and which ones they throw away. So in this case, we can use Fourier transforms to get an understanding of the fundamental properties of a wave, and then we can use that for things like compression. Ok, now let's dig more into the Fourier transform. This next part looks cool, but also gives you a bit more understanding of what the Fourier transform does. But mostly looks cool. Now at the start, I said it splits things into sine waves. The thing is, the sine waves it creates are not just regular sine waves, but they’re 3D. You could call them "complex sinusoids". Or just "spirals". If we take a look from the side, they look like sine waves. From front on, though, these look like circles. So far everything we’ve been doing has only required the regular 2D sine waves. When we do a Fourier transform on 2D waves, the complex parts cancel out so we just end up with sine waves. But we can use the 3D sine waves to make something fun looking like this: What’s going on here? Well, we can think of the drawing as a 3D shape because of the way it moves around in time. If you imagine the hand being drawn by a person, the three dimensions represent where the tip of their pencil is at that moment. The x and y dimensions tell us the position, and then the time dimension is the time at that moment. Now that we have a 3D pattern, we can't use the regular 2D sine waves to represent it. No matter how many of the 2D sine waves we add up, we'll never get something 3D. So we need something else. What we can use is the 3D spiral sine waves from before. If we add up lots of those, we can get something that looks like our 3D pattern. Remember, these waves look like circles when we look at them from front on. The name for the pattern of a circle moving around another circle is an epicycle. Use the slider above to control how many circles there are. Like before, we get a pretty good approximation of our pattern with just a few circles. Because this is a fairly simple shape, all the last ones do is make the edges a little sharper. All this applies to any drawing, really! Now it’s your chance to play around with it. Use the slider to control how many circles are used for your drawing Again, you'll see for most shapes, we can approximate them fairly well with just a small number of circles, instead of saving all the points. Can we use this for real data? Well, we could! In reality we have another data format called SVG, which probably does a better job for the types of shapes we tend to create. So for the moment, this is really just for making cool little gifs. There is another type of visual data that does use Fourier transforms, however. Did you know Fourier transforms can also be used on images? In fact, we use it all the time, because that's how JPEGs work! We're applying the same principles to images – splitting up something into a bunch of sine waves, and then only storing the important ones. Now we're dealing with images, we need a different type of sine wave. We need to have something that no matter what image we have, we can add up a bunch of these sine waves to get back to our original image. To do that, each of our sine waves will be images too. Instead of a wave that's a line, we now have images with black and white sections. To represent the size of a wave, each image will have more or less contrast. We can also use these to represent color in the same way, but let's start with black-and-white images for now. To represent colorless images, we need some horizontal wave images, Along with some vertical wave images. By themselves, just horizontal and vertical images aren't enough to represent the types of images we get. We also need some extra ones that you get by multiplying the two together. For an 8x8 image, here are all the images we need. If we take the images, adjust their contrast to the right amount, and then add them up we can create any image. Let's start with this letter 'A'. It's pretty small, but we need it to be small otherwise we'll end up with too many other images. As we add more and more of these images, we end up with something that becomes closer and closer to the actual image. But I think you'll see the pattern here, as we get a reasonable approximation with just a few of them. For actual JPEG images there are just a few extra details. The image gets broken up into 8x8 chunks, and each chunk gets split up separately. We use a set of frequencies to determine how light or dark each pixel is, and then another two sets for the color, one for red-green, and another for blue-yellow. The number of frequencies that we use for each chunk determines the quality of the JPEG. Here's a real JPEG image, zoomed in so we can see the details. When we play with the quality levels we can see this process happen. So let's recap: - Fourier transforms are things that let us take something and split it up into its frequencies. - The frequencies tell us about some fundamental properties of the data we have - And can compress data by only storing the important frequencies - And we can also use them to make cool looking animations with a bunch of circles This is just scratching the surface into some applications. The Fourier transform is an extremely powerful tool, because splitting things up into frequencies is so fundamental. They're used in a lot of fields, including circuit design, mobile phone signals, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and quantum physics! Questions for the curious I skipped most of the math stuff here, but if you're interested in the underlying principles of how it works, here are some questions you can use to guide your research: - How do you mathematically represent a Fourier transform? - What's the difference between a continuous time Fourier transform and a discrete time Fourier transform? - How do you computationally do a Fourier transform? - How do you do a Fourier transform of a whole song? (Rather than just a single note.) To learn more, some really good resources you can check out are: An Interactive Guide To The Fourier Transform A great article that digs more into the mathematics of what happens. But what is the Fourier Transform? A visual introduction. A great Youtube video by 3Blue1Brown, also explaining the maths of Fourier transforms from an audio perspective. A Tale of Math & Art: Creating the Fourier Series Harmonic Circles Visualization Another article explaining how you can use epicycles to draw a path, explained from a linear algebra perspective. Fourier transform (Wikipedia) And of course, the Wikipedia article is pretty good too. I'm Jez! Full time I work at a search company in the Bay Area, and in my spare time I like making games and interactive code things like this! This webpage is open-source, you can check out the code on GitHub! If you have any feedback or want to ask any questions, feel free to email me at fourier [at] jezzamon [dot] com, or shoot me a tweet on Twitter. If you want to see more of my work, check out my homepage, and if you want to see what I'm making next, you can follow my Twitter account, @jezzamonn!

Operation Valkyrie was a contingency plan designed to ensure the continuity of government in the event of widespread civil disorder in major German cities. In any crisis the Reserve Army would take control of all government buildings and impose military rule. By 1944 opposition to Hitler’s management of the war effort was growing within sections of the army and civil administration. A small group of senior army officers and regional administrators had formed a clandestine group to remove the Fuhrer from power before Germany collapsed altogether. They hoped with the dictator gone, they could sue for an honourable peace with the Allies. Treating themselves as the official resistance, the conspirators believed they stood the best chance of getting rid of Hitler because of their positions in the German army. A cursory glance at the names of those involved in the conspiracy reveals this was no flight of fancy. • Ludwig Beck, Chief of the General Staff before Wirld War II. • Major General Henning von Tresckow, said by the Gestapo to be the “evil mind” behind the coup attempt. • Lieutenant General Friedrich Olbricht, a senior general staff officer. • Claus von Stauffenberg, a highly decorated young officer who was seriously wounded in Africa. • Last but not least was Hitler’s personal favourite, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. They were joined by several regional administrators and two other Germans prominent in public life, a former senior Nazi administrator Karl Goerdeler and the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. All of these men knew the risks involved in their joint enterprise. Failure would have meant certain death and ignominy. All were social conservatives and nationalist by sentiment, but they shared one burning desire, that was to see the end of Hitler and the Nazi Party. Their first attempt to kill the dictator occurred in March 1944 when he was visiting troops on the Eastern front. Tresckow planned to blow up Hitler’s plane in mid-air with a bomb concealed in a wooden box which contained a bottle of Cointreau. Unfortunately, the bomb failed to explode and Tresckow had to risk retrieving it so as not to give away the plotters. A few months later in June another more determined attempt was made that involved one of the conspirators, Claus von Stauffenberg, actually placing a bomb in the Wolf’s Lair, Hitler’s most secure wartime bunker, during a meeting with his top generals. Confirmation of the Fuhrer’s death was a thought a necessary precondition for the implementation of Operation Valkyrie, otherwise, it would not succeed. Some of the plotters were aware of the existence of the contingency plan and thought it could be used to their advantage. In an ingenious twist Valkyrie would be deployed to eliminate the SS threat immediately after Hitler’s death. The was no scope for dithering or procrastination as the future of Germany was at stake. Enter Murphy’s Law. The story is dramatically presented on the big screen in an entertaining film starring Tom Cruise. I am not a big Cruise fan but, on this occasion, he is supported by a fantastic cast of actors. Finally, there was no less than fifteen attempts on Hitler’s life made by political opponents of every stripe. Had just one been successful then the course of history could have been different for tens of millions. I read somewhere that the Nazi Party ruled by fear. Fear was ever present in Hitler’s Germany, and it was reinforced by the regime’s barbaric treatment of ethnic minorities and political opponents alike.

By Josh Lefers The Great Plains encompasses a diversity of habitats including the Missouri River and Red River riparian forests, tallgrass prairies, wetlands in the Prairie Pothole region and of the Rainwater Basin, the Platte and Niobrara rivers, the Sandhills, Central Coteau, and the Pine Ridge areas collectively. Developing over tens of thousands of years, tallgrass prairie found in the Great Plains region historically evolved with animals grazing and natural fires. Today, we utilize grazing management and prescribed fire as a way to support the landscape, enrich the soil, and minimize invasive species that cannot withstand the heat of fire. The dominate vegetation in the Great Plains region includes a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs that support wildlife forage, breeding, and nesting habitats. At one time, grasslands in various forms covered 40% of the world’s land area. In the Great Plains, our prairies are divided into three sub-divisions. Tallgrass prairie, which covers a small area of the eastern Dakotas and Nebraska and stretches east to Illinois and Ohio. Mixed grass prairie covers the central part of the states and stretches north to south from Southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan into Texas. Shortgrass prairie starts in far western parts of our states and can stretch to the Rocky Mountains. Tallgrass and mixed grass prairies also exist in an area with adequate precipitation to support modern agriculture. Thus, significant proportions of these biomes have been cleared for use in growing food and fuel. Estimates from National Audubon Society’s North American Grasslands and Birds Report conclude that only 11% of tallgrass prairies, 21% of mixed grass prairies, and half of shortgrass prairies remain. There are over 400 species of birds that call the Great Plains home and an estimated 700 million lost across 31 species since 1970.

Tiger is the largest wild cat in the world. Presently, there are five different subspecies of tigers namely the Royal Bengal Tiger, Sumatran Tiger, Siberian Tiger, South China Tiger, and Indochinese Tiger. Three subspecies of tigers are already extinct. The extinct subspecies are Balinese, Caspian, and Javanese subspecies. These are just some of the interesting facts about tigers. Tigers are fascinating creatures, renowned for their beauty, strength, and agility. As the largest wild cat species, they captivate our imagination with their majestic presence. Here are some interesting facts about tigers: Size and Appearance: Tigers are the largest members of the cat family (Felidae). They can grow up to 11 feet (3.3 meters) in length, excluding the tail, which can add another 3 to 4 feet (1 meter). Adult tigers can weigh between 220 to 660 pounds (100 to 300 kilograms). Their iconic orange fur with black stripes provides excellent camouflage in their natural habitats. There are currently six recognized tiger subspecies: Bengal tiger, Siberian tiger, Sumatran tiger, Malayan tiger, Indochinese tiger, and South China tiger. Each subspecies has its unique characteristics and is adapted to specific regions across Asia. Habitat and Distribution: Tigers inhabit a diverse range of habitats, including dense forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, and even high-altitude regions. Historically, tigers ranged from eastern Turkey to the Russian Far East and as far south as the Indonesian island of Bali. Today, they are mainly found in isolated pockets across Asia. Hunting and Diet: Tigers are carnivores and apex predators, primarily feeding on large ungulates such as deer, wild boar, and buffalo. They are solitary hunters and can take down prey that outweighs them. A tiger can consume up to 88 pounds (40 kilograms) of meat in one sitting and may go several days without eating. Strength and Abilities: Tigers possess incredible strength and agility. They are capable of leaping distances of over 30 feet (9 meters) and can swim up to 3 miles (5 kilometers) at a time. Their muscular bodies allow them to overpower prey, and they have a strong bite force that can crush bones. Tigers use vocalizations, body language, and scent markings to communicate with each other. Roaring is a prominent vocalization, which can be heard over long distances. Other sounds include growls, hisses, and chuffing noises. Tigers are listed as endangered species due to poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict. Their population has significantly declined over the past century. Conservation efforts focus on protecting their habitats, combating poaching, and promoting sustainable coexistence between tigers and local communities. Tigers hold cultural and symbolic significance in many societies. They are considered national animals in several countries, including India, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. Tigers feature prominently in folklore, mythology, and art, often representing power, courage, and nobility. Conservation Success Stories: Despite the challenges, conservation efforts have shown positive outcomes in certain regions. For instance, the population of the Siberian tiger (also known as Amur tiger) has increased in recent years due to conservation measures in Russia. Importance for Ecosystems: Tigers play a vital role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. As apex predators, they help regulate prey populations, which in turn affects vegetation and other wildlife. Protecting tiger habitats also benefits a wide range of other species. Facts about Tigers. |Where Are They Found? |Royal Bengal Tiger |Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal. |Indonesian island of Sumatra. |Russia’s birch forests and some exist in China and North Korea |Tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia. |South China Tiger |Tropical rain forests and evergreen broad-leaved forests in southern China. Characteristics of Tigers. These apex predators can kill prey of all sizes, even rats and baby elephants. Tigers live far apart from one another. Based on the trees around, a tiger can determine if it is in another tiger’s territory. Each tiger uses urine and unique scratches to mark the trees in its territory. Male – Tiger Female – Tigress Young Ones – Cub, Whelp Sound – Roar, Growl Average Lifespan – Wild: 8-10 years, Captivity: 20-25 years Group – Streak/ Ambush Habitat – Asia Also read, Kangaroo: World’s Largest Hopping Animal Tiger’s Habitat and Population. 1. India has the largest population of wild tigers. You can easily spot tigers in these wildlife sanctuaries- A) Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan. B) Sunderban Tiger Reserve, West Bengal. C) Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh. D) Sariska Tiger Reserve – 200 km from Delhi. E) Panna National Park, Madhya Pradesh. 2. Tigers are solitary animals and live in their marked territories. 3. Each tiger has unique stripes. No two tigers will have the same stripes. Tiger stripes are also found on their skin. The stripes help them camouflage during the day. 4.Tigers can grunt, growl, roar, moan, snarl, chuff, hiss and gasp. Each vocalisation is used to communicate different things. 5. Tigers are good swimmers. They like water and often cool off in pools or streams. 6. A group of tigers is called ‘ambush’ or ‘streak’. 7. One of the most shocking facts about tigers is that they’re known for sharing their hunts. If they land a particularly plentiful prey, tigers have been seen to share with other nearby tigers. International Tiger Day. July 29 is the International Tiger Day. The tiger was adopted as the National Animal of India in 1972. The tiger was adopted as the National Animal because of its presence in many Indian states, the global importance of this wild cat, and the need to protect it. One can hear a tiger’s roar from almost three kilometres away. Tigers’ “eyes” are on the back of their ears. It is believed that the white spots on a tiger’s ears function as its extra eyes that can detect attackers from behind. When tigers get bruised or wounded, they lick the affected area to disinfect and prevent any kind of infection as their saliva is a natural wound antiseptic. This healing property comes from a special protein found in their saliva, which quickens their recovery. Tigers have strong, powerful paws with claws that could grow up to 12 cm long. Next to their strong teeth, tiger claws serve as their main defence mechanisms. Tigers have been excessively hunted for their fur and other body parts that are used in traditional medicine by many people. As people have developed land for needs such as farming and logging, the habitat for tigers has also drastically decreased. Tigers are mostly nocturnal (more active at night) and are ambush predators that rely on the camouflage their stripes provide to stalk prey. Did you know that tigers wait until dark to hunt? The tiger runs up to an unwary animal and typically lifts it off its feet using its teeth and claws. Smaller prey is typically killed by the tiger breaking its neck; larger prey is destroyed by the tiger biting its throat. Tigers continue to captivate us with their grace and strength, but their future remains uncertain. Preserving their habitats, combating poaching, and raising awareness are crucial for ensuring the survival of these magnificent creatures for generations to come. Also checkout full video on, AnimalKingdom : Tiger Is The Largest Wild Cat In The World

The Covid-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been around for over a year now. Experts believe that the best way to handle this pandemic is through vaccination. That is why scientists around the world have been focusing on developing effective vaccines since the beginning of this pandemic. At the time of writing, 7 covid vaccines (vaksin coronavirus) have been given the green light by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be used as emergency use listing (EUL) to combat the virus. What is EUL? The development of a vaccine is a long process that can take several years to be available to the public. This is because the quality, safety, and effectiveness of those vaccines have to be tested under different phases of clinical trials before they can be used. Hence why the WHO developed the EUL to ensure faster access of vaccines to the public. EUL is done to make medicine, tests, and vaccines available as fast as possible during an emergency such as this Covid-19 pandemic by assessing the risks and benefits of the product to the public. List of covid vaccines approved by the WHO Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, also known as COMIRNATY® was the first vaccine to get approved by WHO. This mRNA-based vaccine has been used in 101 countries and has an efficacy rate of 95% after the completion of both doses. This vaccine is administered intramuscularly for individuals aged 12 years and older. Its second dose should be given about 21-28 days after the first dose. Two versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine have been listed as EUL. The vaccines are produced initially by the AstraZeneca-SKBio (Republic of Korea) and then a newer version by the Serum Institute of India (named CoviShield). The key difference between these 2 versions is that the latter offers protection against the Beta variant of coronavirus. These vaccines are of a non-replicating viral vector type, meaning the vaccine contains the genetic information of the virus but is unable to make more copies of itself in the human body. Similar to COMIRNATY®, this vaccine is given to adults aged 18 and above in 2 doses, at least 8-12 weeks apart, and has an efficacy rate of 63.09% against symptomatic Covid-19 infection. Moderna vaccine is an mRNA-type vaccine that is known to have an efficacy rate of 94.1% against Covid-19. In addition, its protection also covers the new variants of the virus, including the B.1.1.7 and the 501Y.V2. This vaccine is given to adults aged 18 years and older in 2 doses, at least 28 days apart. - Janssen ( Johnson & Johnson) This non-replicating viral vector vaccine is recommended for people aged 18 and above. Janssen vaccine has an efficacy rate of 85.4% against severe infection and 93.1% against hospitalization. Unlike the vaccines mentioned earlier, the Janssen vaccine is given in a single dose and is effective after 28 days of inoculation. Sinovac-CoronaVac is an inactivated type of vaccine produced by a Chinese company Sinovac Biotech. This vaccine is still under Phase III of clinical trials and it has been approved based on the current interim data that showed a positive benefit over potential risk. According to the available data, this vaccine is about 50.65% effective against symptomatic infection. The recommended dosing of this vaccine is 2 doses with an interval of 2-4 weeks. Sinopharm is an inactivated vaccine produced by a Beijing-based vaccine company. This vaccine is given in 2 doses, spaced between 3-4 weeks, and has an efficacy of 79% for both symptomatic infections and hospitalizations. WHO recommends giving this vaccine to individuals aged 18 years and older. All in all, covid vaccinations (vaksin coronavirus) are an important aspect in fighting this pandemic. However, vaccinations alone are not sufficient in fighting this pandemic. You should continue wearing face masks, practice social distancing, and handwashing even if you are fully vaccinated.

What Is a Land Acknowledgement? A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes the unique and enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. Why Do We Acknowledge the Land? Acknowledging the land is an Indigenous protocol used to express gratitude to those who reside here, and to honour the Indigenous people who have lived and worked on this land historically and presently. It allows us the opportunity to appreciate the unique role and relationship that each of us has with the land and provides a gentle reminder of the broader perspectives that expand our understanding to encompass the long-standing, rich history of the land and our privileged role in residing here. To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in the past tense or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build the mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol. (credit: http://www.lspirg.org/knowtheland/) Links to Consider: - Land Acknowledgment Resource - Building better relationships: A reconciliation tool kit - Orange Shirt Day – September 30th – Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Urban sustainability is the need of the hour, and green infrastructure is an approach that promises to shape urban and suburban landscapes. With rising concerns over pollution in urban areas, water quality, and urban heat island effect, embracing the concept of green infrastructure has become vital. This article will explore different types of green infrastructure that offer multiple benefits, including economic, social, and ecological. Types of Green Infrastructure for Urban Sustainability 1. Green Roofs Green roofs are an innovative way to control stormwater runoff and reduce the urban heat island effect. Intensive green roofs can significantly improve insulation, beautify urban landscapes, and contribute to urban greening. Rain that falls on green roofs also helps in water management. 2. Urban Trees and Urban Forest Canopy The urban tree canopy provides shade, improves air quality, and supports urban ecosystems. Urban forestry plays a crucial role in cooling cities, known as the urban heat effect. They also offer social and economic benefits to urban residents. 3. Green Streets and Green Parking Green streets are designed with permeable materials and vegetation, aiding in stormwater management and urban heat island reduction. Green parking lots, designed with permeable surfaces, reduce stormwater and enhance urban aesthetics. 4. Blue-Green Infrastructure Combining both green and water infrastructure, blue-green infrastructure includes features like wetlands and ponds. This innovative approach in urban areas helps in water management, stormwater infrastructure enhancement, and flood control. 5. Urban Green Spaces and Parks Urban green spaces, parks, and green walls provide recreational areas while also serving vital ecosystem services. These spaces are integral to urban sustainability, enhancing urban environments and offering multiple benefits. 6. Sustainable Urban Planning and Investments in Green Infrastructure New green infrastructure plans, investments in green infrastructure, and integrating green infrastructure into urban planning can reshape urban landscapes. Whether it’s a large-scale green project or a small urban garden, these practices contribute to sustainable urban growth. Environmental, Social, and Economic Impacts Green infrastructure provides environmental benefits by enhancing water quality, reducing pollution, and offering ecological benefits. Moreover, green infrastructure could lead to social benefits like improved public health, while the economic benefits include increased property value. Future of Green Infrastructure The development, implementation, and assessment of green infrastructure continue to evolve. With information on green strategies becoming more accessible, urban green infrastructure, and ecosystem service planning are expected to become standard practices. Different types of green infrastructure, including green walls, multifunctional green spaces, and new green concepts like green parking, are gaining traction. The traditional infrastructure is slowly being replaced by green alternatives, emphasizing the vital role of green infrastructure systems. Green infrastructure is often seen as the way forward for urban sustainability. From green roofs to green urban planning, these infrastructure elements offer an array of benefits associated with green infrastructure. By understanding the different types of vegetation, infrastructure needs, and the value of green infrastructure, cities can shift towards a sustainable future. The potential of green infrastructure may seem vast, but its application and effects of green infrastructure can lead to a profound transformation. Embrace the green infrastructure-based solutions for a thriving urban future.

Large ornamental structures in dinosaurs, such as horns and head crests are likely to have been used in sexual displays and to assert social dominance, according to a new analysis of Protoceratops carried out by scientists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). This is the first time scientists have linked the function of anatomy to sexual selection in dinosaurs. Protoceratops had a large bony frill that extended from the back of the head over the neck. Study of fossils aged from babies to adults revealed the adults to have disproportionately larger frills in relation to their size. The research, published in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica, shows that the frill was absent in juveniles and suddenly increased in size as the animals reached maturity suggesting that its function is linked to sexual selection. This suggests the frill might have been used to attract suitable mates by showing off their best attributes or helping them assert the most dominant position in social interactions. Dr David Hone, lecturer in Zoology from QMUL’s School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, said: “Palaeontologists have long suspected that many of the strange features we see in dinosaurs were linked to sexual display and social dominance but this is very hard to show. The growth pattern we see in Protoceratops matches that seen for signalling structures in numerous different living species and forms a coherent pattern from very young animals right through to large adults.” The researchers assessed the change in length and width of the frill over four life stages: hatchling babies, young animals, near-adults, and adults. Not only did the frill change in size but it also changed in shape, becoming proportionally wider as the dinosaur became older. Dr Rob Knell, Reader in Evolutionary Ecology, also from QMUL’s School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, said: “Biologists are increasingly realising that sexual selection is a massively important force in shaping biodiversity both now and in the past. Not only does sexual selection account for most of the stranger, prettier and more impressive features that we see in the animal kingdom, it also seems to play a part in determining how new species arise, and there is increasing evidence that it also has effects on extinction rates and on the ways by which animals are able to adapt to changing environments.” The research formed part of current postgraduate student and QMUL graduate Dylan Wood’s undergraduate thesis, which looked at sexual selection in extinct species. There are numerous, well-preserved specimens of ceratopisian dinosaurs of various sizes and ages making them a good groups to analyse. The researchers analysed 37 specimens of Protoceratops from fossils found in the Djadochta Formation in the Gobi desert and from previous published research. Protoceratops was a small-horned dinosaur that was similar in size to a sheep and was around 2m in total length from snout to tail tip.

What do you think of when you hear the words psychotic, bipolar, and schizophrenic? Do you imagine a violent, dangerous person or someone with multiple personalities? If so, you may want to understand a little more about these diseases and what being psychotic actually means. What is psychosis? The term psychosis is often described as a condition where people lose touch with reality. A person in a state of psychosis may believe imaginary things are actually real and sense things that are not actually there. Psychosis may seem alarming to observers. Patients in a psychotic state may appear withdrawn or act strangely. They may say things that don’t make sense, for example: “Oh, it was superb, you know the trains broke, and the pond fell in the front doorway.” Despite their absurdity, psychoses are more common than you may think. About three out of 100 Americans will experience a psychotic episode at some point in their lives. What Psychosis is Not Psychosis is a scary word, but it’s important not to assume that a person suffering a psychotic episode is a danger to society. In fact, the person is more likely to hurt themselves than hurt others. It’s also important to note that, though they may sound similar, psychosis is not the same thing as psychopathy, which in the medical community, is more often referred to as antisocial personality disorder. Disorders with Possible Psychosis Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that may cause people to experience: - Delusions and sensory hallucinations - Reduced emotional and facial expressions, also called flat affect, where the person does not seem quite present - Reduced interest and enjoyment in everyday life and activities - Isolation and/or speech - Trouble with memory, focus, concentration, and making decisions Schizophrenia is sometimes confused for the condition where a person has multiple or split personalities. However, that condition is called dissociative identity disorder (DID), not schizophrenia. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by extreme mood swings. As a result, people with bipolar disorder go through manic episodes and depressive episodes: - During manic episodes, they may feel “high,” be extremely active, think and talk quickly, or do reckless things like going on spending sprees. - During depressive episodes, they may feel worried, sad, or tired. They may even think about hurting or killing themselves. Sometimes, people with bipolar disorder may find themselves affected by psychosis. For example, if psychosis happens during a manic episode, they may have ideas of grandiosity, thinking they’re invincible. If psychosis happens during a depressive episode, they might believe they’re guilty of a serious crime. Substance Abuse and Psychosis Certain mind-altering substances have been associated with psychosis. For example, psychosis is associated with chronic methamphetamine use, and about 40% of meth users experience psychosis. Delusions and hallucinations can even last for months or years after a person quits meth. These episodes may also spontaneously recur, triggered by stress. There is some evidence to suggest that marijuana can trigger psychosis in those who have a genetic predisposition, especially if they start using at a young age. However, further research is required to find definitive answers to questions surrounding recreational drug use and psychosis. Helping Someone with Psychosis - Worsening grades or work performance - Problems thinking clearly and focusing - Appearing unkempt as personal hygiene gets progressively ignored Treating Psychosis with Medications Antipsychotic medications can reduce psychotic symptoms. Within days of the first dose, hallucinations and agitation can disappear, and within a few weeks, delusions may also go. It’s important that you don’t stop taking antipsychotic medications without the approval of a doctor. Patients usually have to be gradually tapered off their medication. Otherwise, they can relapse if they believe they are well enough to stop taking their medications. Since antipsychotic medication like aripiprazole and lurasidone has to be taken regularly, you may feel anxious about affordability. Your fears can be mitigated by buying cheap ABILIFY® (aripiprazole) and cheap Latuda® (lurasidone) from international or Canadian pharmacy referral sites that connect U.S. patients to pharmacies abroad. Other countries may have stricter price regulations, resulting in significantly more affordable drugs. Other Treatments and How You Can Help If you or a loved one is experiencing early signs of psychosis, it’s important to find help as soon as possible. Early intervention is essential to effective treatment, and untreated psychosis can lead to more serious problems like unemployment, homelessness, and substance abuse. Programs designed to treat psychosis include coordinated specialty care (CSC). CSC is specifically designed to help people recover from their first psychotic episode. It uses psychotherapy (talk therapy) and a tailored approach to encourage recovery. Supported Employment/Education (SEE) is another program designed for young adults to get back into work or school. Psychosis can be extremely debilitating to a young person’s success and SEE experts can help connect these patients with educators and employers. If you know someone with psychosis, try to learn as much as you can about the condition so you can provide non-judgmental support. This may be a scary time for them, but by educating yourself, you can make a difference. A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.

We only have one planet, and the way we live and interact with it shapes the future of our world. April 22 is known as Earth Day around the globe, where millions come together to raise awareness and do good deeds to help protect our planet. Although the day has come and gone, the necessity to focus on saving our Earth is an ongoing need. Check out these ways you can continue to celebrate Earth Day year-round and help keep our planet beautiful for years and generations to come. Wastefulness can add up quickly without us even realizing the impact we’re making. Consider how small actions can add up to big changes over time. You can take some small steps to reduce waste by doing things such as: - Conserve water when you can, like turning off the faucet as you brush your teeth and turning it back on only to rinse. - Use reusable bags when you go shopping to avoid plastic bags that will simply end up in the trash. - Buy a reusable water bottle instead of buying plastic bottled water, where the plastic will end up in the landfill. - Go digital with your statements. Paper often ends up in the trash and requires trees being cut down. - Buy food that uses less packaging, and use all of the food you can versus tossing food that’s still good! Billions of trees are cut down every year to make room for housing and to create products such as paper, plywood and more. Earth Day may have come and gone, but there’s another holiday dedicated to trees coming up this Friday—Arbor Day! Arbor Day is a national holiday dedicated to planting more trees. Get a group of friends together to help plant trees in your community. Carpool. Take public transportation. Bike or walk to your destination. Emissions are a contributing factor to global warming, and by driving your vehicle less, you have the opportunity to make a huge difference for our planet! Local stores, farmers and gardeners are much more likely to make a smaller footprint producing the goods you buy versus big box stores. Plus, this helps stimulate your local economy. Local stores or farmers don’t have to travel far to get the food to you, helping to reduce air pollution and carbon emission. In order to preserve our beautiful planet, it’s going to take work from everybody. Encourage your family and friends to join you so that we can preserve the place we call home! Remember—small actions add up to huge change. Everybody has the power to make an impact.

- Press Release - February 21, 2024 First Evidence for Water Ice Clouds Outside Our Solar System A team of scientists led by Carnegie’s Jacqueline Faherty has discovered the first evidence of water ice clouds on an object outside of our own Solar System. Water ice clouds exist on our own gas giant planets–Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune–but have not been seen outside of the planets orbiting our Sun until now. Their findings are published by The Astrophysical Journal Letters. At the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, Faherty, along with a team including Carnegie’s Andrew Monson, used the FourStar near infrared camera to detect the coldest brown dwarf ever characterized. Their findings are the result of 151 images taken over three nights and combined. The object, named WISE J085510.83-071442.5, or W0855, was first seen by NASA’s Wide-Field Infrared Explorer mission and published earlier this year. But it was not known if it could be detected by Earth-based facilities. “This was a battle at the telescope to get the detection,” said Faherty. Chris Tinney, an Astronomer at the Australian Centre for Astrobiology, UNSW Australia and co-author on the result stated: “This is a great result. This object is so faint and it’s exciting to be the first people to detect it with a telescope on the ground.” Brown dwarfs aren’t quite very small stars, but they aren’t quite giant planets either. They are too small to sustain the hydrogen fusion process that fuels stars. Their temperatures can range from nearly as hot as a star to as cool as a planet, and their masses also range between star-like and giant planet-like. They are of particular interest to scientists because they offer clues to star-formation processes. They also overlap with the temperatures of planets, but are much easier to study since they are commonly found in isolation. W0855 is the fourth-closest system to our own Sun, practically a next-door neighbor in astronomical distances. A comparison of the team’s near-infrared images of W0855 with models for predicting the atmospheric content of brown dwarfs showed evidence of frozen clouds of sulfide and water. “Ice clouds are predicted to be very important in the atmospheres of planets beyond our Solar System, but they’ve never been observed outside of it before now,” Faherty said. The paper’s other co-author is Andrew Skemer of the University of Arizona. This work was supported by the Australian Research Council. It made use of data from the NASA WISE mission, which was a joint project of the University of California Los Angeles and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech, funded by NASA. It also made use of the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech, under contract with NASA. The Carnegie Institution for Science (carnegiescience.edu) is a private, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with six research departments throughout the U.S. Since its founding in 1902, the Carnegie Institution has been a pioneering force in basic scientific research. Carnegie scientists are leaders in plant biology, developmental biology, astronomy, materials science, global ecology, and Earth and planetary science. a. The World Health Organization says more than 2,000 people have now died in the outbreak in West Africa. Several experimental treatments are now being considered to help contain the spread of Ebola. This includes a vaccine being developed by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.

What are the ICT tools used in teaching and learning? ICT refers to Information and Communication and Technology which enables learners to learn in a more advanced, convenient, and flexible environment. ICT tools include instruments such as computers, e-readers, browsing the internet, electronic notebooks, educational games, PowerPoint slides, e-learning platforms, and the like. Blackboard can be used by teachers to use administer tests, monitor performance, manage syllabus and even upload grades. Students can use this tool to access information such as grades, assignments, attendance, and the like which are uploaded on the platform. 2. Google Classroom: It is a virtual classroom that makes learning more convenient and accessible. Teachers can also use it in integration with other educational applications and websites to create interactive assignments. Trello is more preferrable for project-based learning. It can be used as a collaborative tool for assignments and discussion. Students can also access their projects, see deadlines, and track their progress online. 4. Microsoft Team: Teachers can host classes, meetings, share files, and the like with this tool. It also has Class Notebooks which can be assigned to students individually and they can also get real-time feedback. 5. E-Learning Platforms: Students can also access various e-learning platforms such as Unacademy, Byju’s, Vedantu, Coursera, Udemy, and the like. These platforms offer virtual learning which learners can access from any part of the world. It enables learners to gain access to qualified instructors and learning materials. This acts as a good supplement to offline or traditional form of education. ICT teaching tools can certainly be regarded as an interactive from of education. It enhances the delivery of information and outreaches the boundaries of classroom education. It makes the teaching learning environment more interactive and fun thereby allowing students to develop interest in learning as they can learn in their own pace.

The BLENDI project (Blended Learning for Inclusion) aims to combat the inequalities in access to digital technologies that students from disadvantaged backgrounds often face. In addition, it aims to promote students’ social inclusion in the digital era by developing teachers’ and students’ digital competence through blended learning. The BLENDI Guidelines were developed in order to present teachers and other interested stakeholders with the theoretical and practical framework for blended learning and inclusive education as this is implemented through the BLENDI approach in the context of the BLENDI project. In order to understand the BLENDI approach, the BLENDI Guidelines include a presentation of the main theoretical concepts and ideas related to digital technologies and inclusion such as the notion of the digital divide, social and educational inclusion, digital inclusion, digital competence, and co-design, as well as the frameworks that comprise the BLENDI approach, which focus on children’s participation in education. The BLENDI Guidelines also discuss the three axes on which the BLENDI approach is based: 1) learning for all, by considering the principles of Universal Design for ALL (UDL); 2) teachers’ training for technology integration, adopting, and adapting the framework of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK); 3) the importance of students’ voice for pedagogy and learning design. In addition, the Guidelines offer information to teachers about the BLENDI platform and toolkit. The BLENDI Moodle training package (pdf) constitutes the basic tool for the training of teachers and educators in the implementation of the BLENDI approach. It includes all the relevant educational materials to be used by teachers and their trainers for the delivery of the blended training course for teachers. Currently, the Moodle training package contains the initial Master Training Course in English, which could be easily used and replicated by any interested school across Europe, as well as a number of replications of the initial Master Training Course, in Greek, Spanish and Catalan. The Master Training Course in the training package as well as its multilingual replications can be used by teachers who wish to develop skills and knowledge on the basic concepts of the project. The course also includes information, guidelines and support on the practical aspects of applying the BLENDI approach in their classrooms, such as the creation of the Dialectical Synergic Blended Lesson Plans (DSBLP). The general structure of the Master Training Course and its national replications is: a. Introduction, b. The BLENDI Guidelines, c. The seven learning modules, and d. The Final Quiz. The seven (7) distinct Modules address different elements of the BLENDI approach and its implementation in schools. They contain all the necessary teaching and learning materials to support the learning experience of teachers who participate in the course. Each Module contains educational materials, links to articles and reports, informative videos, quizzes and presentations, divided in and labeled as pre-training activities, face-to-face activities, post- training activities and a final reflection activity. Trainers who will undertake the course can add extra materials to suit their individual needs and the needs of their trainees. Additional materials can be added based on the profile, and existing knowledge and skills of trainees, and their educational needs. The BLENDI approach uses self-evaluation, student feedback for BLENDI teachers and the measurement of students’ and teachers’ digital competences through the use of surveys and interviews. Teachers’ and students’ input is used to provide insight into the effects of the BLENDI approach. The BLENDI approach also used the SELFIE tool (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by fostering the use of Innovative Educational Technologies) as a form of needs assessment prior to designing the project’s platform and toolkit. The SELFIE is a free and openly accessible tool designed to help schools embed digital technologies in teaching, learning and student assessment. It gathers the views of students, teachers, and school leaders on the use of technology in their school, by using short statements and questions and a simple 1-5 agreement scale. Teachers and students were involved in needs assessment right from the start when they undertook a SELFIE of their digital skills in their schools. This was the basis for creating the Blendi Platform. When the Platform was created, we looked at providing 3 main areas of work to create a digital inclusive tool that would help teachers and students to collaborate and make the most of their digital learning. The 3 main areas in the Platform are: Tool and Tips Explore the following digital tools and learn practical tips about their use in blended learning environments to include all students. Collaborative Lesson Plans Use of Blendi Platform for creating collaborative lesson plans. Students´ Feedback App A space where students can provide reviews and feedback concerning activities and tools. The BETA testing began as soon as lesson plans were able to be uploaded on the platform. The teachers and students in all schools have been collaborating and coming up with interesting lesson plans which they are able to share on the platform. The innovative side of the platform was completed with the possibility of students to provide feedback on the lesson plans so they could be modified and improved. The final version incorporates extensive feedback from all schools and mainstreams the platform for public use. The BLENDI toolkit has been conceived as a user-friendly application with various resources for teachers and students. It provides teachers with practical tips about the use of blended learning to include all students, helping them decide on the various tools used in inclusive blended learning environments. The toolkit contains the following categories of tools: Wikis, Blogs, Discussion Forums, Webcasting, E-Portfolios, Online surveys and Quizzes, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Other Web 2.0 technologies. Each category provides teachers and students with: - A list of suggested tools. - Instructions on how to create the tools. - Guidelines on how to use them. - Tips on how to make them more accessible to students. - Additional literature. The BLENDI platform can be used to codesign collaborative lesson plans between teachers and students. Teachers need to sign in with the platform with a Google account and create a lesson plan. The lesson plan template is composed of three main sections: (1) Learning objectives; (2) Activities and tools; and (3) Reflection and Assessment. For each section, the teacher can configure specific codesign questions to use with their students using the codesign blue buttons on the right. For each group of codesign questions the system allows teachers to generate a unique code. Students will then access the Feedback App and use the code provided by the teacher to see and answer the codesign questions individually and anonymously from any device (e.g. smartphone, laptop, tablet…). The BLENDI platform is also a community platform. Teachers can share their collaborative lesson plans with the other teachers in the online community, duplicate and give feedback to others’s lesson plans. The platform provides a gamification feature that engages teachers with the codesign process, allowing them to track number of likes, views, comments received for each lesson plan created and an indicator of the number of times a lesson plan has been codesigned with students. Teachers have implemented the BLENDI approach in their schools during the piloting phase of the BLENDI Project. The implementation of the BLENDI approach was accompanied by a localization process that began during the design phase as well as carried through the piloting phase. As a matter of principle the BLENDI approach sought to involve all stakeholders (teachers, educational experts, and students) in the design and of the material and project results in an effort to be as participatory, inclusive, and relevant as possible. This process of local adaptation operated on multiple levels and during multiple phases. It firstly involved a needs-based and evidence-based approach in the development of the project outputs from the phase of inception as teachers and students provided information through interviews and surveys on their local needs. Upon the initial development of the project outputs, local adaptation was sought through the Teacher Advisory Board and the teacher trainers who provided feedback on the project outputs such as the BLENDI Guidelines, the training material, the BLENDI platform and Toolkit based on their expertise as well as their local circumstances. In addition, the implementation of the BETA testing allowed for the emergence of any challenges on the local level in relation to, for example, availability of technical equipment, support and internet connection, which could then be dealt with accordingly and in the local context with the support of the local BLENDI team. The organization of multiplier events was also used as a means of local adaptation as teachers who participated in the multiplier events were asked to work with project material that was locally adapted by workshop facilitators, were invited to try it out in their own settings and were also asked to provide feedback. Finally, localization was also supported through the piloting phase of BLENDI where teacher and student participants in the project in each school collaboratively developed and implemented lesson plans based on their local/national curricula as well as based on the students’ interests and the technical infrastructure available in each educational setting. Feedback on the piloting was also acquired through the final evaluation phase of the project where teachers, teacher trainers and students were asked to reflect on their local experiences through surveys and interviews. This feedback was utilized in the finalization of all project results. This process of localization was an iterative process as feedback was given in different phases, as explained above, and informed the finalization of each project result as well as was fed into the development of subsequent phases and results of the project. Teachers in BLENDI pilot schools have pondered the added value of the BLENDI Approach. They find that the inclusive pedagogical use of digital technology brings following benefits to their schoolwork and students’ learning: - New perspectives, new tips for Teachers - Digital skills improved - ‘Wisdom of Crowd’ when student participation increases - More positive atmosphere in the classroom - Student’s voice is heard better - Learning to Learn improves - Collaboration skills improve - Possibility to try new ways of learning in and out of school The pedagogical use of digital technology should be part of school culture, which means it needs to be included in strategic planning. For a successful implementation in schools, there needs to be a commitment on behalf of school leaders which entails investment in communication, as well as optimal leadership and management. The BLENDI project has developed a localization kit to anyone or any school interested in adapting the project’s results. This includes tips on the steps to follow, lesson plan templates, feedback collection tools, and resources that can be consulted. The BLENDI platform is available online (following a SaaS approach) and maintained by UPF. The registration is open, with easy access to any interested person. The platform is multilingual, and can already be used in the five languages of the BLENDI consortium. Moreover, further translations could be configured under demand. The platform generates files for translation with tools such as Poedit that can be shared with countries interested in translations to new languages. Localization steps and tips - Conduct a needs assessment to assess teachers’ and students’ digital skills, the school’s infrastructure capacity, and local educational needs in relation to blended learning - Consult with local experts: teachers, teacher trainers, academics, policy makers, students - Consult local educational curricula and guidelines - Browse BLENDI platform, lesson plan database and toolkit and adopt and adapt in accordance with local needs as well as local standards identified through previous steps - Conduct smaller-scale pilot implementation - Collect feedback from teachers and students involved through surveys and/or interviews - Up-scale the implementation as desired. The experiences from the implementation of the BLENDI approach are valuable for future use of it in new schools. During the project, teachers expressed their satisfaction with the BLENDI approach, particularly in succeeding with one of its main goals: giving voice to all students regardless of their cultural background, socioeconomic background, school performance and/or disability. Participating teachers were positive towards their training in terms of learning new theories. However, teachers found it difficult to put all they learned to practice. The Moodle course environment provided useful information and direction on what, when and how to train other teachers in their schools. A suggestion they had was to enhance the evaluation on the Moodle learning platform. Teachers seemed to be satisfied and even excited with the use of the BLENDI platform and the toolkit. However, in future the platforms should always be more finalized in advance so that they demonstrate better the whole approach. The teachers hoped that authentication would have been integrated to normal user accounts at their school and this caused one barrier for a wider BLENDI platform use. Teachers’ main concern on the BLENDI approach was the aspect of time: it took more time to prepare the lesson plan, more time to research and conclude on specific tools, more time to implement the lesson plans than they expected. For students, the overall benefits of blended learning connected with students being more engaged and more active when blended learning was used. Co-creation of lesson plans and having students to comment on the learning objectives proved to be beneficial for classes. One suggestion was that feedback could have been seeked only when the lesson plan hasd been applied in the class. In teachers’ opinion the whole process was beneficial for their students and for themselves since it provided them with an opportunity to develop professionally. Because the organization and implementation of a focus group discussion with students was not feasible, conclusions on their views can be drawn from the students’ survey and from the comments made by teachers on the reaction and feedback they received from their students. In both cases the feedback was very positive. Students enjoyed this new method of participating in their lesson, during its early stage, its design. It was the first time that such possibility was provided to them and they felt that they express their opinions freely and that their voices were heard. Students also enjoyed the collaboration which was initiated by the BLENDI approach. They collaborated with their classmates to form opinions and ideas on the lesson’s objectives and activities, and they collaborated with their teachers to finalize the lesson, the activities, the sequence and the assessment. They felt that they could take control of their learning experience and to recommend new things in an open and friendly environment. They also pointed out that they learnt more during the lesson which was produced by the co-design process and that their learning was facilitated with the use of new tools and innovative activities. They also appreciated the efforts of their teachers to include all students in the process, without leaving anyone behind. Finally, they mentioned that they would like to use this approach more often, with more teachers and for more classes. Overall, it was an inspiring experience for them. In summary, it seems that students found the BLENDI approach useful and enjoyable in many aspects (autonomy, participation, learning the value of sharing ideas). One of the most important lessons learned based on their feedback is that students value their teachers’ asking them to participate in the co-design of the lesson plans. All of them pointed out that they would like to continue to collaborate with their teachers since this makes the lesson more engaging and interesting, and more aligned with their own interests. From a technical perspective, students provided valuable feedback regarding improvements to the platform (e.g., autosaving, easier passwords, having their typing deleted on tablet). Furthermore, as it is apparent based on the focus groups findings that the implementation of the BLENDI approach was useful in helping students to develop their digital skills. In the three schools students recognize that the topic of ICT (to support their learning) is present in their conversations with teachers. They are also aware that they have technical support available in their school when they face problems with technology. Students from two (out of the three) schools rated highly their happiness with, usefulness and applicability of the platform. These students also think that designing lesson plans with their teachers helped them to learn. Yet, the school with a higher percentage of students from economically disadvantaged homes are less positive with the platform and the approach. The results from teachers’ views provide some hints about why this is the case and how the approach and its practical implementation could be extended to be able to address diverse contexts and further appropriation better. The features of the platform that students liked the most were: being able to express their opinion (anonymously) (and learn from it), using a rating format using stars, sharing designs with a wider community, the method, aspects of similarity with other tools, and the opportunity to learn new technologies. Some students suggested that aspects for improvement include the use of the language, the usability of some features, the organization of resources, and more similarities with the tools they normally use. The BLENDI toolkit and platform was in low use in Finland and students did not have that much experience from the technical side of the BLENDI approach. However, the students were active in inclusion, feedback and increasing the use of many kinds of technical tools and environments in their learning. There were a lot of positives to take away from using devices and technology in a classroom environment, but also a lot of areas that needed improvement or developing. Like teachers, the weakest areas were collaboration and assessment. Students would like better feedback on their work and more self-reflection on learning. There was an issue and a desire to better tailoring of lessons to their needs. Ways to battle online learnings’ boring nature needs to be addressed – perhaps more interactive or including of more games could be solutions. I & F Education and Development Mr Joe Cabello, Educational Researcher, Project Coordinator +353 1 5488166 European University Cyprus Dr Katerina Mavrou, Associate Professor, Department of Education Sciences +357 22 559 485 Athens Lifelong Learning Institute Tel. +30 211 0138 400 Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Dr Davinia Hernández-Leo Full Professor, TIDE learning technologies research group +34 93 542 1428 Diaconia University of Applied Sciences Dr Olli Vesterinen, Expert in Teacher Training +358 40 590 5949

Our genome, our complete set of genetic instructions, contains mutations that can change the sequence of amino acids in the coded proteins. Since these proteins are responsible for the various cell mechanisms, such mutations are involved in turning healthy cells into cancer cells. In contrast, there are so-called ‘silent mutations’ that don’t change the sequence of amino acids in proteins. In recent years, it has been shown that silent mutations, both in and out of the cell’s genetic coding region, can affect gene expression, and may be associated with the development and spread of cancer cells. However, the question of whether silent mutations can help identify cancer types or predict patients’ chances of survival has never before been investigated with quantitative tools. Researchers from TAU’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Zimin Institute for Engineering Solutions Advancing Better Lives have been able to predict both the type of cancer and patients’ survival probability based on silent mutations in cancer genomes – a proof of concept that may well save lives in the future. Predictive Power Similar to That of ‘Ordinary’ Mutations. The groundbreaking study, led by Prof. Tamir Tuller and research student Tal Gutman, is based on about three million mutations from cancer genomes of 9,915 patients. The researchers attempted to identify the type of cancer and predict survival probability 10 years after the initial diagnosis – on the basis of silent mutations alone. They found that the predictive power of silent mutations is often similar to that of ‘ordinary’, non-silent mutations. In addition, they discovered that by combining information from silent and non-silent mutations classification could be improved for 68% of the cancer types, and the best survival estimations could be obtained up to nine years after diagnosis. In some types of cancer classification was improved by up to 17%, while prognosis was improved by up to 5%. The findings of the study were recently published in NPJ Genomic Medicine. Silent, Yet Making Noise “‘Silent mutations’ have been ignored by researchers for many years,” explains Prof. Tuller. “In our study, about 10,000 cancer genomes of every type were analyzed, demonstrating for the first time that silent mutations do have diagnostic value – for identifying the type of cancer, as well as prognostic value – for predicting how long the patient is likely to survive.” According to the professor, the cell’s genetic material holds two types of information: first, the sequence of amino acids to be produced, and second, when and how much to produce of each protein – namely regulation of the production process. “Even if they don’t change the structure of the protein, silent mutations can influence the process of protein production (gene expression), which is just as important. If a cell prodces much smaller quantities of a certain protein – it’s almost as though the protein has been eliminated altogether.” “Another important aspect, which can also be affected by silent mutations, is the protein’s 3D folding, which impacts its functions: Proteins are long molecules usually consisting of many hundreds of amino acids, and their folding process begins when they are produced in the ribosome. Folding can be affected by the rate at which the protein is produced, which may in turn be affected by silent mutations.” “Also, in some cases, silent mutations can impact a process called splicing, in which pieces of the genetic material are cut and rearranged to create the final sequence in the protein.” Apparently, silent mutations can actually make a lot of noise, and Prof. Tuller and his colleagues were able to quantify their impact for the first time. Saving as Many Lives as Possible To test their hypothesis and quantify the effect of the silent mutations, the researchers used public genetic information about cancer genomes from the NIH in the USA. Applying machine learning techniques to this data, the team obtained predictions of the type of cancer and prognoses for patients’ survival – based on silent mutations alone. They then compared their results with real data from the database. “The results of our study have several important implications,” says Prof. Tuller. “First of all, there is no doubt that by using silent mutations we can improve existing diagnostic and prognostic models. It should be noted that even a 17% improvement is very significant, because there are real people behind these numbers – sometimes even ourselves or our loved ones.” “Doctors discovering metastases would like to know where they came from and how the disease has developed, in order to prescribe the best treatment. If, hypothetically, instead of giving wrong diagnoses and prognostics to five out of ten cancer patients, they only make mistakes in four out of ten cases, millions of lives may ultimately be saved. In addition, our results indicate that in many cases silent mutations can by themselves provide predictive power that is similar to that of non-silent mutations. These results are especially significant for a range of technologies currently under development, striving to diagnose cancer types based on DNA from malignant sources identified in simple blood tests. Since most of our DNA does not code for proteins, we may assume that most cancer DNA obtained from blood samples will contain silent mutations.” The new study has implications for all areas of oncological research and treatment. Following this proof of concept, the researchers intend to establish a startup with Sanara Ventures, focusing on silent mutations as a diagnostic and prognostic tool.

An Encrypting File System (EFS) is a functionality of the NTFS (New Technology File System) found on the various versions of Microsoft Windows. The EFS facilitates the clear encryption and decryption of a file by making use of complex, standard cryptographic algorithms. The cryptographic algorithms are used in the EFS to provide useful security countermeasures, where only the intended recipient can understand the cryptography. The EFS uses symmetric and asymmetric keys during the encryption process, but it does not protect data transmission. Rather, it protects data files within the system. Even if someone has access to a certain computer, whether it is authorized or not, NTFS permissions cannot unlock the EFS cryptography without the secret key. The EFS is actually a transparent public key encryption technology. NTFS permissions allow or deny the user access to the files and folders in various Windows operating systems (OS), XP (excluding XP Home Edition). Features of Key EFS are as follows: - The EFS developers remind the users that once a folder is marked as encrypted, all files in that folder are also encrypted that includes the future files also in that particular folder. And also, a custom setting for encrypting “this file only” is available. - The file’s encryption feature may be removed by clearing a check box in the file properties. - The Encryption passwords are identity specific, so it is important for employees to avoid sharing the passwords and equally important that users should remember their passwords. - The encryption process is easy. Select the checkbox in the file or folder’s properties to turn on the encryption. - Although it was used by many organizations, EFS must be handled with caution and knowledge, to avoid the encrypting content that should be transparent, rather than secure. - The EFS offers control over who can read the files. - The files selected for the encryption are encrypted once they are closed but are automatically ready to use once opened.

Although reading is good for everyone, it's particularly helpful for those with mental health challenges. Talking about the characters in books and what they face can help young people and adults deal with similar issues. It can also be used privately by an individual to work out problems they have. The term bibliotherapy is not new but also not ancient. About a century ago, Samuel Crothers used it in an article he wrote for Atlantic Monthly. The term is not that old but the idea of reading for therapy is as old as the Library of Thebes in Greece. Above its door, it stated, “Healing place of the soul,” A woman named Sadie Peterson Delaney, a trained librarian. She used reading as part of the method to help Word War I soldiers who were in the VA hospital in Tuskegee. Therapy doesn't have to just use books. It can also use short stories and picture books work as well. Poetry can also be used. The links given here will show much more about this treatment and ways to use it. Advancing The Youth Mental Health Conversation Through Novels, NAMI, L.M. Elliott, https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/June-2022/Advancing-The-Youth-Mental-Health-Conversation-Through-Novels Bibliotherapy, Psychology Today Bibliotherapy, Good Therapy Bibliotherapy Depression Books, Goodreads Bibliotherapy Overview, Wikipedia

As one of the first industries to embrace additive manufacturing, aerospace has successfully woven the technology into its production operations. Additive manufacturing technologies are becoming more widely available and affordable for aerospace manufacturers of all sizes. The prevalence of 3D printers has led to significant changes in the aerospace manufacturing and design process, which has affected production of aerospace products at all different levels. Learn about how additive manufacturing technologies are transforming the aerospace industry. Aerospace Component Design Aerospace parts are complex, and they are held to strict quality standards in order to meet safety regulations. Made up of intricate geometric structures, these components form small parts that must fit together with other small parts. Using traditional manufacturing methods, these parts would be produced separately and then combined. With additive manufacturing technologies, an aerospace design engineer can digitally create a 3D model of the whole structure, including all the small interior components. Once this design is created, the engineer can print the entire aerospace component on a 3D printer and have a complete part that doesn’t require additional assembly. This process decreases production lead time for intricate parts, which makes the production process more efficient. 3D modeling and 3D printing are efficient ways to design an end product, but they can also be used to create prototypes of aerospace components. Additive manufacturing allows aerospace engineers to create product prototypes much faster compared to traditional manufacturing methods. With 3D printers, engineers can develop all prototypes in-house, and use 3D-modeling programs to quickly change designs and print new prototypes. This reduces expenses during the product development stage, while still allowing engineers to test and improve product designs. Rapid prototyping helps companies finalize product design faster, and the sooner a product is produced, the sooner it can go to market. In this way, additive manufacturing helps aerospace companies stay ahead of competition. Gravity Industries, a human flight company, used rapid prototyping to develop its jet suits. Additive manufacturing technology permitted the company to use low-cost materials to create several different 3D-printed designs for the suits’ vortex-cooled rocket engine igniter. Thanks to rapid prototyping capabilities, the Gravity Industries team was able to limit expenditures and quickly decide on a high-performing design. Additive manufacturing is used to make several different aerospace components, from aircraft floor markings to entire jet engines. Today, some commercial airplanes have more than 1,000 3D-printed parts. Advancements in additive manufacturing have made it possible to create entire structures with 3D printers, and in the near future, it may be possible to 3D-print entire rockets. Aerospace company Relativity Space has nearly achieved this with its reusable Terran R rockets, which are manufactured out of mostly 3D-printed structures and parts. By using additive manufacturing technologies to build rockets, Relativity Space estimates it can turn all the raw materials into a finished rocket in 60 days — a significant improvement over using traditional manufacturing methods. Relativity Space’s new 3D printer is helping the company meet this accelerated production timeline by printing horizontally instead of vertically. This allows the printer to manufacture parts seven times faster than the previous generation of printers. And with additive manufacturing technologies becoming more accessible to aerospace manufacturers of all sizes, even more aerospace components will be manufactured using 3D printers. To learn more about additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry, attend AeroDef.

Many ideas from the PBLWorks project library can be adapted for individual or remote learning. Here are some that especially lend themselves to learning at home... Literary Playlist (grades 6-12): Students read literary texts independently, then create and share music playlists that communicate about characters and themes in their texts and create written “liner notes” explaining their interpretations and reasoning. Quadrats to Biodiversity (grade 6): Students mark off a small natural area near their homes, make observations, collect and share data to make calculations about the density and frequency of different species, and write news articles about their quadrat survey results. Planning to Thrive (grade 7): Students develop personal health/wellness goals and create and implement plans to achieve those goals. They create action plans for real or fictional “clients” (these could be family members, if students are learning at home) and publish guides with best practices for setting and achieving health goals. Shrinking Our Footprints (grade 5): Students collect and graph data about their families’ impact on the environment (in terms of water usage, food waste, etc.), develop plans to reduce this impact, and communicate these plans to their families by writing informative letters. Here are some remote learning project ideas for younger children (ages 3 to 7). Our National Faculty member and kindergarten teacher Sara Lev suggests the following projects from our library, which she notes will “give young children agency and ownership” while still needing support from parents or caregivers. Shapes Museum: Children learn about the different geometric shapes in their immediate environment (homes, yard, or street). They conduct observations (drawing pictures or taking photographs) of everyday items and structures to identify shapes in the world. Children then create pieces for a “museum” (hanging art around the house, or sharing the work digitally with friends in an online “museum”) as they teach others about the shapes around them. Children might also develop games or activities to play at home or share with others (e.g., a concentration/memory game, or original dot-to-dot pages). The StoryTime Channel: Children learn about story elements such as character, setting, and plot by reading picture books at home with a caregiver or independently, and then dictating or writing their own versions of stories (either adaptations or original pieces). Children then can create illustrations to match their story, use their toys to create live action animation, create a video of them reading the story, or any combination of these. Ideally, the students publish their story by sharing it on their own “StoryTime Channel” with friends from school. Other projects that can be easily adapted for young children are Rain or Shine (observing the weather at home) and Taking Care of Our Environment (helping to create jobs and responsibilities to take care of children’s homes and outdoor spaces). For all of these projects, consider what resources you may need to provide. If you can make printouts in advance of school closure or send them in a digital form, scaffold student learning of content and support their process. If technology permits, consider how you will check in with students about their process and, if possible, support student-to-student collaboration. This could include using technology to share drafts of work, engage in critique protocols, and make student work public. Something else to think about... These projects might serve as an opportunity for students to connect with their families and deepen family involvement in student learning.

Humans have produced a lot of stuff since the mid-20th century. From America's interstate highway system to worldwide suburbanization to our mountains of trash and debris, we have made a physical mark on the Earth that is sure to last for eons. Now a new study seeks to sum up the global totality of this prodigious human output, from skyscrapers to computers to used tissues. That number, the researchers estimate, is around 30 trillion metric tons, or 5 million times the mass of the Great Pyramid of Giza. And you thought you owned a lot of crap. The researchers refer to this tsunami of manmade stuff as the “technosphere.” The term "is a way of helping people recognize the magnitude and pervasive influence of humans on the planet," says Scott Wing, a paleobotanist at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and a co-author on the study published last week in the journal The Anthropocene Review. Wing is part of a group of scientists and climate leaders seeking to define a new geologic epoch reflecting the significant impact humans have had on Earth, known as the Anthropocene. Part of defining a new epoch involves delineating its physical outlines in the Earth's layers of rock. As sediments build up over time, often with fossils and other remnants of life packed within, they provide a kind of timeline of the history of the Earth. For example, scientists were able to theorize that a large asteroid impact had wiped out the dinosaurs at the end of Cretaceous period years before finding the asteroid's crater, because they found a larger than normal amounts of iridium within sedimentary layers around the world. (Iridium is rarely found on Earth, but is much more common in comets and asteroids.) Stratigraphers—geologists who study the strata, or layers, of the Earth—are used to thinking in time spans of millions of years, not decades. But the Anthropocene Working Group is urging the scientific community to recognize that humans are impacting the planet in unprecedented ways, and that it is time to formally recognize how significant that is. "We are now in some ways rivaling the great forces of nature in terms of the scale of our influence on the surface of the planet," Wing says. To get a sense of that scale, members of the AWG set out to broadly estimate the mass of stuff that humanity has produced thus far. Using satellite data estimating the extent of various types of human development on the land, from cities and suburbs to railroad tracks, the researchers estimated (very roughly) that the physical technosphere comprises 30 trillion metric tons of material, and is spread over roughly 31 million square miles of Earth's surface. In Earth’s biological ecosystems, animal and plant waste are generally reused by other organisms in an efficient cycle of life. "In the biosphere, there's no trash," Wing says. "The things that we produce become waste because there’s no part of the system that recycles those back to their original condition." Much of the material in the technosphere, by contrast, ends up in landfills where it often doesn’t decay or get reused. This is exacerbated by the fact that humans today use up stuff very quickly. (Just think of how many new phones your friends have bought in the past few years.) "The evolution of the technosphere is exceedingly fast," says Jan Zalasiewicz, a paleobiologist at the University of Leicester in Great Britain and lead author on the new study. "Far faster than our own evolution." Not all are convinced by the researchers’ interpretation, however. University College London climatologist Mark Maslin takes issue with the study, calling its methodology "incredibly weak." "I can pick holes in about half the numbers [in the study]," Maslin said. One example he offers is how the study uses an average density for cropland that is higher than the density of water. Maslin and several other scientists published broader critiques of the efforts of the Anthropocene Working Group yesterday in the journal Nature. Though they agree that the Anthropocene should be considered a geologic epoch, they argue that the process of defining it as such should be much more transparent and should focus more on human impacts before 1950. "They [the Anthropocene Working Group] instill a Eurocentric, elite and technocratic narrative of human engagement with our environment that is out of sync with contemporary thought in the social sciences and the humanities," Maslin and his colleagues wrote in their critique. "Defining a human-centered epoch will take time. It should be treated by scholars from all disciplines with the seriousness it deserves." Wing and his co-authors acknowledge that their study's calculation is a very rough estimate. But they say that it is meant to help people think about how humans have produced nearly 100,000 times their mass in stuff to support our continued existence. "People will go 'wow,'" Wing says. "And maybe they’ll even take it a step further, and think about the trillion tons of carbon in the atmosphere that we put there."